FitnessJawn #1: it feels good

6,353 Steps.
22 oz of water.
20 min Zumba ab, butt & thigh workout.

Yeah, I know about the water. I'm working on it.

So, this is the anti-beginning, because the beginning implies there is an end, and in this case - there isn't.

What there is, is an epiphany. Let me set this one up for you.

After the 3,234th conversation about my desire to be in the shape that allows me to "feel good, I ran 3 miles and did 200 situps" (via @TiaMowry on Twitter), I vow to wake up before the buttcrack of dawn rears its ugly head and get in a 3 mile walk. So, Hammy & I suit up around 7AM.

Now, while my mantra is to "get it in", what I'm really doing is trodding along. Slowly. I plod along, knees whining, back chattering and numerous and sundry pains chiming in and out like a poorly tuned orchestra. Yeah, this is the SHYT! Er, not.

But as I'm trying to avoid twisting my ankle on uneven pavement, or tripping over a random snake (this being, after all, Georgia), the weirdest thing happened. As I stumbled back down a hill with Hammy well in front of me, a breeze tossed my my hair, and I thought for a long moment.

This. Feels. Good.

Working out suddenly felt good. My knees suddenly felt, well - used. Not painful, not aching, but like they woke up. Same for the much underused muscles in my thighs, glutes and abdomen. I unconsciously had started holding my stomach taught. I thought briefly about my form - and straightened my back. This. really. does. feel. good.

It's hard to see in this pic, but I was covered in sweat, my hair's plastered to my head & completely soaked through, and I had a visible ring of sweat around my neck, armpits and lower back. But my body, my knees, thighs, abs and butt and the associated muscles were no longer screaming. They were happy. It was as if they'd gotten through a rough warm up, then remembered that they can actually play Bethoven together if I gave them a chance. "Hi, body, muscles, knees & back...sorry I've been ignoring y'all".

It felt good to see my neighbors getting it in too. It felt good to acknowledge their head nods, a silent show of support. It felt good to be up & out and saying "good morning" as they walked sweatily by in the opposite direction. It felt good to wave at their cars as they honked to show they were happy to see me handling biz.

I thought about the next steps. Not the 1,000,000 steps I need to go (really, that's probably 10^1,000,000 power - working out for the rest of the life that's given to me, yanno?). No point in dwelling on that. No, I thought about getting an ab workout in. I thought about how I'd handle the rain (fresh cut = good ponytail & Yankees cap). I thought about the running program I'm due to start in two weeks. And I thought: "I will definitely need to remember how GOOD this felt. It won't always feel this good".

Then I came home and Zumba'd my abs ;)

To come: getting my BeachBody on (gotta pick up the DVD's), Zumba for the rest of me (including working on my Brazilian samba & booty)n, P90X (e.v.e.n.t.u.a.l.l.y.) and running for fun/life.

I must admit, I never thought I'd own up to working on the FitnessJawn here, but that also feels....honest. I'll post periodically, when something major that's worth sharing comes up. Like loss of a dress size. I'll avoid detailing my charlie horses for your benefit.