Something Creative » Clothes Make the Woman

Hooking Up With Gym

Nil17 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:27:00 +0000

Last Friday I was invited to try out a Zumba class with my sister-in-law at her gym. She had recently joined & convinced me to take the free month she had to give away. I said okay & off we went on Friday morning. I had recently (within the last month) purchased some yoga pants & a tennis skirt (the skirt is frickin’ cute! Gray with pink accents & I like the little ball pocket…very hand for holding mom-type stuff) so I was excited to wear my new gear for more than just being Mom. The Zumba class was pretty fun for all that I was trying to figure out the moves, stay in-sync & not hurt myself.

With my trial membership activated I decided to go as much as possible during the month in hopes of getting into the habit of exercising every day. Not that chasing a 17 month old & carrying a baby aren’t exercise cuz believe me they are… but I need a formal program to get my butt into a better shape. So I’ve been to the gym twice more since Friday. Monday I did stair stepper, walked the track to cool down a bit, did the elliptical & then some free weights. Wednesday I did 10 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes on the treadmill (this included ACTUAL RUNNING—I blame the running on Shadow Gallery…their song Venom is in my workout mix & it just doesn’t work to walk to that song) & then 15-20 minutes of free weights. I woke up Thursday morning & my whole body hurt like hell…my muscles ached & I woke with a sore throat too.

I did force myself to go to the gym on Thursday night. I did some time on the elliptical and then went to the treadmill. I started out walking at a decent pace—no ambling, sight-seeing type walk. Then Disturbed came blasting through my headphones & off I went ~~running~~ jogging. I say running because it’s as close to running as I’m willing to get. Not only am I not in running shape (if I trip I’d roll like an ever growing snowball in a cartoon) but I’m not built for speed…In fact I don’t think there’s a sports bra in existence that would withstand the punishment I’d unleash on it.

Anyway, after my elliptical & treadmill I headed over to the free weights for some strength training. I did my usual lifts & then grabbed the small medicine ball for some oblique twists. As I finished with the oblique twists the guy that was working the desk walked by & we started chatting. He told me that I looked like I was killing it on the weights & twists. I was glad to get the positive feedback from a total stranger. Good to know that I don’t look like a total fool.

Friday I went to the main gym & Zumba’d with my sister-in-law Zia. It was a good time but I feel like I spend so much time trying to figure out the steps & keep pace while modifying some of the moves that I’m not getting as good of a workout. I was sweaty after the 45 minute class was done though so I may keep trying that class once a week.

This morning I only got in 15 minutes on the elliptical before I had to go as children/life butted in quite rudely. However, I pushed myself those 15 minutes & felt okay about it. Tomorrow was going to be a day of rest but now I’m thinking I may try to go just to keep the momentum going.

After the workout I did a little shopping in the afternoon. Well, mostly I returned a bunch of workout clothes I had purchased to try on. I kept one top & returned 3 pairs of pants. The biggest reason I returned the pants was I couldn’t decide which size to keep. Currently I’m in a size 18/20 but I tried on the 14/16 and while they are form-fitting they aren’t ridiculously tight. It’s been a long time since I could even think of trying on 14/16 pants so I decided to wait on purchasing anything and see where I am after the beginning of 2012. Especially since I’m participating in the 2011 Reverse Resolution Challenge over at Fit This, Girl…I am excited to see how I fare through the holiday season.

Today I had the wild idea of participating in the 2011 Jingle Bell 5k run/walk here in Sioux Falls. It is Friday, November 26th in the evening. I’ve done 2 5k run/walk events in the past (I walked both) & would like to do some again. What better time to start then while I’m working hard at working out?

I’ll keep you posted on what I decide to do…now I better go cuz Marit is missing her mommy.

Princess In Blue

Nil17 — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:21:54 +0000

Here are some photos of our little princess in the doll dress I bought her. She’s growing so much & yet she’s still so tiny. I’m thankful that she is such an easy baby & very good for her momma.

