My motivation for exercise

So, this weird thing has been happening to my fingers. I was kind of freaked out at first because it just started like that, for no reason, and gradually worsened. It started with the skin around the articulations becoming scaly and mushy beneath the surface, then appearing inflamed and red, and the skin beneath my cuticles being very dry. THEN, little red suction dots were emerging on my pinkie. The day after the little red dots appeared, the skin started opening and blood gently oozing out and then drying up. The skin around that was hard and waxy yellow. Sorry for the gory details. Over the course of several days it kept opening wider and wider, the same process happening: I'd wash my hands, fresh blood would come out, then dry up.  Don't worry, in my paranoia, I disinfected it and hydrated it several times a day . We didn't go see a doctor right away because it seemed like a first world problem, like "oh poor little boo boo, you have a cut on your finger", but when we saw how horrible it was becoming we made an appointment. That doctor made us an appointment with a finger specialist. The next day, we were there.
"He he, sorry I am a bit crazy, that is my nature, and that is how I like being, he he he" he kept repeating. He was a pretty big jerk, if you ask me. He kept asking inappropriate questions about my personal life and spent far too much time making up theories about my way of being, to the point that I was stuck talking to him in his office for a whole hour and a half. He said that since I'm an "anxious and emotive person" the adrenaline in my blood is high and therefore my circulation in the least important parts of my body is bad. I don't know where the me being "anxious and emotive" came from, since I gave NO clue of that. Let me just say he was quite full of himself.
But aside from that he did have something interesting to say. He said that to improve my circulation, I should exercise. And for it to work, at least four times a week. I know exercising is the key to top health and fitness, but I've never been a very sporty person. I was getting into the running groove, going once or twice a week for 45 minutes to an hour, but I stopped when it got colder, and the truth is, I prefer to curl up on the sofa with a good book. So, as you can imagine, when I heard that I had to get my lazy butt back into shape, I was not exactly thrilled.
Because I am not signed up for any physical activities outside of school and because it is so friggin' cold here, what I settled on is trampolining on my mini trampoline and doing yoga. The yoga part is especially great, because my mom and I joined YogaGlo: If you haven't heard of it you should go check it out. It's a website that you pay to belong to, and you get unlimited yoga classes in the form of videos, for whenever you want. Seriously. There are so many to choose from. And the website is so practical. You can decide on which class to take by duration, style of yoga, part of the body that needs a work out or needs to be stretched, which teacher you want, time of the day... It's just awesome.
Now, trampolining was another story: Staying in the same spot for over half an hour can get kind of boring, despite the fact  that you are jumping. But I quickly found a solution to that problem: music.
I decided that if I want to stay motivated I should be allowed to regularly buy whatever music I want to pass the time and to jump in rhythm to. And guess what, it actually started becoming really fun, jumping to the beat of a blaring  Beyoncé, Bruno mars, and prince!
My favorites right now are these:
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars
Run the World (Girls) - Beyoncé
Love on Top - Beyoncé
Down the road - C2C
Thrift Shop (feat. Wanz) - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
If you've been blocked on exercising for whatever reason (unless you're injured of course), get yourself some good music and JUST DO IT. It gets easier with time, I swear. Running is a great sport because you don't need a lot of money and prep for it. Even dancing is great instead of just sitting there watching TV! Exercise is essential to your health. Once you're into it, you'll be so happy you started.
Now back to my fingers. I don't know if it was thanks to the exercise, but they are a lot better. Just reassuring you, because I know you were all TERRIBLY worried about me. ;)

9 comments:

  1. One of my favorite ways to exercise is to do Zumba. A motivation for me to get on the treadmill's at my school's gym is that they have cable TV's and I don't have cable at home.

    It's great you found something to keep you going.

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    1. Zumba looks fun... exercising AND watching TV sounds like a good compromise ;)

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  2. What a total jerk. Almost as bad as the doctor who told me t hat my hair was falling out because I am too depressive. jerks!!
    CD

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  3. I need to start gyming this month..... need to find motivation first though....... argh!!

    OK.. after seeing your blog, I will attempt to gym after work today. One hour. Thats all.


    www.bohemianmuses.blogspot.com

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  4. Don't listen to that stupid idiot of a "specialist". I'm so on your side.
    I LOVE Beyoncé!

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    1. Well thanks ;) you better be on my side (hardy har)!
      I know right Beyoncé rocks! Did you see the cover of love on top by chloe and halle?

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  5. I want to join a gym :)

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  6. Hi Carmen,

    I have read a few of your blogs so far and you are a fantastic writer! Your writing is so fluid and you express yourself so well. I'm excited to follow your blogs.

    In regard to your fingers, I hope that they have healed. This reminds me of a similar problem that I used to have and, unfortunately is developing again on one of my fingers as we speak. I have seen numerous doctors. Sorry to hear about that terrible doctor. My condition seems to come and go, and can at times dissapear for a couple of years but then suddenly reappear. I have found that for myself, the predominant factors that contribute to its emergence are: stress, diet, excercise, washing my hands too often, and chemicals (ie. scented soap, scented laundry detergent).

    In terms of diet, gluten and sugar may have something to do with it. Also, stress brings out numerous skin related conditions so yoga is definitely a great idea!! Some sun exposure also helps a lot.. so when you are outside try not to cover them with bandaids. Well hopefully this is no longer an issue for you though!

    Excited to read more, looks like you have a very special talent, among many others xox

    Nicole

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