Funny story… I graduated school and my gym time plummeted. I no longer had to worry about a record-timed mile or being able to bench press half my body weight. No more teams, no more early morning practices, and no more away games. I was free of all those pesky requirements.r
I became sad when I learned what beloved happy hours were doing to my waist line. When I moved from my parent's house into a condo, I had three flights of stairs to climb and after my maiden voyage to Trader Joe's and back, I realized how simply carrying groceries would threaten to strain a bicep. So like most girls, I evaluated my diet and my workout routine – well, let me be honest, my lack-there-of-routine. I figured signing up for a gym was the first step. Swapping Greek Yogurt for Yoplait would be a second. Dial down the drinking, no late night snacks, and a healthy bout of cardio each week would surely transform my un-toned bod. Wrong again. This all works if I had been consistent.
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So another few months passed and I would visit the gym on the rare occasion. I was still a regular for happy hours with friends and I was way more interested in gallivanting around with my fiancé then putting in an hour of Pilates or yoga or kick boxing. I kept making the excuse that two hours of dancing on Saturday nights in a crowded bar with high heels was enough exercise to last me the next six days.
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As fun as it's been taking a hiatus from physical activity, I had to get real with myself. Ladies, this is a shout out to all of you who have been making the excuse that one more Thin Mint won't hurt, what's another glass of wine, and sleeping in instead of going for a jog is so worth it. That's fine when you're not considering what you'll look like in the photos you are paying hand-over-fist for and are going to last a lifetime. I would bet that you not only want to feel your best on your wedding day but also truly look your best. This is why, about a month ago, I stopped making up excuses and returned to the gym. It helped knowing I had 10 fitness classes to redeem at a second, pricier, more posh gym, and for days when I wanted to tap into my seductive side, I would have a few chair and pole dancing classes lined up thanks to a daily deal I bought (ahem- albeit months ago, I'm going to go to my first class starting next month – exciting(!)). For now, I've been working up a sweat on the treadmill and contorting my core in all sorts of nifty ways using a Pilates ball. I found a great workout partner to boot and she is both relentless and encouraging. Whatever works, find out and just do it. It feels great and on my wedding day, I'll thank myself for not starting just two weeks before but instead, getting in shape for my life months prior.
