Day Eight

Chest & Back/Ab Ripper X - round two! I surprised myself. It was easier this time! Important note: "easier" is not equal to "easy." I still can't do a pullup without a leg on a chair to help. And my abs may be stronger, but that just means I can now do a quarter of the workout, instead of...well, not a quarter. Of course, that may be in part due to the fact that I've adapted some of the exercises so as to increase their achievability. (Is that a word?) I figure, I'll work up to the real version. It's the principle that counts, right?
     I'm a big fan of understanding basic principles and working from there. For example, I just finished another one of those books about how to be a good wife. (A lifelong obsession, I suspect. See Day Two.) One of the author's main points was "Get up early." Instant guilt! Not even kidding, we eat breakfast at ten. Am I failing my life purpose because I see more sunsets than sunrises? After the hyperventilation calmed, I read that chapter again. Guess what! The main PRINCIPLE was "Use your time wisely." Don't waste time on meaningless, selfish pursuits. (Note: taking time to exercise is healthy. Taking 3 hours every evening to watch soaps by yourself and bemoan that your husband hasn't a romantic script to follow is stupid. To put it bluntly.)
     My Better Half (MBH) is a night owl. Once, when I was young and naive, I suggested we retire at 9pm - something I did routinely as a single. He laughed - until he realized I was serious. Then he ever so gently (more or less) vetoed that crazy notion. For me, the principles of loving your husband and wise time use mean staying up late and rising late. I do try to rise before he does, do a few things, then return to bed as he is waking. But 4am is the new midnight. If our family routine is supper at eight, so be it. Our future children will just have to adapt. (One of my favorite quotes, "When I was twenty, I had no children and six theories. Now I am twice that and have six children and no theories.")
     Lastly, MBH and I have come to an embarrassing realization. (One of many, beginning with the fact that we had to increase our clothing sizes after marriage.) We are addicted to sugar. If there was an S.A., we should be part of it. We took the step of acknowledging it yesterday, as we checked the freezer multiple times to see if any ice cream had appeared yet. I combed the shelves at the store to see which protein bar most closely resembled a candy bar. (All of them have less sugar than one swallow of pop. Blast!) In the interest of preserving my sanity, I tell myself it will get better. My cravings will subside over time. Besides, it's only 82 more days. (Not sure I wanted to know that!)
~Stick to it!