Clothes and Chubbiness

Today I'm posting 2 things I'm proud of, since I missed yesterday.

First, I'm proud that yesterday I fit into a skirt that I haven't worn in about 2 years, AND I got 2 compliments that I looked nice. I remember that I bought it in fall of 2007 to wear in one of my Vocal Jazz Forums, and I'm positive I didn't wear it any last year - so 2 years is my best guess. And bonus - it's a size 14!!! Now, I'm not completely a size 14 yet, because I tried on a pair of pants in the same size and they didn't quite button. BUT I'm definitely moving closer, because I remember trying on those same pants last year and it looked liked I was trying to stuff 2 sausages into 1 sausage container. Now, usually that image would make me sad, but it didn't look that way this time, so I'm very excited!!!! :)

Second, I'm proud of sticking with my Body Flow class (for those of you that don't know, it's a blend of tai chi, yoga & pilates), even though I'm one of the chubbiest girls in there. And I'm proud that I can keep up with the people that have been doing pilates/yoga for much longer than myself. I usually go on Saturday mornings, but since I'm still sick (bummer), I didn't get to go yesterday. Nonetheless, I've been going at least once a week since I started posting about the class in January. And I'm getting pretty good! It's one of the main reasons I aced the flexibility and core strength portions of my fit test, I'm sure.

In fact, I'm proud of sticking with going to the gym in general. January and February are great because I see chubby people at the gym all the time. I want to go up and give them a hug and say, "Good for you!" but I don't, because if someone did that to me I would think they were weird. But it's nice to see other chubby people working to do the same thing I'm working to do. When I'm surrounded by only stick-figure girls or extremely muscular guys, I feel out of place, even though I'm proud of working out at all. Anyway, this weekend, since I was sick, I was actually upset that I couldn't workout. I knew that it was the best decision to help me get better in a hurry, but I miss the endorphins and the routine of working out. I used to HATE the gym - I think the key is finding a program you like and that you believe you can stick to. And try to make your "program" something you can do 3-4 times a week, not just cramming in 3 hours on Sunday as a last ditch effort to lose a pound. 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times a week is better than killing yourself all in one day. And by program, I mean whatever works for you - if that's an hour on the elliptical or 30 minutes of weight training or a class that you like - if you like it, you'll keep doing it. Personally, even stuff I don't love doing, I find it helps me to set a goal. For example, I hate running, but it's always bugged me that I can't run more than 5 feet (it feels like) without gasping for air. So, I set a goal that by the end of April I want to be able to run for 5 minutes straight. I feel like that's something I can be proud of accomplishing, but not something that's out of my reach. Right now I can only run for about 1.5 minutes, but when I started working out, I would only run for a minute. So we're making progress! And I've been increasing my cardio, so hopefully I'll start making some faster progress soon. And with less weight to carry around, my heart won't have to work as hard, either. So, in short - find what works for you!!

Classes at the gym can be intimidating, because you feel like only the "super fit" people go to them. But how do you think those super fit people became fit in the first place? When I'm just at the gym, I can zone out and pray no one is paying attention to me. I don't stare at anyone else, and I hope they all return the same favor. But in my Body Flow class, the room is lined with mirrors. Now ladies (and some gents, but mostly I think ladies have this problem) - those mirrors are not there to make you cringe and leave the class!! They're supposed to be there to help you improve your form and to be able to see the instructor at many different angles. Don't let stuff like that get you down! Classes are a great way to get out of your routine if you're getting bored, work on things you might have been leaving out like flexibility or strength training, or even just to step up the intensity in your cardio. Being a competitive person, I push myself more when I see other people are doing stuff that I find difficult - it makes me work harder, which gives me a better end result. I definitely encourage trying out a couple of classes at your gym if they're included in your membership, but if they don't motivate you or you don't enjoy them, then that's ok! Just make sure you give a couple of classes a chance - don't just take one and give up. :)

As always - THANK YOU!!!