Healthy Indulgence

Today was a present to myself… for what I don’t know.  But I really enjoyed it!

Another couple is playing house with my kids today and so I’ve had the whole day to do whatever I’ve wanted to do.  I planned to have today and tomorrow off to spend some time with my kids since they’ve been off all week.  But they gladly accepted the invitation to spend the day being spoiled by their old babysitter and her husband.

The decision of what to do was easy.  I stayed with the cleaning woman for a little bit and got things ready around the house then packed my gym stuff and left!  I went to the luxury gym in the next town for some sport and some pampering. I didn’t do a massage or anything like that, but I did spend time just relaxing.  Oh it was nice…

First I have to explain that my body is really, really sore today!  I’ve been so concentrated on my running that I let my whole weight training routine go by the wayside.  So after some weights yesterday I am having trouble walking, bending down and just plain ol’ movement.  Who knew that training with a seven yr old could be so painful!  I asked my son what he wanted to do and I gave him the choice to do he wanted…    go out for ice cream? movies? toy store?  NO – he wants to lift weights.  OK so I figured this is a good thing.  First I convinced him that we should go to the track to run and get warm.  I thought it would be a great way to get in a some track speed work.   I’d hoped to get in at least 5km before he pooped out.  But I only got in 3.4km, which is fine considering the fact that I could have been happily licking a cone at that time.  Then on to the hard stuff.  He’s always into my sports stuff… using my Reebok step, mat, dumbbells, jump rope, etc.  So had a nice session where I overdid it with the barbell squats. Now my hamstrings are really mad at me.

So today on the treadmill it felt like I had bricks tied to my ankles. It was really hard to move these legs. But I stuck to cardio and I knew that would be fine.  My goal was to run for an hour. I did not make that goal.  But I did manage to to do interval cardio for an hour. So that’s ok.  I was still sweaty and had a good workout. I did 45 minutes on the treadmill – doing intervals of walking and running with inclines. Not easy and as much as I wanted to stop and go right to the spa area to enjoy myself, I stuck with it. Then for the last 15 minutes I did the elliptical machine at level 10. This actually felt great on the hamstrings!  YAY – I finished and then it was off for intense relaxation.

I rinsed off and then hit the sauna.  This felt fantastic.  Of course it was very, very hot and so then after that I went on to the balcony for some nude sunbathing.  There was a cool breeze in the air,  which felt great on my skin after the sauna. I could have laid there for hours but since I wasn’t slathered in sunscreen, I cut this short.   Now it was time for the quiet room. I was in my nice comfy robe and I settled into a lounge chair with a new book.  My body was now at this point so completely relaxed and it usually only takes reading a few pages of the book before I sink into a deep sleep.  When I awake from this state, my body feels so heavy and I don’t want to move. My mind is awake but I just lay there waiting for my body to catch up.  I wanted to stretch out a bit so I went over to the water mattress and continued to let my body rest.  It was absolute heaven and the ultimate relaxation.   I dragged myself to the showers and then got ready to eat a wonderful salad in the café.  Only now it was 2pm and there were no more salads left.  I was disappointed because it’s so beautiful there and as you eat you can look over and watch classes like Tai Chi or Tae Bo being held outside on the plank over the lake.  You can also eat outside by the fountains.  It’s such a pleasant atmosphere. They had sandwiches but I was in the mood for a salad that just would not due. So I went to the store and bought stuff for a salad and made a great one myself.  I normally don’t buy pre-cut veggies but I was starving and didn’t feel like chopping.  I bought a bag of colorful salad veggies (cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, endive, romaine) some feta and some grilled chicken and made a nice salad at home.

Look at the gym here.  Scroll down to see pics.  

Kids still aren’t home as I write this while cooking some dinner.  I’m making a risotto, which has to be stirred often and it kills every time I have to get up to stir!  Looks like I am walking with a stick up my butt.  Fun.

And now another day off tomorrow and then it’s the weekend!

Have a great one!

Tina