MANday Week 13 Back In The Saddle

Last week I started an experiment. When I’m stressed about something and tempted to reach for a cookie, I get down and do a few pushups. The idea was to change my habit of eating when stressed to a healthier habit of exercising when stressed. If it works and I can find relief from stress in exercise, it will be doing double service. Relieving my stress and doing my body good at the same time.

I’m on the right track after my first week, but it will be a long time before I know if it is having any real impact.

For those of you who have been following MANday from the beginning, you know I’ve been hurt and stopped exercising for a few weeks. I’ve been getting steadily better and one of the reasons for my experiment this week was to try out my abs and see if they could take pushups.

Good news so far. I did fifty pushups on Wednesday (twenty at once). My arms were a bit stiff on Thursday, but my side has been pain free.

I’ve been slowly ramping up my exercise but not always in the most intelligent ways.

Last weekend I went out along the Cape Cod Canal in flip flops. What started as an easy walk for a mile or two turned into six miles. My legs felt great. My lungs appreciated the fresh air. The weather was perfect. But walking six miles in flip flops can give you huge blisters on the bottoms of your feet. If you don’t believe me, come over, I’ll show you mine.

That put a crimp in my plans to get out and run.

All in all, it’s good news this Friday. I’m back in the saddle and ramping up to running by midweek next week.

How is your workout routine coming along?