Fitness CAN Be Fun!!

Well, after the illness last week that forced me to hold off a bit on my plans to get healthy, I was finally able to try a Barre Sculpt class at Seren Motus last night! It was AWESOME!! I am definitely feeling some "good" pain in my muscles today!

Those of you who know me well know that exercise is not something I have ever been particularly fond of. I have had times in my life when I have exercised regularly, but I have never stuck with it for very long. It is very easy for me to get distracted and fall off the fitness bandwagon!! I have never found exercise to be FUN like a lot of other people think it is, and if I could be healthy without it, I probably would avoid it! Just being honest here!!

When I attended the Wellness Weekend a few weeks ago, I learned about some of the techniques used in the Barre Sculpt classes, and the process fascinated me. I thought, "Hey, this might be something I could ENJOY doing!!!" So, I decided to try it out and see what I thought about it. I was right! I DO think Barre Sculpt is something I could actually ENJOY doing!! During the class, we worked muscles in all areas of our bodies, and I left feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. I am definitely feeling some pain today, but it's a good kind of pain, the kind that reminds me I did something GOOD for myself last night.

One of my favorite things about the Barre Sculpt class was that the instructors, Suzanne and Amy, focused on teaching us correct form so that the proper muscles would be worked. They also showed us ways to modify the exercises if we (ME!!) could not fully engage in the moves they were doing. They were supportive and encouraging, and they didn't make us (ME!!) feel silly if we could not do everything they were doing. Oftentimes, in exercise classes I have felt intimidated because my fitness level was not the same as the instuctor's, but I did not feel that way last night. I felt encouraged that I COULD do this and that with practice my level of ability would increase. The class was small, we were all ladies in the class, and we had bodies of all shapes and sizes. I didn't feel intimidated because I was not "skinny" or "buff" like some of the other women. I felt like I belonged and that this was something I could enjoy doing on a regular basis!!

Now, I will be honest and tell you that the Barre Sculpt classes are not cheap. In some ways I feel guilty about wanting to spend money on myself for these classes, but last night I had a sort of "epiphany" about it. Many of you know my husband smokes, and he spends A LOT of money on cigarettes each month. Last night on the way home from the class, I thought, "If Todd can spend $$ on something BAD for HIMself every month, I can spend $$ on something GOOD for MYself!!" Can I get an AMEN?!?!

I also feel a little guilty about taking time away from Sydney to attend the Barre Sculpt classes. When my Monday morning Bible study at church ends in a couple of months, I can participate in a Barre Sculpt class while Sydney is in school (Monday is my day off from work, and Sydney is in school). For other classes, however, I will need to take those in the evening, and that will take time away from Sydney. Since I work full-time, I am very aware of how precious my time with my daughter (and my hubby!) is. It's a little hard to think about taking time away from Sydney to participate in Barre Sculpt a couple of nights each week (I work on Sunday nights, too, so I am already away from her one night a week). However, I think it is important for me to be involved in fitness that I ENJOY in order to reach my health goals. I want so badly to be in better health, and I think I can be a better mommy to Sydney if I feel better about myself. Also, I think I would be setting a good example for her by involving myself in something that is good and healthy for my body. So, as long as I can coordinate my childcare for Sydney a couple of nights a week, I think I will pursue taking the Barre Sculpt classes several times a week!

If I am going to change my health for the better, I need to involve myself in healthy behaviors, and I think Barre Sculpt would be a great way to do that! I am looking forward to seeing how my body can get stronger and more healthy through regular exercise! I will share more about my fitness journey along the way so you can join me in my adventure!!

P.S. I visited Dr. Joshu on Monday, and I have a follow-up visit with her tomorrow. I will post more about that part of my journey to better health later this week!!