@Health muscle and blood, skin and bones... and a few pounds of chocolate icecream

A-ah! After 3 weeks of slugging and sugar and fat overdoses (not helped by all those out meals[1]) I managed to get my bottom inside lycra pants and go to the gym yesterday.

Alas, I forgot to take my iPod! :( It's weird how I've grown so accustomed to have my books and podcasts with me while I exercise (except in water-medium, of course). I was BOOOOOORED, half an hour on a machine seemed never ending and that was definitely affecting my drive and, consequently, my exercise output. So I did a short session despite my heartbeat behaving quite well (considering the asthma, and the break).

Now, experience tells me that the first thing to go on a break is resistance. Then speed, fluidity and preciseness of movements. Strength and muscles take longer. Nevertheless, I am never sure how hard or easy to go about my knee and ankle joints when I've been away for a bit. It's like I fear they're not well lubricated and need to warm up.

There is much talk about how exercise is good for you. What is hardly ever mentioned is that it can also be bad for you. If you dance a lot, cycle a lot, row a lot, chances are your knees will suffer on the long run. If you run a lot through asphalt, your ankles will suffer. It's wear that you'll pay for when you're older.

I have never broken a bone but my joints are not famous. I have crooked knees and have thin ankles[2] which are not good combinations if you do sports although giving you a funny background clacking beat when you walk barefoot.The area of the toes in my left foot has been giving me so much grievance I have actually got round to speaking with my GP about it.

Today I collected an X-ray taken of my left foot and will hopefully know what it says tomorrow.

And the question poses itself: I could cut sharply on dancing, I could stop rowing and other knee-sensitive activities, I could lower the intensity of the other activities, reduce my flexibility, reduce my fitness goals. That would buy me a few more years in the future with less joint problems. Or I could go on doing what I like doing.

I prefer having a good usage of my joints now than an extension in the future. Granted, I'm too lazy nowadays to embark into Triathlons, long cycling outings or anything of the sort. And I am careful with positioning, effort levels and signs of alarm. So I am keeping it at a reasonable enough level, I think.

Hums...

Let's see what that X-ray says...

Oh, I seem to have put on 'bout 2-3 pounds in these 3-4 weeks. But I had reached the goal of no pinching of belly by trousers and had a spring in my walk[3]. You know, when you feel you could almost climb through walls and jump low fences and you can easily climb stairs two at a time, running? Yeah, I love that freedom and energetic feeling! Yes, I'm butch like that.

ETA: I did not go today because it was pouring down and I didn't carry a coat or an umbrella and was literally dripping over my laptop. When I arrived home and took my stained trainers, I decided that was enough swimming for the day. So I ate cookies which, erm, don't have too much cholesterol...*hopefully*?

[1] I tend to always overeat when I eat out, something about not leaving food behind, I think... do you lot leave food behind when you eat out?
[2] which is, of course, the reason why I twist my ankles so often when I wear heels; nothing to do with my clumsiness...
[3] oh, as well as fitting into some (new) size 12 (GORGEOUS) clothes... I'm femme like that.