Thank you Jill and congratulations to you for your success as well! I used to think of the other F-word when I thought of fitness. Then I hit “that number” too and finally woke up to my situation. I was sick and tired of being tired, not feeling well, and I hated the weight gain. For me I started with the nutrition portion of three parts of being healthy. I started to plan my meals and eat better. It wasn’t too long before I was feeling more energized and that is when I started to add the fitness piece. I also had to schedule the time to work out. If I just waited to find the time I would not do it.

Like I talked about last week, I had belly danced for years. I perform with a local troupe and we meet every Monday night for two hours to work on new choreography and the older ones keep fresh in our minds. However your body gets used to activities it performs regularly and the exercise doesn’t work the body as well. That is why personal trainers recommend switching your workouts regularly. I started to take a Zumba class on Wednesday mornings and I love it. I prefer dance-like exercise programs because they are much more fun for me and if I am having fun I will do it. If I get bored, well to be honest, I probably won’t. So an hour on the elliptical or treadmill is not going to happen for me.

During the winter I also started doing strength training workouts twice a week to build more lean muscle mass and so that my body burns more calories at rest. And since we sit so much of the time that sounded like something I need. Now that it is summer, my husband and I bought bikes and go for a bike ride once a week. The rides are great exercise and time to reconnect with each other and do something together that is good for us.

I no longer think of the other F-word when I think of fitness. Now I look forward to my classes and to the feeling of well-being after a workout. I feel stronger and happier when I am done and proud of myself for sticking to it. The added bonus to me deciding to get healthy is that my husband has followed suit and started to exercise too.

— Sandy