My Addictions

I feel confident that I only have 2 major addictions in this world. I have several semi-addictions…but 2 major addictions. They are as different as night and day…but my world would be shattered if these things were taken away.

*My number 1 addiction is working out. On an average week…I run 6 days a week (Monday – Saturday) 2 miles on the weekdays, and 3-5 miles on Saturday. I don’t know if it’s the feeling that I get in my lungs when I am running, but I am fully addicted. Lately I have been going to the gym at lunch. I will usually be there for 40 minutes. I have been alternating cardio (walking for 30 minutes…I don’t want to go back to the office too disgusting) and weights. And now Steve is walking on the Treadmill at nights, so while he does that I either do pilates or an ab workout plus pushups. Working out is so addicting. The more I do…the more I want to do. I find myself wanting to do lunges down the hall at work…or calf raises if I have a curb to do them on…or shoulder presses or bicep curls if I’m holding something heavy. That’s just the way my mind thinks. If it were up to me…I’d probably spend about 3 hours a day in the gym. But there’s a HUGE downside to this. And it’s a problem…and will one day be a HUGE problem. After going through a stretch of working out 2-3 times a day, if I just go down to once a day (2 mile run in the morning) I start to feel guilty. Like I’m not doing enough. Like I’m going to lose all tone and “swell up” as someone so nicely told me once. And I hate that. **Medical side note** About 3 years ago my doctor monitored my heart for a couple of weeks because it felt like it was doing some irregular beating. He thinks I have PVC which is Premature Vascular Contractions. I guess my heart and the valve under my heart that pumps the blood beat at different speeds. So in essence my heart will skip a beat to catch up to the valve. And it’s fairly common, and it isn’t life threatening…and I don’t have to take medication. But when I don’t get my heart rate up, it really acts up. As long as I workout, I usually never notice it. This leads to my fear. Whenever Steve and I decide to have a family, and I get pregnant, and I am no longer able to run, I have this fear that I will FREAK OUT. If my heart is beating all crazy because I can’t get my heart rate up…I might very well lose it mentally. I also fear blowing out a knee or an ankle and no longer being able to run. If there’s one thing I consistently talk to God about…it’s that he protects me and keeps my joints healthy so that I can continue to run. I just can’t imagine a life that doesn’t involve running or working out. It is my true addiction. I can’t live without it.
*My number 2 addiction is lip gloss. Plain and simple. Lip Gloss. Or “Lip” as I so lovingly (and psychotically) refer to it. Preferably Bonnie Bell’s Liquid Lip Smackers in Cotton Candy. Or Bubble Gum if I need a change of pace. I can’t stand to have dry lips. I must apply it about 15 times a day. I can’t go anywhere without it. Take away my debit card…even take away my cell phone…but NEVER TAKE AWAY MY LIP!!! I must have on lip to workout…or else I freak out. I think only twice in the last 3 years have I worked out without putting on fresh lip. And during those runs…all I could think about was how I needed to get home so I could put on lip. I think I should buy stock in Bonnie Bell because I buy it in BULK. I usually have 2 “Lips” in my purse, 1 on my nightstand, 1 in the drawer where I get ready, 1 in the bonus room, and 1 at work. That way it is always near by. And I can NOT fall asleep, unless I have put on lip for the night. So there it is…addiction #2.

My smaller addictions I wouldn’t want to live without…but probably could if I absolutely had to:
*Major League Baseball – without which, I wouldn’t be able to see MARK MULDER! HOT! I always go thru a mild depression the end of October/beginning of November when the season is over. And man…there’s nothing like the first of April when the season begins!
*My ipod – I don’t think workouts would be as enjoyable without music!
*Contact Lenses – I would just make sure and get Lasik.
*Chicken – I eat chicken EVERYDAY. It’s my #1 source of protein…can’t live without it…and can’t remember the last day I didn’t eat chicken at least once.
*Vegetables – I’m sure my bowel system would be jacked up without them. Well…I think my mom feared me into making sure I always eat vegetables. I can hear her clear as day saying…if you don’t eat your roughage you will get constipated. So I never wanted to know if that was true or not. Plus…I genuinely LOVE vegetables.

Hopefully no one will over-spiritualize this. These are just earthly things. Hopefully someone doesn’t think…”oh my goodness…she didn’t put her bible on that list”. PLEASE PEOPLE…WAKE UP! Anyways, what are your addictions???