I have said it before and I can’t help but keep repeating myself - Moving my body at least 5 days a week has been one of the major contributors to my long term success.  My mantra for many years was I hate working out, I hate sweating, I hate hurting.  Somewhere along this journey I have been on since 2004 that mantra changed to BRING IT BABY!  I will try it and either I can or I can’t, but I will NEVER say NO!  That is, to my trainer at the gym.  That is my attitude toward life now and it reflects in my fitness as well.  I am ready and willing to shoot for the starts and try anything that sounds interesting or fun to me.  I want to LIVE each and every day to it’s fullest and I can do that simply by being my best me each and every day.

Here’s the progression of my exercise:

• 2004 - weighing 424 pounds- getting up in the morning was exercise
• 2004 -2005 after weight loss surgery - going to the grocery store, then the mall, then actually walking outside to the park
• 2006 - went to the gym began swimming- 1 lap at a time
• 2007 - swimming for 30 minutes to an hour 5-7 days a week
• 2009 - added weight training with a trainer 2 x per week and a 15 minute warm up walking on the treadmill
• 2010 - added some elliptical time for warm up before weight training
• 2011 - added 20 minutes elliptical before 30- 45 minute swim
• 2012 - began weight training day with 30 minutes on the elliptical
• 2013 - trainer had me doing planks, pushups and what the heck…kettlebells
• 2014 - got really serious on the elliptical and shaved my 1 mile best time down to 10 minutes 20 seconds.  Two surgeries intervened.
• 2015 - 30 minutes elliptical before 1 hour of weight training 2x weekly (double the training time) and goal of 3.2 miles (a 5k) each time I hop on the elliptical - oh- did I mention that I want to complete that 5k in 30 minutes?
• January 19, 2015 - Got 2 miles done in 24:20 which is twelve minutes, ten seconds per mile
• Every month, every year I set my goals just a little bit higher and reach for them.  I cannot increase the resistance on the elliptical (I have to work at level 1 because of knee pain if I increase) so the way to get my aerobic exercise and challenge myself is to increase my speed.  The motion doesn’t hurt my knee, it actually feels better at the end then at the beginning

I challenge myself every day to do a little more or work a little harder.  Some days I get it, other days I don’t.  That’s okay with me.  The critical piece is that I work to my best each day whatever that is.  That is my commitment to ME, my life, my health, my family, and to all of you who take the time to read my words.

I make NO EXCUSES for missing a workout.  I just show up and do it- tired, upset, or whatever emotion I may be wallowing in at the moment.

I always feel better when I am done and my body certainly shows it.  At 66 I am in better shape than I was at 46, and probably at 36 as well. 

Is it your day to get off the couch and do something your body will thank you for?