Heart Rate Check

After trying many different ways to get exercise into my routine including yoga, belly dancing and watching this insane man named Gilad at 6am, I've landed on working out at my church through classes they offer in the evenings. So far it's been a great time. Our instructor, Micki, is a little ball of fire and she keeps it fun. She has this way of killing you, but making it seem like you asked her to do so. At the end of it all you're so busy doing the wop that you forget you have sweat in your eye and your hair is all over your head....well sometimes.

 

Towards the end of the 1st round of torture, she always stops, turns off the music and says, "Keep it moving, but find your pulse!" This is our cue that it's time to do a heart rate check. To me, I think it's a way to measure a few things:

 

1) That you're still alive.

2) That you still have feeling in your finger tips.

3) That you can still walk.

4) That you can still walk, feel things, and be alive at the same time.

5) That your heart is getting stronger.

 

Ok so maybe only one of those things is really the goal. But the point is that over the weeks your pulse is supposed to indicate whether you need to work harder, whether you're in a good zone, or whether you're jumping around a little too much. So today, at the end of a cardio kind of week, I'm checking my pulse-

 

So far, in addition to my workout, I added my blog, freelance writing, joined a new ministry (Spiritual Gifts Assessment), researched going back to seminary, researched starting my cello lessons again, planned a trip out of town, and made giving to the food pantry part of my regular shopping. I'd say I've got a good burn going. But when I check my pulse, I've also gotten VERY annoyed with my husband, fell asleep at 5pm for no good reason, forgot to get the groceries I was supposed to buy for my own home, and I can't remember what day it is or what I have planned to do this weekend. I'd say that I'm jumping around a little too much.

 

I plan to keep it moving, but I hope that as I exercise these activities a little more, I will move to a good zone. I started all these things to REV1VEnita, not TRAUMATIZEvenita! So if you see me wandering aimlessly in the middle of the street somewhere, be kind. I'm working it out.

 

V