When I run I am obsessed with checking my Garmin for distance. However, when I swim I always start off counting my laps but give up after about 5.

I HAVE to count… it would drive me NUTS not to know also!!

I count EVERYTHING. I have OCD, so I don’t only count things during my workouts, but during my everyday life as well! It’s nice to know exactly what I did during my workouts, and I think it helps me to control what I eat as well. Sometimes it’s an annoying habit, but overall it’s probably been beneficial to me 🙂

Great job on the swim. I have to count and know my running or biking distance. Last time I rode with my brother he was getting impatient as I waited for the Garmin to pick up signal.

I always count miles, laps, etc. It makes me feel more accomplished!

Ah, the island pic is so cute!
I can never go for a run and not know how far. It would drive me nuts!

Yep I like to count too. Miles ran, situps, weight reps, etc. I compare it to making a to do list and checking items off when done! love it 🙂

Almond milk can definitely go bad! I got food poisening from it when I used it in oatmeal one time. I had never been so sick in my life!

I am counting obsessed, but I have weird number rules. Like, when lifting weights I can only stop on increments of 5, except for 12 and 18. But 22 or 28 is not acceptable, it must be 20, 25, or 30. When running I have to finish with quarter mile increments (so I either run 2.25 miles or 2.5- not 2.35).

I got to try the TJ’s gluten free mac and cheese while in Washington last year. I hadn’t had anything like the blue box mac and cheese in quite a while. TJ’s gf m&c was even better than the old blue box. I ate the whole thing myself! LOL My bf understood. He had soup.

I did masters swimming until about 34 weeks. My coach told me she loved watching me do backstroke and seeing my baby bump move from side to side as I swam. I always count swimming by yardage – i.e. 25, 50,1000 yards. And I use my garmin for everything else!

First – your “island” is hilariously adorable!

Second – (just occurred to me that this is ironic that I numbered these considering what I am about to type). I am so NOT a counter! (see? irony.) When I’m running, I want an app to pay attention to my run and tell me when I’ve hit my goal (or halfway etc). Because I do want to know, but if am paying attention to it, I will NEVER make it! Same thing with swimming. I regularly swim a mile plus in a workout, but I only know that because my swimming buddy pays attention and adds it up. When we break it down into “200 breast stroke” or “400 pulls” etc, I HATE just counting up to the 4 or 8 laps. Drives me BONKERS!!! It just feel soooooo depressing. I’d rather zone out to music (hooray swimp3!) or focus on technique, or play out a scene in my head as though I were on the cast of Friends, (just me?) etc and at the end be told what I did, or when I reach my goal. Best of both worlds! 🙂

SQUIRREL!!! [Thats the real reason I don’t count – I just cannot pay attention that long before…. SHINY!… ooo, apples! SQUIRREL! etc]

I can get a little obsessive with the counting–especially while swimming since I don’t have anything else to occupy my mind. When I used to swim regularly, I counted laps, lengths, strokes, breaths, did equations in my mind….it was a little OCD. I also used to count the seconds while drinking with a straw–but that is probably TMI!

A tip for pool lap counting— get a small dry erase board and keep it on the edge of the pool. Stop every ten laps and write it down. 🙂

And where do you get gluten free mac n cheese?

I have to count laps and mileage! For some reason I always have the hardest time keeping track while swimming. I swear I have been tempted to put a pile of rocks at one end of the pool and move one over after each lap for tracking because I *always* lose count in my head and it makes me nutty!

When I run I always know the distance but I never time myself. I used to be obsessed with how fast I was running and it started to make the runs less fun. So, one day I stopped and I haven’t ever gone back! I find it so much more relaxing not knowing how fast/slow I’m going and I totally trust my body to work as hard as it can on that particular day. It has actually been great to get away from “numbers” like calories, weight, time, etc. I still like to know my distance though – but it would be hard to train for a race without making sure I hit the right distances in training!

That’s great that you are keeping up with swimming. I gave up running when I got pregnant but have been a walking machine. The other week I walked 10 miles and it felt great! As I get bigger, I’m sure I’ll get more tired though.

OMG–spinach and mac & cheese is genius! I can’t wait to fix this.

Congrats on your book release! You are so successful.

