Weekly Vlog: Swimming Lessons

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Күн бұрын

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@eileenlass7748 7 ай бұрын

Oh, SUSAN! My friend!!! Last week's vlog spoke to me so much! I not only scrape my bowl after eating my daily oatmeal/peanut butter/yogurt/banana breakfast, I pour filtered water into the bowl, scrape it some more, and use that water to take my daily vitamins! I really appreciate your saying, "I'm not saying anyone else has to stop scraping the bowl!" I don't know if I"m being called to stop, but now I have insight about the connection between "getting every morsel that I'm entitled to" (because I too weigh meticulously) and my addiction to quantities. But today's vlog made me laugh out loud THREE TIMES and I could so relate! I LOVE swimming, but apart from swimming I've never been consistent in exercising. I was never hesitant to go swimming, and in fact took many opportunities to swim, especially since starting BLE eight years ago next month. But of course being overweight or obese (sometimes morbidly) most of my life (my highest weight was 294) I was self-conscious. But even without a pool membership I sometimes found friends who would let me use their pools (mostly outdoor, but one couple had an endless pool in their basement so I could swim year-round)! But my full life of raising and homeschooling twelve children kept me very busy! I was on a swim team as a child, until I was twelve. That year my father died, and we could no longer afford the country club. My mother found a pool we could afford, but they didn't have a team. That was okay, though, because I eventually took Water Safety Instruction there, became a lifeguard, became a camp counselor, and taught swimming to children. The summer after college graduation, I had part-time jobs lifeguarding and teaching swimming, but since then it was just recreational swimming (and helping my children learn to swim). In August 2021, I was writing a letter to my father on the FIFTIETH anniversary of his death. I was thanking him for so many things, and a lot of them had to do with swimming. One memory led to another, and in the midst of this grateful reminiscing, I wrote, "When you died, I lost my identity as an athlete." I had NEVER been conscious of that thought until I read it in my own handwriting!!! In fact, all five of my brothers and all four of my sisters were on sports teams, but I never was. (I compensated by being scorekeeper, timekeeper and equipment manager for countless high school teams.) Five months later, I was in my bright body, and I thought, "Now it's time to add exercise!" (Yes, I later heard you say that my "hall pass had expired" and your advice is not to wait YEARS to start exercising, but just not to start a new exercise program in the early MONTHS of my weight loss journey!) But my revelation that came as I wrote to my Dad made me wonder if there was an adult swim team I could join. I asked around and started emailing the Masters Swim Team coach at the Y (where I was not yet a member). Around that same time I started sitting with a hospice patient, and the first day there the husband handed me $50. I thought, "Y membership costs $49 a month! Now I can afford to join!" So I joined, and was allowed to attend three practices for free before paying the team fee (in addition to the Y membership fee). The coach had said in an email that she likes her team members to be able to swim a mile in an hour. I had no idea if I could swim a mile, and if I could, how long it would take me. My first practice the coach watched me swim, game me some pointers, and taught me some drills to do. At the end of the first practice (lasting one hour), she said, "You swam a mile today!" I asked, "I DID? How long is that?" "Sixty-four lengths!" I had not been in a pool for six months!!! I was so encouraged! That was in March of 2022, and my swimming has brought me more happiness than I can measure! We practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 to noon. After reading the book "Why We Swim" by Bonnie Tsui, I resolved to play more in the water (in my 65 years of life, I haven't focused much on being playful). So usually after my hour of lap swimming, I play for a few minutes in the family pool, then sit in the hot tub for ten minutes. Sometimes I go to the steam room next, followed by my shower and then time in the sauna. It's like a personal spa day to me! I've learned so many lessons in my 27 months on the team. I noticed that after about 18 months, the honeymoon phase had worn off. I wasn't loving every minute in the water, and was often looking to see how long till we were done. I've learned not to compare myself to my teammates, many of whom have been on the team for decades! They have been so generous, welcoming and encouraging and I love this new community. I usually share a lane with a 92-year-old German man who's been on the team over 20 years. In the summer he and his wife swim daily in a public pool so they cancel their Y memberships and we don't see them for a while. For several months we didn't have a coach, but I still went at our regular time but did whatever stroke I wanted. I built up to being able to swim a mile without stopping in under fifty minutes! Now we have a coach who also coaches triathletes in their swimming portion. We haven't competed in any meets since I joined the team, but I hope to someday. Both my coaches mentioned that I should work on stretching and flexibility, and recommended exercises I could do. My current coach recommended yoga, which I had never done. But a few months ago the Y announced a six-week Deep-Water Yoga class, and I joined. I admit I was pretty cocky going in. I wasn't afraid of deep water, and I was on the Masters Swim Team! Well, my first class, I got cramps in both feet! Turns out we used lots of muscles that I don't usually use! Over the six weeks, I noticed that the honeymoon phase there wore off quickly, and instead of loving every minute, I was looking at the clock to see how long till class was over! At the same time, I noticed that I was enjoying swim practice more. As you described, my body craved exercise! One final story. My first day of practice, the coach introduced me to two women in the next lane. (One I had met before, but she didn't recognize me, as I weighed 100 pounds less than when we had met!) After practice I was talking to them in the locker room and found out that in addition to swimming together on the team for 30 years, many of these folks had vacationed together, traveled to meets and swim camps, started book clubs, and celebrated birthdays as a team. The month after I joined the team, one member was turning seventy and invited the coach and the teammates to a birthday lunch. Guess where it was held? At the same country club where I had been on a team over fifty years earlier! I looked over to the pool where I had first felt like an athlete, and now I was sitting with my coach and teammates from my new team! God is so good!

