Habit Boosts and Hurdles

I’m on day #3 of my second week developing a new exercise habit. Not that I didn’t exercise before, but it tended to be an on-again, off-again event, leaning more toward “off” in the past few weeks, when a nasty episode of tendonitis in my Achilles has made my exercise of choice (running/walking) off limits.

How are things going, you ask? I’ve hit both moments of encouragement (boosts) and moments that drag me down (hurdles). I thought I’d share…

Boosts

• On Write to Done, Mary Jaksh recently posted this article on how exercise can improve your writing. Thanks, Mary!
• One obstacle to exercise in my life is time—and this pressure cooker recipe for bean and pasta soup saves me lots of it. The soup is healthy, vegetarian (thus pleasing the non-meat eating members of my family), and yummy. I made it with homemade vegetable stock (a breeze in a pressure cooker), which infused it with extra flavor, and the parmesan, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar topping, gives it the feel of a gourmet restaurant offering. Less than an hour’s work provided me with dinner and a week’s worth of delicious lunches.

Hurdles

• Sickness! I woke up yesterday with a wicked sore throat and it’s progressed into a full-blown, knock-down head cold today. I made it through my (modest) workout yesterday, but today’s plan for intervals had to go. My solution? The dogs got a short, slow walk…one that was easy on my sore Achilles. Not a perfect workout, but I feel like I honored the intent of my challenge.

I’m hitting ups and downs, but so far, so good!

Cheryl