I Workout

Art by Paula Romani

  I went to Walgreens last night to pick up some of that JOY their selling (see previous post) and I also decided to hit the 'As Seen on TV' section to pick up a bum and thighs that would fit into a size 6 pant.  Merry Christmas to me...they were on sale.

  If only, right?  Yeah, I wish.  But most good things come with a lot of hard work.  Unfortunately for my bum and jean size, I do not work hard at working out.  I enjoy yoga and spending time outside as well as playing with my son and the occasional game of volleyball or soccer.  However, I loathe sweating.  I mean I just plain hate it.  Uck!  That being said, I know, as we all do whether we want to acknowledge it or not, that a part of being healthy is what we eat, the other part is what we do with our bodies.  I know I must "get physical, physical" in order to be healthy and that is up to me and me alone.  This is a difficult reality when a plethora of logistical excuses exist like: I don't have the time in my schedule, I hate going to the gym because it makes me feel totally insecure, I'm short on funds and can't afford a personal trainer, I tried working out with my kid around and he just kept trying to dance with me, I attempted to go for a walk/jog/run with my dog who kept tripping me, etc.  I have just had no clue how to make exercise a reality in my reality. 

  What did I do?  Well, I must first preface this by saying I'm sharing this story with you not as someone who is an expert or has it all figured out.  I figured I must do something and it had to be outside of the box of logistics mentioned above.  So, with a little money set aside, Hubs and I invested in a treadmill.  I know, I know, there are so many stories against equipment in your own house, but it's something I wanted to try that I hadn't yet and it helped address most of the excuses.  You can find great deals on treadmills for relatively affordable prices on Craigs List and your local fitness stores.  Don't go to the fitness equipment specialty stores though if you're looking for a bargain because I could mortgage my house for one of those things.

  Anyway, I wasn't sure how my relationship with Izzy (the name I gave my treadmill) was going to go.  However, much to my dismay, Izzy and I have come to enjoy one another.  I'm starting off slow and smart I think.  I'm starting with three workouts a week at an hour a piece and I warm up, etc., etc., etc.  With my iPod jammin', Izzy and I get to work on that jean size and I have to admit that I'm rather pleased and proud of myself.  When it comes to working out, I give up and give out quickly.  But I've really stuck to this.  I'm going on my third week now and I'm starting to feel better.  I haven't noticed any other changes yet, but I've been told to give it a solid 6 weeks.  So far, so good.  I've asked Santa for a Wii Fit for Christmas.  I think that would be a fun change up to throw in there.  We'll see.

  I'm not yet ready to run a marathon, but that is definitely something I want to do down the road.  In the meantime, Izzy and I will run our own marathon weight loss and health gain journey together and maybe someday I can be rockin' a healthier happier me.  Here's to hoping.

  How are you staying healthy during the holidays?  Any plans for 2010?