Yep, I’m Still Around

Nil17 — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:46:30 +0000

Oh my goodness! It has been a busy week around here. Wednesday we made a trip to the clinic for Magnus who was feeling punky & out of sorts. Sure enough he has an ear infection so we got a ‘scrip called into the pharmacy & off we went. I decided to reward my little guy for being so good at the doctor with a quick trip to Starbucks. He loves their petite vanilla bean scones…plus mommy wanted some Passion Tea Lemonade. We were standing at the counter ordering when I felt a warm, wet liquid hit me. I look at Magnus, who is in my left arm, just in time to get hit with a second wave of him throwing up. Delightful…nothing like needing a change of clothes for two people & not having them. Needless to say we did a quick cleanup in the bathroom, grabbed hoodies from the Jeep so we could go home w/o wearing our icky clothes and forgot about the treat.

I did get to go out later that afternoon when Abe got home to finish running my errands. Abe was wonderful & kept both kids for the hour I was out. I hit Verizon for a portable wifi device & then Wal-mart for the antibiotics. There was a lot of standing in line which tested my patience. Walking to checkout I spied the women’s section & something in bright pink. A quick detour showed that yoga pants (the nice ones from Danskin) were not only in my size (I was hoping) but a very reasonable $12. I knew time was running short so into the self-check lane, a quick stop at Subway & off to home. Everything was well under control when I got home (much to my relief but not to my surprise). Marit was ready to eat so everybody had dinner & we vegged out on the couch. I tried on my new pants and after a ~~little~~ LOT of obsessing decided they don’t look awful & I can wear them in public w/o being openly ridiculed.

Wednesday night was not a good night. Magnus was up a lot with his ear ache & Marit decided she didn’t want to sleep her normal 4 hour cycles. Thursday dawn found me blearily dealing with diaper changes & finding all the stuff I needed to take along for a day at my sister-in-law’s house. Her usual daycare helper was gone so I went over to lend a hand with the 5 kids she watches. Add in my 2, her 1 & the one kid that comes after school is out & it was chaos. All of us were exhausted when we crashed at home later that night.

In the meantime (great, now that song is gonna be stuck in my head for the rest of the day…) I was listening to Falling Deeper by Anathema & trying to formulate a review for Dante’s Prog Blog Inferno. I was procrastinating as I much prefer to be the silent editor & gal Friday over there. However there was much insisting that I get with the program & just write already.

Friday morning I was able to sleep a little later & we had a nicely relaxed start to our day. Errands & browsing for home decor with my sister-in-law Jilli in the afternoon went fine & the kids were great. We ended the night with dinner out at Tinner’s (mmmm… egg & cheese burger), dessert at PeachWave (blueberry cheesecake fro-yo is teh nomz) & eventually home to tuck the kids in bed. I attempted to write my review that night but didn’t get more than the opening paragraph done.

We were out again on Saturday morning & moving considerably more slowly. Abe helped my brother & sister-in-law pick out doors for their basement which is slowly being finished. Then the guys went to unload the doors & do “man stuff” while we girls (Marit included) went to the giant craft show at the convention center. I popped Marit into her sling & into the hoard we went. There was a lot of nice stuff but I was mainly there to browse. I did find a very cute dress, knit hat & headband w/flowers for Marit in one of the doll clothes booths. I looked in some of the other booths for a Halloween costume but didn’t get anything. I may have to look again & get one of the fairy dresses…they are too cute for words.

After all our roaming about was done we spent the night in & relaxed. I finally managed to write my review & then it was bed where we all got a pretty decent night sleep. Today is football day & the Vikings haven’t totally fallen apart….yet. This week should be a quiet one though we are hoping for a visit from Grandma B. Hope you all have restful weekends & can face the week ready to tuck & roll as each day comes.

