I am looking to begin swimming again. I would also like to compete. There is a group near me with times I can go, I just need to get in there. I swam competively for 3 years in HS, and haven't since. I also taught swimming lessons, and lifeguarded for 4 years. My HS swimming was cut short by a pregnancy in the beginning of my senior year, or I probably would have swam at college as well... I used to be pretty good, and really enjoyed all aspects of swimming. Any tips for a "newbie"? TIA!
Former Member
Concerning pizza. Is'nt it supposed to be one of the most nutritous fast foods? Any registered dieticians out there?
Just a small correction. Unless the world starts turning the other way 'round, the Indianapolis National Masters Meet next spring will be short course. (It's a good idea to double or triple check the words long and short course, as well as yards and meters every time they come up in the swimming world. Chances of a misprint are very great, if not "the greatest").
Look out y'all don't get wet.
My dad has heart problems, and I was, at age 25, already developing high cholesterol. So I too used the "If I don't swim I will get sick and die" motivation. It is very effective!
To convience yourself pizza is a bad choice do something very similar. Every time you start to think about wanting pizza picture something so horrible that it would make you sick as a topping on the pizza. Pretty soon the thought of a pizza will make you sick. But then you probably won't be able to enjoy pizza occasionally. This is an old psychology trick where the adverse stimulant is connected to the positive/reinforcing stimulant so eventually the positive becomes a negative.
I didn't see your age, but if you are over 40, watch out for overtraining injuries. If you read through the forum, you will see a lot of posts having to do with injuries. My advice is, build up slowly. Injuries often happen without warning. They will develop over a several month period and then suddenly you can't swim and are faced with weeks or months of rehab. I've been swimming in masters for 3 years (age 49) and I have had several periods of down time for rehab.
Mark
So what I hear folks saying is that I don't need to get in shape to get back with the swimmers (revisit my mythic past), and I shouldn't plan on setting any world records (at 44) anytime soon. Slow and steady and take it as it comes. Also,I like the motivational imagery of death creeping up on you. I do believe at this point in time that if I don't swim, well.... I might not die but I'm gonna get sick and worn out and then die. And maybe in a few months I'll be able to have some pizza and beer and not have it kill me.
Thanks for the encouragement. This is not my first time "rejoining," but I'd like it to be my last.
Tom
My attitude towards pizza, beer, fast food, and other allegedly "unhealthy" foods is this: you should enjoy all of the things you like, as long as you control the quantity. Complete deprivation requires will power, and it can backfire (by leading to a binge); it is hard to sustain for a lifetime. However, it is possible to get into the habit of treating yourself to small portions: that way, you don't feel deprived and you can stay within healthful boundaries. The greatest enjoyment of a decadent treat comes from the first few bites.
All this can be accomplished more effectively if you get in the habit of reading food labels and counting calories as you go through the day. (After a while, it becomes almost effortless.) In return for the investment of arithmetical effort, you get a feeling of control and confidence.
