Week 5 Awww Nuts!

When is the best time to start a new exercise regime? How about the day after traveling 20 hours? Or maybe when the house is a construction zone? 7 am on a Sunday morning might sound good too. I know, it’s when the new Nike runners don’t match my jacket! Really, there is always going to be an excuse to not exercise. This morning I woke up and really wasn’t looking forward to working out at such an early time. I could have used any of the excuses above and if it weren’t for Tina from Fitness on the Go actually coming to my house, I would have had the motivation of a coconut to get out of bed.


This is one thing I’ve never been able to do… exercise at home. I’ve never liked it, I’ve never felt comfortable dancing in front of the TV and those ladies in leotards really don’t have any good feedback to offer me.

About 7 years ago I was at my most muscular and the lowest weight of my adult life, it was just before I was getting married and I worked out a lot. I was into it all… I went to the gym, I took Pilates, I lifted weights. But I had to force myself to do it! I did have some revolutionary moments at that time…. the most defining for me was seeing a nutritionist. Before starting that journey I knew very little about food….. I actually had to work at becoming thin, and pay attention to what I was eating. Well, I fell off that band wagon quickly after getting married and starting school. I got fat, I got pregnant, I got tired.

And after having my daughter I decided to try something radical.

I tried Capoeira!

The reason I started was because I thought it was too crazy for me. I expected to try one session of it and then quit, as it was out of my world, it was something that I could never do. But something happened…. I fell in love with it! The music, the fluidity and the concept gave me a spark that I never knew existed.

I told Tina my history as she made me repeatedly walk up and down the driveway like a sumo wrestler.(and yes, I felt like one too) I giggled as I explained that my husband will point out when I get testy, irritated and temperamental . We noticed that it happens mostly when I haven’t had the chance to attend class.

I had a small realization…

I used to work out because I was supposed to; I work out now because I need to.

I need it to keep my sanity and to keep my mind focused only on the task at hand. Never before have I felt like this, and never before have I wanted something just for me. I have passion now because I have found something I love to do and because I can release my tension and mind, my kids have a better mother and my husband has a better wife.

Then I had another small realization….

I hurt!

I couldn’t concentrate on anything else except for the strain on my muscles I had to endure for the next 30 minutes. Also that there really is no ‘good’ time to start a new exercise regime. It’s gonna be hard, it’s gonna hurt… but it’ll be sweet. Kinda like getting hit on the head with a coconut.