Hedonistic & Healthy on 1/18

[HipChick]

Looks like I'm the first one here today so I'll get started. This morning, I did Cardio Fusion 41 1/2 minute premix. Ever since I got it, I've been addicted to that workout & do it every week. I'm supposed to attend yoga class with a friend tonight but I don't want to go out so I invited her to come over & do a DVD at my house & have a salad & wine. Haven't heard back from her yet but I hope it works out!

I've been thinking more about hedonism & I think it's different for each of us, although we enjoy many of the same things. I feel gratified when I eat clean & exercise but I think it's more than that. Each day, I try to do or notice something that brings me joy. I look forward to the weekend, when I stop thinking about eating & exercise altogether. I eat what I want, when I want, enjoy my DH & friends, drink some beer, wine, or cocktails, or visit a local bar to see a live band & dance. Sometimes, I prefer to stay at home, watch a movie, talk, cook, read, play piano, or enjoy the hot tub. Other times, it's shopping or doing something nice for somebody. I greatly anticipate vacations, concerts, & camping. I love football, Nascar, & I also accept the unexpected invitation to go out for lunch, dinner, or drinks. These are just some of my random thoughts.

Here are a few of my more decadent pleasures: I camp at Nascar races 2 times a year (cook out, drink some beer, hike to the track, cheer, & hang out at the campfire till we wee hours), lounge at our pool with a cocktail in the summertime, sit on our screened porch during warm evenings with the lights off (usually with a glass of wine, listening to the crickets & watching the fireflies), & just being totally lazy is a delight to me too. There are a lot more things but I'll leave it at that for now. Your thoughts?

Wishing everyone a pleasurable Friday Eve & looking forward to cutting loose tonight & this weekend!}(

Kel

P.S. - Charlotte, you've really got my interest piqued about your new twist. Don't keep us in suspense!

 

[andtckrtoo]

Kel - great post! I agree that we all enjoy the finer things in life, but we all define those finer things slightly differently, and they are not all bad for us. One of my favorite times in the entire world is after the end of a really hard core workout (climbing a mountain, a long endurance bike ride, a long hike...) after I've showered and I'm totally exhausted and I sit with DH (who usually does the hard core workout with me) sipping a fine Pinot Noir in some remote spot of the universe overlooking the scenery. But I also enjoy a fabulous dinner with friends, a Jimmy Buffett concert with margaritas! A mimosa on a hot summer morning. Going to Napa - we just bought a condo there - it will be finished in 2008 - but we usually go every 3 or 4 months for a day (it's only 1.5 hours from me) and occasionally we'll rent an outrageously expensive hotel room and just enjoy a few select wineries. The food in Napa is par none. EVERY restaurant is 4 or 5 stars!

Anyway - I digress... I did Baron Baptiste's Long and Lean Yoga this morning. I'll probably do a run or use the elliptical this afternoon at the gym. I had pizza last night with a glass an incredible pinot, but I ate very sparingly and feel good this morning. We're thinking of taking the girls out for dinner tonight, but it'll be at a restaurant we know and I can find something healthy.

 

[charlotteyochem]

Kel:

Excellent post. Just confirms for me that we are a group of like-minded women because the definition of hedonism is where I was going: sort of an ideal day or a model for the perfect day, if you will. I was going to try to live it today so I could report on it, but it hasn't happened!

Here goes: my ideal day: get up very early and have some coffee with nice music or the news. Put on fun workout clothes that I love (not the worn out crap that I usually reach for) and go out to my little gym for a satisying sweat and pump. Let me describe my hedonisticly appointed litle gym: it's a very old handmade brick building separate from the house. It was the old milkhouse back in the 1800s. It has a screened porch with a big Vermont Castings open woodburning stove and two nice big wicker chairs with navajo blankets laid over them for serious fire-watching and wine drinking evenings. The gym itself has all my weights of course, my Firm steps, boxing equipment, gas heater, TV/VCR/DVD player, treadmill and a nice big oriental in the middle with a black gym pad underneath for cushioning. And candles. And a dimmer on the lights. It is a joy to me and my Boxer, Lola. That's an important part of my ideally hedonistic, balanced day, you see. After my workout, wash face then put on a clay mask. After it dries, shower with all sorts of yummy shower goodies, dry off with a big, poofy towel and slather nice lotion on. After dressing, more coffee and breakfast, then on to my work day (from my house, thank god). In the afternoon, a massage or a facial at this terrific little spa on the old town square across the street from my place. Then some wine in front of the aforementioned word burning stove on the gym porch. Then some of the best kind of exercise }( }( and to sleep early - by 8:30 or 9:00. Repeat the next day with variations on clean meals, and what to drink in front of the fire.

What do you think? Now, here's the problem: I had Mono a couple of years ago and still CANNOT wake up in the morning. I slept 11 1/2 hours last night... I used to get to my office by 6:00 a.m. every morning. Now I can't even wake up before 8:00 if I'm lucky. I feel lucky to have my workout energy back. Anyway, that's the ideal and the goal. Until I can drag my ass out of bed early, I'll continue to do a variation!:7 Keep on enjoying!

