To count or not to count?

If life can be divided into those who count and those who do not, I am a dedicated counter. I love my Fitbit, jump on the scale every morning (not more than that, promise) and prefer Flywheel, the spin studio that gives you stats, versus Soul. So, it only makes sense given my inclination to count that running would involve a state of the art GPS watch providing me with pace, distance and everything else one would like to know about a workout.

However, you may recall I was burned by my Garmin GPS watch. In a marathon in a semi-remote location, my Garmin didn’t get signal. It wasn’t a great race for a number of reasons but any normal person would go to plan B and run based on perceived exertion but I was lost. I had relinquished any sense of what a certain pace felt like as I relied on my ex-friend Garmin to tell me if I needed to speed up or slow down. I also lost a lot of the pleasure that comes from running. I always wanted to be one of those people who ran a race and yet stopped to take photos but thought, “how are they sacrificing those precious minutes?” As if I were an Olympian and minutes made any difference.

This summer I look a different approach. Marc and I are signed up for a race that basically involves running up and down a mountain; one doesn’t do this type of terrain for time. And in a major departure, I’ve been running without a watch. I’ll go out for an hour or two hours without concerning myself about pace or exact distance.

When you’re not fixated on your watch you start to look around

In the course of my training I happened to  receive a Timex watch in the mail as a thank you or a project we participated in. I use it just as a simple stopwatch. I don’t stop it when I break for water or any of the other silly games I used to play. Just start and stop.

I am by no means defecting into the no-count camp. I’m wearing my Fitbit as I type this and will get on the scale this morning. I tell clients to take a break from weighing themselves when they are scale prisoners. When numbers cause you to be in a bad mood or zap pleasure from an activity or day, it’s time to make a change. Now, I need to get over carrying my phone to take pictures as I run…

Are you a counter or a non-counter? What do you count? Has your counting ever crossed the line? Do you run with a watch?

Am I Ramona?

So let’s get it out of the way. I watch RHONY (which if you have more highbrow TV taste stands for Real Housewives of New York). Even friends who share my viewing preferences have moved on from this particular show. But I watch. I watch the women behaving badly and sometimes it makes me feel normal, maybe even balanced by comparison. Mostly though, I watch in disbelief that they’re doing and saying these things.

In the latest episode, the “ladies” go to the Berkshires to Heather’s (Yummie founder, perhaps the sanest of the bunch) home. She plans a fun-filled weekend starting with canoeing on the lake. There’s some bitching and moaning about carrying the canoes but eventually they get out on the lake. Some women jump in for a swim but Ramona, the resident wacko, says she doesn’t want to get her hair wet. After a tiff with one of the other cast mates Kristin (wife of EBoost founder who likes to discuss blow jobs. I am not shy but haven't been able to "boost" since) splashes Ramona wetting her hair. Ramona does what “ladies” do and throws a glass (always good to have glass in a canoe) at Kristen splitting her lip.

This was bad and I am not sure why they didn’t remove Ramona from the weekend; however, what ensued later was Ramona making the argument that Kristen ruined her blow dry thus justifying glass throwing. As I watched Ramona make her crazy case with her crazy eyes and poorly salvaged hair I did my usual judging. In my head I thought it was petty and vain and then I realized something bad. I could relate. No, not to the violence but I have definitely passed up opportunities to take a swim or participate in things because of a blow dry or spray tan or whatever primping I was trying to maintain. And I have to say I feel like a loser every time.  

Part of it is being female (for me in a house of males). Although I can get out of the house for work (with makeup) in 10 minutes if need be, it’s not the two minutes my husband can muster. I do not have hair that can dry naturally (the way I like it).  You may recall on our Yellowstone trip I brought a mini flat iron and used it at the campsite, yup.

Whether it’s passing up a beach trip because you don’t feel bathing suit ready (ever) or the hair or the makeup for me it’s sad when we make these decisions, when we choose the "looks" over the experience. So it hit home when a TV lunatic was voicing the same concerns I have. At least I don’t say them out loud. ..

Do you ever make decisions based on looks that may mean sacrificing fun? Do you watch any of these Bravo shows? Do you blow-dry your hair? Will you watch the Bachelorette tonight (new season)?