Heya Kevin!

You should be proud of yourself! I'm not very good at keeping New Year Resolutions so that's why I don't make any

Basically quit drinking except in very safe social situations.

I don't drink at all, but that is just me. However I find that I am the designated driver and that doesn't bother me at all. The worst part is everybody trying to buy me alcohol and when I refuse, they don't understand, so I make up a lame excuse. :wacko:

Cut back on chocolate.

Well, you have, haven't you? Don't be too hard on yourself. You've done so well, so far. Just take it one day at a time.

I didn't actually resolve to start running daily, but I pretty much have.

Now this is something you should be proudest of. I hope that you can keep it up!

In fact tomorrow I'm planning on going swimming!

I never learnt to swim until I was in my 20's. So here are my tips....

If you can manage it, see if you can sign up for adult swimming lessons. Everyone there will be in the same boat as you and you will learn from the experts.

If you decide to go it alone, start off trying to get your face in the water...now it sounds easy enough but when you have never done it before it can be scary.

Also, try to blow out of your nose while your face is in the water, see if you can make bubbles. It, sounds a bit silly, but it is a good way to teach yourself that you have control in the water.

Try to stay in your depth and float on your back. Now this is harder than it sounds at first but if you relax as much as possible and imagine that you are laying on your bed, it can be done. I taught myself to float on my front before I learnt how to float on my back.

Above all, have fun and make sure there are people around, in case you get into trouble.

Bev

It sounds like your New Year is off to a running start.

Since you asked for advice ... I agree with Bev, adult swimming lessons would be a really good idea. That would give you a safe place to get familiar with being in the water again, and it'll hopefully come back pretty quickly to you.

There are important safety issues here; you need to make sure you know how to float and handle the basics of being in the water. Ordinarily, I learn how to do things best by jumping in and doing it, but the thought of you just getting into the water by yourself and trying to figure it out makes me nervous, especially when you mentioned practicing alone for a while.

As far as I know, no one has ever drowned ice skating (unless they're skating on thin ice on a pond and it breaks.) If you get into trouble ice skating on a rink (fall down or whatever), it'll be obvious to the people around you, because they can see you lying there on top of the ice, or because they run into you. Or over you. *yikes*

However, if you should get into trouble while swimming (let's say you step off into deep water and automatically go into panic mode because you don't know how to handle it ... and that could easily happen, it's an automatic response.) If you're by yourself, chances are that no one would notice. Even with strangers around. They're not going to be paying much attention to what's going on with you.

The physical dynamics of being in the water are very different from walking or skating on a solid surface. If you get into trouble in the water, it's not a simple matter of standing there calmly and calling attention to yourself. I seem to recall, back when I was learning to swim, they always had us use the buddy system; always have someone who knows that you're there and vice versa.

I'm not trying to discourage you from learning to swim. I have a feeling there will be a lot of swimming pools in your future, in Houston :snork: . But if I've scared you a little ... good ... enough, I hope, for you to make sure to do it the right way.

Also, congrats for the things you're doing to take care of yourself, and for considering the long-term consequences. However, I do hope you're going to leave yourself some vices.

... I think my diet has been better (and it was already healthier than most people I know in real life anyway ....except for the chocolate, we're just not gonna mention the chocolate. )

Oh, let's do mention it.

Chocolate chocolate chocolate

Kitty

Heya Kevin!

 

You should be proud of yourself! I'm not very good at keeping New Year Resolutions so that's why I don't make any

 

 

 

I don't drink at all, but that is just me. However I find that I am the designated driver and that doesn't bother me at all. The worst part is everybody trying to buy me alcohol and when I refuse, they don't understand, so I make up a lame excuse. :wacko:

 

 

Well, you have, haven't you? Don't be too hard on yourself. You've done so well, so far. Just take it one day at a time.

 

 

 

Now this is something you should be proudest of. I hope that you can keep it up!

I never learnt to swim until I was in my 20's. So here are my tips....

 

If you can manage it, see if you can sign up for adult swimming lessons. Everyone there will be in the same boat as you and you will learn from the experts.

