3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon and the clouds in the sky are dark and look heavy with threats of rain. Some live Wishbone Ash just shuffled up on the iPod and I’m bound to write.
I’m fresh back from the gym and am having trouble stopping the sweat. The workout is over, my body, the workout is over. And yeah, I’m still going to that place… still working out, still enjoying it – and have shed 15lbs since it all started. It’s encouraging, to say the least, especially so far getting measurable positive results in short-order. I guess I’m not missing my calories, I mean I don’t feel starved or anything… so that’s a plus.
You know, I’m by no means a gym-rat after my measly not-even-enough-to-establish-a-habit three weeks of working out, but I have learned that one thing is constant: When you tell people you’ve started going to the gym, started working out or eating right in the pursuit of fitness, everyone becomes an expert; everyone knows the best regimen for you.
I know folks mean well, and I appreciate that. But, in practice, I find myself shying away from mentioning the whole “working out” thing because I’m sure of the interrogation that’ll follow: “Oh yeah? How often you going? You doing weights and cardio? How many calories you eat per day?” Now, this line of questioning alone wouldn’t even be that bad, I don’t really mind talking about what I’m doing, about my own personal little thing I’ve worked out and am doing. No I would mind, except that I can have no 100% right answers for any of the inquiries.
If I’m going every other day in the evenings, I should really look into goings mornings three-days-on two-days-off. If I’m eating three squares a day, I should actually be targeting six-to-seven smaller meals instead. If weights on upper and lower body on alternating days, I should really try doing a little of each every time instead of breaking it up. If I’m keeping my heartrate around the 160s during cardio, I really want to be around 130 (or is it 140, or 150) to get into that “zone” where the pounds will just drip off.
Yeah, well, I just keep to my own thing, thanks. Maybe later, when I’ve decided I’m truly doing this and I’m not just gonna fail again, I’ll put some more rigor to the process. For now, I’m just glad I’m getting in there and breathing hard… sloppy or not.
See ya there; I’ll be the dude doing everything wrong.
Also written on this day...
- let's not trivialize - 2011
- lacking archetypal qualities - 2010
- life been good - 2007
- naught but a fortnight - 2006
- a quick one - 2005
- congealed lamb patties - 2004