Getting in shape

This post has nothing to do with DS. It has to do with me and my desire to lose some weight, get back into some of my pre-Phoenix clothes (goodness knows I have enough of them just taking up space in the basement) and to increase my energy levels. The fact that Husband and I are formalizing our relationship in August by actually getting married (we are common-law now) is a pretty good motivator too.

So in Feb of this year we both joined a local gym. Husband has been much more dedicated than I. He ramped up his workouts immediately and bought a personal training package. He sees his trainer once a week now to tweak his fitness routine and change things up a bit. It has been a slower process for me. The first reason being that I typically hate going to the gym. I actually really dislike exercising period. Walking is good. I like walking. I used ot walk a lot when I had my dog for 10 years. We went on 2-3 walks a day. I was very fit at some points during this time. Sadly, Zeus passed away a few years ago and I have just not found the motivation to start a fitness routine since then. Especially since Phoenix came along there just always seemed like there was something more important to do than exercise.

Anyway, Husband has been a rock star about getting in shape. He's lost weight, lost inches, gained muscle and lowered his blood pressure. He's made some amazing changes to his health. For me, it has been slower. I started out using the cardio machines for 20 minutes at a time. That was it. After a few weeks I bumped it to 30 minutes. Now I regularly do 45-60 minutes on the elliptical at time. And I am trying for 4-5 days a week. I feel great. I have also increased the number of fruits and veggies, and decreased the amount of simple carbs I eat (ie bread, buns, scones muffins etc). I have only lost a few pounds so far, but I just feel better. My pants are a little looser, I stand a little straighter and I have more energy and endurance. At 11 pm last night I actually had to do relaxation exercises to help me sleep, because I was wide awake. This is good!

So, this is the start of my getting in shape journey. I am hoping to keep it up even after the motivation of my wedding has passed.