Well, I will start off by saying I have gained roughly twelve pounds back since last June when I hit my peak of 55 pounds lost. No big deal. I am only a few short weeks away from the beginning of my full-marathon training so I'm sure it will come back off. In preparation for the training, and to skim off a few extra pounds before it starts, I have been trying to find a good cross-training exercise I can stick too, or at least enjoy doing a few times a week.
I think I should remind you that I am a very busy mother of three little kids, and also a stay-at-home maid/teacher/cook/referee/girl scout troop leader/love machine...or mom. Getting to the gym is about as realistic for me as auditioning for America's Next Top Model. Therefore, I turn to a little thing I like to call Exercise TV on On Demand. I'm sure most of you are familiar. It has just about every workout you could ever hope for at just a click of a button. I have been experimenting with all kinds of fun stuff, and making myself look extremely sophisticated while doing it.
Cardioke. Oh yes, it is just as fun and ridiculous as it sounds. It is hosted by Billy Blanks'(the creator of Tae Bo and renowned neon spandex enthusiast)son. You dance around and move your body in a somewhat suggestive-hip-thrusting manor, and you are instructed to sing the lyrics to the songs playing as they appear on the screen. I was having a blast and belting out "Let's get it started" by the Black Eyed Peas. But then I began to feel a little bit uncomfortable at the end of the video, when Mr.Blank's wife performed a ballad she wrote for the fans. My medium-intensity bliss was pulled to a screeching halt when it turned into a sappy, overly-emotional musical. Emo + Cross-training = not for this lady.
On to belly dancing. And belly dancing it was. This video was instructed by a woman whose "belly" was rock-solid and when she gave instruction to push my belly out as far as I could, she said it like it would really be a difficult thing to do. She kept telling me to embrace my "curves" and to look down and admire my own gorgeous body. I have given birth to three children and have fluctuated between the same 70 lbs for eight years. My gorgeous curves resemble something out of a horror movie, and my beautiful belly looks like a road map. She kept telling me to act and feel sexy, but I couldn't help laughing hysterically at all of my body parts that were shaking when they weren't supposed to. I appreciate what this broad was trying to do, but I think to keep any shred of the self-esteem I have left inside, I should find another core-toning work out, no?
So alas, I am left with yoga. I have been doing this off and on for about a year, and it really helps with my flexibility and balance. I am still on a hunt to find another fun workout I can do in addition to yoga.
Any suggestions?
