The Road to Health

All right. So it's winter. Bleh. (You didn't know I hate the cold and snow? Where have you been? LOL!)


I no longer belong to a gym. With weddings, writing conferences, kids graduating, yada yada...I just don't have a lot of extra time and money. I had to figure out a way to exercise that I enjoyed, was practical, and affordable.

Ta Da! I found it. I'm doing Pilates Workout Circle. It has little cushions on the inside and outside to protect your body while you squeeze the circle for strength training. You squeeze it with your hands, feet, ankles, legs in all sorts of directions. All the time spent squeezing the circle, I'm also doing stretches, sit-ups, leg and arm movements.

Except that sometimes I end up in fits of laughter when I rolled over into a back somersault instead of just a half roll. The momentum, you know:-D For the most part, it's a tough workout that makes me feel like a kid again. I just play all over the floor! I can only imagine how it looks to anyone else when I'm clapping my feet in the seal pose and rolling upside down! Yep, as soon as I do that, I start giggling again.

Cool thing is that it comes with a book and a DVD.

So now I lay out a mat on the living room floor and start my DVD. And yep, I'm sore:-)

The best news is that I'm feeling soreness in my abdomen where I was previously numb from my surgery 5 years ago. This is exciting! Numbness can drive a person nuts!

One thing I've always done that has helped me persevere-I visualize the future. What I mean is that I keep my mind focused on whatever goal I have (right now it is to become Mrs. Montana) and see myself there. Exercising isn't just for the pageant though. It's for me, for my life, and for my future grand-children. I want to overcome the health issues that my parents struggled with. I want to be a healthy grandma.

I am visualizing me six months from now. Stronger, healthier, and a better role model for my family. When I look in a mirror, I don't look for the flaws. I actually look and daydream my goal. Not for any other reason but to keep myself focused so I will NOT give up on a good decision and action. Then instead of ripping myself apart in my head, I praise myself for staying on track. I look for signs that I'm succeeding. I find ways to reward myself with positive self-talk. A smile and nod that the soreness I'm feeling today is going to show next week or next month.

What goal can you visualize six months from now? How can you begin to praise yourself as encouragement to stay on course? What negative self-talk do you need to change to reprogram your thinking and to reach for your goals?

One last question: If you don't change the negative self-talk, what's going to be different in six months?

I picture myself six months from now, looking back, feeling confident and having achieved my goal.

Do that for yourself.

Go get 'em Tiger!
Angie