Eye of the Beholder

Nil17 — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:39:41 +0000

I can’t think of a clever opening for this post today. I’m tired & feeling a bit sad. Most of that comes from lack of sleep & pregnancy hormones running rampant. I’m also feeling like a great blue whale & I probably look like some sort of crazy hippo. I’ve never been confident in my appearance…I worry about my hair (always straight & often flat), my skin & of course clothes. Generally I deal with my hair my pulling it into a ponytail or clip, my skin I treat gently & use minimal makeup & I try to wear flattering clothes both in style & color. Basically I’m a typical woman. Lately though I just don’t feel like I look attractive. When I walk past a mirror I see a woman in her mid-thirties (holy crap I’m 35!) with dark circles under her eyes, glasses that need to be replaced, a few skin blemishes & a Cheerio or two smooshed into whatever formerly clean t-shirt I chose for the day. It isn’t like I don’t try…I shower every day, brush my hair, get dressed in something besides sweatpants…I spritz on my favorite perfume… So what’s missing or has changed from even a few months ago? One is being pregnant…even though I haven’t gained any weight (it is still early days though) I feel rounder in my stomach & thighs. Another is I see other people & my brain picks out their attractive qualities. The sparkly eyes, wide smiles, glossy hair & even the quirks that make each person unique. I really try to compliment friends & family because hearing appreciation for the time spent making yourself presentable is nice. It is fun for me to see a smile get a little bigger when I say, “You look gorgeous”, or “Hey beautiful/handsome”, or “You’re looking hot today”. I guess I’m lamenting that it seems those words don’t reach my ears as much as I’d like. My point seems to have gotten tangled up in my attempt to explain that I feel like whatever beauty I possess isn’t visible… What do you do when you’re not feeling your most attractive & need a little self confidence boost? Do you shop? Go to the spa? Put on your sexiest/cutest outfit?

Things Learned on a Tuesday Morning

Nil17 — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:52:20 +0000

Learned some things this morning when I got up today. It was all a bit harsh for the unfiltered light of a Tuesday morning. As I stumbled, bleary-eyed from a night of being up with the Boy, through the bathroom I caught a glimpse of myself in the Mirror of Doom. I have to say on a scale of 1-horrifying it was definitely horrifying with a side of OMG. After that jolt, I’ve decided that never EVER being naked for any reason is a must. Despite the fact I’ve lost a truly good amount of weight in the last four months things are certainly not looking better. With the vertical scar down the center of my stomach, the bizarre increase of hail damage & stretch marks (which I did NOT have during pregnancy) I look like a candidate for a Halloween costume model. I light of that moment I proceeded to dress in two long sleeve shirts & jeans. (The fact that it is fall here in the Midwest & quite cool may have also had a little something to do with it.) I have been “exercising”…if you call running up & down the stairs all day, often times holding baby or lugging laundry, exercise. I don’t know that a more consistent regimen would help a lot…it’s like a landslide danger zone rather than a body in progress.

Another lesson I learned is if you ask yourself whether or not the jeans you are about to put on are “Mom jeans” then the answer is probably yes. I don’t know for certain these are but I’m using my educated guessing abilities. I have a couple pair of jeans that definitely are NOT “Mom jeans” but I can’t wear them every day. Again the weight loss is a double edged blessing. I’m into pants that are much smaller than I’ve worn in a long time yet I don’t have any that fit me well. As a fashion plate I am flunking. Too bad I don’t really have a rich relative in . I could use that $4, 682, 379, 510, 000 right now for a shopping spree.

That was all the lessons I could deal with for one day…I decided to skip straight to indulging in some snuggles with Magnus. He’s teething & fighting a wicked head cold. We cuddled & then napped a bit. After he woke up Magnus worked on rolling over…he can roll from tummy to back but hasn’t quite figured out how to reverse that. He gets from his back to almost all the way over but can’t quite manage to get that one arm around. It won’t be long though. I enjoy watching the new things Magnus learns much more than I did my own lessons today.

PS: Mini-rant~~ What is up with all these bizarre commercials for women & their time of the month? Seriously I’ve seen this commercial the last few days talking about experiencing intense monthly bleeding… “It may be a condition known as ‘heavy monthly bleeding’….” Ummm…. REALLY?? I mean REALLY??!!??!! That’s a “condition”? I honestly can’t believe that there is a “medicine” to combat that now. What other “diseases” are being thought up to make women feel like their bodies aren’t good enough as they are? It drives me up a wall that no matter what a woman’s body does somebody somewhere is busy thinking up ways to make us all feel abnormal & in need of medical intervention.

Fashion Week Or You Want Me to Wear What?

