Marsia's Diary
- Thread starter Marsia
- Start date
Well our vacation was amazing, and I feel really revitalized. I feel really inspired by the incredible beauty there and also by how when you are really enjoying yourself, food is just something you do to keep your energy up so you can do more exploring (though I did make quite delicious food with all the fresh ginger, turmeric, and other wonderful foods there, and when we went out it was also wonderful food. I did eat a lot of amazing fresh fruit and some junk like chocolate cake, but I also exercised a ton and lost a small amount of weight, so things are good. The last 2 days on Kauai we snorkeled 5 hours one day and then repelled down cliffs and swam in a waterfall and the river under it for 6 hours and then scaled the cliffs again to get back up. My arms are definitely smaller, and the pudges on my sides are smaller. I really feel like keeping up exploring and getting lots of exercise and want to swim in the ocean most days this summer. I don't want to go back to stress eating and waiting for other people to join me to go have fun. I need to get out more and go do what makes me enthused!
Also because we took my mom, I really got an exercise in learning to ignore bad behavior and just relax. She was sort of like a badly behaved 7 year old when she didn't get what she wanted, and since her memory is a mess and she is losing abilities like knowing how to get a seat belt on and off, she was quite tantrum-y and grumbly in between being in awe of where we were. She is starting to also pick on my daughter and husband, so they are finally getting why I have so much trouble with her. Not that I am happy they are being picked on, too, but now they understand why I have such strong reactions to her and why I think she is such a handful. Anyway, that is absolutely the last vacation I take her on, but it was really good for her and she loved it, and I feel like I finally learned to let go and not care what she thinks of me because I just have to to preserve my sanity at this point.
We did a helicopter tour of Kauai, and it was so incredible seeing these immense waterfalls up close and zipping down into old volcanic craters that are now covered in lush vegetation and many little falls plunging impossibly far below. The ocean was also so lovely - turquoise and warm and relaxing, but the mountains were what captivated me this trip - huge soaring jagged and their tops disappeared into the fog. We just had day after day of lovely exploring. Just got back late last night and there was a heat wave here, but the coastal fog is rolling in now so we will go back to lovely cool temperatures like we like.
Also because we took my mom, I really got an exercise in learning to ignore bad behavior and just relax. She was sort of like a badly behaved 7 year old when she didn't get what she wanted, and since her memory is a mess and she is losing abilities like knowing how to get a seat belt on and off, she was quite tantrum-y and grumbly in between being in awe of where we were. She is starting to also pick on my daughter and husband, so they are finally getting why I have so much trouble with her. Not that I am happy they are being picked on, too, but now they understand why I have such strong reactions to her and why I think she is such a handful. Anyway, that is absolutely the last vacation I take her on, but it was really good for her and she loved it, and I feel like I finally learned to let go and not care what she thinks of me because I just have to to preserve my sanity at this point.
We did a helicopter tour of Kauai, and it was so incredible seeing these immense waterfalls up close and zipping down into old volcanic craters that are now covered in lush vegetation and many little falls plunging impossibly far below. The ocean was also so lovely - turquoise and warm and relaxing, but the mountains were what captivated me this trip - huge soaring jagged and their tops disappeared into the fog. We just had day after day of lovely exploring. Just got back late last night and there was a heat wave here, but the coastal fog is rolling in now so we will go back to lovely cool temperatures like we like.
I´m glad you got to enjoy yourself and I´m impressed you lost weight while on vacation! All that exercise paid off in more ways than one That sounds absolutely amazing - awe-inspiring to see and be close to so much beauty.
Thanks LaMa, Cate, Glow, and Tru! I feel really happy to have gone and am just resting up from trying to fit so much in now. It's nice to be back in my garden and am having a relaxing time watering and checking up on all my new plantings. They all made it, even with 99 degree F (37.22 C) weather the day before yesterday, and our cats really liked the house sitter and are happy and relaxed, so it's nice to come home to a happy home! I do feel that I can't go back to the same grind of just working on the house all the time and need a change. I need to research what to do next with myself exercise-wise and artistically. Today the guitar teacher comes over for a lesson so we will probably have another catching up on sleep day (it was hot in Hawaii and hard to sleep, so need to do that some) and puttering around the yard day, but when we are rested up again, I want to have a really active summer with lots of swimming!
Thanks Cate - really nice to be appreciated!!
