Healthy Writers Club

A couple of weeks ago, I signed up for Healthy Writer's Club, hosted by Shallee McArthur.  This is supposed to be posted on Friday, but I'll do it now since I'm two weeks behind schedule.

I got my physical on Friday.  I told my doctor I want to get back to my normal weight - 30 pounds less than my current weight.  The problem is I have nerve damage in my foot and my leg.  And a herniated disk in my back.  I can walk a mile but not fast enough to break a sweat.  I can ride my exercise bike or real bike for ten minutes - but that inevitably results in a muscle spasm in my hip that aggravates the damaged nerve. 

My doctor pondered it and decided I need to swim.  I said no.  He asked why not.  I said I hate it.

He said I need to do it anyway - its my only hope.  I told him I don't know how.  He said I should take lessons.  He played Jedi mind tricks on me until I agreed to swim laps with him - not literally with him, that would be awkward.  By the time I left, we agreed to make it a goal for both of us - one hour a week of swimming no matter what.

(BTW, he also gave me samples of two kinds of migraine meds - enough to last me 6 months.  Fingers crossed that they work.)

So I decided to get a day pass at the community center near my house to try it out before I commit to the monthly fee.  My husband went with me.  We had fun - actual fun where we smiled and enjoyed each other's company.  It was sort of like a date.  He went in first to see how high the water was - only 4 foot.  That seemed safe, so I got in next.  We swam laps as best we could next to the lap lanes (which were deeper) but inside the kid pool section. Whenever we needed to stop, we did. I don't like putting my face in the water, so I didn't.  The lifeguard kept staring at me.  I kind of appreciated it.  

My husband has apparently been suffering from exercise-induced asthma his whole life (as have I).  We both used our inhalers before we left the house.  And we both did great. 

He was like a kid that tried chocolate for the first time.  He kept describing to me how different it felt to be able to swim a lap and breathe at the same time.  He's never been able to enjoy exercise.  I honestly thought he was just lazy.  He just couldn't breathe.  I don't remember seeing him that happy since the day our baby was born.

We signed up for a pass and went back again today.  I'm hoping to get to my goal/normal healthy weight by April.  Maybe sooner.

For November, I'm doing NaNoWriMo and also plan to swim every day that I can and walk on the other days.  And I'm going to make the daily exercise habit a priority over NaNo.  Swim first, write later.