Sunday, May 29, 2005

Well, I was born in the sign of water...

Yes, the title is taken from the song "Cool Change" by the Little River Band, and in my case, it happens to be true. I was born in February, which makes me an Aquarius, the water bringer. While I was on the exercise bike this morning, I was thinking about how my morning seemed to revolve around water.

First, there was the sound that woke me up, that being our pool's filter pump sucking air. I figured it was just the skimmer inlet jammed with pine needles again which blocks the incoming water and lets air into the pipes. But the pool was actually pretty low. So I turned on the hose to add some water and let it run during my workout. (I hope we don't have a leak. Our pool liner is pretty well shot and will have to be replaced, but I was hoping to get it through this summer.)

I got to use my new (replacement) water bottle this morning for my workout. I had forgotten how much of a difference the insulated bottle makes. The water was still ice cold through the whole workout. If you're a biker, I highly recommend this bottle, although it's $13 price tag might seem a little high at first. If you're tired of warm water that tastes like plastic when you're biking, try one of these. It's call a polar bottle and it has a logo with a polar bear on it, just in case you didn't get the point from the name. No, this is not a paid endorsement.

During my workout, I noticed that the humidity was a little high in our basement gym. Then I remembered that I turned off the dehumidifier last night during my weight workout and forgot to turn it back on. And, of course, in higher humidity, you're body's natural cooling mechanisms (sweat and evaporation) aren't as efficient. I hadn't noticed the humidity being higher when I first started, but I was sure feeling it by the time I finished. I turned the unit back on when I finished.

Then, there's the massive amount of water I'm drinking as a part of the Body for Life program. The meal planning sheet suggests ten cups a day. I don't actually count glasses of water. I judge my hydration level by how often my body has to deal with the excess. If I have to explain that any further to you, I'm sorry. I don't think those details are appropriate. Seriously, as a singer and a person who used to talk on the phone all day for a living (I did computer phone support before I started doing most of my calls in person), I got in the habit of drinking water constantly to keep my voice from getting tired. I found out that it had a number of other benefits, including a drastic improvement in the symptoms of my lactose intolerance.

And then there's the fact that I'm sitting on the porch swing by the pool while I'm writing this. Wireless laptops really are a wonderful thing! The pool is still pretty cold for swimming, but I'm looking forward to adding that to my aerobic activities. Maybe it will play a larger role in the next challenge.

So, it's all about water. Water is basic. Our bodies are made up of more water than anything else. If you're going to improve your body, you can't neglect water. This planet's surface is over three quarters water. And where that water meets the land, there are beaches. And you can take your new improved body to one of those beaches and display it with new-found pride and confidence. So, you see, it really is all about water!

Just a quick injury report: I had to reduce my abdominal workout last night, including leaving out the oblique exercises completely. I don't know exactly what this injury is yet, but I don't think it's a rib fracture (I've had those before and I know what they feel like). So I think it's more likely a muscle injury. I thought for awhile that it might have been a ruptured organ, like the spleen or the appendix, but I haven't developed any other symptoms and I'm only in pain when I move a certain way. Those kind of injuries a usually painful to pressure or touch. Paranoid? Maybe. But I try to listen to my body. And speaking of that, I need to eat something. Don't forget to drink your water!

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