An appetite for Sailing

It has been a long time since I cruised out to Catalina Island. Being crew on a sailboat is an adventure; sun, wind, fresh air and your body…continually struggling for balance! It is exhilarating. It is exhausting.  All that wobbling, waves and fresh air makes me tired and tired leads to hungry!  It was a six-hour motor sail to Two Harbors, Catalina in order to anchor before the sun went down. There were 5 of us on a 40′ yacht and we each brought enough food for a small army. One of the ladies was the “galley wench” because that seems to be her permanent “job” as crew! But, she does not have to swab the decks and haul the lines like the rest of us!  She does, however, love to make it look appetizing. Happy hour, snacks, lunches and dinners were amazing and I partook in all. 

 

Our crew went hiking, swimming, snorkeling while I relaxed on the boat, taking in the view and reading. I love hiking but I am no longer fit enough to climb the hills of Catalina. Next year, I hope to be able to revisit this cruise and with enough self-control, desire for change and support, I will be stronger and healthier. Thanks to you Dani for this opportunity to get fit! It all starts this coming weekend.  https://www.facebook.com/run.with.dani

https://www.facebook.com/run.with.dani  

The Wedding Dress

As a newly wed, I would love to blame my poor fitness on my new marriage. After all,  I married a retired man who worked hard all his life and chooses to spend lots of “down-time”.  But, it would be so unfair.  While I am certainly less active and weigh more, I was “in transition” to poor health before I got married.

Considering it was early spring, I had a hard time searching for a tropical dress in which to marry my sweetie pie on the beach in Maui. What is it about tropical dresses that need to be in size xs and size s? I finally found “the one” in a size M and brought it with me to Hawaii.

On our wedding day, we chose to have our guests celebrate with lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. Lunch was amazing and I wore a different and roomy dress that allowed me to enjoy some of my favorite foods. I returned to our condo after lunch to change for our sunset wedding and what a surprise.. I had to stuff myself into my dress. During the ceremony I remember hoping that I would not come out of my dress. That was 19 months ago. With a fitness program designed for me by Dani Bahnsen, http://danibahnsen.com/ my “first” journey to fitness will be to get back to the size of my wedding day and then….

Dance Fever

Dance Fever

‘I recently had my annual physical examination, which I get once every seven years, and when the nurse weighed me, I was shocked to discover how much stronger the Earth’s gravitational pull has become since 1990’.  ~Dave Barry

I recently visited my doctor for an exam and when she asked me “how much do you exercise”; Well, talk about being embarrassed!!!  I used to walk 4 miles a day” I said, “Uh huh” she said,  “and what about now” she asked! Wellll….

Those who know me know that used to swing dance 2-3 nights a week; and salsa dance every week; dancing for me has always been my therapy, my freedom from stress. I used to walk from Pierpont to the River on the boardwalk 5 days a week; and take my friends out sailing without taking a full day after to recover from exhaustion. What happened? Yeah age is creeping up, sure. But, mostly I have put on too much weight! I miss walking, I miss dancing and my need for sailing seems to be upstaged by sitting in front of the TV and my laptop!  Can I handle this  challenge?

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