 

If you decide to go it alone, start off trying to get your face in the water...now it sounds easy enough but when you have never done it before it can be scary.

 

Also, try to blow out of your nose while your face is in the water, see if you can make bubbles. It, sounds a bit silly, but it is a good way to teach yourself that you have control in the water.

 

Try to stay in your depth and float on your back. Now this is harder than it sounds at first but if you relax as much as possible and imagine that you are laying on your bed, it can be done. I taught myself to float on my front before I learnt how to float on my back.

 

Above all, have fun and make sure there are people around, in case you get into trouble.

Bev

Hey Bev!

Thanks, for the tips. I may have to take lessons, I had fun but I definitely didn't seem to be "getting it" that quickly....On the other hand I think it coulda been worse, I think I'll try to practice a little more first.

Yep I did much better with floating on my back than anything else. I kinda even swam on my back I guess you could say. I mean I was floating there, and I started moving my arms and legs in such a way as to propel myself to the other side of the pool, so I guess it was swimming, I just don't think it was a real "stroke" or anything.

I tried some diving but I didn't have goggles and I couldn't see underwater. Anyway thanks and have an awesome day!

Kevin

It sounds like your New Year is off to a running start.

 

Since you asked for advice ... I agree with Bev, adult swimming lessons would be a really good idea. That would give you a safe place to get familiar with being in the water again, and it'll hopefully come back pretty quickly to you.

 

There are important safety issues here; you need to make sure you know how to float and handle the basics of being in the water. Ordinarily, I learn how to do things best by jumping in and doing it, but the thought of you just getting into the water by yourself and trying to figure it out makes me nervous, especially when you mentioned practicing alone for a while.

 

As far as I know, no one has ever drowned ice skating (unless they're skating on thin ice on a pond and it breaks.) If you get into trouble ice skating on a rink (fall down or whatever), it'll be obvious to the people around you, because they can see you lying there on top of the ice, or because they run into you. Or over you. *yikes*

 

However, if you should get into trouble while swimming (let's say you step off into deep water and automatically go into panic mode because you don't know how to handle it ... and that could easily happen, it's an automatic response.) If you're by yourself, chances are that no one would notice. Even with strangers around. They're not going to be paying much attention to what's going on with you.

 

The physical dynamics of being in the water are very different from walking or skating on a solid surface. If you get into trouble in the water, it's not a simple matter of standing there calmly and calling attention to yourself. I seem to recall, back when I was learning to swim, they always had us use the buddy system; always have someone who knows that you're there and vice versa.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you from learning to swim. I have a feeling there will be a lot of swimming pools in your future, in Houston :snork: . But if I've scared you a little ... good ... enough, I hope, for you to make sure to do it the right way.

 

Also, congrats for the things you're doing to take care of yourself, and for considering the long-term consequences. However, I do hope you're going to leave yourself some vices.

Oh, let's do mention it.

 

Chocolate chocolate chocolate

 

Kitty

Hey Kitty!

Thanks for the concern I really appreciate it . Don't worry though, the pool I went to is indoors, there's always a lifeguard on duty, and the entire lane thing I wasn't deep enough for me not to be able to stand up. I'm not sure how the other lanes or set up, but really I have a feeling the whole thing is shallow, it's for people to pracitice doing laps and stuff.

lol thanks for the compliment, but don't worry I've still got plenty of vices to work on lolol. Anyway thanks again and have an awesome day!

Kevin

Rereading what I wrote, it sounded like I was lecturing you. *yikes* Didn't mean for it to sound that way ...

just wanted to make sure you stick around for a while.

Kitty

Rereading what I wrote, it sounded like I was lecturing you. *yikes* Didn't mean for it to sound that way ...

just wanted to make sure you stick around for a while.

 

Kitty

Not at all Kitty, I sincerely did appreciate the concern, and you raised many valid points I hadn't really thought of before. I'm a worrier, so I'm very understanding of people expressing concern, and I usually appreciate it. Anyway thanks again