My Journey Begins

Where to start? I got an e-mail yesterday from a fitness trainer who has been coming to my church and leading workouts. He offered me 4 free personal training sessions, and I'm taking him up on it. His name is Patrick and that's where this begins.

There are lots of beginnings here. There is my decision to join the fitness group at church. It was a convenient time, and I needed a different way to relate to the women of my church. I usually carefully select things where I can feel competent and in charge. I knew that this group would leave me feeling vulnerable, but I was willing to risk it. That is where I met Patrick. He and his equally fit, young, and upbeat wife put us through our paces.

I don't know much about him. He works at Motorola's Arlington Hts facility as a fitness trainer and he does personal training. He was in the army. He lives in Crystal Lake. I plan to get to know him a bit better. What I like about him is his warmth and, unlike gym teachers, he doesn't seem to have a mean or masochistic attitude.

Another beginning is my relationship with Jonathan, my husband. Last fall, Jonathan just woke up one day and decided to change his lifestyle. He started exercising and changing his eating habits. To date, he is 70 pounds lighter and running and biking on a regular basis. He must have been chewing on this for quite some time, because in 24 years, I have never seen this type of change in him. I have been through a legion of emotions over this and I might explore this in a later blog, but right now I believe if I want to save my marriage (and I do) I must find a way to relate to him, and piggyback on his success to create mine as well. I began to take my eating more seriously and have been getting back into exercise.

My daughter Leona started using My Fitness Pal to track food and exercise, so Jonathan started using that too and I followed. I know from previous weight loss success that keeping track of what I eat is important. I have used Deal A Meal, Weight Watcher's Points, and a simple notebook. They all work on the same principle: if you are aware of what you are eating, and are held accountable for it, you are in a better position to make changes. The website and app are simple to use. While I like Weight Watcher's Points, they don't have an app for my Blackberry and one has to be a member. My Fitness Pal is free.

Yes, I am beginning to exercise, but I will need to change my attitude. I really would rather sit, write, read, knit, etc. I'll get there. A few years ago I bought a membership to the fitness center in the town where I work. I didn't just buy the minimum, I don't want any excuses, so I went for the Platinum. I can swim, take classes, work in the woman's only area, walk the track, use the climbing wall (well Faith can, and now that Jonathan's so stinking skinny, maybe he'll give it a go too). At first I went on a regular basis then, as it does, my schedule changed and so did my determination to continue to work out. This summer, it looked as if I would not have much work, so I decided to make better use of my time (and that membership) and get back into the swing. Literally - that's one of the things that you do with a kettlebell. I was enjoying kettlebell and yoga. then my schedule changed and I had hand surgery. What did I do? At first, nothing. But remember, I have some choices and I am choosing to loose weight. So I decided to walk. More about that later. I have figured out an alternative schedule once my hand is functional and we'll chat more about that too.

I suppose much of this isn't about beginnings but re-visiting old habits and welcoming them back. I must credit God for stirring things up. Church >Class>Patrick>Training. I'll need to visit this topic later too, but I want to be open to God's voice and desire for me to take care of the body he gave me, and I figure there are too many things pointing me in this direction to ignore and not believe that God has something planned for me.