Thursday, July 2, 2009

Gaga knows what's up...

..."just dance!"

This is my first week back to work full-time while balancing motherhood (of a puppy) and the chores of being a wife and home-owner. In the past 3 days I've only managed a run on one of those days. I'm just exhausted. And, I'm full of excuses.

It's too hot (which it is)
The dog needs me (which she does)
No one will be there to make dinner (we may survive)
I would rather watch TV/read (duh)
It's my birthday (which it is...today, not every day)
I'm sore (cry me a river)
Etc, etc, etc.

Coming up with reasons not to exercise is exhausting in and of itself...as there's never a shortage on excuses. We all know how it goes..."tomorrow...tomorrow I'll have time for the gym." Thing is, there's a difference between an excuse and a reason. So do some soul-searching and recognize that your reasons are probably just bad excuses. I did.

We've all heard the benefits of exercise and for people like myself who actually enjoy exercise, find it scary to 1) fall into the "exercise excuse mode" and 2) take so long to realize exercise is missed and to do something about it. This morning, on my birthday, I commit to a workout tonight because I can and will guilt my husband into puppy duty while I do what I want...cause I'm the birthday girl.

What will I do to get in my exercise? I'm just not sure yet...but like all of you, I have options, and I'll choose to do what I feel like doing. Finding something you enjoy is essential to exercise becoming not only
enjoyable, but habitual. Plus, I rather like the idea of not having to knock out my workout in one period of time, but the option of breaking it into small, manageable stints.

Just take notes from my 86-year-old Grannie. At our wedding in May, she tore up the dance floor, out-shined the bride, and got in a workout...all night. Ain't no thang.


Her response to "Grannie, you sure were dancing!" was something along the lines of, "Well, Nikki...I wanted to dance, so I did. Good workout, too...even with my old lady walker." Completely nonchalant, I-do-this-every-weekend attitude. That's my Grannie. I proudly inherited her "sass" gene, but she's absolutely right. Do it.



And here she is teaching me a few things. I have a lot to learn, especially in walker dancing.


Just dance. ....Or run. Or walk. Or bike. Or swim.

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