Really Big Motivation . . .

Last night I returned to the gym. It was a Monday, and it was crowded. The only machine available was a Precor which feels like you are walking in pluff mud through a never ending creek. The husband had had a very long day because he works much harder than I do, and he really wanted me home at a reasonable hour to help with the bathing, feeding, homework, etc., so I decide to plow through the pluff mud for just 30 minutes instead of 40 . . . . until . . . .the largest woman in the world popped up on my Precor TV screen in an interview on Entertainment Tonight. She weighed in at a whopping 1,000 lbs. First and foremost, where is this woman when I am on the beach in a bathing suit?!?!? I'd look fabulous by default! Secondly, GROSS!!!!! Watching her eat (too much!), walk (barely), and talk (pathetically) was enough motivation for me to plow through pluff mud for eternity (or at least not to cut myself short the 40 minutes). As a Christian, I know that I am not being very nice, so let me see if I can rectify this . . . . . yes! . . . she may not be doing herself any favors, but she certainly did motivate me. And for that, I am most grateful.

Does Karoke Count?

Moi + adult beverages + karaoke machine = a really fun Saturday night. Not that chaperoning the Middle School Dance wasn't a total blast Friday night, but I had a great time yesterday afternoon in the country. What's not to love about a gorgeous spring day, guns and skeet, oysters, bbq, no kids, and karaoke? For those who know me well, I have never met a karaoke machine I didn't love - not so sure my captured audience feels the same way (think Cameron Diaz in My Best Friend's Wedding!) Anyhoo, I consider my Proud Mary routine to be totally aerobic - complete with deep lunges - lots of them. Last night's performance coupled with a marathon spring clean that morning should count for exercise - I am having difficulty walking today. Today is rainy and gross and the gym closes early. Two weeks to go, and although I have not meet my 40 day requirement, I plan to keep going with the exercise, so in essence, it will actually be more than 40 days (which was the point in the first place!) The blog, however, will not continue after Easter. Weep, Moan, My millions of fans . . . until then, I am booking for Spring parties and will ensure you that I will have a great time as long as karaoke is involved.

Long walk, Long week

Winter Break to Spring Break, actually all of LENT, is a very long time in the life of a teacher. This year has been particularly long due to never ending winter blues and a late blooming spring. Bright side is that tomorrow is Friday, Spring Break is a week away, and the forecast is sunny and 75. This evening I walked the neighborhood which I much prefer to the gym. My head clears out better in the fresh air and the up close and personal look at other yards makes me feel better about my own. Is yard work exercise? Perhaps that will be the weekend workout . . .

Marvelous Mondays vs. Terrible Tuesdays

I like Mondays . . . return of the routine, things are in order, ready for the week. But by Tuesday, it just falls apart. This school year, it seems that Tuesday is the day in which we are over-scheduled or in all honesty, the day that I over-schedule. Needless to say, it has not been a good exercise day during Lent, so I will relish in the wonderful walk I had yesterday at Doodle Hill Farm. Kate had her riding lesson, and I had the chance to catch up with a good friend as we strolled in the woods along the trails and through back pastures. It was a beautiful day and much better than sitting in the car grading papers which is the norm. My Lenten discipline has made me think more about my exercise habits and ways to get it in. Yesterday, I had to commit to this afternoon walk first thing in the morning by remembering to pack my walking shoes - I was not ruining my Ebay purchased Donald J Pliners in a pile of manure. So there will be no exercise today between work, carpools, grocery store, and some function with the husband. That's ok - there is always Zumba on Wednesday!

Window Walking

After the St. Paddy's Day parade, I decided to walk home via Devine Street. My walk was well over 40 minutes due in large part to zipping in and out of stores. Just the Thing had great new handbags in all sorts of spring colors; Round Robin had the cutest dress I have EVER seen; and Brittons had just gotten in a shipment of great looking jewelry - one piece warranted a return trip via automobile which was purchased and worn hours later at the Heathwood auction. Needless to say that Devine Street should be avoided unless exercising your wallet is your m.o.. Today I am aerobically cleaning my house. Seriously, I have on my work-out clothes and shoes and have been doing squats with my laundry basket, lunges with the vacuum, and I have had my own little step class running up and down the stairs. I think a full day of house work is equal to 40 minutes in a gym, and if you disagree . . . well, your body may be fitter, but I bet my house is cleaner than yours! :>)

Blame it on the rain . . .

