Feeling the "Burn"

We all know what "the burn" is related to working out..... Jane Fonda made the term famous back in her work-out video explosion. "Feel the burn!" she would yell, as if it were a good thing. Well I'm sorry, but its NOT a good thing. Anyone who says it is, is just a big soon-to-be-not-fat liar. It hurts.... and badly... and it lasts for days.... and you can't do anything about it... no hot tub, or sports aspirin cream, or icy-hot B.S. will help you....nothing but wallowing in your own incapable, rubbery muscle misery will make you feel any better.

By now you may have guessed that we joined a gym. I'm on the road.... the road to something but I haven't yet decided if it will be a great experience or a miserable one. Sure, in theory its supposed to be great, and healthy, and everyone gives you that thumbs up and the shout-out of "live strong" Lance style..... but its really so much different than when you are 17.

The whole reason I started this, other than the attempt to just be healthier, is I am finally starting to feel my age. Now I do consider myself lucky in some respect..... I have not worked out in about 15 years, and I really do eat what I want whenever I want, and at any amount, and I have been fortunate enough thus far that it really didn't effect me that much. Since my very early 20's I've been 10 - 20 lbs overweight most of the time, but it seemed to hang out well on my frame, so I never really felt that badly about it.

Then the irony..... I turned 33 and I got married that same month...... and wouldn't you know my damn metabolism got married and believed that load of crap that all women just let themselves go when they get married, and I gained about 25 pounds in like 6 months. I have no idea how, I didn't consume more food, if anything my husband barely eats so I have cut back. I don't drink hardly at all anymore, versus just about every day for about a year (sorry, but I'm just being honest) before we met ..... I guess the only thing I can really see is drastically different is the walking versus driving everywhere. I moved to the south side and I literally NEVER walk but from the car to the door. On the north side, I walked a lot and just for the sake of walking, but our new 'hood isn't really compatible with that sort of thing. So that's the only difference!

As the months have gone by... I remember my Dad warning me about the evil closet gnome, and realized he had visited my closet and replaced all my seasonal clothing with exact replicas only a size or two smaller than the originals! Just like he had done to my Dad once before! Nothing really fit me.... I could put it on, but it wasn't comfortable... then it got to I can't even zip these jeans.... then the final straw.... I had to go BUY a pair of jeans. Now mind you, I went to the second hand store and got ONE PAIR for $5 because there is NO WAY I am going to need them for long. I have 15 pairs of jeans, and I am NOT buying anymore!

The other thing I've learned is I am much more self conscious than I realized. I am certainly not a girly-girl, in the sense that I dress fairly plainly, or masculine. I am not a very feminie girl, but I have my style that I am comfortable with and it works for me. But in realizing I am starting to be unattractive, no matter what I wear, that hit me.... and it made me feel so bad for my husband. He married a person with a completely different structure than the one that is currently coming home to him at night. I realize as you age that just happens, people's bodies change with age and its just the way life is. That's why you no longer see a super-model over the age of 22, because they get the bodies of an adult female and are no longer considered attractive. BUT.... it certainly should not happen in 6 months of aging... at this rate I will weigh 2,175 after 50 years of marriage. Poor John!

So to the gym it is...... and I am feeling the burn..... and I don't like it. But I like watching my husband laugh at my beet-red face, and trying to play raquet ball with him having no idea how, and seeing him stifle a giggle when I try to curl 20 lbs and almost can't..... and knowing that we are working towards something together, that we will both be happy with. Even though he is trying to GAIN weight, and I need to lose, its still going to be fun. So far, my favorite part is stopping at Little Caesars on the way home.... Pizza, Pizza!

Having said that, I am picking up the veggies and putting down the pizza, and fashioning an effigy of our trainer Matt.... nobody tells me I have that much body fat right to my face and gets away with it!!!

Happy Lunges to all!

Love,
Cyn