I like to move it, move it

So I mentioned before that I was trying to get back in shape and drop about 15 pounds before christmas. How did that work out? Not quite. In reality, I've lost about 5 pounds since then which is nothing short of a colossal failure - in all but one important sense.

I've actually been pretty good with what I eat. I've also picked up a new hobby: Squash. I've tried running (boooooring) and I try to play a bit of golf when possible (but can't play at winter, requires an insane investment of time to play just one round during summer) and I try to be good and walk or ride my bicycle to work, but not until now have I found something that fits the bill of being both fun and one hell of a workout. If you're having doubts about just how tough of a workout squash is, think again. The first 30 minutes I played, I was almost blacking out at times. Fortunately for me, getting the heart back in shape doesn't take too long and after only a couple of weeks I was playing an hour at a time and I've been reaping the benefits; I'm in better shape than I have been for the past 13 years, and it's only getting better. My weight hasn't dropped as much as I had originally wanted it to, but a fairly hefty portion of that has to be discounted by the new muscle mass I'm putting on.

Swedish Open took place in Linköping last weekend, and my most regular squash partner and I went to watch. We're both, let's say, "enthusiastic beginners" but even for us the event was well worth watching. They had some of the best players in the world present for the event, and I'm in awe over the shape these guys are in when I see some of the rallies they play. If you're interested in what it looks like when the pros play, I found the free highlights of the games we saw (the semi-finals): http://www.psasquashtv.com/page/WatchHighlights/0,,12933~1961663,00.html.

So I'm trying to play 2-3 hours a week and usually succeeding. I get all sorts of fun bruises and pains from it, and I've yet to win a single match against either of the two guys I usually play, but I'm still enjoying myself. And I'm getting a hell of a workout, which - really - is what it's all about.

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Now I need to get away from the computer; guests arriving in an hour and we have to make dinner and I also need to get the bread that I'm baking into the oven. Yeah, you heard me - I'm baking. I'm an exercising vegetarian who bakes bread. Funny how things change.