Tag Archives: health

Suspenders in style?

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Daily writing prompt
What is one way you have grown this year?
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I am not quite to the point of moving from a belt to a chain, but I will keep you posted.

But when I get on a scale these days, the digital read out urgently requests, “Hey, one at a time!” But I digress…

I really do not eat as much junk or as much as I have before of recent vintage. No sodas really that often or ever, and I said “bye, bye” to beer. Loving veggies, especially maters, cauliflower and broccoli, raw. Ok, you caught me, With a Greek yogurt dip. A Triscuit or three. And Wisconsin is wondering why the cheese supply is suddenly going up instead of down.

Some of it is most likely the result of less time working out at PF and such. But June has been a more active month, and it will only go up from here. Dramatically. Perhaps there is another aspect to this obvious swelling I am not used to nor yet comprehend.

Maybe it is my soul that is expanding.

I am much closer to and look forward to feeding off of my higher power. I have been consuming more of His wisdom, garnished with that freely offered from those around me. Talk about an extra value meal.

Dispensing with the junk as I mentioned has opened up more space within to taste and enjoy what is genuinely healthy, fortifying and wholesome. This stoic now craves intention, vulnerability and honesty. Not the overprocessed, prepackaged, baloney of external influences that hope to distract you towards living their way.

Sorry Mr. Mayer. That had nothing to do with your contribution to my favorite sammich growing up.

The temp is steadily moving up and the humidity is getting closer to where I like it; swamp ass%. Walks need to resume; perhaps I walk to PF? We’ll see. Time is of the essence. But I am confident that the food available for my soul is approaching banquet proportions. So I will just move my chair so I can remain at that table.

I discovered that it is always open.

And seconds are always encouraged.

Maybe I can just skip the chain. Now that I think of it, I sort of already freed myself of that way of thinking and living. With the help of a heavenly dietician.

Hey?

Suspenders in style?

And in that I have always been a work in progress.

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Daily writing prompt
How can you build a regular fitness routine?
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The building lay entirely within intention.

What are you willing to do – emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually – to make this how you live. Akin to making your bed in the morning. In my view, it is not at all about what you do. Moreso, it is entirely about who you become.

A little about me.

Challenged by bulk my entire life. Rigorous activity took command of it when circumstances were amenable to it. Or shall I say, I made room to allow those circumstances to appear.

Running and cycling were two of my favorites, and still are. But just not physically possible any longer. Thank you football ! I like doing the circuit training I created for PF. Trying to work that into days again is the obstacle. During Covid, I flipped a tractor tire up and down a football field for several months. Yard work is good for the core. Shoveling snow too. I love doing physical work.

Taken steps, literally, to raise the fitness level here. First, began walking with a weighted vest. Already need something heavier. The distance is increasing – already in the three to four mile range – so I will now focus on quickening the pace. In time, I think I could walk to PF, hit the circuit and walk home. That would be ideal.

Eating is being addressed as well.

Really into Cheerios, bananas and 1% milk in the morning. Some yogurt, even plain 0% is yummy to me. Lots of veggies – digging tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and peppers raw – with or without yogurt dip.

My snack driving from client to client? Hard boiled eggs. Salad burritos are good too. Never really a soda guy, cut way down on toast, steak once a quarter, mostly chicken, pork and fish. Pasta the way my bestie makes it is to die for. Maybe a burger on the grill once in a while. Tacos with black beans in the meat. Cut back on the tortilla chips.

All is in place to make progress, with the exception of increasing the portion size of the exercise while finding the correct level for portion size when I am hungry. That is happening.

But it is all a building process.

As I suggested, it is not at all about what you do.

Moreso, it is entirely about who you become

And in that I have always been a work in progress.

Workin’ my horticulture stations.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
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Back in the day, when all limbs were fully functioning, a run or a ride were my go to’s.

Between my freshman and sophomore year in highschool, I sprouted like six or seven inches, and thinned out. I started to run, since I could finally do it without taking on a rolling appearance.

Brought a great sense of peace and connection. The town I lived in was sidewalked everywhere, so one could just lace ’em up and go. Early evening was great. I was almost going to stick with it, and try the cross country route at Central. But I listened to the football spirits instead, and now walking is about as fast and far as I can go.

When I got my first “corporate” job as a “manager trainee”, they had a locker room and shower on site. So I would hang a weeks worth of work clothes there and take the long way in and home on the ten speed. (…back then, that was as high as the cycle world could go. we must have had the same math issues…) I could go through forest preserves, some quasi-rural routes and get in twenty or so miles on the way in and a little more on the way out. Every day started pretty much stress free that way. I miss it.

