Learning to Run

I joined a gym to lose weight, gain strength, balance, flexibility and health. After having regularly worked out at the gym for one year, I am loath to report I gained 14 pounds! And no, it's not muscle. It's blubber.

Yes, I gobbled. But yes, I worked hard! I loved all the group exercise classes! I lifted barbells, spin cycled, Zumba'd and worked my core. I loved the yoga!

So, clearly, group fitness classes and half-derrièred efforts on the cardio equipment clearly were not working for me, other than bringing joy to my days. And yes, I'm more flexible but that's about it.

I said to myself, Sherry, look around. The same fat ladies that have been in the classes with you all year are still fat ladies. The ladies walking on the treadmills are fat. Hmm...the ladies pushing it on the cardio equipment all seem fit and trim. They always have.   Thinking back to watching The Biggest Loser, the contestants were running on the treadmills most of the time. Running. Hmm...

And so it has come to pass that this little unathletic girl, the one always picked last when choosing teams at recess and in gym class (with a reluctant "Oh, alright, we'll take Sherry") has decided to learn to run before she turns 50 this summer.

I began with baby steps in March, voraciously reading all the beginning running magazines and websites I find. So scared of injury, trying to not push myself, yet push myself. I have already lost 5 of the 14 pounds from last year. And I am NOT dieting. Just "mindful eating".

I'm running outside now. Very slow. Running/walking. I'm at 2 miles in 40 minutes. I'm so tickled because the last time I ran outside, I actually wanted to run more than walk. So I did. Today it rained, so I ran on the treadmill with this playlist I made from my iTunes library, which I'm trying to navigate. It's on my iPod. I was worried I wouldn't want to run hard or finish, since I've been enjoying outside so much, but this music really kept me happy! Lots of songs have great memories. The Bee Gees hold a special place in my heart, I met them a few times, sigh. And I'm a Disney girl and love The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room. Conway Twitty, what memories. The Eagles, I've really just become attached to them this year. Sara Evans blows me right into her world. The Roy Orbison song, Candy Man, I heard Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees practicing it to cover at a concert. I had my ear to the door. And got busted, LOL. Tony Bennett, gotta love him! Saw him in concert last year. Go if you can!

Words 4:19 Bee Gees
The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room 2:39 Disney's Greatest, Vol. 3
Tight Fittin' Jeans 2:50 Conway Twitty
Three Chords And The Truth 4:04 Sara Evans
Nights on Broadway 4:41 Bee Gees
Hotel California 6:30 The Eagles
Edge of the universe 5:16 Bee Gees
Candy Man 3:34 Roy Orbison
The Best Is Yet To Come 3:40 Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
Are You Havin' Any Fun? 2:46 Tony Bennett & Elvis Costello

Anyhow, every time a lose one pound, I treat myself to purchase one song. I've gotten Adele, Lady Gaga and The Eagles already. Every five pounds, I get a new bottle of nail polish. I'm thinking a new purse at ten pounds. My goal is thirty pounds.

As the little engine that could said, "I think I can, I think I can. I know I can,  I know I can."

I encourage you to make yourself a special playlist from songs that have lovely memories or conjure up fun times to come. Get moving!