I’ve fallen off the yoga wagon. Hard.
Our summer schedule doesn’t allow time for the mom to make it to yoga class. I bike and swim with my son, but yoga quest is officially suspended.
I can hear my instructor. “I see some bellies that look like they’re on vacation,” she’d say when we weren’t properly engaging the core in class.
She’d be mortified to see that now my belly really is on vacation. It’s on a Mediterranean cruise, complete with an endless antipasto bar and a Big Gulp Coke. Sip on that, Mayor Bloomberg.
It’s gone to Disneyland where dreams really do come true whether you exercise or not. You’ve never seen Snow White on a StairMaster, have you? All you need is a little Tinkerbell, a pumpkin, and a pair of glass slippers.
My belly unfolds like a beached whale on the sand. It spreads out like a jellyfish washed ashore. I took it to Vermont, home of Ben & Jerry’s for crying out loud. Can you say Vermonster?
Enough! It’s not that bad. It’s not yoga-belly either. My pilates paunch has gone kaput. The core is no more.
My wellness coach friend Lisa Hautly wrote an uplifting, common-sense post: A Health Centered Approach to Living Well.
“Love your body,” she writes.
“Move.”
“Listen to your belly.”
“Sleep.”
“Reduce stress.”
I’m sleeping. I’m listening. I’m moving. I’m loving my body. Incredible, expanding belly and all.
Summer is flying by. School begins in six short weeks. The normal schedule will resume. I will drag back to yoga class.
My instructor may not recognize me sporting my new abdominal baggage, but she won’t turn me away. It’s the Y after all.
The core will engage. The belly will flatten. Equilibrium will return.
In the meantime, I’m not missing a moment of summer. And neither is my belly.
Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction. Proverbs 18:20 NLT
Something’s Gotta Give by Ella Fitzgerald.
So how’s your summer been?
Oh yes… my belly has been on vacation for WAAAAAAAAY too long!!! Not sure it will ever resume it’s sweet form again. BUT, the priorities have changed since I used to hit the gym every day. It’s different when things rearrange themselves and the top lists of things to do take precedence. Whatever is worthy of my time…each season has it’s own importance, and my belly is on the back burner with my delicious fried up sausage. For now. lol
Surrender to the sausage, Chris! And I will give in to the chocolate chip cookie dough. For everything there is a season…
LOVE.
My belly thanks you for the vote of encouragement.
I’m right there with you sister! I was telling Don, it occurred to me that I am the only mom in the pool with my child. Seems all the other moms drop the kids off… hit the exercise equipment or play tennis. Yes, you could bounce quarters off their abs! See, my abs are hidden…I am no dumb bunny. But that is ok. Right now Matthew thinks I am a rock star mom. And Don informed me that he is not always going to want to play with me! Doubt it…I’m staying in the clouds where I’m happy. I say, “let’s eat ice cream and be happy”!!!!
What fun is working out when you can be at the pool with ice cream? Really, is there a choice here?
Love the Ben and Jerry’s picture!
Me too! Aren’t they funny?