@Brightlineeating 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to share! 🥰🧡😊

@LillieEick 7 ай бұрын

! am 73 and love doing laps at our local Y pool, 6 day a week for an hour. I actually water walk backwards, wearing a swim belt. Walking backwards alleviates any knee pain. I love the meditative feeling and the sense of accomplishment. I do a minimum of 17 laps and up to 24 laps each session. Good luck on your swimming exercise journey. Thanks for sharing your story.

@Brightlineeating 7 ай бұрын

Wonderful to hear! 🧡

@millbranch2 7 ай бұрын

I’ve also run into Task Chatter and task bright lines to help with focus and productivity.

@Chris-uo8ls 7 ай бұрын

I was a competitive swimmer in high school and the first 2 years of college. I have grappled with my weight since my mid 30s and really didn’t want to wear a swim suit in front of anyone. I am now 75 and 2 years ago starting swimming at our local Y, faithfully, 3 days a week. My husband and I have distance we want to attain and are not locked into time per se. I swim 30 lengths and walk 30 lengths whatever time it takes. Still grapple with my weight, but having an easier time being in control of it. I love to swim now. What a lot of wasted years worrying about what people might think of me. Finally doing this for me feels so darn good. 30 years ago an older man had some advice for my husband- find something you love that you are able to do into your elder years. That is swimming for us. Susan, I hope you find the same joy that we do.

@Brightlineeating 7 ай бұрын

"finally doing this for me" we LOVE this! 😊

@Chris-uo8ls 7 ай бұрын

@@Brightlineeating Took me long enough. Better late than never.🥳

@macgregor2011 5 ай бұрын

Love this! Perfect for me to hear this week!

@Brightlineeating 5 ай бұрын

We're so glad it resonated with you!

@GingerMcClellan 7 ай бұрын

Susan, I am so thankful to hear you finally address "exercise" and some of its benefits. I know you already have touched so many people with your "bright line wisdom". As a regular exerciser (for 40 yrs) I cant begin to explain the benefits (ie sleep, our joy/emotions, heart health, brain health, and longevity) I only hope you continue to reap these benefits and share with your many followers because we are listening.

@CarnivoreKeri 7 ай бұрын

Thank you! This was so helpful to hear. I appreciate your work and willingness to share your experiences. 😊

@karenmcgovern1789 7 ай бұрын

Amazing analysis ,I can’t thank you enough ,gives me so much to work on

@juneparapini2162 7 ай бұрын

Lesson 1 You never know where your blessings come from in life They come in the most unexpected ways Man chased by watchmen finds woman he was searching for Seems like adversity - gives you what you were looking/ hoping/ desiring 2nd lesson It’s amazing how steady you can get from weighing and measuring your food and how that can transfer ( bleed out) to other areas in your life The gift of being consistent and showing up in all areas 3 rd lesson Not so clearly stated but I think it is that the way to deal with any brain chatter be it ....should I - shouldn’t I with eating, exercising, stepping on the scale etc Is to decide ahead of time and then follow the plan - do what you set out to do and ignore the chatter - move through and finish in peace

@JoyBellyPregnancy 7 ай бұрын

I really love to swim. The mediative part, the sun coming into the pool, the quiet. And how amazingly strong my body feels after a while. I love this cutting out the chatter part of it. Just have a bright line about it. I just am recovering from back surgery and I have been contemplating how to go back to swimming but I think limiting the time is perfect. (And you may already be aware, but if you’re wanting to listen to a podcast you can get special ear buds for the water that connect to an Apple Watch and allows you to listen to whatever you want. I love it! The first time I played music I loved and started swimming I was catapulted into an entirely new love!)

@Brightlineeating 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tip! 🥰

@yenh2648 7 ай бұрын

Exercise chatter…oh, how can I relate! Thank you for the insight!

@Brightlineeating 7 ай бұрын

We're so glad you found this relatable! 😊

@candescommonsenseguidetodi1077 7 ай бұрын

I’m 76 and swim almost every day-in the ocean, my lake or pool (I have more swimsuits than anyone I have EVER known. Even in Jan & Feb when the pool and ocean are about 70• in Florida, I spend at least a few minutes.