I'm In Shape. Round Is A Shape.

Ok, so I'm not that bad off that I can describe myself as being round, but I am definitely NOT in shape. Breastfeeding has gotten rid of all of the baby weight and I actually weigh less than I did when I got pregnant. But did you know that breastfeeding mothers store enough fat in their thighs to make enough milk to last for 3 days if there was a famine and they didn't have access to food? That might have been helpful to me if I had been alive 200 years ago, or if I lived in a desert in Africa, but I really don't see how I will ever need those fat stores. So although my tummy is nice and flat, my thighs? Not so nice. I need to do something about that.


After reading Lauren's post about running a 5K this December, I decided that if she can run over a bridge that is like, up high and stuff, that I could run here at home, where there are no bridges and I can stay on solid ground. I decided to try the schedule that she linked to here and I planned to get started this morning.


What further solidified my decision to quit wearing an indention of my butt into the cushions of our couch was when Denny and I were watching The Biggest Loser last night and I absolutely could not believe that Bob was trying to get one of the contestants to run on the treadmill for 5 straight minutes. I could not run for 5 straight minutes, and I weigh like, 1/3 of what that person weighed. But then they did it, and they made me feel like The Biggest Actual Loser instead of The Biggest Weight Loser, so I just had to exercise today. 


And so I ventured out with Emily in the stroller, even though Bob and Jillian demand that you let go of the treadmill! Don't hold on!, but we all know that the stroller wasn't gonna push itself, so off we went, Emily, the stroller and I. First I was supposed to walk briskly for 5 minutes. Check! Then I was supposed to alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes. Oh boy. The first two rounds were ok. But then I started noticing that my heart felt like it was gonna beat itself right out of my chest. By the end of the next round, my mouth was parched and I was pissed at myself for not bringing a water bottle. Then a few minutes later my thighs were on fire and I honestly didn't know if I could make it back home.


I thought about just sitting right there in the middle of the dirt road until Denny passed by on his way home from work (in 6 hours) and took me with him, but then Emily started whining and I remembered that I actually had to go home. I didn't do as good as I wanted to although I did jog for 5 of the 8 minutes that I was supposed to. By the time we got home I was completely spent. My arms and legs felt like limp noodles and I was honestly scared that my arms were going to give out and I was going to drop Emily on the way inside. I guess I will be stretching out Week 1's routine for another week - that is if I survive the rest of Week 1. 


There is one upside to all of this: (ok, besides being in shape and not being ashamed to wear a bikini in public, although that whole bikini thing is useless to me now that summer is over) I have tons of energy right now. It took about 15 minutes for me to recover and be able to stand up again, but ever since then I have been on fire! I just can't stop doing stuff. I think exercising and I might get along this time. If it doesn't kill me first.