feature image modified via shutterstock
This week in my continued effort to not destroy my body, I bought new workout pants. From a place called Lorna Jane, if you want deets. I think it’s an Australian store. I spent ~20 minutes perusing lycra clothing racks, shoulder to shoulder with incredibly fit people with endorphins oozing from their pores. For once, I didn’t feel like a total outsider in a sports store. It seems like progress in terms of my health confidence and viewing myself and my fitness level in a more positive and less shameful light. I doubt I’ll be signing up to the mailing list any time soon but at least I wasn’t nervous that the fit-looking people at the counter would side-eye me as I walked in.
Here’s what has and hasn’t been working for me lately.
Working: Ice skating
I was a little hesitant to say yes to ice skating. I feel like it’s an activity that requires a lot of practice to be even slightly capable, and I’m not sure I enjoy it enough to commit those hours. But I figured if nothing else, it would be good practice for walking around Chicago when I move.
My guide was my bff Owen, a Canadian ice hockey player. He’s ~that guy~ who’s racing around the rink doing fancy maneuvers and making ice fly while you’re pulling yourself along the railing and rolling your eyes. He made me hire ice hockey skates instead of the recreational ice skates but my ankles kept buckling inward every time I stepped out onto the ice. About one hour and three size adjustments later, I was ready to go! Excruciatingly slowly and awkwardly.
https://youtu.be/LX4_iDYYV70
“Am I going so fast that I’m blurry?”
I wasn’t.
I was terrible. It took twenty minutes to muster up the courage to leave the side railing. Then half an hour later, I was good enough to avoid falling on my ass but too tense to really let go and have a good time. Partly because little fearless children kept skating right into my path, it was hellishly stressful.
I don’t think I enjoyed ice skating enough to be adding it to my future fitness regimen anytime soon. However I’m still chalking it up as a successful fitness experience, given it was a solid workout and also an activity that’s pretty far outside my comfort zone.
Not working: Sugar-free work/life
Recently it came to my attention that I have possibly developed a little sugar addiction? A few weeks ago my boss banned candy and biscuits in the office because the weather is warming up and he thinks we should all be starting to think about our “summer bodies.”
Apart from my mild disgust at the phrase “summer bodies” and mandatory group dieting, I didn’t have a problem with the new ‘no sugar’ rule. I honestly didn’t expect it to impact my life whatsoever but whaddaya know, I’ve been dealing with intense sugar cravings ever since. At 3pm I’m sneaking off to the gas station for a cheeky Caramello Koala like a teen sneaking away to smoke weed.
This realisation isn’t a huge deal, in the grand scheme of things; on one hand sugar in large quantities does fairly terrible things to your body and on the other, I don’t ingest a tonne of it and I’ve had unhealthier addictions. Still, I’ve decided to go cold turkey for the next three weeks, which is the same amount of time I have left in Sydney. Health benefits aside, it’s something I’ve wanted to wean myself off anyway, as my gal pal can’t eat much sugar and I don’t wanna be smashing cheesecake on the couch while she’s left to snack on celery.
Has anyone cut out added sugars before? Do you have any tips or motivating experiences? It’s not realistic or desirable to cut back on sugar completely; it’s in so many things and life’s a little busy to be too fussy about what I eat. But as a start, from this week I’ll cut out the midnight mini ice creams and gas station candies and anything else with obvious added sugar. Wish me luck! God knows I’ll need it.
How’s your past week been? Is anyone still doing the yoga challenge? Have you tried any new healthy things? Tell me everything.
Also if you haven’t joined the Working On It social group, you could.
