Getting a wriggle on

I’m thinking about adding a chapter to this blog, “Health and Fitness for the Time-Poor”.  Simply because it’s about time I did something about my health and fitness.  It will be challenging though because I’m so immersed in my business.  That immersion of course is one reason I started this blog and deliberately avoid the subject of work  – if I didn’t, I’d probably drown.

I used to run every day, and on weekends would go for at least one run of 10km. That wasn’t so long ago, but it was before I bought the business. Since I bought the business, I don’t believe I have gone for one single run, which says a lot about how much work has consumed my life. I also used to box and go to the gym a couple of times a week.  Not anymore.  The most exercise I can do these days is the occasional dog walk. All that said however, I don’t remember the last time I was sick, and I think I keep in reasonable condition with tramping around the farm every day attending to animals and so forth; but I would like to be at the same level of fitness that I was in the halcyon days, plus – well, I miss running!  Running saw me through some very difficult times, and I often reflect that if it wasn’t for running I would not have survived those times  – mentally and emotionally at least.

The challenge is going to be the lack of time.  I do not exaggerate when I say I’m time-poor. My weekdays pretty much go as follows: 

• • • Get up at first light or first rooster crow;
    • breakfast while catching up on news;
    • prepare school lunches, breakfasts;
    • wake up boys (first call);
    • outside to do farm chores;
    • inside for second call to boys and to get ready for work (the third and fourth calls to boys usually have to happen in this time);
    • Leave for work and to drop boys at school on the way;
    • Work for at least 7.5 hours, usually without a break;
    • Go to Coles for any essentials needed;
    • home (this is usually by 6pm at the earliest);
    • Crash in front of TV. While the TV is on I am usually crocheting or similar, reading, blogging, every now and then popping up to do housework and attend to feeding dogs;
    • In bed usually by 9pm.

Then it starts all over again.

On the weekends I do usually have some spare time, although most Sunday afternoons I go into the office to catch up on stuff in the peace and quiet. If I don’t, I generally find I’m chasing my tail for the whole ensuing week, so it’s just not worth NOT going in.

So, where I am supposed to fit in meaningful exercise I have no idea. Mornings are out. I don’t get home from work until after 6pm and then I’m exhausted.

As for the diet side of things….that hopefully will not be as much of a challenge.  I’m not a huge eater (no time!), but I would say most of what I do consume is probably not that nutritious. I find when I am going through my vegan phases that I am eating better. No choice really, given that it’s a plant-based diet. So, I will switch back to vegan except in relation to the French Vanilla creamers I have to have in my coffee, and also I can consume my own chook eggs, given I treat my chooks humanely and it would be a waste to throw the eggs out.  

I will also focus on drinking water regularly – I do not lie when I say that it’s not unheard of for me to not drink ANY water in a day, simply because I do not stop at work and I’m so absorbed that I don’t think about it. Even if I have to set an alarm or something on my phone to take a drink, I will do it, because without a doubt lack of water contributes to my fatigue and general feeling of “bla” by the time I get home from work.

Well, at least I have a partial plan of attack. I will really have to think about how I am going to get my fitness back. I do have an idea formulating in my head about fashioning a running track actually at home; it wouldn’t be impossible…

The idea is that with establishing this new blog chapter I will be held accountable and have a focus. I’ve had too many loved ones with health issues to not take this idea seriously. All that aside though – I just really loved running! And that’s partly what this “Adagio Life” is all about, doing things I love as opposed to being a slave to my job and career.