Nil17 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:11:06 +0000

The fashion world has been agog at the latest styles/trends for the autumn/winter season. Many of the headlines/tweets I’ve seen have made much of “plus-size” runway fashions. Apparently in Milan there was a kerfuffle over the designer who has opened the last 5 years being left off the official calendar this year. In New York, the big news was their first ever “plus-size” runway. So why do I (or you) care? Well I should start by saying that I do like seeing more realistic women on the catwalk. However, I’m not about to fall for the “real women are finally being accepted in fashion” propaganda being fired at me. For one thing none of the models are shorter than 5’8” (I’m guessing but I bet they probably aren’t even that short). Another is all these models are what I think of as “pretty fat”. These women are gorgeous, there’s no denying it. I see them & think “Damn, she’s looks fine”. But “pretty fat” is the least objectionable to the fashionistas. These gorgeous Amazonian women are plumb & curvy in all the right places. Never an unsightly tummy bulge or that inconvenient under arm wobble. But back to the issue of why care… I don’t know about you but I’m not 5’8”— in fact I’m just 5’2” & weigh somewhere between 200-800 lbs. (You didn’t actually think I’d post my real weight did you?!?) The fact is that all the clothes that look so fantastic on the catwalk look pretty ridiculous on me. I mean seriously why is it that pants are either too long (average) or just that bit too short (petite) so that I look like I’m wearing someone else’s pants? Not to mention that the pants (or jeans, shorts, skirt) may fit in the waist or the hips but never both at once. I just bought new pants a couple weeks ago—tried them on & they fit really well. In fact I looked in the mirror and wonder of wonders; I didn’t shudder & close my eyes. I even did a pirouette in the mirror so I could look at them from all angles. The rub here is that while the size I ended up purchasing fits pretty well there is a significant gap at the waist. Now when I wear them I’m constantly hitching them up just a bit. It is beyond me that we can’t get some sort of standard for women’s sizes. While making pants the men’s are made wouldn’t necessarily be the answer it would be a damn sight closer & could take some of the dread out of buying jeans. Another fashion issue that drives me up a wall is the way designers just make skinny clothes bigger. I get that this sounds like a no-brainer. The problem is that if you take a shirt designed for a size 2 & just add more fabric you end up with a tent style garment that resembles a shirt. Frankly I’m tired of wanting clothes that look good on the hanger (not dissimilar to the original model) but are tight in odd places (like under the armpit) but hang or gape too wide at the waist. Is it so difficult to use a woman of the appropriate size on which to base your patterns? Apparently it is because I’m appalled at some of the items I see for sale to fat girls (plus-size, BBW, etc. whatever you want to call us). I won’t even go into the whole shirt dress craze…. *rolls eyes* I have to say this…it makes me crazy to walk into a store & see WHITE pants in plus sizes. Come on ladies, you know better than to wear those white pants. They barely look decent on a tiny little stick person; you know that they aren’t the most flattering thing you own. I admit I’ve tried on white pants only to look in the mirror & shriek in horror. I know I’m not skinny by any stretch of the imagination but white pants (jeans, skirts, skorts, capris etc) make me look like Moby Dick. Were Melville alive today he’d die from disbelief that his creature had come to life in a women’s dressing room. Do yourself & your self-esteem a HUGE favor; resist the urge to buy or wear them. Of course no discussion of fashion would be complete without my well-worn rant about bras. There remains a disturbing lack of appropriate bras. I’ve ranted about it before (twice). I can now add in a diatribe against nursing bras. I mean for the love of chocolate—how is it that when a woman needs extra support the most it is as hard to find as an honest politician. I’m not kidding when I say the nursing bras I found that fit do not do much besides hold the girls in a general sort of way. Simply walking to the kitchen starts a jiggle that makes jello look sturdy. Forget running up the stairs or walking briskly through Target. How is it that when I want a cute, sexy bra all I can find are bullet-cupped, grandma bras yet when I need a bra like that all I can find are see-through mesh cups? It’s insane. I dream of the day when I can get an attractive (or even a slutty one if I’m really feeling daring) bra without having to sell my 1st born on the black market. If there’s anybody out there looking to make great bras for us ladies who have the need for great looking bras (and matching oh please let there be matching panties) let me know. I will happily be your muse. All I can say is ladies, you lovely women who look like women & not 13 year old boys, please be conscious of what you wear. Just because the fashion industry has deemed long tunics & “jeggings” to be the must-have look this season does NOT mean we should all run out & get them. Rather find that comfortable worn pair of jeans, a comfy second hand sweater & splurge on some great leather boots. After all, YOU are definitely worth it!

