Tag Archives: stress

June 20, 2010 · 11:03 am

No Woohoo in Wuhan

Unfortunately, I am taking a few days off from my June Goals. I am sick!  Yesterday I felt rough but pushed through the day with a lot of walking and exertion.  I put off my abs routine until late and by the time we walked home from our friends apartment it was midnight and I was totally whipped out. 

This morning I woke up and immediately knew things had turned from “under the weather” to downright sick.  I have spent the day in bed at the hostel and a walk across the street to the grocery store to stock up on fruit just about put me down for the night.  So no push up variation challenge for me today.

C’est la vie.

In theory, I am a HUGE proponent of listening to my body.  In practice, I sometimes choose to ignore it.   This week I feel like I maybe pushed myself a little bit more than my body could take and as a result it broke down completely. 

Well, it’s probably a good thing that we couldn’t book a train to Beijing until Tuesday night and we have to stay in Wuhan for another two days.  Wuhan is known as the armpit of China.  Delightful, no?  Sooooo, sleeping the day away is not the worst way to pass some time in “The City in Central China” (great claim to fame, huh?).

Speaking of listening to my body, I have gotten much better on the sugar-free front.   I realized I was being lazy about avoiding sugar and if I really wanted to stir clear of it, I could.  I haven’t been 100%  added-refined-sugar-free but I have been reducing my intake over the last few days.

I don’t think sugar is exactly evil…I just don’t believe it has much value.  I have a sensitive immune system and keeping my refined sugar intake to a minimum is one of the simplest things I can do for my health.  Also, when I eat sugar often I want it all the time and MORE of it.  It is ADDICTIVE and I don’t like the strong cravings it gives me.  Here is an article about some of the ill effects of sugar consumption, it is a bit extreme but it is a good illustration of how everything is connected and that refined sugar has a powerful effect on all of our bodily systems.

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June 16, 2010 · 8:18 am

Cabin Fever

Grrrr…
We haven’t seen the sun since arriving in China!  And since arriving in Yangshuo 3 days ago it has been POURING!  And I am sick!  A combination that leads to very low motivation in my book.

I did manage a yoga session after lunch (I know, bad yogi-posturing with a full belly!).  I knew the cabin fever was starting to raise when Tate came into our room while I was down-dogging and starting pacing and snapping and burping and smacking his gum.  Now, believe me, he is usually VERY RESPECTFUL of my space when I am doing yoga but like I said…the rain!  I stormed out and finished my routine in the hallway.  So much for a peaceful yoga state.  I did feel much more serene when I finished and returned to the room for push ups, bi’s, and tri’s.

TODAYS PUSH UP VARIATION….

The Down Dog Push Up

  • Start in yoga down dog pose but with a wide hand position, like a traditional push up
  • Keeping the relationship between upper and lower body (the triangle) lower your head and shoulders towards the floor
  • Straighten arms to start position

*Make it harder by raising one leg high in the air (three leg down dog)*

This push up puts less emphasis on your core than a traditional push up but more on your latissamus dorsi (go away, bra overhang!).

I did 2 sets of 15 with the leg raised and 2 sets of 15 with feet down.

Oh, wow, it’s afer 4pm and the extent of being out of the hostel today has revolved around walking to the restaurant for breakfast and then again for lunch! 

Must. leave. hostel. 

Rain or shine, here I go.

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