Addicted to ... healthy living?

I've heard of people being addicted to exercise. I usually picture marathoners, long-distance runners that just can't get their day started without a morning run. Or maybe they can't get to sleep at night without sweating off the stress of the day. Never thought that would be me.

I eased off my workout schedule, bit by bit. I certainly didn't go cold turkey, and I can't go back to it just like that, either. I kept thinking, if I just took a day off here and there, everything would be fine. The pain would ease just enough for me to try again. Should've known, when I couldn't actually put myself on the sidelines until all was completely well. No, I had to pretty much lose all use of my arm before I gave up completely and sought medical advice.

Turns out, that old rotator cuff strain that never completely healed ... got worse. Pretty much as bad as it gets without actually needing surgery. Thank God for small miracles.

At first I was in too much pain to even think about any kind of a work out. But I still kept walking. Every day the weather cooperated, I kept on walking. Three to four miles. Sometimes twice a day. Even when it hurt. But that's not addicted, no, not at all. And the days when the winds were too strong, the freezing rain just too much to be outside and still pretend to be sane, I paced the house. And watched my yoga dvd's. And got crankier and crankier by the day.

So when the physical therapist gave me exercises to do at home, you can bet I did them. Twice a day. And celebrated every milestone (Look! I can turn on the faucet!) And went back to doing things as normally as possible. And then it snowed.

That's my job, the shoveling. Except in cases of huge blizzard, I pretty much handle it on my own, at the break of dawn, peacefully shoveling my own little driveway all by myself. We've been blessed by unseasonably warm weather during my recuperation, and I am so thankful for that. But then it snowed. And I had to delegate. But could I help just a little? Should I? (no) I could use the baby shovel? (No) Maybe just to show the boys how it's done? (NO!) But I don't want them out in the street with school buses racing by! Maybe just a little ... shouldn't have done that.

Back to my exercises. Back to being patient (not!). Back to watching yoga, maybe trying out a little Hip Hop Abs (I have to MODIFY Hip Hop Abs!). Back to being cranky, until I can work out again.

Because I am addicted to exercise.