My love for Excercise!

It all started, about a year after James and I had been married. When my body started to change :) I didn't really like these changes, so i consulted in friends and family. Most were very kind. Most said i should love myself for who i am, and while i agree with them, I had one Family member say Well do something about it! Better sooner than sorry. Woa!!!! that caught me off guard. No one had said something so forward to me on this matter before. At first it kind of hurt my feelings. But after our discussion on the phone, and much encouragement, i felt better, and i had a plan. For those of you who don't know me--when i make a plan, i stick to it. I like the fulfillment of checking it off the list! (or in other words, i like accomplishing things.) My plan was to start eating better and to start exercising.

I remember the first day i started on my plan, I got to the gym, got on the elliptical and after 10 minutes the thoughts came in my mind "I AM GOING TO DYE!" following the second thoughts of "must get of elliptical" Just as i was about to get off... I realized i had a goal, and i knew i wouldnt be happy with myself until i reached it. I then found a new determination. and while the next 20 minutes were very painful, i didn't stop!!! I cant say i got a runners high or felt great after.. to be honest i kind of felt sick, but i was happy. That was very hard, and i did it. I did this 4 times a week. and it didn't get any easier. It really didn't. i hated exercise. But while i hated it, It did start to pay off. My body started to change--again! and this time the way i liked it. --That was my first lesson. Sacrifice pays off.

After i reached my goal of where i wanted to be. I wondered "what next?" I didnt really like exercise.. and after all i was completed what i wanted. Did i really have to continue to exercise? --not really. I talked with my family members again, in particular the same one that had helped me previously. She congratulated me! and was so excited for me--she made me feel awesome. Thats when she dropped the bomb shell. She said, i had to continue to exercise!---WHAT!!!! ugh. i was so depressed! but.. i did like the way i looked, and once again she was right. thats when i learned my second Lesson, Persistence is the key!!!

After several months of "persistence".. Something wonderful happened. It got easier.. and thats when i realized, even though it was hard. I liked it. Which is my third Lesson learned. When you act... and do, you create a desire. Someone who eats chocolate, wants to eat chocolate again, Those who run. get a runners high, and have a desire to run again. Those who sleep in, like to sleep in! you get my point! So anyways, I started to exercise more than 30 minutes, and realized i could do a lot more!

Fast forward to now. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE to go to the gym. I love to see my friends, and i love the way i feel after. I now work out 90 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week. I now don't just stick to one machine. sometimes i run, sometimes i do spin class, and Ive recently started to muscle train. In fact.. i recently hurt my back this morning, and i love the gym so much im sad, cuz ill need to rest, and let it heal and recover, but nothing that time rest and and ibuprofen cant handle, and ill be back in no time! I love love the way i feel, and the most important thing, is that i know im healthier than i would have been with out!