Welcome to My Blog - Part 2 - The Road to Exercise

Although I was unable to exercise daily due to muscle and joint fatigue, I did try. I had gym memberships. I workout out to Jillian Michaels (The Biggest Loser person? I never watched the show, but her 30 minute workouts were recommended to me from people in a forum I was part of) in the living room, and just kind of gave up.

I didn't give up because I didn't want to exercise - heck, I'd been going to the gym since I was 17 - I gave up as I was just too busy. I ran a pretty successful International business making Bird Toys and Beds. I ran it on my own for almost 6 years.

I also had a full time career at my Clark Kent Day Job (with benefits).

I was working 70-80 hours a week - leaving VERY little time for doing anything myself or my family wanted to do. I went from a size 4 to a size 10 over these 6 years. My healthyish eating habits and sometimes exercise routines helped keep my body from exploding further.

I had to give something up during the summer of 2014. I made one of the most painful decisions I've ever had to make. I opted to close down my toy making business. There were tears - from me, my customers, and avian friends. I did this all on my own, and it was very numbing. It was a big part of my life and a way for me to exude my creativity along with having fanfare and cheers from My People. I still get the occasional email from customers looking for toys.

I cut back to just offering parts and wood (cut and dyed by me), and finally January 2015, I closed shop entirely...shutting down my website, Facebook Page, and that chapter of my life. That was another stone on that grave, leading to more tears.

At the end of October 2014, I discovered the Holy Grail of exercise programs - Beachbody Programs.

Yes, you've probably heard of them; no, I'm not a Coach; no, I don't drink Shakeology (I had some samples and they were DELICIOUS...the $130+ pricetag a month wasn't appealing). Despite my gym rat status in my early 20's, and feeble attempts at completing several Jillian Michaels workouts, I have NEVER had these results.

So far, I'm 183 days into my workout lifestyle. It probably REALLY annoys my friends that I'm OCD about it. But you know what? I'm seeing amazing results, I'm pushing play & doing it, I'm also able to do it EVERY SINGLE DAY because my Doctor is awesomesauce and I have the ability to now workout every day. 3 years ago, I wouldn't have been able to say that.

I've completed P90X3 & T25. And you know what? When you complete a workout, log it in, and write a blurb on why the program was great, you get a FREE DRYFIT T-SHIRT. I'm all about free things.

I'll probably do all the BB programs for ALL the free shirts! 

FREE TSHIRT!

And to get fit. And stay fit.

I've lost about 17" so far on my body (waist, thighs, arms, chest, hips & butt), and well..no weight until the last few weeks happened.

Along with my BB tools, I've installed Myfitnesspal on my iphone again. I'm not sure if it now makes me accountable for what I eat, biking 60km a week the last few weeks, or something clicked in my body, but I'm finally losing some pounds. Inches are great, but do I really want to stay at 160lbs at 5'-2"? I have a goal number and goal pants that I'll be happy with.

Not really - I have newish pants that are just waiting for me to climb into. I have dresses and skirts that I can start squeezing back into. I have more positive energy than I've had in years.

My life was being suffocated by things I felt I had no control over, so I'm just taking control in a different way. And I'm LOVING it. It's fun, I can shop my own closet again, and I'm feeling good about life again.

So I'll be posting about epic bike rides - especially since we're a 4-bike family now - we each have a mountain bike & road bike for whatever biking mood we're into that night after work/weekend. I've just started Insanity Max 30. And this is the beginning of the rest of our lives. I might post about regression with my CFS (or progress!). One day I will feel totally alive, and I don't know how I will handle it!

I'm baddass while working out