I’m Going to Do It!

Today is a holiday, yet here I sit at work in front of my computer. I’m not mad; I have Friday off (a bonus holiday we get called “Birthday holiday–one free day off the month of your birthday, in addition to other forms of PTO!). I’ve had a LONG weekend of obligations and responsibility, and I’m drained to the dregs with work (yet still, I have more work to do and am very broke. It’s truly amazing).

Anyway, I’ve had enough pity partying. It’s almost my birthday. I decided that I should do something about something and stop complaining. It’s time for me to seize the day and be the change I want to see in my world.

One thing I really want to change is what I see in the mirror. I’m tired of my stomach, too big thighs and a little too much hips. My butt isn’t as perky as it used to be, either :-(. I just can’t seem to stick to any workout, though. I’ll start strong, be able to finish the routine, but then I won’t be able to do the routine again another day. It’s like my body knows what’s coming and decides to revolt. I’ve lost touch with exercises I used to like–running, swimming (or trying to learn to swim), biking–haven’t progressed much on Yoga, and haven’t managed to work out enough to slim up since my last year of college. I would like to lose between 25 and 35 pounds, but I can’t get motivated to move.

The main issue is I haven’t found anything I really love. I tried to explain this to my MensHealth, but of course, he doesn’t understand how I don’t feel any passion for fitness at all. I know I have some passion for exercise in me somewhere, but it’s hidden under all of this fat!

I’ve seen many of my favorite bloggers (including Jess at Eat.Drink.Breathe.Sweat, Jo at DeterminedtoBe and Dara at GoodatLife) decide to take on 30 day challenges recently, either to more fully commit to fitness or to tackle some areas and challenges they haven’t before. They’ve used different approaches (Jess and Jo are on a Core Fusion challenge and have used many different Core Fusion DVDs, while for her Yoga Quest Dara has been using one specific yoga DVD everyday), but the one thing they have in common is results. The results are both physical and mental. I’d take results in either area myself.

It’s hard for me to know what I’ll love, because I don’t stick with any workout long enough. I have workout ADD. In the last year, I’ve tried Insanity, several different yoga routines, yoga/pilates routines, pilates routines, ab routines, Kim Kardashian and Bethenny Frankel workouts, and seriously contemplated Jillian Michaels. I’ve been to the gym and taken Body Flow, Body Attack, Pilates and Cycling. I’ve worked out on every ab machine imaginable, the cybex machine, the elliptical, the rowing machine, and the treadmill. I’ve walked. I tried jogging/running (and quit due to unexplained foot pain…AFTER I bought $98 shoes!). But nothing has stuck.

So I’ve decided to challenge myself to a thirty day challenge. I put it off for a few days due to a (TMI Alert!) visit from Aunt Flo, but I’m ready to get started (Sidenote: does anyone know of any good exercises that you can do while Aunt Flo comes to visit? I looked around online this weekend, but didn’t find much). The question is, what will I do?

Me being me, I didn’t think one routine was a good idea. I am still trying to find my flow. So what I’ve decided to do is try several of the ones I’ve liked in rotation. In case you want to follow along, and to keep myself accountable:

1. YogaWorks Body Slim–great yoga routine alternating cardio and slowburn sequences.

2. Crunch Super Slimdown–Really good routine with the perky Ellen Barnett composed of Yoga, Pilates, and other exercise moves.

3. Trainer’s Edge Long and Lean Yoga with Baron Baptiste–new Holy cow this is hard workout with a respected Vinyasa Flow Yoga Instructor.

4. Insanity–Shaun T and his ridiculous Abs! I think I’m going to stick to the fit test until such a time as I don’t die doing the fit test.

5.I want to try some Shiva Rea–I have to see what’s available on demand.

YogaWorks Body Slim is available on Demand if you have Brighthouse Cable (and possibly if you have other cables). It’s also available for $7.99 in the iTunes store. Both Crunch Super Slimdown and Trainer’s Edge: Long and Lean Yoga and available to watch instantly through Netflix. MensHealth got Insanity for me.

On the weekends, if I can’t convince MensHealth to do any of these with me, we may go walking/jogging.

So, this is me, trying to do something about an area I have a problem with. Wish me luck!

Related Articles

• Try Yoga (stacyknows.blogspot.com)
• Which Do You Do More: Yoga or Pilates? (fitsugar.com)
• Fitting Yoga Into My Workout Routine (everydayhealth.com)