Tuesday 15 May 2012

No running for me thank you!

I started exercising yesterday, and my body parts are in conversation with each other, wondering how the other is doing after months and months of being idle.

Given my sporting background and athletic past, I am astonished at how I had recently moved to the opposite end of the spectrum - to complete inactivity post Tara's birth. Yes, there were physical limitations as a result of my pregnancy, followed by periods of intense rehab to get me going again. It took me more than four years to become 'normal' again. Then I relaxed...and haven't stopped relaxing for months now.

I don't know if it's a genetic blessing or years of professional sport that's behind my reasonably slender body frame. But my shape and weight usually stay the same. Pregnancy and birth, horrific as they were, somehow didn't affect my shape or weight either. Strangely I don't have a single stretch mark to show I was pregnant. It all went right back to how it was. Until recently - when my jeans needed that extra tug to do them up.

I know why it happened. I cannot pretend I don't know what happened. In addition to physical inactivity, there was a whole lot of food involved. The whole of April, until yesterday has seen plenty of cream on strawberries (I know... I know.. it should be strawberries with cream on, not the other way around!) and one too many cream teas, (those scones are evil!) My sister and her family visited after ages and we ate out at every given opportunity. Of course I had to join the kids for ice-cream - everyday. I don't know about anyone else but when my food wagon starts rolling... it rolls. For a long time with no stops in sight.

A valuable lesson someone once taught me is that if you notice the slightest fluctuation in your weight or dimension, the key is to act NOW, not next week, not next month. With that in mind I started exercising yesterday. I also ordered emergency evacuation of all ice creams and cakes from the house. I have to mention at this point that The Husband still works away, and Tara spends most of the day in school, so that left Yours Truly for the evacuation. Now I don't believe in throwing away perfectly good food, and it's not nice to invite friends to partake of half opened stuff. So I did the right thing, and ate it all. (Oops!)

That done, I bought fresh fruits, and decorated them in a nice bowl in the living room, got my old skipping rope and stretchy band-thing out and here we are now at day two. I don't like running. With all due respect to those that do, I'd rather stay still, get teeth pulled, have triplets, anything but run. I am also fully aware that when I run, I shed weight faster than you can say "Jack Rabbit." But I'd rather not. Running and I go back a long way. Memories of running before the crack of dawn, with weights tied on my ankles for extra resistance still sends shivers down my spine. At one time I could happily play tennis for five to six hours at a stretch. I have also been known to dance all night, or jump rope 1000 times each session, but I won't do running....anymore.

I have made a beginning, I have a modest target. I just need to get a kilo off a month for the next two months and I'm back on track again. I have done it before, and will do it again.

Wish me luck...someone...anyone?

No comments:

Post a Comment