Weather isn't pretty, so it was back to the gym for a little cardio last night. My ipod was lost/stolen/misplaced, so I treated myself to a newer, fancier one. I am amazed at how little it is - smaller than a matchbox and holds over 250 songs. Anyhoo, I also treated myself to some new tunes. Travel back with me to the late 80's for a little Milli Vanelli. Yes, the title for today isn't really about the weather - it's the song! I must say that "Blame it on the Rain" puts a little zip in my step and brings back really funny memories of a great Greystone friend and driving around Gastonia NC with broken windshield wipers - in the rain! It's amazing the memories that we keep and the events in life that make their mark, usually a song goes with the moment. If there was a soundtrack for my life, I think that "Blame it on the Rain!" would certainly be in the mix. We are also mid-Lent, and I am learning a lot about time management with regard to exercise. Some days are just impossible, but making yourself go on the days when the only thing you can blame is the rain, seems to be the key.

Bring it on . . .

Spring that is! I still had a little tickle in my throat, but I have even more of a jiggle in my trunk, so I laced up for a great power walk yesterday afternoon. The afternoon was absolutely gorgeous - perfect temp, bright orange sunset, lots of chirping birds - sure signs that Spring is oh so close. Columbia in the spring is quite something - a perfect southern landscape of daffodils, azaleas, red bud trees, and wisteria. My yard contributes greatly to this masterpiece with perhaps the most spectacular Japanese magnolia tree in the city. Just this morning, I saw buds opening which means that in the next 7-10 days, my corner will be fabulous! Do drive by, or better yet, walk the entire neighborhood. I think power walks will be my exercise d'jour in the the days and weeks ahead.

First Time Listener

We preach being a "first time listener" with our children, often to no avail. As an adult, I have learned who and what to listen to, and my body is something I know I should listen to first. A few years ago, I chose to ignore my bodies signs and signals of strep throat and had to take steroids to relieve the swelling. As mothers, we tend to "press on" as being sick is not convenient for anyone, but especially a mother. Fortunately, I had a weekend already planned where it was convenient to rest and recoop. I caught up on much needed sleep, stayed close to home, drank lots of liquids, and listened to my body. I am officially feeling about 90% which means there are no excuses for tomorrow. So it's back to pounding the pavement (no Body Attack for a few more days! :>)

The Burning Bush

Didn't Satan tempt Jesus in the form of a burning bush while in the desert? My mother did get me to Sunday School, but I may be confusing Jesus and Moses stories. If any of my 5 fans know the answer - give me a shout out! Regardless - I've been tempted and tested these past two days, and I am in a bit of a quandary. First, I decided that yesterday was my "off" day this week. Lesson #1 - Never let your "off" day come at the beginning of the week as you have no idea what the rest of the week has in store. Although, I must say that dinner with good friends and lots of laugh is always a great excuse. Second, I am sick - cough due to cold or cold due to cough, but either way - I feel just awful. I was most gracious for darling students who were well-behaved today as I struggled through my classes. I imagine that really skinny girls exercise through colds, H1N1, and pneumonia, but I think this girl needs some liquids, NyQuil, and Little House on the Prairie this evening. So, that leaves only 3 "off" days until Easter - yikes! Thus, I am in an "emergency" only mode. I am tempted to suck it up and go tonight, but I have a crazy weekend ahead, and being sick is not an option. After a quick re-read, a burning bush has very little to do with my entry, but I am too bushed to think of something else to write, and I am afraid my head may start burning up if I don't sign off . . . .