A Little Bit of Patting My Own Back

Nil17 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:14:01 +0000

As you may have noticed I don’t have a lot of positive stuff to say lately….tough is my first response to that observation. I’ve never been Ms. Positivity to begin with….the fact that things are craptastic right now hasn’t done anything to improve my outlook. For all you “count your blessings” people out there I say *blows raspberry* Jog On! There is one small area that is going in the direction I want. I’m not going to look the gift (? really not so much a gift as my damn gallbladder…) horse in the mouth on this one but it seems I’m shrinking. I started out the year with the intent of getting into a better shape…well a more fit shape….I love looking like a girl & don’t want to lose all my nice round parts. However, I did decide that I needed to be more fit & have more stamina if I wanted to continue hike etc. So with a goal in mind & a WiiFit in my living room I embarked on my mission. I did pretty good for a few months…slowly working up the length & intensity of my workouts until I was doing about an hour of rhythm boxing & step aerobics coupled with yoga. I felt pretty good about it too…coming home after a day in workhell & strapping on my Rykas, stepping on the Fit & off I’d go. Then as spring progressed I started to feel more fatigued no matter how much sleep I got, stress piled up & my gallbladder bothered me to where I just couldn’t push myself to work out every day. It wasn’t long before the workouts came to a screeching halt. As you know I got a trip to the hospital in early August & that little “vacation” induced 2 weeks of nothing but clear liquids. Let me tell you that’ll make the scale seem friendlier in a hurry. Anyway, now nearly 3 months later I’m still very careful what I eat (most of the time…if I do indulge in something it’s just a teeny bit ‘cuz the pain if I don’t would fell a hippo (which I’m resembling less all the time) so I avoid that like the plague). As a result I have shrunk a noticeable amount since January…I’m quite happy with the results. The slight downside (yet best indicator of my progress) is that none of my pants fit…I mean seriously it’s a little dangerous ‘cuz one good yank & the pants are at my ankles. Even the pair of jeans I bought that were 2 sizes smaller than my old ones are getting to be on the big side. I’m going to have to win the lottery at some point to get some better fitting attire…even if that means having everything I own altered to a smaller size. I have a new goal in mind & part of that is to increase my flexibility with more yoga. Once I feel ok about having my picture taken (read NEVER, you can’t pay me enough to do it) I’ll post pics of me in my more compact size…. Overall though in spite of all the difficulties, struggles, depression & generally challenging times right now I feel like I deserve a little pat on the back.

