Thursday, April 11, 2013

Whether by dint of warm weather or the fact that I’m well clear of the New Year’s resolution blast zone, I’ve been thinking more about healthy living recently. Thinking about it will only go so far, of course, and of the three areas that call for improvement–sleep, exercise, diet–I’ve really only acted on the last item, with an embargo on fries instituted two weeks ago. That’s probably the extent of my effort there, too, because I’m not quite ready to give paleo another try yet. It’s too soon! It’s too soon. The trauma is still fresh.

Sleep, well, that’s the easiest task to knock out on this list, which leaves exercise. It’s been a few months since the ping-pong table was effectively shuttered, and even though that was never a real workout, its closure meant even less movement for me in a given week. To fill the gap, I have two immediate options before me: jogging–ugh–or tennis. That’s real tennis, not hobbit tennis, and the last time I played was more than three years ago. It’s going to be rough on the court this weekend.

But I know the importance of being in shape, and what’s most encouraging to me is the prospect that exercise will only be a temporary burden. I step onto the scale regularly, and I’ve noticed my weight stays relatively constant, even with my sloth. Stress? Metabolism? Who knows. The plan is clear, though: keep my diet consistent, make a good effort, and then immediately revert to my sedentary lifestyle.