Back At The Gym, Pilates Class, And Some Truth

So kids, I did it.  I finally went back to the gym.  The same idiots are still there and they still haven’t found a way to properly clean the bathrooms, however I was happy to see my old Pilates instructor was still there.  I haven’t been in ages and was worried she may have moved on (turnover rate is high at LA Fitness).  My friend Kate came along with me to give the Pilates a try (she had never been) and after class was over I was able to come to two conclusions: I really miss Pilates.  And I have lost a lot of my flexibility this year.  I could not believe how difficult some of the moves were for me; I never had those problems prior to my injury.  The only good part about that, is it will keep me motivated to keep going back to class so that I can get back into the shape I was in pre-injury.  Pilates is going to be a huge part of my off-season in which I am mainly focusing on stregth training.

It felt good to finally be working out again.  I was beginning to feel like a lazy slug and even though I hadn’t gained any weight, I could feel the weight shifting and noticed my clothes looking a bit different.  Getting solid and consistent workouts in around my 60-80/hours a week schedule is tough- I enjoy sleeping in until 6am and have a hard time wanting to work out at 11pm when I get home from work or on my only nights off.  But I know how good I feel when I am done a workout and I try to keep that in mind when I am feeling like doing nothing.

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Lacey did this the other day, inspired by Mark Bittman on the Whole Living website, and I loved it…

I included both Mark and Lacey’ answers…

If I could say one thing to myself 20 years ago…
MB- Things will get better, not worse.

L- Write down every single book you read, a favorite quote, and something you thought about it.

Me- Take advantage of being young.

My favorite place in the world…
MB- The United States.

L- My first thought: home. My second thought: some sort of vacation get-away.

Me- Wildwood, NJ and anywhere when I am with people I love

The lesson I keep learning over and over…
MB- Most things that seem hard at first get easier, in either 10 minutes or 10 years.

L- If you stay up too late, you will be tired the next day.

Me- Listen to your gut.  Then follow what it tells you. 99% of the time, you already know the answers.

The movie I watch when I want to laugh…
MB- “A Night at the Opera” [the Marx Brothers].

L- Oooh, tough one. I feel like I laugh so hard at so many but I can only think of a few: Bill Murray in The Man Who Knew Too Little and What About Bob, Leslie Nielson in the Naked Gun movies, Steve Martin in Sgt Bilko, Rush Hour, National Lampoon…

Me- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

The most scared I’ve ever been…
MB- Cannot talk about it.

L- The moment of getting hit by a car.

Me- There have been a few times.

No one knows I…
MB- Will not talk about it.

L- Made an elaborate plan to barricade myself in our log house bathroom and live out the rest of my life there. I figured it had the bathroom and the shower so all I needed to do was install a fold out bed, in-wall fridge, in-wall television, and a  slot for food and books to be passed through. Brilliant, right?

Me- If I told you…people would know.

Unhealthiest thing I’ve ever passed off as dinner…
MB- Hmm. Roast beef?

L- Copious amounts of cereal.

Me- Ice cream.

Personal philosophy…
MB- Seriously? The Golden Rule.

L- Be kind.

Me- Always remember who you are and where you came from.

Book that changed my life…
MB- There are many. Julie Sahni’s “Classic Indian Cooking” is one. “Thank You, Jeeves” [P.G. Wodehouse] is another.

L-  The Diary of Ann Frank. The Giver. Night. My Side of the Mountain. The Berenstein Bears… hehe.

Me- Wow- over the years, I have been riveted by so many books.  I don’t think I could ever narrow it down to one, or even five.  I will say that I was most inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s Biography, written by her son.

I unwind by…
MB- Running, cooking, drinking, sleeping.

L- Castle!!! (TV show). Reading. Sleeping. Taking a hot shower.

Me- drinking wine, reading blogs, reading books/magazines…

Proudest moment in my career…
MB- Landing a column [“The Minimalist”] at the New York Times.

L- Beginning my graduate program…. getting good grades on work I put a lot of thought into.

Me- I really don’ t have a career, but my proudest moments academically were all the times I made Dean’s list while also holding a full-time job.  And most of all when I was honored with the Humanities Award in my junior year at Rutgers University.

What keeps me up at night…
MB- Writing a column for the New York Times. Well, not really. I’m 60, therefore: death.

L- What I have to do tomorrow. The next day.

Me- To-do lists, family concerns, financial concerns and so on and so on and so on…

I define “downtime” as…
MB- Almost any time a computer screen is not in front of me.

L- When I feel calm.

Me- Being able to lay in bed or on the couch and veg

Coffee or tea?
MB- Both.

L- Both!

Me- Both!!

Guiltiest pleasure…
MB- Corned beef.

L- Staying in a really hot shower way longer than necessary! Massages… Vacations…

Me- A really good martini and traveling

My mom was right about…
MB- Cooking being a worth-while activity.

L- Everything! She is amazing.

Me- The importance of being smart about money.

My mom was wrong about…
MB- The right way to cook hamburgers.

L- Nothing. See above.

Me- Not a whole lot.

The last time I lost my temper was…
MB- Yesterday.

L- On Saturday when Elliot told me we couldn’t get a train to NYC for New Year’s Day (for a friend’s wedding) but he was kidding except I didn’t know that. WHAT?! WE CAN’T GO?! I ALREADY RSVP’D! I THOUGHT YOU WERE BOOKING THE TRAIN?! ARRRRGHHH. hahaha. Something like that. Slight overreaction?

Me- It has been a long time since I have really lost it, but I get easily frustrated on the daily at my day job.

My favorite moment of the day…
MB- It’s either waking up or going to sleep, but it depends on the day.

L- Tea in the morning. Coffee after breakfast.

Me- The feeling of getting in bed at night

I wish I had more time for…
MB- Movies.

L- Vacation!!!!!!!!!

Me- Myself

I always make time for…
MB- Cooking.

L- Sleeping.

Me- Catching up with old friends when the opportunities arise.

I’m currently reading…
MB- “War and Peace” (yes, really).

L- The DSM IV… (kidding, slightly…)

Me- Notes Left Behind

Home means...
MB- Love.

L- Family!

Me- 208 ♥

 

I know some of you did this on Lacey’s comments page already; for those of you who didn’t, feel free to leave answers here, or post your own.  I would love to read others wisdom!