With running I HAVE to know at least how long I do it. I don’t have a running watch so I never know the exact distance, but I count in park/lake/pond laps. Tried to go on a completely “blind” run once and ended up stopping ridiculously soon because not knowing drove me crazy. But swimming is completely different. If I have the time, I only stop swimming when I start to get woozy with hunger.

I do that confusion thing all the time, and like you, feel obligated to underestimate how much I’ve done. I hate it.

It totally depends on the type of workout – if I count or not. Sometimes with swimming I totally do 🙂

Yes, I’m also counting obsessed! (I’m an accountant so that isn’t really surprising I guess) I don’t swim (yet) but I do it with running all the time. When I want to give myself a little break though I measure minutes instead of miles. So I’ll pick a given distance and run out half way and then back.

I’ve been oddly inspired to start training for a triathlon lately (even though I don’t have a bike or swim- ahhh) so I may be counting laps soon!

“One thing that really gets my swimsuit in a wad is when I miscount or start doubting my count. As like, “I think this is lap 13 but it could be lap 12…” I then feel compelled to assume it’s the lower number because I don’t want to shortchange myself.”

….this made me laugh. I’m the same person (but with laps on a track rather than in the pool)

Oh my gosh, Almond Milk can go wayyyyy off! Like chunky, nasty, moldy off. Be careful with it 🙂

Since I lift weights, I always count my reps and sets of course. I also time myself between sets so I have the most effective workout possible.

Your post makes me want mac and cheese, NOW!!! 😉

I don’t like counting during workouts. I usually run outside, so there’s not much to count haha.

In gym when we would run for five or 10 minutes we would have a partner count our laps, and I was always paranoid I was going to get my partner’s count wrong. When we had to count our own, I was always second-guessing myself.
I was always the slowest swimmer by like half a lap (not competitive, just in class), which was annoying, but oh well. I lived.

Oh yeah… I count everything too. How else can I compete with myself? Haha.

I HAVE to know how far I’ve run, at least a ballpark figure. I don’t know why (especially if I’m not training), but I do. One of the reasons my Garmin was a great purchase!

I think maybe that’s a generation mindset thing. Your dad exercises for the sake and fun of it. Our generation always wants to PROVE we did something good/awesome/that “counts.”

I think his way is probably a healthier mindset, actually, but hard to do. I like that feeling of I did X today, too.

I count in the pool and always lose count haha.

Do you ever listen to music while you are swimming? I remember at one point you got a waterproof mp3, right? Was it one that you would recommend, I’m thinking about getting one 🙂

I’m number obsessive! It can be pretty bad. Like if I’m running on the treadmill and I accidently hit that darned stop button at like 2.34 miles, and know that my goal is to get to 5 miles. I get all kinds of off. Specially if I’m doing like an interval workout! Oh lordy. Sometimes I’ll just walk off and be like screw it because the numbers get to me so much. It’s bad. hahaha.

Oh my goodness girl, your bump is so stinkin’ beautiful! Love how it pops out of the water like that!

I haven’t gone for a swim since I was a kid, but with each run being a little less comfortable, you’re inspiring me to give the pool a try. We’ll see how it goes!

Take care!

You’re going to have a “water baby” for sure! My sister was so into water, but my mom was always scared of it (don’t know how this happened). I have always read that swimming works all of these muscles that you never knew you had and that it’s an amazing workout..

Glad I’m not the only one! I swam the whole pregnancy and also am counting obsessed. I use ridiculous memory devices (I can’t spell the word I wanted to use instead of “memory”). I count a lap once I finish it, not when I start, and the whole lap I think about something related to the number lap I’m on. Like lap 9, I think about “9 times” and I think about Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. When I get into the 20s its tough. I have to do “age I moved to North Carolina” and whatnot.

When I was in college, I used to run on the indoor track at my gym. 10 laps = 1 mile. I used to do 5 miles, so according to the math, that’s 50 laps. I would often lose count and round down (just like you said, don’t want to shortchange your workout!).

I count everything, sometimes I don’t even realize I’ve been counting and all of a sudden I notice I’m up to 53. At the end of long runs I count my steps.

In the pool I got a little lap counter that goes on my finger like a ring and at the end of each lap I push the button with my thumb. It’s a great thing, you should get one.