Sweat

Things that went right today:

1) Ran with my daughter before school. Hopefully the first of many times running together.

2) Have everything officially ready for Halloween

3) Picked up my travel documents for our hawaii trip next week.

Can I be totally honest here and admit that I HATE to exercise? I mean really loathe it. I am not a huge fan of sweat. Or sore knees. I watch others running by as if they don't have a care in the world. They actually seem to be enjoying the experience. But me? Well running is not pretty. It involves a lot of huffing and puffing and very undignified facial expressions. It usually ends with me collapsing in a heap and feeling like puking. Not my idea of a good time. I had actually thought I was improving until I ran today with my 15 year old daughter who just finished up a season of high school cross country. Can there be a more humbling experience??? Not likely. Weight lifting too is a contradiction. It's supposed to make you stronger but the only way to do that is to rip your muscles to shreds and be in pain the next day. I may indeed be getting stronger but I am often too sore to actually lift anything. Hmmm. Aerobics is better. But not much. I never seem to look as glamorous as the woman in the video. How does she keep talking and smiling and working out at the same time? I can barely walk and chew gum. How does she keep her hair in perfect order while mine is a wild mess? And of course she never seems to break a sweat while I on the other hand am a puddle. Did I mention how little I like to sweat? Seriously. It wrecks havoc on your makeup job, leads to a most unappealing aroma, and when it starts dripping down my back it grosses me out. But even though I do not love it I have been exercising a lot these past 5 months. Why? Because I LOVE the results. I have lost 25 pounds, look and feel younger, and have more energy. As awful as I feel while actively doing my workouts, I feel better all day long on the days that I do them. I may never fully understand this phenomena but I am rolling with it because it is working. Buying new clothes in smaller sizes feels really great. Success is a huge motivator. When I am laying in bed avoiding the morning's scheduled sweat session I try to keep the vision of the next lower pants' size in my mind, and like the carrot to the horse it keeps me going. It's not all about vanity either. I have realized that I am at the age now where I have to work at this a little if I want many strong healthy years ahead with my family. Youth is a beautiful thing. No matter what you do you seem to stay trim and spry. Past forty though it requires effort and...yes... the dreaded sweat. But it is worth it to be able to play with my family. Funny thing too. The more I stick with this the less I hate it. Could this mean that one day I too will run by with a smile on my face? Maybe. Or maybe not. But I am grateful today that I CAN run. So like it or not I will keep at this exercise business. No pain no gain as they say.