DAY one of the 100-day CHALLENGE! I hit the gym this morning and completed 1 hour of cardio. I was surprised when I read some of the comments people had left about exercise... it seems some of you don't feel you could complete an hour of cardio. How much exercise do you do, when you work out?I started out doing a half of an hour of treadmill or elliptical when I began exercising. Then, Dr. Hempel told me completing 40 minutes of cardio increases your muscle turn over, over the next 19 hours. Increasing muscle turn over means you're burning more calories... not a bad thing for an additional 10 minutes, right? But by the time you get to 40 minutes... why not go ahead and complete an hour and OWN THE GYM. And at one hour, the machines tell you it's time to "COOL DOWN" and who knows more than the digital displays on the work out machines... I mean, who am I to question THAT??
After the gym, it was time to complete my PERSONAL CHALLENGE for the day. Let me start by saying: I am a Southern Woman. I was born and raised in the south and there are certain things I will do and won't do. For example- if you are over the age of 70, I will still say "yes ma'am" to you, out of respect. However, I have never, in my 38 years of life, mowed a lawn or taken a trip to the dump. These are sweaty tasks assigned to my father or my husband in no particular order. Out of principle, I will continue to hold to my stance of NEVER MOWING A LAWN. I haven't done it in 38 years... why start now? However... today.... for the first time... I WENT TO THE DUMP.
I'm GREAT about loading all kinds of garbage into Eric's truck and allowing him to drive around, looking like an employee from Sanford and Sons. And since Dr. Hempel has a full-time job and works about 80 hours a week, he doesn't always have time to drop by the dump. I went on a "spring cleaning binge" last weekend and filled the Chevy to the rim with broken water hoses, old plant containers, bent window screens, a broken desk... typical Hempel discards. And as the week went on, I could tell that Dr. Hempel wasn't finding the time to get rid of the junk and I was starting to feel bad for him, having to drive the junk back and forth to work.
Yesterday, I proudly announced to Eric "I'm going to the dump tomorrow so I'll need your truck." He was on his way through the room and stopped... thought for a second... and said "would you like some instruction before heading off to the dump or do you want to do this on your own?" Instructions? Me?? No.... I can handle this!
So today I took three children to the dump. When I checked in at the gate, I said "this is my first time! Do I get Frisbee? A tee shirt?" The man thought he had a sucker but when he returned to the window, he was all out. Sad. I pulled up to the correct landfill area, slid on my WORK GLOVES, pulled myself into the back of the truck, and went to work. There was something liberating about taking the things you can no longer use and casting them, without abandon, into the abyss. We're always taught NOT to throw things out of the vehicle and if you drop something, pick it up... NOT THIS TIME, BABY! I was hurling boards & garbage bags with all of my might. I was standing in the back of a pick-up truck, AT THE DUMP, with no husband in sight. I am a SOUTHERN WOMAN AT THE DUMP, hear me roar!
After our successful dump experience, the kids and I headed over to the Frosty Spoon for frozen yogurt. (32 calories per serving...!) Today, the GOOD news is, I proved to myself that I can complete a task I have always reserved for the men in my life. The bad news is... now Eric knows I am capable of running one of HIS errands. I should have thought this through..... I'll be back tomorrow!
11 comments:
When I started going to the gym nearly 9 years ago (OMG! WOW! I can't believe it's been that long) I could hardly do 10 minutes on the elliptical. Now I usually do 45 minutes. Saturday and Sunday I do 60 minutes. I also do weights 3 days week as well for 45 minutes. Great job on your workout.
Being a Yankee (although I am Southern lady at heart) I have mowed the lawn AND gone the dump. All before the age of 10. Hmmm. Something is wrong. I'm 34 now. I don't like that.
What a great 1st day, Amy. D-Day, a.k.a. Dump Day. What a great metaphor for your first day of Rebuilding. Think about it, dump what you no longer need: doubt, fear, procrastination, random internal garbage, and make way for all the greatest to soak in. It all starts with the first trip to the "dump", just like today. I commend you for doing something that you never saw yourself doing. That is spectacular and I salute you for proving to yourself that even a sweet Southern woman, such as yourself, can sling garbage with the best of them. ROAR WOMEN!!! Congrats on Day 1, lady!!
what is the frosty whatever? I live in that k-falls you speak of and I have never heard of that! Also I too (at least not on my own) every done the d-day thing. Congrats! I would like to join you in your 5 days a week! I had been doing pretty good, but of course being out of town takes a toll on my intnetions, but then Summer does too! good luck blogging every day! oh, and I'll be there this Saturday.....do you still need me? talk to you soon!~
This is a terrific post....seems to be a parallel between getting rid of pounds and getting rid of junk. Both are very liberating! Sorry to hear you didn't get your "virgin dump trip" prize...they've had some dandy's in the past.
Well I did mow the lawn like I said I would. I did the front on Saturday and the back on Sunday, but hey..it got done. I suffered in accident on Monday when my son dropped the weed eater on my foot. I don't even know if we have a dump around here. Never really thought about it. Here in Memphis/Bartlett we just put our junk on the street curb and someone is bound to pick it up before the trash man comes. It is odd the stuff people have picked up off the curb. I always wonder what in the hell are they going to do with it. Congrats for taking a dump...I mean going to the dump. You are an inspiration. I just may get on that eliptical today.
Hey Amy,
I have never mowed the lawn either. In fact, here at the Orlando household I am not allowed. You know I wouldn't follow the right pattern and of course might miss a blade! I hit the Frosty Spoon yesterday too. It was plan B when the field trip with Bs school was waylayed by the closing of the Link River Trail (I was looking forward to a brisk walk chasing 2nd graders on the trail). Thanks for the wonderful blog. I hear a tune...99 days on the blog left to go, 99 days to go. The Southern Girl, will try something new, then 98 days on the blog left to go...
I agree on the hour - it makes me feel very accomplished! I didnt know about the muscle turn over - thanks for the info! I wont be doing under 40 min from here on out! When I actually go to the gym vs run outside or use my elliptical or treadmill - I get a much better longer workout. Shame I havent gotten there in almost 2 weeks!
Congrats on starting day 1!
I'm a california girl, but I've never mowed a lawn or gone to the dump, either! My dad always made my younger brothers do the yard work.
Congrats on the first day! I will be starting my "first day" after my "last day" of work which is tomorrow! Hooray for summer!!! I have mowed the lawn since I was twelve! My dad used to give me $5 for the back and $5 for the front. Ten dollars was allot back then. Now my husband is asking me why he HAS to MOW the lawn. We only have to mow our back lawn. What a WIMP!
I'm a mower, dumper, pooper scooper, you name it. I take care of business if I need to. But what I can't do is act like a lady. That would be outside of MY box! You know it's true!
I don't want to argue with the machines either. If it says cool down, I must cool down!
But I sure do like to think about all those extra calories being burnt long after I've stopped, and that has motivated me to start a new "workout" on a machine that has said it was finished with me.
It's almost like a buy three get one free when all I really needed was two. Sometimes it's worth the extra "expense". Follow that logic? hehe
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