Fitness Forward

I'm done with school! Yayness! I haven't taken enough opportunity lately to pat myself on the back for achieving my two year degree. Alas, the spare time I have recently gained is already allotted to gardening.

One of my last classes was cross training. While I didn't follow my workout schedules perfectly, I know that I am more fit than I've been in a long time. However, I also know that fitness is a journey, not a destination. So, how do I maintain fitness now that there are no workout schedules to turn in???

There are several options available to me, each with their own pros and cons. In no particular order....

Take a class. I'm looking at two classes in our parks and recreation flier. One is a Yoga Pilates blend, which appeals to me. The other is a belly dance class, which sounds like hella fun. Downsides? They require a fee, and they require being at a certain place at a certain time. If I want to skip it because I don't feel like it that day... its my dollar. Also, none of the classes take place right after work. They are all later in the evening, when I'm likely to feel lazy. Either would cut into my dinner/hubby time.

Walk my parents dog. I like this option because it will allow me to be physically active right after work (their house is near my work), I will enjoy walking around the old neighborhood, and I like the feeling of security of walking with a large dog. Walking will help me get in shape for walking the 12k in May. I also think the poor shepherd doesn't get out enough and could use some training. OTOH, I may have to resort to allergy medication, I may not feel like walking him when the weather sucks, and it could take some effort to get him to behave.

Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii DDR. I'm sure this option will be included in the mix. My video games are perfect for when the weather sucks. I can't wait until the Wii Fit comes out. I think I'm going to be doing this instead of any kind of video aerobics. I have enough room to play the Wii games in front of the TV, but I don't quite have enough room for mat based workouts.

Gardening. This one is probably the ticket. There are literally a million ways for me to exert myself in our modest-sized yard. As soon as the ground thaws I have fall deadness to rake up, a compost pile to form, a lawn to aerate, weeds to pull, and TONS of grass to remove from various flower and garden beds.

I guess that nails it. When the weather is nice I will garden, when its crappy I will play active video games. To keep my training up for the marathon I may attend some of the training clinics on Saturday mornings.

Still Counting Days

In two weeks I will refill my extended cycle BCP prescription for the last time. In 17 days I will be done with school. In 18 days it will be the first day of spring. In a month and a couple of days it will be DH's birthday. Next is mom's birthday, then begins the reign of the health Nazi, then quitting birth control, then my birthday, then green light. For some strange reason I'm under the delusion that if I chop it up into bite-sized intervals it will go by faster.

I do have something new to say. DH agreed that we would use alternate means of birth control in June to give me a chance at a normal cycle for charting my temps. We are not fans of barriers, but I'm glad we'll be able to make due for a month. There's one tiny piece of the puzzle in place, that I can control. So, Independence Day will have a double meaning this year. :)

Of course the question remains, have we wasted the past 12 years of birth control?