*** After an email clarification from my sister, it seems that next year I will read the Bible during Lent. Burning Bush has nothing to do with Jesus or Lent. I think I was hallucinating yesterday.

Body Attack

New week, new month - I love a clean slate. Actually, March means a full month of exercise, so it's in like a Lion . . . . Body Attack!! What a hard group fitness class. It's like aerobics of days gone by but much harder, or is it me that is just much older? My age seems to be a constant theme of this blog, but I do look at those college girls and think, "Wow! Just give me my body back for one day or at least for this one class!" It's the energy and the stamina that I miss. A 7:15 aerobics class was considered early, something we would do to burn off the calories we were about to consume at Shenanigan's. (local Sewanee eatery - home of the turkey melt!) Now, I am just plan exhausted, although I do get a boost after class and can be found feverishly cleaning the kitchen and folding laundry. I am very into anything with Oxy Power and have used most of the bottle of Fantasik. Perhaps if they made it for humans, I'd feel fantasik. I think I will spell it that way from now on . . .

Frank says . . .

Frank says that in order for muscles to build they must tear. Frank says that drinking water hydrates the body and potassium from bananas helps prevent cramping. Frank says that if you take your body weight and multiply it by 11, you get your baseline calorie intake. Frank says that I have not written about him nearly enough in my blog. In case you are not aware, I am married to the most knowledgeable man on the planet. He is also right about everything 99.9% of the time. He was the most knowledgeable and definitely did what was right 13 years ago when he married me (remember the blog is still all about me!) He deserves a PhD in keeping me happy. If I burned a calorie every time I thought fondly of him - I would be just plain gaunt! What I admire most about Frank is his will power and drive. I affectionately refer to it as a "pit bull" mentality. As I walked the neighborhood this afternoon, I thought of ways that I could be more like him, but then soon remembered that I was not the brilliant one in this marriage. But wait . . . . wasn't it I that said, "Yes!" ?!?!?

No Zumba today!

At the risk of sounding like a complainer or an old lady, I will not go through the list of everything that hurts on my body - just know that everything does. I decided that it may be in everyone's best interest, but especially mine, if today was the off day instead of Sunday. I have more time to exercise on Sunday and today was another "one of those days" which I seem to be having a lot of lately. Frank IV was his less than perky self and wanted to come home, drink hot chocolate, and snuggle under a blanket with me. Who can resist that? Kate has been dying to watch Season 1 of the Little House on the Prairie DVD box set which she got for her birthday. What child of the 70's can resist that? It's amazing how connected I feel to "Maw" these days - plowing the fields, fixing the meals, carrying buckets of water to and fro. I bet her body ached as much as mine does if not more. So anyway, we opted for some quality family time tonight. And as always, it was well worth it!

You want fries with that shake?

Tonight I tried Zumba - which is basically a nightclub dance party in the group fitness room. My inner Beyonce seemed to be missing as I certainly have the booty, but I am not so sure I know how to work it. After a few songs, I really did not care what I looked liked as long as my heart rate was up and I was sweatnig - and I was! I completely lost myself and for a brief moment I was that high school senior doing my cheerleading routine to Vogue (if only in my mind!). I spent the rest of today stretching every chance I got - I AM SO SORE!!!! It has been a full week, and I feel it in every hair on my head to the tips of my toes. I was/am so out of shape. I hurt, but it is a good hurt. Exercise is also a great stress-reliever, better than eating for certain. To say I had "one of those days" is a gross understatement, but now I feel so much better. Perhaps I just shook those winter blues along with my hips.

FitTV

Honestly, I had absolutely no desire to get in the car and drive to the gym tonight. The driving part adds at least 20 minutes to my committed 40, and minutes are precious around here on a Tuesday night. It was too dark for a brisk walk around the neighborhood, so I went searching for my late 90's Reebok aerobic video. It was nowhere to be found, but I remembered that our "oh so pricey" cable package came with some free on-demand channels, including FitTV. So I put on my grungiest work-out clothes and did a 10 minute cardio blast and a 30 minute cardio dance routine. I learned two things tonight - 1. watching TV can really make you sweat and 2. my salsa, hip stomp with a twirl can use a little work. It was actually fun until my under 10 year old dance partners decided to join in. My aerobic studio got a little cramped, but it is 7:30; I am home, and I am done.

