Just a little bit of Orange

I did the second day of the Hundred push up challenge today. I bumped myself up into the highest column after feeling last time was too easy. It was definitely harder, but still well within my comfort range. At the end, where you go to your max, I did 20.

I'm a little disappointed in myself, mostly because I got crunched for time and the push ups and sit ups were all I did strength wise today, and I honestly did not feel that the push ups were enough. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune in a few weeks, but for now I'm going to try to add some free weights back in somehow...maybe cut my cardio by five or ten minutes, since I've been awful about getting to the gym earlier.

Cardio wise I did awesome today though. I did three miles in 29 minutes on the elliptical, which made my total distance at 30 minutes 3.13 miles. I pushed myself hard, doing my standard intervals, but trying for a faster time. It was great to realize that I had shaved a whole minute off the 3 mile mark without easing up on the intervals. I took a different approach on the second 30 minutes, and upped the resistance to 8 (I normally have it at 5) and just tried to keep a respectable pace. After a while I upped the resistance to 10 and alternated it between 8 and 10 every couple of minutes.

Me and the S.O. headed to Starbucks afterwards where I consumed a very unhealthy breakfast of a Iced Skinny Vanilla Latte and half a cookie - calorie count of around 300. The S.O. mentioned that he felt he was starting to gain a little weight due to an increased appetite from all the exercise. I pointed out that it's most likely because he's gaining muscle, but he said he wants to go on a diet. This will be much easier once we live in the same place (we move in on the 15th) and can stock and cook a tad more healthy food. I really think it's just a matter of eating healthy vs. eating less.

This conversation kind of bummed me out though, and I wasn't feeling all that happy when I stepped on the train to head to work, all those dark worry thoughts about my weight were swirling around in my head.

I sat down and looked up and saw four Buddhist monks.

They were smiling and chatting with all the other passengers near them and just generally radiating goodwill. Three of them were visiting the NYC temple from other cities/countries, and the youngest Monk was apparently their "local guide." I put quotes around that because he wasn't exactly a local, it didn't seem like he'd been here for long.

It was a wonderful reminder that I need to pay more attention to the now, and less to the later. That I need to focus more on the journey, and enjoy how it makes me feel to be living healthier. It was amazing how much it cheered me up just to see them. As soon as I saw the orange robes I felt better, calmer, happier, like I had been gently reminded that life is not really bad.

It was also a gentle reminder, I think, that I need to add more meditative practice back into my life. All this focus on weight loss has left my routine lacking in anything contemplative. I miss the practice we used to have at karate of meditating before and after class. I need to find a way to work either that or some Yoga back into my day.

Monks make me Happy.
-Meg