A New Year, A New Me...

I'm not going to sit here and complain about how much I weigh or what I look like under my clothes, but I will sit here and say that this year, I'm going to be a better me than I ever have been.  I am done feeling sorry for myself, wondering what my life would be like if I could wear a triangle top two-piece bikini.  This year, baby, I'm going to make it happen.  Alright, so maybe not the triangle top, because let's face it, a triangle top is just another name for nipple warmer...but I vow to expose my mid-section to the world and allow it to be penetrated by the sun, so that it too, may match the rest of my exposed body parts.  I do NOT want it to match my white bum.

I'm working out.  And not just any sort of working out, but I'm working out with Ryan, at a gym and guess what, it feels good.  

When Ryan and I first started dating, that's what we did.  We went to the gym.  And a couple that sweats together, stays together.  We were really good about it, too.  Then, pregnancy happened to both of us and well, let's just say the last place I wanted to be was in a gym filled with bacteria that I could potentially bring home to my newborn child.  So, we made our own gym, in our garage and worked out there.

Then, Ronan happened.  Pregnancy was my best excuse to not workout and to eat everything in sight.  My double chin doubled.  But, I nursed and nursed and nursed and the weight came off. What is funny, though, is that even though the weight came off, it didn't make me feel any better.  I still wasn't exercising.  That is, until December 27th, 2008.

I'm no newbie to the gym scene.  I've been a member of various gyms since my freshman year of college (where I gained the freshman-30).  And as expensive as some gyms can be, there is something to be said about paying $20-40 a month for a membership, with childcare...and being around a fair amount of people who are working towards the same goal you are.  It's motivating and it's entertaining.

I say entertaining because let's be realistic, some people are down-right funny.  The gym is the only place that knows no fashion boundaries -- where thongs on top of your shorts is accepted and where noone tells you that the 80's wants their tie-dyed MC Hammer pants back.  It's where many male upper bodies are twice the size of their legs and a place where girls give you dirty looks if your boobs happen to look really good in that tank top.  

It's also a place where you can stare at yourself in the mirror, flex your muscles and nobody laughs at you.  (At least not to your face.)  It's a place where grunting is normal and somewhere I often say to Ryan, "I don't want to do that because it makes my legs burn."  Does he take that for an answer, absolutely not.  But I'll still say it.

We've been on lots of "gym dates" lately.  We drop the kids off at the Kids Klub and exercise. We catch up on life, what work was like, what the kids did that day and what we're going to eat. No, it's not a dinner date at our favorite restaurant...but it's allowed us to reconnect and we are starting to become the people we want to be:  Healthy and Active.

I will have a six pack this year.  It might be underneath some fat and skin, but it'll be there.  It might not make it's debut until the next year, but you can't fault me for having a goal.  I plan to continue working out with Ryan at the gym every chance we get, not only for the physical benefits, but mentally, it's done wonders.  Exercise truly does decrease stress and I'll take that as long as it will work for me.

Look for me this year, a new me...more positive, more focused and more energetic.  I'm going to be able to balance everything on my plate and more...and maybe I'll be wearing a bikini while I'm doing it.