Today is Friday and I am watching Say Yes to the Dress and putting my feet up after a long week.  A perfect, but long week.  How was it perfect- you ask?  Well, the main reason is I worked out like a maniac (as this photo shows!).

On Monday I did a tough weight routine, Tuesday I swam a mile, Wednesday did a boot camp with my trainer (need I elaborate that a boot camp was difficult!), Thursday I swam a mile and Friday I met with my swim coach and did 1500 meters worth of interval drills (we did 250 meters fast and slow, 200 meters fast and slow, all the way down to 50 meters.).

I wish I could say I feel full of energy from all this exercise but sadly I feel like a pile of rubber.  I’m so glad I have no other major responsibilities beyond work, church and exercise because I honestly don’t have the energy. (Most of the time I heat something up or eat a sandwich because I’m too tired to cook).

The truth is that many people respond to exercise like me.  In fact, I read an article about the ‘myth of endorphins‘.  It discusses a study of the brainwaves of highly trained athletes after work out.   Their results amazed me and confirmed what I had always seen in myself:

“When researchers set out to determine whether killer workouts could produce enough of the opiate-like hormone to bring on that buzz, the notion turned out to be another fitness Sasquatch”

Another researcher goes on to say:

“Endorphin has also been identified as the reason people sometimes appear to get a ‘high’ from exercise or even become addicted to it. Yet no compelling scientific evidence backs any of these claims.

The idea that endorphins flood our brains in sufficient quantities to create a druglike buzz is virtually an article of faith in gym conversations and numerous fitness publications. ”

Don’t you love it when science backs up your own personal theories? 🙂  Exercise is hard and painful for most everyone!  Hurray! I’m not alone!

That said- I have seen significant improvement in my over all mental and physical health.  I feel tired but good (or perhaps whole and complete are better words)  if that makes sense.  There is a new sense of potential within myself and after surfing a sense that I can do anything- I am a champion and I’ve never been that before.

I have enrolled in an open water swim which is a mile long in cold open water. It is a huge challenge but again if I can surf, I can enter this race.  Even my trainer noticed a new sense of confidence in me.  On Wednesday she said “I’m so glad you went to Hawaii.  It was very good for you. You have a whole new enthusiasm”.   My goal is to finish the race and then hopefully enter many future races.  I have even aquired a wetsuit and a swim coach to help me (who ever said getting in shape is a cheap has another thing coming!  I look at it as my new hobby and it certainly takes up more time than most hobbies).

All I can say is this week I did what I never saw myself doing- I did intense workouts every day.  Who is this person?  I hardly recognize her but the knowledge of her existence makes me happy.  The knowledge of this perfect week makes me happy.  I did it!  It was super hard but I did it.

Now I am going to hook up my cpap machine for my sleep apnea (just got that this week! I’m like darth vader at night!) and enjoy a well-deserved slumber.  Is there anything better than a well-deserved slumber?

Btw, I also met with my endocrinologist for a check up and everything looks good!  I think after all I’ve been through my body is finally on the mend!  Hurray!  (This is kind of a random post but that’s the great thing about a blog.  I can do however I wish!)