Trying New Things- ZooFit Edition

I love trying new things, and this week has been chalk full of new adventures in ZooFit. I’ve been trying new classes at the local gym. I’ve been trying new recipes at home. And I even tried my hand at canning and pie baking. 

First up, the gym. I joined Island Athletics for the summer to practice swimming my half mile for the triathlon. Now that the race is over and done for the year, I thought it might be beneficial to try new classes in the hopes of finding a great workout.  In ZooFit, I discuss trying new things in fitness to continue putting motivation in the bank. It’s how I can say with utmost confidence that I do not like yoga. I’ve tried my share of classes throughout the years, and it is about the most boring form of exercise I can think of.

So, I’m trying new things at Island Athletics, seriously considering if I want to join or not. I have another 3 weeks to ultimately decide, and right now I’m completely on the fence. I’ve tried most of their group classes, and I like BodyPump, the weightlifting strength class, but most of the others so far have not been very fun for me. 

I’ve been swimming pretty regularly. The pool’s availability is hit or miss, though. On occasion I’ve been able to get right into a lane and start a workout. Other times, I’ve had to wait thirty minutes just to have a lane open up. But swimming is great exercise for me, especially with my knees hurting from high impact, running, and squats.

But I tried a new thing this past week which surprised me with how much fun, beneficial, and cardiovascular it could be. Water aerobics. Don’t laugh. Yes, I am easily the youngest member in the pool during the class. Yes, I think I splash the most water during Level 1 exercises. But I am actually working my body hard! And have my heart rate up for a good portion of the class. Yesterday I was doing tuck jumps and high knees, for a minute each, and it didn’t hurt my knees at all. It was like a Christmas miracle in July.

So, I am enjoying some of the classes at Island Athletics, but is it worth the $900 for the year? Is this trying new things for ZooFit only going to last a few more weeks before I get burnt out? And where does my number one priority land if I am constantly worried about which class I’m going to attend? While I was training for the triathlon, my writing took the back burner, getting only the minimum done everyday. If I join Island Athletics, will I let my obsession for working out take over my desire to finish my book?

(Okay, I’m just interrupting this post to share this amazing find. While looking for photos of Island Athletics Swimming, this is the first 2 or 3 rows of pictures that come up. That’s right, swimming pigs. You are welcome. )

At home, I’m trying new things in the kitchen as well. Chris really wants me to set up a rating system for all my recipes I’ve been trying. But that’s complicated Excel and Google Sheets stuff. And I’m all about having fun in the kitchen, experimenting and making my food clean and green.

But to appease my husband, let me at least make a list of successes and failures this past month or so, on a scale 1-10

• Cabbage Enchiladas:  8
• Buffalo Cauliflower:  2
• Three Bean Salad: 6 (improved with apple cider vinegar instead of regular white vinegar
• Naruto’s Feast: 9 (with pork)
• Curry Quinoa Salad: 4
• Cauliflower Pasta: 5
• Crock Pot Cake: 7
• Polenta with Gouda: 8
• Crispy Tofu Steaks: 7
• Berry Cheesecake Oatmeal: 6
• Grilled Eggplant and Baba Ganoush: 3
• Cherry Vanilla Muffins: 9
• Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Canapes: 5
• Homestyle Paleo Chicken-Fried Steak and Cream Gravy: 5
• Bread Pudding: 8
• Moroccan Stew: 2 (both of us agreed the lemon was too overpowering)
• Vegan Nacho Cheese Dip: 7
• Green Tea Power Shake: 8
• Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps: 9

This reminds me. I have GOT to start taking photos of my dishes more often, even if it’s just with my phone on a bland plate. And, if any of these sound delish to any of you, let me know and I’ll send you the recipe. I’d love your feedback on my instructions.

And this past weekend, I truly donned the apron of Suzie Homemaker. My landlord is a pie master baker, and she helped me make my very first homemade from scratch pie. I had picked about 6-7 cups of blackberries from just down our driveway, and Susan wanted to practice teaching someone to make a pie, so we teamed up and made a gloriously delicious blackberry pie. I was so freaking proud of myself.

Are pies healthy? Hell no. But as Michael Pollan says in his series “Cooked”, you can eat whatever you want. You just have to make it yourself. Making that pie was a nearly all-day event for me. Perhaps it was extended by my first canning lesson with the plethora of green beans I had picked from my garden. 

Yes, I pickled and canned fresh homegrown green beans, and I baked a fresh blackberry pie. I feel insanely accomplished. And I have no idea how bakers stay fit. But my landlord has also awoken a beast which doesn’t want to stop. I’m making another pie tomorrow- rhubarb custard, made from rhubarb in our garden and eggs from her own chickens.

Trying new things can really open doors for us. It’s why I encourage many people to try new things with ZooFit- at home, in their diet, in their workouts, with their habits. These small seemingly insignificant changes can have a lasting impression on our lives. Make the most of our time on earth and go out and have some fun!