Thursday, March 6, 2008

Green flower earrings

These are fun - green flower glass earrings with white jade beads dangling from sterling earwires. I called this pair "Jem," after my cousin - who happens to be a boy - but he's funny and a total cutie, so I thought these fun earrings were a good fit.

Jem is now available at the shop!

So after the new year Mr Hazel went into a health kick where he gave up soda and became very careful about my sugar intake (no more donuts, Cinnabon, cake, or sugary drinks - but I did put my foot down on banning dark chocolate. I can't live without dark chocolate - besides, it's good for your heart). Though I highly resent not having my weekly dose of plain glazed Dunkin Donut treats, I see the wisdom of reduced sugar, and today I also decided that it's a good idea to start exercising again.

The only problem is I am allergic to exercise. I did try in fits and starts in the past - I swam and ran on the track in college, took up golf, kickboxing, skiing, and rock climbing in my 20s, and did the treadmill thing for a while. The problem was that I got bored and lazy and would stop. I thought when I took up kickboxing with a friend it would motivate me to keep going, but what ended up happening was I used that hour of class to talk about where I wanted to go for dinner afterwards. It got to the point where I would get so hungry that I wanted to skip kickboxing and go straight to dinner. We also have a recumbent bike in our basement, but I'm currently using it as a laundry hanger.

But this isn't really healthy, so today I decided to pick up my workouts again. My sister is a fitness instructor in her free time (whereas in my free time, I am a couch instructor), so she gave me some good ideas about how to jump start my fitness routine. I thought either I could go to our gym at work - which, if you think about it, you have to be seriously lazy not to take advantage of a gym in the very same building where you work (true story: my old office building also had a gym on the premises - full service, state-of-the-art - and the only time I set foot in it was to get a free piece of cake.) My friend Michele and I were also talking about going to group classes at a private gym, which I admit would be a lot of fun. Additionally, Mr Hazel and I discussed buying a treadmill to put in our basement - um, next to the laundry bike - so I can work out in the comfort of home. Or I could take up running around my neighborhood.

I'm mulling my options.

Let's see how long this lasts before laziness wins once again.

4 comments:

Karmela said...

Remember: getting motivated is half the battle. I also suggest varying your workouts and not relying on one thing only (i.e., the treadmill). That's why you get bored. My very best piece of advice for you is still to join a gym, look at their group fitness schedule, pick five or six classes you might enjoy and resolve to attend at least three per week. Then on the weekend, go outside now that the weather is starting to get nicer.

People of course need different ways to motivate them. Me? The only way I'm motivated to exercise is if it's actually MY JOB, as in I HAVE TO SHOW UP TO CLASS OR TWENTY WOMEN (AND MY BOSS) WILL GET MAD AT ME IF I DON'T.

meridith said...

I recently started doing power yoga. It is an hour and a half class that you are able to breath the whole way through (unlike those aerobics classes or running) but you leave with such a workout and you feel rested yet strong. It is a interesting way of working out.

Karmela said...

Um, I don't think Jempot will like it that he's earrings. You know how sensitive he is about his name!

Hazel Designs said...

K, I was all pumped then I got sick, so I'm going to have to delay my excersizing. Yipee!! Er, I mean...

Mer, yoga would be interesting, but I need cardio to get my heart rate up...have you tried that Bikram yoga? I would probably faint from the heat.