The Workout Tourist

The bottom line is I am active every, single, day because I can. I spent WAY too much time in my adult life not being able to do more than walk around the block.

If you visited my kitchen, you will notice I like to laminate. I also like charts. So it figures that I highlighted and then laminated the weekly gym group fitness chart of times/days. In the past 3 months I've tried almost every class.

Note that the following is highlighted:

Likes: Spin, Yoga/Pilates Fusion, Barbell Strength, Zumba
Dislikes: Step, classes that include jumping jacks, the word "Performance"

Ian was eligible for child care at the gym starting at 3 months. The only sticking point is that there are only 8 spots for infants with a 48hr in advance reservation requirement. Ten mins after opening every morning, all spots are normally taken.

Getting time is that important to me and was among the reasons I chose to work from home this year, to have no excuse to not make a serious attempt to loose weight.

I joined Bill's gym 4 weeks post partum. At that time the only time I could pull to be out of the house sans kids was either 6 am or 9 pm. Neither were attractive times, but I went for the sole reason that I am motivated to finish the job.

Google the phrase Total Body Lift and you will see my final goal. Add to it brachioplasty on my arms and a breast reduction and I'm looking at 20k in non covered insurance claims, a min of 2 separate surgeries, and an intense recovery. So how much do I really want to do this.

Bad.

Really Bad.

Crazy, borderline obsessed with doing this Bad.

So much that a substantial part of the day is spent working towards this goal. I still keep food rules that have become the norm doing this lifelong diet. Too many times, Ben eats more than both of us and we work to keep each other in check on what likely will have negative consequence off the menu. I am so glad to have him as an ally.

I worked during both pregnancies to not pack on weight. Both rounds I worked out until around month 5/6 until I physically couldn't pull working out plus walking the dog and working at a job that was physically demanding.

Add to it the stress of working at a new job on the ground level, going off meds for my PCOS during each pg, babycare over personal care, and the year of fertility drugs I had close to 80 lbs to loose after Ian arrived. Essentially almost 1/2 of my initial 147 lb loss since 2004. Disheartening.

I've needed motivation so I am reneging on not watching Biggest Loser after vowing not to continue after the first season. It sounds insane, but it's a really hard to watch even the most inspiring of stories knowing that I weighted more than some of the women at my peak.

Besides there is WAY too much crying and I hate crying.

So looking for motivation to get to a weight goal to do the surgeries, to stop using the phrase, "when I am thinner I want to...", I decided to watch this season.

I added the classes as I am more likely to not bail if I have to do it publicly. I love early Sat am Spin the best. One the instructor has kick ass play list that ends with the gospel choir piece that is crazy inspiring.

But, the real reason I love her class, was when she said, "before my surgery I couldn't imagine I would ever be leading anyone towards a healthier lifestyle."

That was my motivation and you can bet my hopeful much smaller ass that she had me.