I'm Back!

Hot Yoga was a blast and feel that I got a great detox from the experience. I also had a lot of hot flashes that week too. I even found myself craving the experience - which is a good thing. A week later I went to a regular yoga class (thank you Lee) and realized just how much further you can push yourself when you are really hot and sweaty (mind out of the gutter folks!).

I'm recovering now from an ear and respiratory infection. Just when I was really excited about feeling good again I got sick. It was weird because I was almost out of practice ... I typically get infections like this once or twice a year but with all the chemo and radiation it's been awhile. It did put a damper on my activity level. I was down to just walking the neighborhood for about a week and now I already feel squishier again. But - I finished my antibiotics and am feeling alert and energetic again and will get back on track. I'm considering buying the P90X fitness program. My oncology surgeon used it and got great results (actually he's almost too skinny now ...). I looked and looked all over the web and really could not find any bad reviews. I think that everyone willing to make the time commitment (1 hour a day) and price ($140 with shipping spread over 3 months) got good results. With a 90 day guarantee I figure I would try ... my gym membership is up next week and this is like 3 months payments I would make for the gym anyway (and I don't go as much in the summer when it is nice out). After the hot yoga experience I know that my body likes to have more hot flashes when stressed so I will be prepared ... it's already so hot outside that I'm pretty uncomfortable anyway.

As for my dissertation ... I've been working on the methods chapter and have come pretty far! I've had to change the design of my study based on a new configuration at the school where I will do the study, but I think the change is for the better. It is a more authentic approach which means it can translate better into the classroom. Of course this means the design is not as "neat" so it may not be worthy of the high falutent journals for publications. Goal one is to get it out to teachers (which can be done through the Internet and a possible book) goal two is to present the findings and publish for career advancement purposes (academe really likes it when you publish!).

Hope everyone is doing well!

Cinco de Maio

Hello May!

Lots of fun things happening ... I'm in my one week trial of hot yoga and finding it to be a rejuvenating (although continually sweaty) experience. My skin feels good, I have not experienced much in the way of bloating, and I hurt in strange places. Yesterday I attended the low key class. We started with floor work and moved to standing. Some of the poses were the same as the original class, but now I see the advantage of warming up. Without the intensity of doing all the postures in a hot room leading up to some of the harder ones I found I was not so "bendy". This lets me know that when I try it on my own (without the heat) to not expect I can take my body as far as I do in the classes. I'm still walking with the neighbors and am back to twice a week walks in the afternoon with a friend too.

My nutrition remains about the same. I make pretty good choices but overall I ignore caloric intake and I think it may be time that I begin to pay attention. In no way am I saying that I want to diet, but I do need to reduce some pounds so some change must occur. Not sure of the plan yet but will let you know.

I continue to make good strides with my dissertation and am now trying to figure out how to have enough power to make a controlled experiment design worth doing (aka publishable) as I am not comfortable with other methodologies at this point.