Body Awareness... Oh the aches! :-D
So, during the summer I had a job where I was on my feet almost all day. It was a good summer job with people I liked - but I started having major problems with my knees/hip, mostly I noticed them at night. It got bad enough I went to a PA who specializes in arthritis. She said "no arthritis" (yay!) but "probably bursitis" (wah! I'm too young to get bursitis!)
Anyway - I've been seeing a PT. Physical Therapists probably aren't actually sadistic. I mean, in truth, the ones I've met are very nice people. But there's something about the way they ask you to do things that are really difficult and then smile and cheerfully say "you're just really weak!"
Sigh.
So I've had to really pay attention to my body a lot more than I'm used to. This goes well with my determination to really change the way I eat and not use food as a mindless drug but to eat healthy usually and when I eat something unhealthy make sure it's a clear choice and that I really enjoy it.
The good news is that apparently I am actually more able to pay attention to my body (at least while trying to do the exercises) than most people he works with. I attribute this to years of on again-off again yoga. Doing yoga is one of the few ways I have learned to pay attention to my body. But it isn't easy. I have just spent too many years caring more about the world of ideas, creating and my inner world than my body. And the people I've hung out with have largely done the same. I love that I know so many smart, funny, witty, creative people - but I have been thinking about all the people I know who are singers yet don't take very good care of their bodies. After all - if you have a fine instrument you take very good care of it (I hope) so why wouldn't you take care of your body? A body IS a singer's instrument! Hmm. Go figure.
I read a very interesting article in the New York Times about the theory of "Social Contagion":
Are Your Friends Making You Fat (New York Times article)
I must have been thinking somewhat along those lines when I started the healthy_fen community on Live Journal.
What about you? Do you find it difficult to achieve that "mind/body/spirit" balance?
What works for you? What is the hardest?
Lately the hardest thing for me is to carve out as much time in my day as I would need to follow my ideal body health goals.
Anyway - I've been seeing a PT. Physical Therapists probably aren't actually sadistic. I mean, in truth, the ones I've met are very nice people. But there's something about the way they ask you to do things that are really difficult and then smile and cheerfully say "you're just really weak!"
Sigh.
So I've had to really pay attention to my body a lot more than I'm used to. This goes well with my determination to really change the way I eat and not use food as a mindless drug but to eat healthy usually and when I eat something unhealthy make sure it's a clear choice and that I really enjoy it.
The good news is that apparently I am actually more able to pay attention to my body (at least while trying to do the exercises) than most people he works with. I attribute this to years of on again-off again yoga. Doing yoga is one of the few ways I have learned to pay attention to my body. But it isn't easy. I have just spent too many years caring more about the world of ideas, creating and my inner world than my body. And the people I've hung out with have largely done the same. I love that I know so many smart, funny, witty, creative people - but I have been thinking about all the people I know who are singers yet don't take very good care of their bodies. After all - if you have a fine instrument you take very good care of it (I hope) so why wouldn't you take care of your body? A body IS a singer's instrument! Hmm. Go figure.
I read a very interesting article in the New York Times about the theory of "Social Contagion":
Are Your Friends Making You Fat (New York Times article)
I must have been thinking somewhat along those lines when I started the healthy_fen community on Live Journal.
What about you? Do you find it difficult to achieve that "mind/body/spirit" balance?
What works for you? What is the hardest?
Lately the hardest thing for me is to carve out as much time in my day as I would need to follow my ideal body health goals.