 

[charlotteyochem]

Kel and Christine:

On what is hedonistic to each of us, I clearly like discipline and order in my life and find it very satisfying and enjoyable when I fit it in the right way. It truly is one of my hedonistic pleasures. So, while I crave delicious pinots, I must have the physical exercise rush to balance it all out and make me truly feel good. Things like rich desserts or rich dishes actually ruin my balance so much that I avoid them like the plague. And there must be the intellectual challange, as well. It's all a huge balance for me. The fun is in honing down the details to get them as good as they can be. (Napa fits the bill!!!) Sorry to sound so me, me, me, I, I, I, I... :7 :7 :7

 

[buffettgirl]

One of my pleasures is reading what everyone else enjoys. Some of those pleasures I share, some would give me the heebee jeebees. It's still nice to share and except those similarities and differences.

I think an ideal day for me would have to include some kind of outdoor activity on a glorious summer day with temperatures in the low 80's. That activity could be a hike in the mountains with my DH, a bike ride on my own, a day of snorkeling on a fish-filled reef or a nice drive in one of our ragtop sports cars. Follow that with a unique and tasty dinner at a place I've never been before, accompanied by a great bottle of wine. Then a romantic interlude with my DH. And if I could get up the next morning and do it again, for about a week or two...

Christine, I'll have to remember your place in Napa for that day I someday hope to get there.}( One of my dream vacations is a wine tasting tour of California. It's at least number 3 on my list of top 5 places to visit someday. The only places the beat out California wineries are a trip to France (more wine, please) and a kyaking trip to the Sea of Cortez.

 

[HipChick]

Hi again! I'm having a great time reading these replies & yes, I think it reinforces that we're indeed a group of like-minded women & I'm glad we've found each other here.

Christine - I love Buffett, margaritas, & mimosas too. One of the best vacations DH & I ever took was to Santa Cruz, San Fran, & Napa. We only spent 2 nights & 1 day in Napa, making "the loop", but it was so beautiful & the wine was fabulous. We didn't have dinner anywhere but our favorite winery was Vi Sattui. We want to visit again someday when we can spend a LOT more time.

Charlotte - Your ideal day sounds great & you're lucky to be able to live it almost every day of your life. I was honestly wondering if you were describing someplace real or imaginary in your post. Your gym sounds amazing. What a wonderful retreat! Sorry you had a health setback that still affects you but I'm happy you're able to achieve as close to your hedonistic ideal as you can each day. Regarding your comments about discipline & order, I agree & tend to be very similar. I like order in my life & I want my schedule & routine to be in balance with all of my "extracurricular" activities. I'm even sort of an organization & neat freak.

Robin - Hey, I bet some of the activities I described were what gave you the heebee jeebees. Haha! Anyhoo, your ideal day sounds wonderful too. In fact, I think I could swap with any of you & be perfectly happy. One thing that I know you love & I find tremendous pleasure in too is the music of Jimmy Buffett but I've never seen him in concert. So this is probably a silly question but have you seen him? If so, do you have a favorite venue & any good concert advice? I'd love to see him in 2007 but I know his concerts sell out fast so we'd better act quick. The closest I've ever been to living his music is when DH & I visited Key West a few years back & we loved it. Have you ever been?

Well, I just had a wonderful spinach salad with mushrooms, slivered almonds, cranberries, & balsamic dressing with a pita & hummus. It was delicious & I'll have a pita with peanut butter & some grapes for my snack a little later.

Again, I just want to say what fun it has been to read these posts today & I hope you all have a delightful afternoon. Also want to say HI to anyone else who visits today.

Kel

 

[buffettgirl]

Kel, no I've never been. I'm not sure I'm quite hedonistic enough to get to Buffett concert. LOL. It is on a list of things I think I would maybe like to do, but am not really sure. Know what I mean? Yeah, they sell out so fast, and the closest venue for us would probably have to be Pittsburgh or Philly. That would up the cost of an already expensive proposition. Heehee, yeah, the Nascar stuff isn't really to my liking, but I really liked the movie Cars. Does that count? Every September my DH and I go to the Vintage Grandprix Festival in Watkins Glen and this year we got to drive on the actual racetrack. I was scared to death. I guess I'm not really a thrill seeker, although I did enjoy a day of hang-gliding at Kill Devil Hills in NC and white water canoing in SW PA. Those thrills were a while ago though.

 

[HipChick]

Robin, I totally understand. A friend of mine went to see Buffett & had a total blast. But they went to Atlanta, it lasted all day, & they had to ride the Marta back to their hotel in the middle of the night! I'd still like to go someday, just not in Atlanta. As for Nascar, it's certainly not for everyone, that's for sure. But since you liked the movie Cars...

I'm impressed with your thrill seeking! Driving on the track at Watkins Glen? I would have been scared to death too! I'm very accident prone so I try not to place myself in situations where I might get injured. I've never been white water rafting & I don't think I'd even consider going hang gliding or parachuting so I'm simply in awe of your adventures...

Thanks for the response!
Kel