The Great Bra Rant Continues…

Nil17 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:08:35 +0000

Yesterday we went to Duluth to do some much needed shopping. All the usual things on the list: toilet paper, paper towels, dog food, laundry soap, clothespins etc. We also needed to get some new khakis for Husband & I intended to look for something fun & girly to wear to a wedding this weekend. It was a nice spring day. Lake Superior looked magnificent: tiny white caps frothing on top of slate blue waves. Inviting to spend a few hours sitting in Canal Park by the Lift Bridge. (Another time, and soon too.) Anyway, we went to one of the few stores in which I will shop. It was not the best trip. I’m not sure what the fashion people are thinking these days. Seriously, everything has either been time warped from a Bill & Ted movie or it looks like it came from a bowl of sherbet. And the ruffles, dear lord the ruffles…I mean do I look like I need to draw attention to my cleavage? I can do scoop neck, low cut etc but I do NOT do ruffles. My cleavage needs no enhancing…just some truly sexy support (see Bra Rant for the beginning of all this). To add insult to injury the saleslady (who knows me, I shop here frequently) proceeded to show me the most gorgeous new bra. Yep, that’s right, she went there. Of course it looks amazing, just exactly what I want…too bad it doesn’t come in my size. I’m not kidding when I say I went on a 10 minute rant in the middle of the store. Husband was slowly but surely inching his way out the door. I’m waving my hands, beyond totally outraged at the indignity of having to endure this line of conversation. The lady tried to say “Well, have you looked online? We carry larger sizes there” and “Well we do have this style here that may work for you.” Needless to say this only incensed me more. I went on a tear. It went a little something like this: Ummm yeah, that doesn’t really work for me. See I’m not looking for a white/black/beige bra. I’m looking for something stunning, in a demi cup with satin & bows, or a plunge in silk with embroidery. I am sick to death of wearing these old lady bras that either flatten by boobs our or turn them into some creepy bullet shape last seen at a Madonna concert sometime in the 90s. It’s completely unreasonable to expect me to tolerate these ugly, sex appeal-less things. I cannot be the only woman in the world who thinks she deserves some lingerie (panties, bras & other delicious naughty things) that make her feel amazing, look gorgeous & walk like she’s got a secret. Not to mention the men….why in the world would they want to see this crap. It’s off-putting! And think about them trying to purchase it…forget it. No man in his right mind would attempt to give it as a gift…he’s better off getting a new blender. After a few more minutes of the same course I threw my hands in the air, marched into a dressing room & beat my head against the wall. (None of this stopped me from trying on stuff that was obviously inferior.) This just made me mad at myself, bad that I’m not a Madison Ave fashion plate & sad that I fell into the same trap women have been falling into for years. Well no more…it’s not easy when I’m bombarded by people telling me I should be less than what I am (they’re just jealous…they wish they had my cleavage!) However, I have been reminded that I’ve got more than a few people (plenty with the women they love in the same cup as it were) who will give me all the support I need. Thus I shall press on…stay tuned for more insane ranting.

Bra Rant

Nil17 — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:50:05 +0000

Okay folks buckle in…this is gonna be a ranty ride. For all you men out there you may want to find something to shoot, or fix or build. For all you ladies who can walk into Victoria’s Secret, reach into a tiny little black lacquered drawer & pick out a perfect fitting bra I say I don’t want to hear how tough it is for you. I’m here to talk to (and for) the ladies who have actual boobs. No members of the itty bitty titty committee here. I’m talking to you girls with the melons, jugs, tatas & cans. What the hell is the deal with bras? Seriously??!! I mean all a girl wants is cute underwear that function. I don’t want some old lady beige thing with the sex appeal of a dead slug. I want something cute, with fancy lace & embroidery. Something in soft pink, midnight blue or crimson. I want a bra that is silky, slinky & sexy. I don’t give a good damn about anybody else seeing it. I want a bra & panties that match in cute girly patterns & colors. And I don’t want to have to wait 3 freaking weeks to order something that may or may not actually fit off the internet. Why in hell does it take 3 weeks to ship a bra? I can get an in-ground pool put in my backyard in 2 days…but for a bit of lace, satin & thread it takes an age. And they cost a fortune!! I’m sorry but it doesn’t weigh that much why do I need to pay $10 in shipping charges??? Bra shopping for me is a task that makes me rip out clumps of hair. The amount of time, research and general irritation it takes is beyond reason. We can send people into outerspace for extended periods of time & yet we can’t design a proper bra for anybody over a 36C? I mean come on people! How hard can it be?! Find a woman with big boobs, use her as a model, get some fancy fabric & sew the damn thing already! I’m so tired of trying to buy something that’s been guessed at. It does NOT work to just make the damn bra of a 32A cup bigger. I can’t belive with all the technology available to us, all the study of physics that someone somewhere is unable to provide me with a decent bra. Okay so I’m not a teeny little stick with razor sharp clavicles…I don’t want to be a stick girl. (That’s a whole other rant believe me.) I mean I look like a woman should…all nice round, soft places where they should be. I’m sick to death of having to wear the undergarments of a 90 year old lady. I may not be the hottest ticket in town but I’ve got a pretty great rack (ask Husband….he’ll back me up on this) and I just don’t get what the problem is. I want some support, some comfort & some style. Oh sure there are a few decent bras here & there…all you have to do is just hope it’s in your size, spend about a week’s pay, and wait forever for it to arrive. So I say we ladies of cleavage band together, march on Washington and demand our government bail us out of this bra nightmare. Why should we be discriminated against? We have rights for goodness sake. And for all of you out there reading who think you know me, think you have the answer, think you can show me a bra I haven’t tried yet…..I say HA! I have tried on more bras in my life than you can possibly imagine. I don’t want to hear all my options for making do, learning to live with it or slicing my body open to make them smaller. Hell, it’s been drilled into us to hate what God gave us & fix it with surgery. Well not this girl! God blessed me (and I mean how!) and there is no way I’m giving it up when some poor socialite in the world is feeling flat-chested. I shall press on with my search for the perfect, sexy, lacy, cleavage enhancing, support giving bra of miracles….and when I find it you better believe I’m gonna tell you all about it. I won’t let my girls linger in the dark ages of bad bras for spectaular tatas!

