get in shape

Have signed up for a Pilates class on Saturday. I need to do some more strengthening work and can’t bear the thought of lifting weights in a gym. Hopefully this will provide the little extra I am after.

I caught sight of myself in my swimsuit in a strange mirror (so not the one in my house in my bedroom) and realised that, poco a poco, progress is being made on this front. My arms are more defined, my legs are a bit firmer and although the midriff is not exactly sculpted, is not too bad for a woman of a certain age. I was even told that my arms “are begining to look like a dancer’s.” While I am not a 100% certain what that means exactly, I am a 100% chuffed; after all, in my next life I plan to be a dancer!

Thanks to The True White Knight, I’ve started using a protein supplement and actually feel less tired for it. I’m sure if I followed through on his advice completely and started lifting weights, I would feel stronger and now be further along the path of new-found fitness, but at this time, in this moment, without giving complaceny a chance to set in, I am feeling good about my progress on this goal.

Not that complacency could really ever set in right now – much of my increased muscle tone is due to a ballet class that I am taking. I am twice as old as most of the other students and half as flexible as the least felexible among them. For an hour and a half, three times per week I live a fitness reality check.

I am in better shape than when set this goal, but feel I still have a way to go to build up my strength and I’ve lost some of the flexibility I gained over the summer. Oh, for a fit pill.

Start dancing again this week – 3x per week. Ballet and dance hall, a study in contrasts.

Nursing aches and pains from yesterday’s 8-mile walk/jog a.m. insantity outing, but am going to try for two power walking sessions a week (not 8-milers though).

things have slowed down; need to get back into gear.

I am begining to feel this goal might be elusive. After three weeks of exercising at a rate I won’t be able to sustain once July is over and work kicks off again, I am feeling stronger, my muscles are a bit more toned, I am more flexible and my body generally feels better, BUT I feel I should be further along than I am, having subjected myself to a five-day, three hours per day regime. There is still a long way to go. I still can’t do straight-leg push ups, just the cross-legged ones, my lower abs are not nearly as strong as I would like them to be, my back muscles need lots of strengthening, I want more definition in my legs and arms, and my stamina is barely there! Accepting that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and other cliches of that ilk, and while grateful for progress made, I am a bit disappointed that I am not further along than I am at this point.

Now that you’ve started exercising regularly, do not stop. Ever.

Woke up yesterday needing to exercise and can’t wait to get to my dance class today. Were I not exercising and feeling better physically and mentally, I might have done something really rash yesterday or found a nice mossy rock to hide under in the valley of depression.

going to hurt!

Last week’s injury had me out for three days, so only went back to my dance class on Friday. It would have been fun if I didn’t feel at the end as if I had been drawn and quartered. Today the torture chamber had a different sound track and different beat, but it was still gruelling.

One of today’s instructor promised 10-pack abs by the end of the month. I like the sound of that!

July – month of starting to get started. Began a dance class yesterday, an intensive 4-week summer programme. Three hours a day, five days a week. Exactly what I need to kick start this getting in shape business. Exactly what I don’t need is the strained ligament or something in my ankle. Felt a tweak in class and then mind-bending pain several hours later. Tomorrow has given way to today and it feels better, much better thank you very much, but I will sit out today’s sweat and stamina session at the dance studio in favour of more healing and the possibility of going the distance with this class.