16 Minutes of Bliss

Never thought I'd go here.  Exercise???  Really???

My answer to the question, "how often do you run" is usually met with, "only when chased, and the dude has to have a knife---a BIG knife". People that say they LOVE exercise frankly seem a bit disturbing.

But really! I think I may have found a key to dealing with the yuck I get handed!

It's all about the endorphins.

The other day, I was bummed.  Majorly bummed. I had come off an overwhelming weekend with too much stimulation, and I was not recovering well. I had slept A LOT, brooded, griped, avoided humans. Nothing. Still crabby. Come Monday, I was still a wreck. I was avoiding the gym, and life in general.

Why was I so bummed?  I dunno for sure, but here are some of the things I had been dealing with:

• I had a rough visit with my Rheumatologist the other day, where he didn't want to do the blood work another doctor wants
• I had to schedule the blood work, out of pocket
• I have to eat gluten, which causes me pain, to avoid a false negative on the test
• I am due for a mammogram, STAT
• The weather has been unseasonably cold, which hurts me more
• Therapy had been tough lately, getting to some deeper layers of crap to deal with

I guess you could say my plate was full. So, I was having a rough time processing it all. It was making me very tired, and unmotivated, which is quite uncharacteristic for me (the old Me, anyways).

So, after my husband suggested some retail therapy (what a doll, right?) which helped a bit, followed by lunch with him, it was kid-getting time.
Then, my Doctor called, and told me my Vitamin D levels are not any better after 8 weeks of treatment (50,000 IU once per week for 8 weeks). WHY?

He does not know why. He says it's not a huge deal at this point. I get that, but it's not the low levels of D. It's the why, what, which. As in, why have my D stores not increased? Why is the D I take daily (1000 IU) not making a significant improvement? What are the conditions (besides the ones we know I have) that come with low D stores? Which ones might I have? What tests can we do to rule them out?
So, still bummed. Frustrated, feeling unheard, the usual.

This is why I turned to Sky King, and said, "What time do you want to go to the gym?" ...hoping his answer would be, "Let's skip it today.".  Nope. He said, "Whenever you're ready."  Ummm, how bout, never? Or, how bout, when you drag me, kicking and screaming? But, that make me feel like a fat ass, and lazy, so I got up off my butt, changed, and tried to accept reality.

We got to the gym, and I hit the treadmill, knowing to take it easy, because I had a tough class planned for the next day. About 32 minutes into "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" (seriously, how can people be expected to exercise without cable?), the endorphins hit.  And, I got to enjoy their lovely little buzz until SK came to gather me up to head home, after 16 minutes of endorphin bliss.

I had changed my attitude, and felt better, despite my determination to avoid all things exercise-y.

Not bad for a chick who can't drink anymore, right?