Go Higher! - Oh my aching everything!

Now, I know that I'm not fat. God has blessed me with some great genes (Honorable Mention for my Mom), and I've never really had to work very hard to stay at a reasonable weight and appearance. That being said, as I've gotten older (and I know I'm not old either), I've noticed a shift. I've just gotten soft - in every sense of the word. Soft on my physical activity. Soft on eating well (though I've NEVER been good at that). And my body has gotten soft - not fat - just soft.

How and WHY did I let this happen? I am a healthy woman with absolutely NO EXCUSE for being lazy and eating like a teenager. I look at myself in the mirror, and I think, "Ok. Not bad.", but then I see myself in pictures, and I think, "Eewww. Who is that?!" Well, NO MORE.

Thanks to Dude's wonderfulness/generosity, yesterday I started a series of 5 private Pilates classes...lessons...training sessions? Well, whatever they're called, it's just me and my pilates guru, Manon, on these contraptions that look vaguely like torture devices. I mean, look at these things!!!

I've never had a personal trainer, so this was a whole new world for me. Manon (bless her German heart) is thankfully very patient with my awkwardness (HOLY AWKWARDNESS, by the way!). Having someone watch everything I'm doing and making sure I do it correctly is INTENSE. Suck that in. Move that over. Tighten this. Loosen that. WOWZA! As a former dancer (and I'm using that term loosely), I was marginally optimistic that I wouldn't be a complete idiot at this. Let's just say, I've got a LONG way to go.

Just like after you go horseback riding or water skiing, I am sore in places I didn't even know had muscles, and I'm walking around like an old lady today. It's great though, because it hurts so good in all the right places! I've got to be believe that I will eventually get the hang of it, but until then, Monday and Thursday mornings at Pilates of Dunwoody should be pretty entertaining.