Fitness for Dummies...

After several weeks of snow and freezing temperatures, the cold weather has broken and it is sunny and 55 degrees.  Glorious!  I cannot wait until spring!  I will work on the landscaping, put out a vegetable garden, go to the pool...Uh oh.  I can't go to the pool with this winter belly pooch.  And how can I expect to swim any length at all if I have become one with my recliner for the last three months?  This is quite a dilemma.  It appears I must change my diet and...don't say it...it can't be...anything but that...exercise.  *weeps uncontrollably*

I have been doing some research on diets and nutrition.  I thought about going vegetarian, but one day into it and I found myself chewing on the dog's leg.  I require meat...like a Viking.  A friend of mine was doing the South Beach Diet developed by cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston.  I checked the book out at the library and read it.  It was actually very interesting to learn about good fat and bad fat and how our body breaks down food.  I have decided to give it a whirl.  The diet is fairly strict about what you eat, especially the first two weeks, but not so strict about how much.  Supposedly if you get hungry that is a sign you may be TOO strict and need to take in more food.  The hardest part, according to the doctor, is the cravings.  I am into day 1 and I would shoot a man for a Nutter Butter.  I swear I would.  But I am not hungry and I feel like I am eating well so I will shoot for day 2. 

While I was at the library, I checked out a DVD on beginner Zumba.  No WAY I am going to a public class until I see what this is all about.  I stared at it for 3 days.  I moved it from one table to another.  Finally, I put it in the player.  Two bouncy young women were staring at me through the flat screen, "Are you ready??  Let's go"  Alright here we go.  "Shake those hips!  Are you moving your hips?"  Oh yeah, hips are going.  Whew!  This is some workout!  "Move to the music!  Don't you just love this music??"  Yeah!  Music is great!  Love the maracas!  Oh wait...those are my knees.  "And step and shake and jerk...You got it!"  Yes I do!!  I am on fire!  I gotta catch my breath... "Great warm up!"  What the hell??!!

So Zumba is fun, but I will probably be a closet Zumba-er...or whatever you call a person who Zumbas.  Walking is pretty straightforward and I can always fall back on that.  Point is I am doing something.  I am getting up off of my growing buttocks and getting healthy...at least for today.