I had an epiphany today. Mostly I got my ass kicked during the 30 minutes I spent yesterday with a trainer and my sore butt and legs helped the epiphany evolve. 30 minutes. That’s all it took to really feel like I did something. (And that’s all it took to get me to the point of understanding how some people vomit from a workout, seriously, the last moves….oh boy!) 

And truth is; I am actually in pretty good shape thanks to yoga, and the hike I took this last Sunday, I felt really good about. It was challenging, but I wasn’t dying. However...I am hypothyroid, 41, and I just can’t lose that weight I want to lose, my BMI is about 27%, and my weight is none of your damn business (gotta have some secrets!). I also have high blood pressure, it’s kind of a genetic thing, along with a tendency toward heart disease for the women in my family and I am sure you can understand that I would really like to NOT succumb to that! I know I need to work a little harder and eat a little better. We all know that’s what it really takes. Try any fad diet you want but until you make a permanent lifestyle change and get up and get moving and eat better, it will never stick. As much as I know this it’s been a challenge for me to do something about it as well. I also know this, I feel better when I exercise. The last month of last quarter of school I stopped exercising and guess what? I felt like shit and was exhausted (it’s my blog and I will swear if I want to). And then I used the exhaustion as an excuse not to exercise. The conversation in my head went something like this:

Me: I am exhausted.

LVIMH (little voice inside my head): If you exercise you will feel better.

Me: But then I have to change my clothes, and go downstairs, or drive to the yoga studio, then shower when I get back and I don’t even have the energy for that.

LVIMH: You sound like a whiny toddler, Just Do It!

Me: What are we now a Nike commercial? We can probably get sued just for thinking that, it’s probably patented. I want chocolate.

LVIMH: You’re being stupid.

Me: I know. I’ll think about it tomorrow.

LVIMH: Whatever Scarlett. (If you’ve read or seen Gone With the Wind you might get that)

 I knew if I exercised I would feel better, but we all make excuses. Nursing school is challenging and by all reports tends to be fattening, I’d like to avoid that too.  And I ramble on. Get used to that if you keep reading this. If you know me well enough, you know it’s how I talk too, so I is what I is! 

So the epiphany is this. 30 minutes. I have 30 minutes every day I can commit to a healthier me. Bet you do too! I probably spend a combined 30 minutes of the day reading all the stuff you all post on Facebook and as much as I love all your updates, priorities right? So, I got off my very sore butt and legs (a comical thing to see today), and got on my treadmill this morning and started that couch to 5k program I downloaded last week because I am doing a 5k in May. This program only takes a 3 day commitment a week. That’s it! But that leaves 4 other days to fill those 30 minutes. So my goals for those, because I loooove variety, is yoga, at the studio or at home, and picking up Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and 6 week ab workout because I need to work those muscles in that way too. They are 30 minute workouts, and I like to be pushed (they also come highly recommended from one of my Tracy’s who is quite fit and adorable, I know a lot of Traci's/Tracy's). The session with the trainer, while nauseating, was quite awesome but I can’t afford him, I can afford Jillian though. Hiking is on the list too; because not only did we get a great workout, we got to enjoy this beautiful state that we have, and spent some quality time with friends as well. I certainly expect some days I will go beyond those 30 minutes, but, as long as I do 30, I am good. So, the 5k training program is hanging by my treadmill and I am getting a dry erase calendar to document what I do every day because I like visuals and I am a slightly anal retentive Virgo.

I am sharing this with you all because like I told my other friend Traci (told you, there’s still more of them too) recently, I am afraid to put it out there and be accountable because then what if I don’t do it? (And by the way, Traci is one of my many inspirations and if I can figure out how to link you to her blog I will http://runyogagirlrun.blogspot.com/).     So, the whole point is making myself accountable to others and inviting you along on the journey. Greg is ready to make changes too. You’re not likely going to hear me talk about him a whole lot, he’s a little more private than I am. In fact he has no idea I have had this revelation this morning and am up to this, so if you end up here shaking your head at what your crazy girlfriend has got herself up to again, just know I love you baby! Let’s look better naked!

So how about you? Wanna look better naked?