The Shape I’m In

Nil17 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:54:41 +0000

It’s been a while since I posted my intention to get in shape. Of course at that time I didn’t really say what shape I was going to get into. After a false start in February I worked hard to get into a routine in March. While I didn’t go hard every day I was consistent enough to start feeling good about my efforts. But first let me backtrack to the beginning of February. I had decided to work on getting more fit. I have some very specific goals in mind and I’m confident that they are fairly realistic. One of the goals is to be stronger, more flexible & have more stamina as I know that will serve me well in all aspects of my life. I won’t bore you with all the other goals…if you really want to know ask me. What I really want to mention is that February was full of good intentions & little else. By the end of the month I had done little if any exercising to justify the new shoes I had purchased. To be fair to myself (I know, I’m as shocked as you are…being fair to myself is an unusual occurance.) I started strong. I strapped on my brand new Ryka’s, put in my new Wii workout disc & set about getting fit. Of course I barely made it thru the setup process where I was tested on different exercises…let alone the 1/2 hour of aerobics I attempted to complete. This was enough to thoroughly discourage me. I was excited & set my initial goal a bit high. Going from total workout reject to an hour of shredding is insane. One attempt at that & the shoes went back into their box. I was ready to admit defeat before even getting going. As February ended & March began I could feel the cold fingers of a spring depression creeping in on me. In order to combat what can become a viscious cycle for me (Feel bad, eatsleepread repeat), I got stern with myself & pulled out the new shoes, the workout pants & my WiiFit. Since I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress I decided that sweating & boxing were good choices to start. I’ve also added some yoga poses & aerobics to the routine so that I feel I’m covering the basics to build my stamina, flexibility & strength. Now after a good, fairly consistent month of exercise I find it has done me some good. I feel more energetic (when I get the appropriate amount of sleep but that’s another story). I have noticed that my posture has improved & I walk more fluidly although I am not (and probably never will be graceful). Some people have even mentioned that I’m starting to look more toned in some areas (I don’t see it but that’s no surprise…I have a blind spot where any of my good qualities may reside). I do feel a teeny bit pleased that my legs seem to be getting more toned, my derriere is starting to show the advantages of all the step work I’ve been doing (I have a long way to go but it’s a start) & my ab area feels much stronger. I don’t pant when I jog across the parking lot to my Jeep at the end of the day. Don’t think I’m really putting a ton of effort into running (This would be sheer insanity on my part if for no other reason than my ankles have been bad since high school track). Lately I’ve increased the intensity of my workouts as I can tell that I’ve become used to how I started & I need to continue to push myself. I do longer, harder boxing routines, more step aerobics (with standing crunches, toe touchies & leg kicks added in) & more than the basic side stretch & warrior pose yoga. In fact I have come to enjoy doing the downward facing dog, palm tree, sun salutation & bridge moves. My next goal is to feel okay about how I look in dress clothes as I have a dinner date in 4 months. My sister-in-law Anne & her husband (who is currently in basic training at Ft. Knox) want to go out on a fancy, adults-only, night on the town to celebrate his triumphant return. Since I don’t want to be the only one wearing a burlap sack I must continue in my quest for fitness…I have some great girl clothes hanging in my closet. My hope is that come July I can don my fancy duds, my highest heels & get a great pic before dancing & partying the night away.