Monday, Monday
Went to see my doctor today to review some lab tests I got done a couple of months ago, BEFORE I started in earnest to lose some weight. Everything looks pretty good. Overall cholesterol is a bit on the high side but she said my HDL (the good cholesterol) was really excellent and the ratio is good. Thyroid function is normal and blood sugar is normal, hemoglobin is excellent. These results tell me that I can't blame the weight gain on anything but me nor can I blame general fatigue on anything but probably the work of carrying those extra 35 pounds with me wherever I was going. And I could stand to bring down the LDL a bit. But it was a good visit, she was very positive and encouraging when I talked to about my plans around weight loss and she gave me a lab req to get my cholesterol done again when I have lost 15 pounds. She said that it will probably make a difference AND it could be motivating, and I think she's right.
I'm still just loving this iPod thing. I cannot believe the podcasts that are out there, all free for the loading, on all kinds of fascinating subjects. There's just no end to them and I've really been enjoying listening to them when I am vacuuming (yes, I got it done!) or in the car or walking. When I am working out hard, the music works better 'cause it's got that beat that I keep time with but for the easier efforts, the podcasts are good.
However, today I went out for quite a long walk/run and just for laughs, I thought I'd try loading some classical music on the iPod as well as the usual harder rock that I usually listen to for workouts. I have to say, running to the sound of Beethoven's Symphony #5 in C Minor is an experience not to be missed! It's a very stirring piece of music and it worked quite well. And didn't I feel ever so cultured (as I splattered mud up the back of my pants; yes, mud season on the back roads is now in session).
Got a dentist appointment tomorrow first thing (getting all the maintenance work done!). I REALLY don't like going to the dentist and he actually has to do some work as I cracked an old filling. Still, I'm thinking the iPod might come in handy there too.
I've been having a hard time getting those gym days in on workday mornings. I'm pretty tired tonight, both from the long cardio today and from staying up a little too late last night so I'm going to head off to bed soon and maybe try doing some visualization of tomorrow's workout before I go to sleep.
In other workout categories, I have been wanting to incorporate some yoga into my life somewhere but I'm having a hard time finding when. I have considered the classes around town but I never seem to get to them. One of the local yoga instructors does private lessons for an hour and a half and I was thinking about maybe doing that--getting her to design a program for me, show me how to do it, check out my alignment, breathing, etc. and then I can just do it on my own. And take another private lesson a few months down the road. Who knows, if I started doing it regularly, I might like it so much that I would show up to some of those classes. I don't think I would have too bad a time doing it on my own as I seem to have reasonably good body judgement (by which I mean I can tell, for example, if my leg is straight or at a 45 degree angle without looking at it). Maybe because I used to teach aerobics (back in ancient times), took all kinds of kinesiology courses and was certified for some time (nothing to do with my sanity, although there are some who might argue that!).
I think it's a good idea for me to add some new experiences in at regular intervals, BEFORE I get bored and start slacking.
Procrastinating no longer, I am off to bed! Best wishes to everyone for tomorrow.