The Ipod

Hired a babysitter to go exercise tonight which is major committment on my part - thank you very much! Needed the tried and true elliptical and 40 minutes of good music and people watching, but it seems that I was the one being watched. My ipod goes from one extreme to the other, and I often find myself singing silently, but my lips move, and I get very excited when a good song comes on. Tonight I was totally busted by the man on the treadmill next to me as I silently sang Footloose followed by "P.Y.T" (it was 80's night!) It got me thinking though . . . can you imagine all the different songs playing on ipods simultaneously at the gym while people exercise? And what does it say about those people? Ponder that deep thought . . . I am off to fold laundry and finish a great book entitled, Sarah's Key.

I heart South Carolina

Snow last weekend and near 70 degrees this weekend. Perfect for a 5 mile (1 hour and 20 minute) walk/hike in the country on Saturday with good girlfriends. Friday evening's "Proud Mary" routine as well as other favorites tunes from the past proved to be both aerobic and painful as I could barely walk the next morning. As for Sunday, it is suppose to be a day off, but it was too pretty to just sit, so Frank IV and I played all over Doodle Hill Farm while Kate had her riding lesson. Pondering the week ahead and hoping the weather will remain this nice, but as they say about SC, if you don't like the weather, don't worry - it will change in 5 minutes.

Too Ambitious for Day Two

Feeling the pressure to have something entertaining to blog about, I decided that I would try out a "group fitness" class tonight at the gym. 13 years ago as a bride-to-be, I was a 5:30 regular at the Aerobics Studio and truly at my peak of perfection . . . .oh what the years have done! I took a Body Pump Class and have renamed it Body Jello. I actually laughed out loud at the thought of how completely ridiculous I must have looked lunging, lifting, crunching, and curling. To make matters worse - I felt every bit of my age, and it felt old. Seriously, where was the bounce in my step or the quick leap from horizontal to vertical positions? Gone - just gone! We really don't appreciate our youth, especially the years between college and babies. The early twenties were the best, but of course they were as they were all about me. Need to rethink workout time as it is making the hubby a wee bit cranky for me to bolt out the door at bath and bedtime. Hmmmm . . . .on second thought:>) Off for girl weekend, but will report Sunday on all my fun and exercise. Does laughing until you snort count as exercise? Should be totally fit by Sunday.

I love signs

Signs tell you where you are and where you are going, and I am all about direction these days. So at 7:20 as I FINALLY made it into the gym, I was looking for a sign . . . any sign that would explain how on Earth I was going to stay committed to this. I climbed onto the elliptical and tuned in to Jeopardy. Thanks to my million dollar liberal arts education, I am full of useless information and actually quite good at Jeopardy. Final Jeopardy tonight was religious words. The Question - Surprisingly, this word only appears twice in the New Testament. The Answer - What is a Christian? I got my sign, and I think I have a pretty good idea who my personal trainer will be for the next 40 (39) days. Minutes - 40; Calories - 389; Miles 3.6. I don't know if that is good or not, but I bet it is better than watching Jeopardy on my sofa drinking red wine.

Mardi Gras - The Plan

The plan - 40 minutes for 40 days - 4ever or 4 Lent? It is my hope that during the next 40 days I will be able to exercise each day for 40 minutes. So why the blog? Accountability. Someone other than me, myself, and I needs to know what I am up to. It will be hard enough to find the 40 minutes of exercise much less the time to write about it. Thus, this will be short and sweet. I have no before photo, no weight loss goal, and no strict diet to follow. I just know that I feel better when I exercise. It is time just for me to clear my head, think deep thoughts, and perhaps even pray. So if you see me in a neon orange vest cruising the neighborhood at 10 pm, you will know that I've had a long day . . . and if you own an orange vest, please feel free to join me.