So, I’ve gained some weight.I just discovered my love of craft beer — a sure-fire recipe for a woman in her forties to pack on the el-bees. When I was younger, it was easy to just “watch what I ate” to get back to my fighting weight. My metabolism was my friend! But that friend has become tired and slow. My 30-minute runs have become 20; weight- lifting consists of lifting the remote to point it at the TV while drinking a frosted glass of Steel Toe’s Size 7. My workouts need to be remodeled, so to speak.
So I decided to do something about it. I’m getting up super early (like 5 am early) to meet another friend of mine at this gym filled with other crazy people trying to be “FIT”. Now remember, we aren’t trying to lose weight (uh, duh, yes I am)–we are trying to be healthy. Well, let me tell you something, if I was 5’9” and 115 lbs., I’d never work out! But I’m not and never will be. On some level I’m okay with that . . . if a plane went down,I’d be able to put both my kids on my back and scale over those seats to get us to safety. I’m strong and strong is beautiful.
As you can imagine, this strength comes in super handy in my job. I haul furniture around all by myself like it’s a jug of milk. My clients always comment how “freakishly strong” I am. And it’s true. Who has the time to wait for someone to pick up the other end of the chair when it needs to be moved? I can just bear hug that bitch and move it where I need it to go.
I love the question, “Can I give you hand?” My response: “Feel free to clap if you must. I know I’m good.” (Obviously, my self-esteem is in tip-top form).
My new workout routine rotates through various workouts and they are never the same. The goal is to keep the body guessing. We do “conditioning” (which is like brainwashing for your body only much more painful), weight training (this day is easiest for me since I schlep furniture for a living), and metabolic training (don’t ask; it’s as bad as it sounds). It’s painful and it’s early but I know it’s good for me. I’ve even lost .2 pounds (that sounds plural, even though it’s only part of one).
Design routines can get lazy and tired too. I have gone through periods when I’m tired of trying to stretch my design muscles, so I start giving my clients what they ask for instead of what’s good for them: a white kitchen, gray walls, subway tile. Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are nice! But that routine has gotten old.
In the world of interior design, we cannot get lazy. We find what’s new and fresh to keep things interesting.
So, what do we do? Start moving. Warm up (we are old now, remember), stretch and start moving. Move EVERYTHING! The lamp, the sofa, the ottoman, the rug. Change lamp shades with a different lamp. Take down those pictures you worked so hard to hang just perfectly and try them in different places. Paint a wall. Wallpaper something (oh yes, I have ideas for you). Float your bed in the middle of the room and see what happens.
Keep your guests guessing what will be next, what will be the new change, the new “you”. I love when friends come over and ask “what’s new”? They don’t mean “what’s up”, they mean, “what have you done to your house now?” with a slight eye roll and a big hint of jealousy (or disdain) in their tone. It’s like the same tone come people use when they compliment your super tight, well-toned ass (bringing it back to exercise, see what I did there?) But here’s the thing: you don’t have to get up at 5 am to create a super cool house. Just start moving. Hell, you can even do it with a craft beer in your hand. But don’t kid yourself–you’re not actually working out but you’ll feel just as good afterwards.
Leave a Reply