Do the stuff that makes you happy

Recent studies have proven that the older we get, the happier we become. This <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/health/research/01happy.html">article</a> came out in the New York Times a few weeks ago, but it's just one of many similar articles.<br /><br />There are a lot of theories on why older people are happier, but the one that makes the most sense to me is because older people have figured out what makes them happy. Instead of doing the stuff they don't like, they do the things they enjoy.<br /><br />Therefore, I'm done with bootcamp class. I paid for a month, but it was deeply discounted to $39. I only went twice, and I hated every minute of it. I liked the group class atmosphere. I hated everything else about it. Especially the frantic pace and the exercises. I hated the music, and most of all I hated how I almost couldn't walk for two days after the class. I don't think it's good for a person to exercise so hard that they can barely get out of a chair.<br /><br />I'm 54. I don't want to waste time doing things I hate. I don't exactly love to exercise, but I don't hate it. I enjoy weight lifting, and never dread doing it. Cardio really isn't my thing, but I know it's a necessary evil and I do it six days a week. Great music helps a lot, as well as variety. I try to do a different machine every day at the gym. Or better yet, a bike ride or a brisk walk outside, both are preferred activities over the gym. <br /><br />Yesterday was a beautiful day here in the Pacific Northwest. Sun shining, 72 degrees. Perfect bike riding weather. I rode from our house to the mall, then the mall to the gym for strength training for 45 minutes, then back home. I stopped a few times to take pictures and talk to a lady walking her yellow labs (I love yellow labs). It was the best two and half hours of my entire week. It made me very happy.<br /><br />The swimming and the bootcamp class didn't work for me. There are still other things I can try. Next is an aerobic/strength training class at my gym. The only problem is that it's at 5:30 p.m. I'm really not much of an evening exercise person, but I'm going to try it a couple days this week. The last time I went to this class I was very overweight and although I liked the instructor and the music, I wasn't physically able to keep up. Hopefully I'll do better now.<br /><br />A few pictures from yesterday...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Rhododendron in the gym parking lot</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxvYZ3Rwo2besbzMmfEoXu5xqxBX_G7yF0uIa-AyD8rDKc4gfN1WmGX7j4mW1Za-RibddWPYuY3G5qjBvOokrpblsmmDAlbl9yFohkOMc8rg8z_wE7zt_bEAy2-1QWNeQnPeKGNC5wJKv/s1600/Rhodies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxvYZ3Rwo2besbzMmfEoXu5xqxBX_G7yF0uIa-AyD8rDKc4gfN1WmGX7j4mW1Za-RibddWPYuY3G5qjBvOokrpblsmmDAlbl9yFohkOMc8rg8z_wE7zt_bEAy2-1QWNeQnPeKGNC5wJKv/s400/Rhodies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A view from my bike trail, Mt. Rainier in all her glory.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYBOK5A9SZpu75FuNcFvnyu1tNejxE9qzO5A1KRWXNXUMTDwfdMFQlqf1Dxz5Ci4JqKOJJfBChoe-hohy3bqVkRttUYj99fwVKr41z2WgtWfV3NAS3Zvz0sRuFtFhdRjYdEpY-c0NPkmA/s1600/Mt+Rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYBOK5A9SZpu75FuNcFvnyu1tNejxE9qzO5A1KRWXNXUMTDwfdMFQlqf1Dxz5Ci4JqKOJJfBChoe-hohy3bqVkRttUYj99fwVKr41z2WgtWfV3NAS3Zvz0sRuFtFhdRjYdEpY-c0NPkmA/s400/Mt+Rainier.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me and the bike on the BPA trail in Federal Way, WA</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MN7t1u0h2Vi9SESY4vcrr2QdD7D6EOxLVKPL9TUUM7eS-2qrvyZpOww_ki3CLAgQorldFgsyTlFiMGUBWKobVArCO5gVJLo2IxABSpv4nS76LaQCYUUfPYX5kYdc347LdJkPVH2-whNJ/s1600/Me2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MN7t1u0h2Vi9SESY4vcrr2QdD7D6EOxLVKPL9TUUM7eS-2qrvyZpOww_ki3CLAgQorldFgsyTlFiMGUBWKobVArCO5gVJLo2IxABSpv4nS76LaQCYUUfPYX5kYdc347LdJkPVH2-whNJ/s400/Me2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Eating until I feel full</span></strong><br />Last week I tried the Weight Watchers Filling Foods technique and not tracking every Point, I only tracked my weekly 35 Points. I tried eating until I felt "satisfied". It came as no big surprise to me that it didn't work. I gained 3.4 pounds this week. It's just a problem I have when left to my own devices, I will eat too much. It's who I am and a problem I have to deal with. <br /><br />This week I'm counting Points again. It's another necessary evil, but I know it'll make for a much better weight loss week.

Do the stuff that makes you happy

Recent studies have proven that the older we get, the happier we become. This article came out in the New York Times a few weeks ago, but i...

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