I ran!

I ran. I've had a couch to 5k app on my iPhone for months, but haven't bothered to use it. I finally bothered.  I have now completed three days, so I realize I'm just a newbie, but I think I've found what I need. I have it set on beginner mode and set it to run 10 seconds, walk 50. Baby steps, but it works and I don't feel like I'm going to die after. As my wind (and muscles) improve, I will gradually up the ratio of running to walking and the program extends the number of reps. Yay to lolo who makes terrific fitness apps. I started out with the Beatburn Treadmill/Outdoor Trainer on my iPod back when it first came out. It was probably the first fitness app I purchased and it was always the one I used the most. Then when Jeff Galloway's Ultimate 5K was released, I jumped on it as well, just didn't use it right away. Better late than never, and I feel great. Surprisingly, I don't even have an exertion headache.

When I got home, I broke open a fresh coconut, drank the milk, and pried a few pieces of the meat away from the shell for a quick snack. I'm really not even thinking about dinner, but I'll eat a few black grapes and go from there. Maybe I can find some marinated salmon in the freezer if I look really hard.

Feeling groovy. :)

I ask for a miracle

I ask for a miracle. Over the years I have read a lot of books, and watched lots of videos, and listened to lots of podcasts and audios about manifestation and the power of positive thinking. I know that I need to let go of my ego and let go of fear and follow my inner guidance. I need to let go and plug into the universal energy, as it were. So this is my beginning. I ask for a miracle. I ask for the universe to assist me. So far it's working. Today I was given a breathtakingly beautiful day in which to get out in and walk (and ride in the convertible with the top down!). I ask to manifest the correct food to nourish my body, motivation to exercise for a healthier body, and spirit to boost my emotional health. I ask for a miracle.

Today life was a day at the beach

Speaking of my beloved Lake Michigan, today's walk was barefoot through the sand and water. The day was cool, but the water felt a little warmer than the air. I really wanted to just leap in and swim, but the rip current was prohibitive. Enjoy the pics

People just don't realize how beautiful the southern Lake Michigan shoreline is... and that this is part of Indiana. :) Incidentally, the dots on the horizon in the next to last photo above is the Chicago skyline seen across the lake. It is only visible when the wind is coming from the north. It is approximately 38 miles across the lake from Michigan City to Chicago.

Still here

It's me again. Still here, still on a journey toward wellness. Today I was looking at home treadmills and marveling at how much the price has come down over the last few years. I can now have a health-club quality treadmill for under $1000! Wow!

I have also discovered a new, albeit temporary, hobby. Cold-water swimming. I have a pool, and I live in Northern Indiana, just about 10 miles from Lake Michigan. Since I live so close to the big lake, I grew up swimming in cold water... not to mention that I was a competitive swimmer for 10 of my developmental years. I've swam in lots of cold water throughout the years, but never really intentionally. Now I have been taking a dip in my pool every day as sort of an experiment. The water temperature is currently hovering around 65 degrees and the air temp isn't usually much warmer. It is rumored that there are multiple potential benefits to cold water, ranging from improved circulation, to enhanced immunity, to pain relief, to weight loss. Medical disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and I don't recommend this practice to anyone — I am simply doing a personal experiment to see if I notice any benefits. But a funny thing has happened along the way. I've found that I enjoy it. It gives me a burst of energy, yet I find it calming all at the same time. My skin kind of goes numb, but I feel warmth radiating from within. I like the feeling. As I noted above, though, it's a temporary experiment as the pool is being closed in early October. Usually it is closed by now. Living in the snow belt, we can get snow as early as October and I'm not quite brave (or crazy) enough to cut a hole through the ice to swim. Maybe I'll try cold showers instead. :)