Last week my husband and I escaped for a few days up the coast to Cambria and San Simeon.  We stayed in a really lovely little Inn right in downtown Cambria and did our first ever tour of Hearst Castle.  The Inn had no fitness facilities and they frown on visitors using the pool at Hearst Castle, no matter how inviting it looks so I was without my typical gym or swimming pool from Thursday through Monday morning.

I found out some interesting things about myself during this slight respite from “regular” or formal exercise.

The first I already knew, and lived on Saturday and Sunday mornings, with regularity.  That is, I do not get hungry for hours after waking up.  When I wake up weekdays between 4 and 5 am and head to the gym between 6 and 7 am I fuel myself with ½ of a shake on the way, and refuel myself for recovery purposes with the other half on the way home.  Not so if I am not working out first thing.  I can have several cups of herbal tea, my 1 allowable cup of coffee, and sip at water, or more herbal tea from 4 until 9 or 10, and be perfectly content.  Typically sometime between 9 and 10 I actually experience physical hunger and it’s time to get some protein in my body.  I can’t go wrong if I listen to my body and feed it when it’s physically hungry.

The second was that climbing stairs and walking a couple of miles at the castle was not enough exercise for me.  My body was craving more so we did some more walking/hiking from Ragged Point, down through where the elephant seals live, and then back to our lovely suite to get ready for dinner.  We then walked several blocks to dinner and back.  All of this with my 67 year young body, my knee which needs replacement, my current shoulder issue which is in the process of being diagnosed…..I’ll take it!  My hubby was along as well and his daily bicycle rides are keeping his 71 year old body in shape enough to join in all of these activities.  I think back to my parents, and then my grandparents at our ages and they were severely slowing down.  I am NOT ready for the rocking chair yet.  My Lap Band has provided me with a second chance at life after losing 270 pounds and I plan on LIVING IT!

As we packed to leave I was up and down the 150 year old steep staircase of the Inn at least 6 times with no effort.  A good way to start the day with some exercise I thought.  Take that staircase!  Although we stopped along the way I was certainly ready to stretch my muscles when I got home Friday evening, so I unpacked immediately (which required up and down on my staircase a few times) and got things in order at the house.  Saturday and Sunday was groceries, meal prep, and domestic goddess duties as per normal routine. 

Along came Monday morning and a text from my trainer that she was not feeling well.  Uh oh, I was tired, hadn’t slept well, my knee hurt, my shoulder hurt, my head hurt and I would sure like to go back to bed IF I could sleep.  I sucked it up, got dressed, headed for the gym and did 45 minutes and 3.46 miles straight on the elliptical.  I felt almost human by the time I was done and was able to make Monday a productive day, until I had the MRI of my shoulder which left me in a lot of pain since for the entire time I was lying on the side that hurt so they could get the images my doc had ordered.

Tuesday happened and I realized it had been 1 week since I was in the pool.  Off I went with my shoulder still aching and charged into the pool.  The doc had told me I could do anything as long as it didn’t hurt.  If it hurts, stop.  That meant no freestyle swimming because THAT HURT!  I could still breast stroke and back stroke with little to no pain which is exactly what I did for 45 minutes, then 10 minutes in the hot tub and then shower and headed home.  As I walked to my car I realized how much I enjoyed the swimming, how much I enjoyed the elliptical the day before even though I was tired and cranky and how fitness has become a regular part of my life.  I feel better, I am more productive, I have more energy, I know I am keeping my health optimum and I miss it when I don’t have it.

This food addict has become a fitness addict; however not to extremes that cause problems, just the right amount to fuel my metabolism, my mood and have me living my best life.  Who would have ever imagined that 12+ years ago?