Making time

Making time for exercising is my biggest challenge when it comes to following a fitness schedule. I know that I can meet my fitness goals but when life gets busy exercising is the thing I put aside. I forgot about the many benefits of exercise: how it gives me more energy, makes me feel much less stressed out, makes me get less colds, helps me feel and look string and fit, clears my head, etc, etc. And, of course, those are just the short0term and immediate benefits. The long-term benefits are even more dramatic.

But, when daily life gets busy and I feel tired, exercising is the last thing I want to do.

I am hoping I can change that starting now. I really want to do the half marathon that I am signed up for on May 27th. This is the fourth one I have signed up (and paid) for and, so far, I have not run any. I basically stopped training in the last few months but I am determined to do it and have started running again. I know that I will be very slow and that maybe I'll have to walk the last few kilometres but I will finish it!

I am also starting a new gym membership and I plan to start weight training. I have been reading a book on weight training for women and am sold on the benefits of women building muscles - not merely toning. I plan to book one personal training session and have him/her show me how to use the free weights like the menfolks. Not that I want to be surrounding by a bunch of grunting, sweating men but I do want to be strong and fit and to boost my metabolism with some big muscles.   I am convinced that women who do not take steroids can not get muscular like a man and that there are many benefits to building muscle. I especially want to work on my arms and core.

The time I allocate for exercising is always unrealistic but, I hope to run three times a week (one a long run) and weight train three times a week in the month of May. My new gym is corporate which I don't like but that means there seems to be a club in every neighbourhood in the city, including one near almost every library. I'm hoping to be able to combine working out at the gym with working. Maybe I'll even be able to squeeze in a zumba class.

And, this may be a silly, shallow goal, but i would like to look good in a bikini by the beginning of July. I have a really cute, custom-made retro bikini. Some of you might think I already look good in it but I want to feel confident that I do. Silly, shallow, ok but not everything in my life has to be deep and meaningful (I am learning this).