Friday, February 6, 2009

moderation in all things, including moderation


Starting next week - for the first time since I've been a nurse - I'm going to have a set schedule. It won't be the same every week, but it's a four week rotation that keeps repeating. So week one will always be the same, and week two and so on and so on. On the one hand it will be a little less flexibility, but on the other hand it will be so nice to know months in advance what my schedule will be. Actually, the flexibility probably won't even be an issue. You can almost always muster up a shift trade when you need to. And since so many of us have kids, it's a pretty sympathetic crowd.


I'm excited about this for lots of reasons. One, I like to know ahead of time when I'm working. Two, we'll finally be able to get the kids on a set schedule as far as being with their dad every other weekend while I work. Three, I got almost exactly the schedule I requested, which is pretty darn sweet, if I do say so myself. And four, it allows me to make some plans. Plans that I keep putting off because "my schedule is so weird".


It always amuses me that I love filling in empty calendar slots as much as I do. I love to write down appointments and kid's classes and after school activities and days I work and any number of other non-social things. But the reason it amuses me is because I love nothing so much as an empty slot on the calendar. A whole empty square makes me very happy indeed. And if I can resist the temptation to fill it in it makes me even happier.


However, into every life some structure must fall, and mine is no exception. So I'm using this new, set schedule as a means to build some structure where before there wasn't much. And the first place I'm starting is with exercising and working out. At least this is the plan as it stands now.


I've gotten back on the gym wagon since my ankle is basically healed, and it's been going fine. (I'm still afraid to run, but that's a whole other post). But it's been fly by the seat of your pants gym-going, and I'm looking for something a little more thought out. It would be nice to use this gym membership I have for something other than walking on a treadmill, when I have a perfectly good treadmill out in the studio that I never touch. So today, in between my three hour nap and my popcorn/Laura Ingalls Wilder binge, I pulled out my gym schedule and took a look at classes. (This was also to assuage my guilt that the nap won hands down over actually going to the gym today). And before you could spell Pilates, I was filling in calendar boxes with a misguided vengeance that looked good on paper but probably wouldn't translate well to reality. I erased it all and rethought.


I want a program that will keep me interested. I want to get up my nerve to start running again. I want to try some classes and get back into weights. I'd like to see if Pilates really is all that. And I know for a fact that I slept like a baby when I was doing yoga. But I don't want to go to the gym more than three days a week, although I don't really care how long I stay once I'm actually there. So I'm a little stumped as to how to make this work. Cardio three times a week, weights two to three, classes one or two...gee. I'd better quit my job now and free up some time.


Does anyone want to share their fitness routine and give me some ideas? Even if it's bench pressing the box of donuts before you open it, I'd like to hear about it. Because I do overkill really well, and I'm pretty good at sloth, too. But that prudent moderation business? Gets me every time.

12 comments:

Pamela said...

I fight gravity. sigh. Not much more then that.

I've never bench pressed a box of donuts.

Irene said...

I used to go to the YMCA every evening at 5 PM and walk the treadmill for 20 minutes and then do a round of all the weight machines. It was a good workout and got me in terrific shape for mountain hiking. I was there for about an hour. That's all it took every day.

Maggie May said...

I think I would much prefer to know what I was going to be doing and like schedules and lists! Hope you like this new arrangement too.

As regards fitness. I do a lot of walking & chasing about in the school playground and often walk into the city and back and collect the grandchildren to & from school on top of that. Yes I am a great believer in walking!

laurie said...

first of all, this is excellent news about the schedule. i think it's great; structure (in a limited, basic way) really adds order to a life and removes a lot of stress.

even if you find you don't like it much, i bet the boys will.

and you already know my fitness regime: i walk three times a day (45 minutes before work with the dogs, 30-40 minutes on my lunch break, 20 minutes after work with the dogs) and three times a week i exercise with mr. darcy on the elliptical trainer.

though mr. darcy is now emma peel.

the rotten correspondent said...

Pamela - I fight gravity, too. Alas, it fights back.

Irene - that sounds like a great routine. When I was doing the weight machines I was in really good shape. I don't know why I have so much trouble getting back into them.

Maggie May - I'm pretty sure I'm going to love having this schedule. I'm also a big walker. It's funny, because I've hurt myself doing god knows what else, but I've never hurt myself walking. It's what I always fall back into. And I love it.

Laurie - I think this schedule is going to be terrific for all of us. It's still going to be kind of confusing for the kids at first because each week is different, but hopefully they'll figure it out soon. And about your walking schedule - you must be in amazing shape. That's a lot of exercise.

Iota said...

I swim. Aim for 3 times a week, but sometimes it's 2. My fitness level is going up, which is rewarding, but I'm only losing weight VERY slowly - about 6 pounds since Sept, and another 6 at least to go till target. So I think I need to keep up the swimming and eat fewer cookies.

My schedule is Mon, Wed, Fri morning - when daughter is at preschool.

Just a question. Couldn't you have a w/e OFF work when the boys go to their dad, just sometimes?

the rotten correspondent said...

Iota - my weight is coming off really slowly, too. I console myself that I'm in way better shape, but can't you be in better shape AND weigh less? In a perfect world?

And I hope to sometimes swing it to have a weekend to myself while the boys are with their dad. I think that would be pretty nice.

Akelamalu said...

Pilates really is all that!

Unknown said...

Loving the new schedule for you. It's exciting to finally get some control over your time. Good for you:>)
I've been doing Pilates for about two years now and it's helped my back tremendously(s/p 30 years of nursing)--I use the reformer--gotta love an exercize where you lie down while you work out.When I first started I went 2/week. Now that I'm dancing more, I go once/week and dance 2/week. That seems to work out for me right now. Whatever you decide, ENJOY your time off:>)

Anonymous said...

Fitness routing, hmmmm, I've got nothing.

When it's warm out, I enjoy a long walk!

Congrats on your new schedule!

willowtree said...

I got my wife to get me a wii fit for Xmas. it would be very beneficial if I turned it on occasionally.

-Ann said...

I started to comment, but realised it was long enough to be a post of its own