It's the little things

This morning I did my exercises.  My kids laughed at me. Why? A few days ago I added a DVD to my workout routine. As I told you a couple of weeks ago, I have been using the Weight Watchers Next Move DVD. I do one of the five 20 minute workouts per day. I really enjoy them. They are slow enough for me to keep up but challenging enough for me to feel like I worked myself when I am done.

I decided that I could use an additional workout added to it for some variety.  I have a Tony Horton's 10 minute workout DVD that my mom gave me a couple years ago that I have never tried.  It has a 10 minute abs workout that my abs need desperately.

So 4 days ago I popped it in after my Next Move 20 minutes.  I had high hopes for my sagging ab area.  With 5 kids and a 70 pound weight loss my stomach area is something that should be hidden from plain sight.

The DVD started and after just 2 seconds I was already lost. "Okay, so this is a fast moving DVD so I need to pay close attention but it's only 10 minutes so I can certainly do it," I thought.  Tony Horton explained that the exercises will change every 30 seconds.  "Good, that will keep it exciting."  Exciting?!?  That's an understatement!

I kept up with the fit, skinny, young lady demonstrating the first exercise after I got past the initial shock.  Then she moved on to the second exercise.  I couldn't possibly change positions that fast!!  And the change wasn't even that major.  Both positions were on the floor on my back but yikes, you really want me to do that!?  I did it.  My form was terrible and I wanted to start crying because my abs hurt terribly and I was out of breath, but I did it.

Third exercise, no way!!! Turn it off.  My kids laughed at my sad attempt to fix my unappealing abs but I announced that it was okay. "Tomorrow I will do 2 minutes," I told them. "I'm not hurting myself."

Day 2 came and the kids were perched waiting for the show.  I did my 20 minute of Next Move and put in Tony's DVD.  I stuck to the plan.  I did 2 minutes.  That was 4 exercises since dear Tony switches exercises every 30 seconds.  My abs were thanking me for making them work after they were done screaming at me for being so cruel.

Yesterday I didn't exercise.  I'll admit it. It was a busy day and it just didn't happen.  I've learned to forgive myself on these days.

Today was Day 3 then.  I needed to do 3 minutes of my lovely abs workout.  I got through the first 2 minutes more successfully than I had the previous 2 attempts.  I was learning and proud of myself.  Then the 5th exercise poked it's head into the DVD.  "Oh, my goodness!!" is what I was saying by now.  My daughter responded with, "Oh mom, that's not hard."  It's a good thing I don't swear so I just abruptly said, "Just be quiet!"

She was right to a certain degree.  Once I got the rhythm of the movements it wasn't that hard.  Next was the 6th and last exercise for the day.  Almost done.  The cute little young lady on the screen moved off of her back onto her side and then supported herself sideways with just one hand and the side of one of her feet.  She was basically doing a sideways plank only supported by one foot and one hand.  This is the best way I can describe it.  I was shocked and appalled that she was making me try to get into this position but it was part of my 3 minutes so I had to try it.  I tried it.  It took me the first 10 second of the exercise to get even close to the right stance.  Then Tony said, "Show them the variation." She then went down on one knee.  I screamed at the TV, "Show the variation first!! I can actually do the variation!!"  I did the variation for the next 20 seconds and was exhausted.  I quickly turned it off the second it hit my 3 minutes.

All this just to improved those abs.  With my current schedule I will get to do the entire 10 minutes of the DVD sometime over the next 2 weeks.  Am I crazy to just do 3 minutes of a DVD?  Maybe, but I'm happy with my little steps.  My little steps will turn into big steps eventually.  For now, I'll take any little progress I can get.

Corinna

"In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it." -Isaiah 2:2