Running has been shelved for sometime now. I have leaned into treadmill work at PF, with about a ten degree incline, and a rate that gets me a mile in about twenty. That is all well and good. But just not the same. The knee refuses to go all the way around, so I may have to rethink doing that again.

But the one escape I found to be great exercise is attending to the yard.

I may need to go to push mower front only and succumb to riding for the back. But raking is a tremendous core work out. I taught myself how to rake both right and left handed. That way no one side gets overstressed.

Weeding helps the core, on the knees or all fours. It offers mental benefits heretofore unknown. I think the term that best describes its merits is instantaneous gratification. You can relish in the work you just performed. Raking falls into that category as well.

Planting bulbs last fall was also a good core exercise. I don’t know if it is the soil in these parts, my lack of finesse with a bulb shovel or both. But I went through three of them in about a month. They found their resting spot in a recycling center. And the fruit of their sacrifice is being seen here and there around the house.

I am still getting in some time at PF. My weighted vest makes for a more invigorating walk. Almost seems redundant, adding weight to a frame already past the limit. And getting into the yard.

Me and my flowers!

Workin’ my horticulture stations.

As it was intended.

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Was able to elicit a profoundly layered perspective regarding the nature of stymieing personal challenges during a conversation this morning. It was one of those epiphanical moments that sent this stoic noggin a spinning. I am from the vinyl era, so that do make sense.

So when you are enmeshed in multitude personal issues and shortcomings that confound thought, word and deed, for whatever reason, they get tangled up, one in another. Constricting you like a leash or rope, tethering you to poor choices, deceit, ego, control, anger, resentment and strangely enough, isolation and abandonment. One would think that change in some manner or fashion would enable you to break free from this confinement with a steady, forceful pull.

Perhaps.

But if the thoughts, words and deeds remain the same, you will find yourself right back where you were before. Tied to the behaviors that led you to that personal imprisonment in the first place. Only this time, the rope maybe stronger, shorter and more painfully wrapped about your body mind, heart and soul.

Someone next to me referred to the act of unentanglement.

Coming to understand and confront what has you bound, one strand at a time. He cited that even though you may refrain from the action, the habitual self convincing approach to its continuation may yet remain. As such, each of those contrivances utilized to promulgate and perpetuate your current falsehood of a life need to be addressed, understood, cut, and dropped by the side of the road.

Period.

Maybe you can break that rope once or twice. But the fiber of its creation yet remains. Guaranteed to only come back in a stronger, more inhibiting and existence sapping manner.

But, if you break and then eliminate each strand, confinement to that way can no longer exist. Your change in your approach towards life then actually forms its own strands. Acting to extend outward, connecting you to others, healthy pursuits and affirming growth that act together, extending your reach, broadening your horizons and affirming your newly found true self.

Becoming woven into life in this manner means you are enmeshed with others.

True, healthy connection.

Ineinander.

One into the other.

Poor choices, ego, deceit, control, anger and resentment bind one up into isolation and abandonment. Cutting that cord, strand by strand, is freeing. It brings about a deeper understanding and appreciation for what you can become. No longer bound to the past, you can remain fully in the present. Abound in peace and serenity. Connecting to integrity, character, humility, joy and fulfilment.

The bond you now feel is that of respect, support, gratitude, compassion and love. One into the other.

One into living.

As it was intended.

Now that is needed.

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Daily writing prompt
What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?
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Over the years, a way sort of presented itself to me.

So I just went with it.

Of late, after I am sure I am breathing, I then have to ensure limbs function. Shuffle off to Buffalo, start coffee, concoct a liquid IV for my best friend and gather her backpack and thermos together. I like to pack her car early so she can just focus on getting ready for a day of teaching. That is plenty to think about.

If it is garbage day, they get rolled out. Make the bed. Make sure sink is empty. Then if I need to start fast, off to communion service by seven. If there is room, then off to morning mass a quarter after eight. In between, if time allows, then daily prompt. If not, then onto the day.

I once read that if at minimum you make your bed, then despite how the rest of the day pans out, you have accomplished one thing.

Bet you never guessed I make hospital corners.

So many things I attend to take time and investment to blossom. Sort of the path I have chosen to travel. So I will gladly accept healthy modes of instant gratification whenever possible. Like weeding. In thirty minutes, you can change the appearance of a flower bed. In three minutes, the appearance of your bedroom. In one, the kitchen.

Nothing nit picky about these whatsoever. The tone is set, the momentum gathers and you can ride that wave for the rest of the day. Same with ending it. Closing ceremony routine there. Maybe that is the next prompt?

Maybe it has been termed “routine” because it is something needed. But it doesn’t feel as such.

It’s just life.

And its simple joys.

Now that is needed.