December 6 ~ reverb11 ~Salud (Health)

What did you do for your body’s benefit this year?

Special thanks to Jeffrey Davis of Tracking Wonder for providing today’s prompt.

"Our bodies are our temples.

How were you mindful of your physical health throughout 2011? Did you change your diet or exercise routine? Did you practice yoga or meditation? How well did you take care of your body this year?" 

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” ~Buddha

In January of this year I began training for my first marathon. It had been a dream of mine for several years but I often suffer from "analysis paralysis" which results in a whole lot of thinking about things and not enough doing.  Since 2011 was my year of Awakening, of actually taking the steps towards achieving my goals rather than just thinking about them, I joined Team in Training and became a marathoner on June 5, 2011.

Me: at the top of Monument Ridge at Squaw Valley 9/17/2011

Although I have always been very critical of my body image (and never satisfied), I took such good care of it that it carried me through a full marathon, 2 half-marathons and my first trail 10K this year.  It also proved to be strong and dependable during the 12+ mile course on top of Squaw Valley during Tough Mudder...tackling a multitude of military style obstacles. And it reveled in a new endeavor...Hot Yoga.

I rewarded it with clean, mostly vegetarian, eating (I occasionally eat fish) and by cutting way back on alcohol consumption.  I dry brush my body most mornings, exfoliate my face and actually use moisturizer (finally). I have one body to carry me through my entire life...I figure I should at least treat it better than I do my car.  I'm healthier at 40 years old then I've ever been in my life...and I think I may surpass that at 41!