What time is it?

I started the day out with this emerging from my lips, "What time is it?" It was 4:45. A great time to get up and get ready to hit the gym. Yeah, right. I'm surprised I remembered to brush my teeth this morning. Though, morning breath might have come in handy in order to get one of the TV treadmills.
Who thought of this nutty plan to move our workouts to the early, early AM? Jess, of course. I would never think of such a crazy thing. I like to sleep. Well, OK. He might have had a little help from me. But just a little. I tried to talk him out of it.
See I like working out in the morning. It energizes me makes me feel strong and fit, even though it is only in my mind. Plus the thought of my workout doesn't sit on my mind all day as something I have to do. By the time I get off work, I am usually dreading it. So Jess suggested we try working out before work. That would be a great idea, if I didn't leave the house at 6:30 every morning. So, all workout-ing would have to be finished before then. That means - you guessed it - getting to the gym no later than 5:30.
We did it though. We walked (crawled) in bleary eyed at a chipper (insane) 5:30 in the morning. I jumped (dragged myself) onto the only treadmill with a TV and jogged (walked) for 15 minutes at 3.6 mph. Then, I hit the weights. I just love those weights! I don't want to look like a body builder or anything (EeekS!), but I always feel stronger after lifting. Then, I rushed (at a snails pace) to my car and drove bright eyed and bushy tailed to work. Well, that lasted about 5 minutes then reality sank in. Then I turned into tired and dragging, I was just hoping to get to work before I sank below the steering wheel.
But you know what? It was sooo worth it! I don't have to work out this afternoon. I am enjoying my evening without trying to fit everything around my workout. It's amazing. Now, I'm not looking forward to tomorrow, but at least I'm not dreading it.

another day, another workout

Managed 45 minutes on the treadmill today. I really didn't want to go. I really didn't want to go. But, I made myself; which isn't easy since Jess won't do the "Get off your lazy tush!" thing. Once there, I always manage to feel good. Frankly, most of the time, I even end up enjoying it. It's just getting in the car and going that is the hard part.

I don't think 45 minutes is too bad for a Monday. I jogged 3- 45 second sprints during the last 5 minutes of the workout. I'm going to try to incorporate more of these sprints on my next cardio day. Tomorrow is a 15 minute cardio followed by weights, which is my favorite. I just love lifting weights.

Want to know what else I love? I love the treadmills with the little TV on it. They really make the time go by faster. Today, I watched Clean House. Which is just mindless and trashy enough to keep my mind off my jiggly saddle bags. (I just know they are putting the people behind me in a hypnotic trance with their constant up, down, and sideways jello-ish movement. I swear everyone of those poor, skinny people have a glazed look on their face when I turn around and step off the treadmill.)

Uh Oh...

I just spent the entire weekend with that wonderful person - Aunt Paula. (She's my fister's aunt from Virginia that somehow adopted me before she knew what she was getting into.) She is great. A real hoot. I love her to death. She is also, a diet KILLER! The woman is obsessed with chocolate. I could live with that. Everyone has their thing, right?! But, Aunt Paula, insists that everyone in her immediate vicinity ( about 50 feet) indulge in her obsession with her. Chocolate is the food of love, after all. Besides, when she reaches that euphoric chocolate high, she doesn't want anyone around her to bring her down. With that in mind, maybe you can understand how I somehow managed to have 3 ooey, gooey deserts this weekend. Now, I feel icky, yucky and chubbier than ever. It's off to the gym for me tomorrow!

* Fister - is someone that is not in anyway related to you - by marriage, genetics, or legal adoption, but you would give a kidney, carry their baby, or babysit their children for 2 weeks and still want to be a part of their lives afterwards. In other words, She is my best friend who I wish could have been my sister in real life. We both might have turned out WAY different if given that opportunity.

Working in the coal mines...

Going down. Down. Down.
Working in the Coal mines.....

Wait a minute! That wasn't the coal mines! It was the gym!!!!

I have been to the gym 4 of the last 5 days. I am tired, but pleasantly so. I am sore, but not incapacitated. I am not weighing myself until Sunday morning, so I don't know if it is showing, yet.

Today I realized that I have a different attitude about the gym. I am not as concerned with how other, fitter, people see me. They can think what ever they want. I'm really not going to worry about it. I am there to break a cycle in my life. I need it to stop now. My life will eventually depend on me being healthy. That is a fact for everyone. In the future, I really don't want to come down with some illness that I could have prevented by being fitter and healthier.

It really isn't so much about looks anymore. It is about me, my health and happiness. I don't know what size I will end up. I don't know what is my ideal weight. I just want to find a good place for my body to be comfortable. I hope that makes sense to someone.

I'm Ba-ack!

You heard me right. After a long (OK. Down right pitiful) break, (Can you call it a break if you never really got a good start?) I went to the gym today. It was a beautiful day that would have been perfect for riding a bike. However. I am so "fluffy" that I was worried I would bruise my belly with my thighs while I was pedalling. So, a little weight needs to come off before my bootie hits the road again.

It hurt watching all those bicyclists make their way down the road, as I drove my sorry self to the gym. I could almost feel the wind in my face and hear the cars passing me with their w o o sh! I felt almost like I was cheating or something. I promised myself right then and there, that come March, I would be on that road, too.

Well, I lifted a lot of weights and rode the stationary bike for a bit. It felt good. It was, also, embarrasing. Plus, it was hard. My legs felt like jello when I got home. To top if off, I strained a muscle, a little bit, in my right bicep. But over all, I am Very glad I started today. It made me feel good to finally do something. I'm even liking the little pain in my bicep. Makes me feel like a jock - Yeah Right!!!!

Before I go, I just have one thing to ask. Does anyone else feel like all eyes are on you when you are in the gym? Or is it just me? And to make things clear - I'm not talking about jaws dropping because you're a hottie either. It's the - Wow! She's making me feel good about MY New Years Resolution kinda jaw dropping. Or the - Man! She's got a LOT of work to do! Glad it's not me - jaw dropping. Hey everyone has to start somewhere. Right? Right!