In The Beginning

I'd love to say this really is the beginning but I've been working on losing weight and getting fit now since May of this year, and although I've sent friends bits and pieces of writings before, I haven't gotten my act together and started putting it all in one place until now.  Sorry about that.  But you work with what you've got.

In this blog I'm going to talk about the things I experience, think about, and deal with on my journey.  Think of it as a ride-along.  A really common thing I hear from other overweight and/or out of shape people is that they're too ashamed or scared to open up to others about what they're going through, but when someone DOES open up, it really makes people feel better.  So, since I am in precisely the same boat, I'll start things rolling.

Tonight's episode takes place in the workout room at Elite Nutrition and Performance (www.elitenutritionandperformance.com).  I trained with Kristen tonight.  As usual, I was hyped about coming because no matter how crazy and difficult my life is outside of workouts, everything gets a lot simpler inside that room.  My choices get easier.  I quit thinking about the kids' homework, the emails I still need to send out before I go to bed, tomorrow's chores, the lineup of activities this weekend, did I remember to pay a bill, the mound of clothes that need putting away, do I need to stop at the grocery store on the way home, blah blah blah.  I go in that workout room and within 5 minutes it's all crystallized down into:  Fall or stay standing.  Give up or keep going.  Throw up or don't throw up.  So much simpler.  No more mental stress, just hard physical work.  It's a real relief.  (For the record, I've thrown up only once, and I made it home first, thank God.  And I've never felt that awful again, so, you know, progress!)  So there I am, with my three favorite views - ceiling, carpet, and wall - while I do the thousand-yard stare and focus on whatever Kristen wants me to do.  Another trainer, Micah, asked me recently if there are any exercises that I enjoy.  (Is that a trick question?)  It's not really that I enjoy any of them, but I guess I enjoy the testing.  Can I pull one more rep out of the hat?  Can I hold a pose for just 10 seconds longer? [and whomp goes the face into the carpet]  Guess not.  Get back up, try again.  So tonight when Kristen told me to do walking planks, an ancient Chinese torture, I tried to focus on the challenge and not the deep abiding need to run instead.  Wonder of wonders, I did it, and I didn't die OR cry!  (More progress)

I must be insane to say this, but...that was fun.