Welcome Back Muscles

I grew up on a street full of boys--except my dear friend and fellow tom-boy Rachel--boys who loved sports. In the cul-de-sac we played football, soccer and kickball. In my driveway we played basketball and tether-ball (yup, my parents drilled a hole and installed a pole in our driveway!). And when we were not playing any of those sports, we were riding our bikes or solving "mysteries" by running all through the neighborhood. By high school, I was playing soccer 11 months out of the year. And in the few after school and weekend hours I was not playing, I was coaching or refereeing. All winter Dad took us snow skiing on the weekends, and by my freshman year I was a slalom-ing champ, attacking black diamond slopes with my typical gusto. I played 2 years of college soccer, and after that career still went to the gym or ran morning miles often. While I never had the anorexic-model body type, I was always very fit, and could hang with the 22 boys who ruled my street. I had an athletic build--that's how Dan described me his friends before I met them. 

Something happened.

3 kids, yes. But more than that. 

My years on the mountain made running very difficult. It's hard to run on the side of a highway, in the snow or ice. We bought an elliptical, and I have used it on and off-but honestly, I am not one for the same workout over and over again.

My mid section is not the firm, tight slab it used to be. My arms jiggle a little more than I think they should. And my stamina when we play sports at youth group--well, let's say after an hour of hockey or soccer my legs and lungs begin their protest. At 1.5 hours they threaten to collapse.

I have been watching The Biggest Loser online while grading essays. It's amazing to watch. Some of the contestants have lost 80+ pounds in 8 weeks! Yikes! I only need to lose 15-20. That would only take 2 weeks on that ranch!

As I have grown weary of my elliptical workout, I have started looking at Bob's Biggest Loser Workout Videos. And on Wednesday my friends Scott and Cassie let me borrow their copy so I could check it out.

It. Is. Amazing.

You have to do it! I did the warm-up, Level 1 Cardio, and the stretching. 

Amazing. 

Anyone can do it! Bob shows you how to add or take away impact and difficulty depending on your fitness level. You can do it! Get it! Do it!

At the end of the 20 minute workout part I did not want it to end. But then the yoga stretching section came on. I LOVE IT! Now that I "get" the stretches, I will do them everyday and pray at the same time.  

I plan to do this video everyday, until I figure out which one (or ones) to buy. Seriously people, if you live in So Cal like me, bathing suit season is around the corner. The time of year I dread! I am determined to get fit--I eat healthy, and am relatively active, but now I want to be FIT. 

Will you join me? Get the video--rent it first if you want to. Let's do it!