Slow Starter

Today I would like to discuss a very dangerous subject: exercise.

Now, don't be scared, don't stop reading. I know this is difficult, but I just feel like we need to talk about this.

About 2 years ago, I was an exercise junkie, truly! I had started going to Zumba classes and absolutely fell in love with them! Then, a friend of mine started going to work out with me, and we added a few weight sessions and some jogging on the treadmill. We were hard core, I tell you. Nothing got in our way of exercising, we planned our entire schedules around our workouts. Sadly, today, this is not the case. What happened, you ask? Well, keep reading.

The first thing that happened was last summer arrived. You know how summer is, the first week or so, you sleep a little later, just to catch up from the school year, then one day you wake up and it's 10:00am. Not good for the exercise schedule. Then, you're in and out of town, more bangs to the exercise, and before I knew it, I hadn't exercised all summer.


Then, when September rolled around, I decided I needed a part-time job. Why, you ask? Who knows? More pocket money, I guess. And I worked 2 days a week, 9:45am - 6:30pm. Right. More holes in the exercise plan.


Now, this brings us to May, when I decided to go full-out on this writing thing, so I quit my part-time job, have written all summer, but have I exercised? Maybe twice. Now granted, we've had a great summer, as I mentioned in an earlier post, and been on a few different trips. But for the past two weeks, I've been at home. Why have I not exercised?


Another piece of this broken puzzle is that my work-out friend, one of my best friends in the whole world, has moved. Yep, she left me! Actually she and her husband have just planted a church about 40 minutes from here and I'm so excited for them, but she left me, nonetheless. So, uh, who am I supposed to go to the gym with? Who am I accountable to? Who is motivating me to go for it? Yeah, that'd be NO ONE!!!


Here's the most frustrating part: I really do enjoy exercising! I feel so much better when I'm exercising consistently, I can truly tell a big difference. I also feel like my stress level is lower. I can also eat more of what I want if I'm in a good exercise routine, and that's a big plus, can I get an "Amen!" And, I have the best intentions. I have the gym class schedule on my frig, each night I lay out work out clothes, set my alarm to get up and go, but have I been once this week? Negatory. So just what is my problem?


Here's my take: I miss my friend, number one. It's so great to have that person with you, working hard, talking, laughing together. I miss that and I really need that companionship in my life. And not just at the gym, either. Secondly, I've broken my habit and I've got to figure out a way to get motivated into creating another habit.


Hmm, what to do...maybe when Son is back at school, I will allow myself one good "cheat eating" day for every five days that I exercise. For me, food is always a great motivator. How about you? What's your take?