It was really amazing - like being able to swim in the air in all directions, and over such remote places that were untouched by humans. It was great to do that on Kauai where only 15% of the island is inhabited and the rest is pristine jungle!
Thanks, LaMa! I am feeling very uninspired to go back to the grind, so time to get creative about how to get all this done but retain the feeling of exploring from vacation!
I agree, LaMa. I realized I am feeling anxious being home with all the chores waiting for me. But it is summer vacation for my kid, and I am not going to pressure myself to get all that done. So I took it easy the first 2 days back because we were all seriously in need of catching up on sleep. I did yoga and some sit ups and things last night and that felt great as I am very stiff from driving a lot all vacation. I gave J a break and did all the driving. My hips and sides are slimming down although my weight remains the same. As long as it doesn't go up I am fine with toning up and not losing weight, and it feels wonderful to have almost normal sized hips again. I am going to be sure to get good exercise most days to keep my hips smaller - it just feels so wonderful!! The sides of my chest where there were very big fat deposits are starting to go, too, which is a big relief. I really love that I fit in size large pjs now. Every time I go past a mirror in them I get happy!
I started thinking about buying myself nice lotion that smells good and doing more nice things like that for myself. I haven't done things like that for many years and used to like pampering myself in my 20s, so am going to try it again. I feel like I am really changing for the better lately.
I started thinking about buying myself nice lotion that smells good and doing more nice things like that for myself. I haven't done things like that for many years and used to like pampering myself in my 20s, so am going to try it again. I feel like I am really changing for the better lately.
It sure looks like it! So good to hear you´re starting to feel better about your own body. That´s the best feeling.
Cate
Long term member
I love that you are starting to feel much better about your body too. When you are used to caring for others so much it takes a while to get used to the idea that you need to take good care of yourself too. You are changing your life for the better & that's a lovely thing to see xoxo
Thanks so much LaMa and Cate! It really does feel good to take care of myself.
I am trying to get my daughter to exercise more, this summer, too. It's hard - she took horsemanship instead of gym last year and she got very lazy about exercise because she had so much homework. I am a little shocked how out of shape she is now - next year will be gym class and we'll find a way to do more hikes and swimming. I did a half hour of yoga for strengthening the knees with her as her knees bother her and we need to do the knee exercises the physical therapist gave her, too. That was good and made us both sore the next day, but I wanted to keep it up and did some stomach work and squats the next day, and couldn't get her to do much, so we went swimming, but it was so cold yesterday with the coastal fog plus we have been swimming in Hawaii where the water is very warm. For the first time ever I wanted to swim a lot longer, but she was shivering like crazy. I had my wetsuit on and she outgrew hers so was only in a rash guard. So today we trade in her old wet suit for one that fits so we can swim all summer. We tried snorkeling as there is a seaweed reef off the coast by our normal beach, but it looks like you have to be way out to be in the reef. Today is also cold, so it's a good hiking day. Intermittent fasted yesterday, but also ate some buckwheat noodles in a shrimp dish I made. So today we go buy more groceries because I have very little to cook with in the house.
I am trying to get my daughter to exercise more, this summer, too. It's hard - she took horsemanship instead of gym last year and she got very lazy about exercise because she had so much homework. I am a little shocked how out of shape she is now - next year will be gym class and we'll find a way to do more hikes and swimming. I did a half hour of yoga for strengthening the knees with her as her knees bother her and we need to do the knee exercises the physical therapist gave her, too. That was good and made us both sore the next day, but I wanted to keep it up and did some stomach work and squats the next day, and couldn't get her to do much, so we went swimming, but it was so cold yesterday with the coastal fog plus we have been swimming in Hawaii where the water is very warm. For the first time ever I wanted to swim a lot longer, but she was shivering like crazy. I had my wetsuit on and she outgrew hers so was only in a rash guard. So today we trade in her old wet suit for one that fits so we can swim all summer. We tried snorkeling as there is a seaweed reef off the coast by our normal beach, but it looks like you have to be way out to be in the reef. Today is also cold, so it's a good hiking day. Intermittent fasted yesterday, but also ate some buckwheat noodles in a shrimp dish I made. So today we go buy more groceries because I have very little to cook with in the house.
I hope you´ll be able to find ways to do so without making her feel like exercise is a chore. It´s so hard to strike a balance!