Day 10: last minute, but acheived it!

Just before bed, with my wife spurring me on, I managed 30 press-ups and 35 crunches. Bit-by-bit I'll make this exercise milarky a habit!

Day 9: A long walk

It was daddy day care today, as Becky had a women's conference to attend and childcare wasn't offered! As I have learned in the past with caring for my 5 month old, you have to do things in mini bursts. You have to learn that it's ok to wash up just 3 plates and leave the rest for the next opportunity. It's ok to clean one thing in the bathroom.
It was a blast. I really enjoyed spending the day with him, he's such a happy little fellow and really easy going. There was one point in which his nap was overdue, he was clearly tired, but strongly resisting it. No matter where I put him down, or how I held him, he wasn't happy. This was my opportunity to mix exercise with fun! I put him, wide awake, in his pram and we went for a brisk walk. The heat of the day hadn't kicked in, and in SA at this time of year it can get quite chilly - especially with that wind. So in a thick sweatshirt and coat I set off. My intention was to go to Boyes Drive and back - like I had done previously. The hill up to Boyes drive is a great workout, especially for someone as unfit as me. Walking up the road, past 7-Eleven and up the short cut, I get to the stairs and realise that it is an impossibility to carry a pram by yourself up a flight of stairs (though I did try!). Joshua was looking at me with a bemused face. He'd stopped crying now and was just wide eyed, wondering what on earth his daddy was trying to do! Faced with defeat, I thought that I can't just get here and go home, I would feel so empty and I would have the same battle on my hands to get him to sleep when I got home. So I thought I'll walk in the direction of St James (along the coastal path) until he falls asleep and then turn around and head home. At this point, the sun was out and I was starting to sweat. So I remove my coat. A bit further down the road and again I feel myself sweating, so off with the sweatshirt. Walking along this beautiful path, I thought to myself, "where else in the world can you walk with a t-shirt with warm sun on your back in the middle of winter?". Not noticing that my little boy had fallen asleep long ago, I kept walking, ending up in Kalk Bay, some 4km away from my house.

What an achievement, I thought. All by myself, no kick up the backside from anybody, I, Peter Clemison, have power-walked for 4,000 meters. Then the thought crossed my mind... it's 4km back again. Like an oasis in the desert, a train pulled up at Kalk Bay station and I jumped on it back to Muizenberg... well people, one step at a time and I am only on Day 9 of my 30 days!

Day 8: Almost forgot

It's amazing how easily we forget. Yet now I'm doing this blog, I have friends around me who ask me "what have you done today?" When I say nothing, it spurs me on to do, at least, something! This entry is short and sweet. A depressing 19 push ups just before bed. Saturday tomorrow, and it's daddy daycare as Becky is away at a women's conference all day. Let's hope I can get some fitness done too.

Day 7: Is thinking exercise?

Today I have very much been using lots of my brain: I've been thinking, praying, worshipping, planning, strategising, writing and listening.
Exhausted and still feeling a bit under the weather, I get home from base worship. A quick egg on toast for dinner, feed Joshua, give him a bath and then pass him over to Becky for mummy duties! Gives me a chance to do something mindless - this time looking at some random video posts on Google+ (which is not anything like Facebook, no really, it's not ;) )

That leaves me to the point of this blog for this month: exercise. How do I get to something when the last thing I want to do is exert myself (though I feel like I've said that before). Down on the floor, I muster 19 press-ups. Oh dear, things are getting bad! I thought the more you do, the better you get! Then I try some chair pull ups. Again, a measly handful before I'm giving up. One week in and I don't feel much healthier. I've already become sick and don't feel any fitter. The good thing is, Becky has commented on my smaller pot belly. But I think that's just her way of encouraging me not to give up! I will  do this for 30 days. I'm determined to at least achieve that, even if it doesn't make me any fitter in the process!

Day 6: Back to jogging

Ok, woke up this morning feeling really rough. You know the feeling: headache, chesty cough, feel like death! Sent a text message to my colleagues to say that I wouldn't be coming in today, but if I'm feeling better later, I'll stay at home and do work from there, lest anyone there catches my dreaded disease.
By about 9.30, I started to feel better and Becky utilized this 'opportunity' to go to a meeting, leaving me with daddy duties as well as a feeling that, if I'm feeling better, I should be working. So I set to work on the bed with my trusty little man beside me. Managed some emails and some planning before Joshua needed caring for. Got up, had breakfast and moved myself to working from the kitchen table. Joshua, in his bumbo was happily smiling at me as I got on with my work.
Then the thought came: Day 6 and I have yet to think of something to do. Well, at least it's sunny outside, I thought, it will be a chance to get out a blow this cold away from me. As daddy-daycare, I had certain duties to contend with in-between emails etc: washing up from last night, hanging washing out and bringing dry stuff in, bleaching toilet, entertaining the little man, feeding him and changing his nappy. All credit to you mums out there, this is a tough job you've got! Thank you Marysol for your comment yesterday. I moan about carrying him for the short time I do, but notice that my wife picks the boy up with ease. Wow, 11kgs, that's quite something to carry around. Incidentally, today was Joshua's day for his latest injections. At the clinic, the nurse weighted him and informed me that he's 8.2kgs!!!! Now I feel much better about my achievements yesterday!
Becky took Joshua out this afternoon, so that I could get on with some more work. This was a blessing and I did indeed knuckle down. Amazing how much work you can do outside of the office environment if you put your mind to it!

Feeling very good about myself, I thought, for my afternoon coffee break, I would go for a run along the beach. What a good idea. It was deserted (my favourite - hate people seeing me exert myself) and so I could quite happily run the 100 metres and pant away with no onlookers. Out of breath, I probably only managed a few hundred metres running and a few more hundred walking. Yet, breathing the sea air and feeling the warmth of the day (SA houses are freeeezing inside in winter) was exhilarating. Returned home, feeling somewhat groggy and thinking to myself, "was that a good idea".
Gonna take it easy tonight as we have a big planning meeting at the office tomorrow, then celebration for our achievements so far on Friday. Need to have energy for that.

Day 5: Exercise can be fun

OK, day 5 is here. Busy day, lots going on, but no excuse for not doing good exercise. However, I was totally not in the mood for digging out those joggers and it was too late in the day for getting serious with press-ups. Then a brainwave came. Joshua now weighs over 7 kgs. He's a heavy boy for a five month old. As I lifted him above my head and he gave me that giggle-grin that just fills you with such joy, I noticed that I was actually weight lifting! I asked Becky to witness this and to 'spot me'. I then lifted him up above my head 20 times - thought it was a bit of a strain, but made me proud that I had achieved some quality daddy time but also done some healthy exercise (albeit small-fry) at the same time. "Back of the net".
My joy was somewhat short-lived when Becky lifted him in the same way for 20 without breaking a sweat. But what can I say: I'm married to a superhero.

Day 4: reality starts to hit

Woke up late this morning. In no way did I feel like entering day four of my exercise routine. However, before my morning shower, I thought 'it's now or never', so I went through a very similar routine to yesterday. For some reason I thought that I could go further than yesterday, but sadly, I only just mustered 25 measly press-ups, 30 sit ups and 50 star jumps. I am now in my office with my muscles aching asking my body the question "what just happened!?". I knew I would be taking things slowly, but I'm starting to realise just how unfit I really am, which is scaring me a bit. I tried to touch my toes... well, let's not go there, it's too painful to talk about. Onwards, let's see what tomorrow brings!