Hello from Spokane

Today's exercise:

None! (Unless I count a quick swim in Lake Coeur d'Alene)

Yesterday's exercise:

50-minute run

Day-before-yesterday's exercise:

Full-body weight workout

45 minutes on the stairclimber

It's the beginning of 10 days of vacation for me and my daughters -- my husband will join the fun on Friday. We're in Spokane for a few days, staying at the home of my great friend S, who moved here from Seattle four years ago.

As much as I love vacation time, I always get a little overwrought about getting enough exercise. My workout schedule at home is pretty strict: six days per week of cardio, three of them with weights as well. When I'm away from home, that's hard to maintain and I have to be a little more flexible and a lot more creative about when and how I exercise. I have to accept that I won't be able to work out every day -- and I try to tell myself that it's good for me to shake things up a bit; that I'll come back home and resume my usual schedule with a lot more energy. But there's always a small voice at the back of my head that says I'm going to lose a lot of ground unless I stay with my normal workouts. I start to worry that my clothes are feeling tight, that I won't be able to run as long or lift as much when I get back home. When I miss my usual workout, I feel antsy and jittery in my body, like I have a bunch of energy that needs to be burned off. That's how I'm feeling right now. But I'm with my friend in hot, hot Spokane -- without access to a gym for a weight workout, and I wouldn't go running even if I had the time and it wasn't so hot because I ran yesterday and my 41-year-old, somewhat-new-to-running body doesn't like to run two days in a row. Plus, even though I'm admittedly somewhat neurotic about getting my exercise, I don't get nearly enough time in the company of my fine friend S. I don't want to trade away what little we have so I can do some curls and squats.

I also know that all my lack-of-exercise anxiety usually lasts for just a few days. After that, I get quite used to lounging around and wonder how I was able to motivate myself to work out so hard and so often! That's actually another reason it's hard for me to disrupt my schedule ... once I get off of it, it's hard to resume. The first three or four days are pretty brutal -- and them I'm back in the saddle, where working out is a given in my day, just like eating or brushing my teeth.

So, no exercise today. At least so far. It will be interesting to see if, later this afternoon, I give in to the temptation to do the Bryan Kest power yoga DVD I brought with me. That's the only exercise option I have for today. Or maybe I can just let myself relax and enjoy the day with my friend.

Regardless, I won't be posting as regularly for the next week and a half. But I'll be up and at 'em in mid-August, back home and ready to work off all the treats and indulgences I've enjoyed over vacation.