Wednesday, June 3, 2009

On a completely different topic

Almost a year ago, a holiday in the mountains revealed to me exactly how out of shape I was, and I resolved to do something about it.  I hate running, I hate gyms, I knew I would not commit to any at home exercise program, so I signed up for adult swimming lessons.

I had been a non-swimmer until after our third child was born, when I signed up for the absolute beginner lessons taught at the pool near our home.  I learned to swim then, and would sneak in some exercise when I took the children swimming.  But we moved, the pool was not as convenient and I had not swum intentionally for exercise for perhaps fourteen years.

So I signed up for lessons.  I was a little surprised to find out that summer lessons are five days a week, 45 minutes a day.  That's a lot of swimming when you're not in great shape.  The first night, I could only swim half the length of the pool at a time and then had to rest.  But by the end of week two, I had improved my strokes, learned some new ones, and I could swim eight lengths.

Well now I'm trying to get back to the shape I had gotten back to in the winter.  I was not able to get into the pool for almost six weeks after my heart attack, and I am now back up to being able to swim about ten lengths before I tucker out.  It's incredibly frustrating to be doing this from scratch again, but I feel a little stronger and it's worth it to me to get truly fit again.

I think a lot of us let our health and fitness slide, just because we're busy with children and home education, and the general responsibilities of our lives, but it doesn't have to take that long, and it has made such a difference in my energy level, in how well I sleep and in how strong I feel.  Days that I can't swim, I try to take a brisk walk.  Some days, my most strenuous activity is knitting and folding laundry.  But I'm keeping going towards my goal, and it feels good.

No comments:

Post a Comment