I’ve never been one to make resolutions on New Years, let alone stick to any. I think about it every year, but never do it. Goals like that just always seemed so unattainable, so frivolous to make – setting goals just because ‘everyone else’ is doing it. Goals for myself personally (like exercise & personal ‘me’ time), goals for myself professionally (hello Regional Vice President and getting the podcast back on track), and goals for my family (vacations and family activities like game night – and maybe date night with the ol’ husband).
Well, today is different, it’s a new start. I joined a gym (Curves For Women) and not only made a New Years resolution, but did it *early* as not to chicken out. At 37 (OH MY GOD DID I JUST TYPE THAT?) I’m on the young side for membership, but I don’t care. Never mind, I’m not that young anymore. Anyway, it’s quick and easy (as in I don’t have to create this whole elaborate workout routine) and I don’t have to think about what machines I’m doing or stare at myself (or other people) in mirrors. Yes, I need to lose weight, especially after two kids and the cookie-coma my mom put me in this holiday (she HAD to bake my all my favorites!), but more importantly I need a stress buster. Time in the car by myself to crank up my iPod, time to work the kinks out of my shoulders and exercise. Time to have a complete thought inside my own head without interruptions. Yes, squatting down and picking up my toddler 134 times a day is a workout, but not exactly burning up stress and calories.
Anyway, I joined and I feel better already. Today’s workout left my lower back a bit sore, but that just goes to show how pathetically out of shape I am. The girl that did my initial measurements and weight couldn’t believe how poorly I ranked on body fat (30.1%) and body mass index (29.9). I came in 0.1 points away from ranking as obese. My weight also came in a few pounds heavier that I expected – an all time non-pregnant high. I’m a size 12. Hardly obese, but whatever, I want to workout because I wake up in the morning with my teeth clenched and shoulders in knots – before my feet even hit the floor next to my bed. Something has to give, the stress needs to go. And since the source of stress isn’t going away – me being with my beautiful children 24/7/365 (I love them more than anything, but cultivating human beings is hard work) – I need to find a constructive outlet to let it go. The solution I had found in the past was to be a bitchy cranky mom and that wasn’t working for any of us. Exercise is good.
A happy, sane, fulfilled, healthy, relaxed, successful woman/wife/mom/ME is a much better start to 2009.
[tags]curves for women, curves, exercise, resolutions, new years[/tags]
