I know that when people first start working out, they have a very hard time getting "what's so great" about it. It isn't necessarily fun. Usually it hurts, and we live in a society where we try to keep from ever feeling pain. It takes up time that could otherwise be used pursuing exciting things like reruns of The Match Game and the latest MTV reality show. (Could those shows BE any tackier? I mean REALLY!)

That's the point at which I think you truly have to "fake it until you make it." Just say "I am going to have a good attitude about exercise, even if it kills me." Plaster a fake smile on your face. Muster up some fake enthusiasm. Hyper-self talk yourself into believing that exercise is the latest greatest thing since sliced bread and peanut butter, honey, and bananas.

When I first started working out I was having a conversation with a stellar young man who was one of my students. I had to get going to do my exercises I have prescribed myself. I said, "I've got to get going because I have to work out. UGH!"

To which he replied, "Ugh? You don't like working out?"

"No, I hate it. Talk to you tomorrow!" (We were chatting on IM about a homework assignment.)

"Really? Wow! To me a day without exercise is like a day without sunshine!" (or something like that)

"Well, J, I've always knew you were a little cracked, but I admire your attitude. I wish I had that attitude. TTYL!"

And I went and did my Pilates DVD, which I completely hated because it wasn't very active, it hurt, and it hurt. But those words kept echoing in my head, "I wish I had that attitude...I wish I had that attitude...I wish I had that attitude..."

I thought about that all the next day. After all, what is attitude? It is how we "feel" about something. But what is a feeling? Is it something that 'just happens' or is it something we can control? I had taken this marriage seminar one time called "Love is a decision" and the crux of that statement was, "We don't always love everything about the person we have married at every moment, so it is in those 'unlovely' moments that we must decide to love that person anyhow. Even if you've picked up his crusty socks off the floor for the 14th time this week. Love is a decision."

But love is a feeling. But no, love is also a decision. So if an attitude is a feeling, could not an attitude ALSO be a decision?

And right then and there I chose to adopt that attitude of J's (who has now graduated from college in an effort to make me feel really old). It started with self-talk. "I have to go work out" was immediately re-worded to "I GET to go work out." I also found an exercise I liked. NOW I like Pilates because I have better endurance, but at the time it was just not the right exercise for me. I joined Curves. I stopped "fitting in" exercise around my day and started planning it; every day after work I'd go straight to the Curves gym and work out.

So fast forward to almost six years later and I love exercise.  You know why I love it? Because exercise opens up opportunities. I have started running and through that have met some fantastic people. I started triathloning, and through that have met even MORE fantastic people. I can jump in the water and swim across the lake...twice and feel GREAT afterwards. I can bike five cities over and feel like I've accomplished something and had FUN doing it. I am strong! Yesterday I went on a kayak paddle with my husband. We were out longer than we had anticipated, so the last half hour was brutal against a slight current. He had to take breaks and I just kept on paddling. That felt awesome! Not because I was doing more work than he was (he'd kayaked with a group of us swimmers the night before and was sore), but because I held my own the entire time.

I also allows me to be active just for the sake of being active. Roy and I were talking about this yesterday. His parents needed something fixed on their computer network, so they asked him to come over. Rather than drive over, we walked over to their house and I ran six miles while he fixed it. We visited for awhile, then walked back home. On the way home we discussed how different our lifestyle is now. Before we adopted this active lifestyle we used to see a lot of things. We saw plays, movies, concerts, and watched a lot of TV. We watched other people doing things, but we didn't do a lot of things ourselves. We still see plays, movies, and concerts and watch TV, but we also DO a lot of things. We bike, we paddle, we run, we hike. We just have allowed fitness to open a whole new world to us. Summer days pre-weight loss would be waking up late, watching TV for a few hours, going to see a movie or to the mall. Now it's getting up early, going for a run, biking into Snohomish for lunch, or kayaking on the slough. We still might see a movie, but more likely we've biked or run to the movie rather than driven. It just plain rocks.

Exercise has even allowed me to have the confidence to start my own personal training business! I meet my first in-person client on Saturday and while I am, understandably, nervous, I can't WAIT to get to know her! Fat Tory would have never DREAMED of this venture. Fit Tory, on the other hand, can't WAIT to see where it takes her.

Well it is official. I am officially a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer (well, I told you that a few weeks ago). But of course that didn't mean I could go out and grab some guy or gal off the street and start barking orders to "Exhale with the effort!" Nope, had to get some ducks in a row.

So I did...


I applied for my business license. I got word on Friday that's it's cleared. Just need to get it in the mail.
I set up my fitness studio.
I set up my website at www.journeyfitnessonline.com
I acquired my Liability Insurance, in case I break a client.
I set up an online program for training people who are not local. I've done so much email support with people over the years, that I've had people ask if I was ever going to offer it as a service. Well now I do!
I even made a spreadsheet.

I still have some other things that need to be done, and an expanding to-do list, but I suppose that's typical. Now I just have to sit back and let the clients come flocking to me. Any time now, clients. Flock away!

Hmmm...maybe that's not how it happens.

Oh well, I'm extra excited about this, though. I would love to be too busy, but I don't suppose that will happen. I have had a few nibbles already, and I am going to advertise for my half marathon training program that starts in August for the Seattle Half Marathon. It'll be fun! I'll yap EVERYONE'S ears off and they'll not even realize they ran that far!

I like to poke around on other blogs. I enjoy reading someone who makes me laugh, shares the same manias I do (running, triathlons, geek-stuff), and is updated somewhat frequently. (I should update more often...I know.)

Anyhow...so here are a few of my favorite blogs:

The Athena Diaries: Misty is hilarious, irreverent, and almost normal in a wacky kind of way. She makes me laugh every time. She is a "reformed teacher" and I so relate to some of the frustrations she dealt with in that life. She is also formerly flabulous like me, and suffers from adult-onset athleticism. She isn't "fast" she isn't a "natural born athlete" but she is enthusiastic, and wicked funny.

WhoIsRunnerGirl? I just found this one when the authoress extraordinaire emailed me to tell me she is running her first marathon. I get a lot of "Hey, I has a blog too" so I eagerly clicked. Wowsa! I love this girl. She has a spunk about her and likes to wax on and on about how awesome it is to be able to do what she's doing (usually running). She also turned me on to a new yoga video podcast. I hope to meet her in Chicago when she runs her first and I run my...well...maybe 13th, probably 15th marathon. I bet she kicks my ass.

E-Flat Trail Runner: Laura is a friend of mine who is like this complete geek scientist type who responded to my pathetic plea on a message board for someone to run trails with. We've run together now for a bit over a year. (Laura, we are overdue for a run!) She keeps a blog about her trail running adventures. Laura likes to get down and dirty on the trails of the Pacific Northwest!

Run Big! Nancy is a fellow penguin who understands the beauty of the back of the pack. She is doing the muddy buddy this year and I am jealous. I want to wallow in mud and fall off my bike and play like a little kid, without suffering the consequences of getting yelled at for messing up my good clothes!

Eat Drink Run Woman: Betsy is awesome! She is personal chef and a trail runner and is semi-insane with this running stuff. We met online, and ran into each other in person at the Mt. Si Relay last year. Hey Betsy, I'm doing Mt. Si ultra next year. Wanna join me!? Read about her shenanigans as she works towards a BQ.

Those are just a few. I'll add more when I run across others I find fun.

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On the home front...

Last night was the Firecracker 5000, Seattles only midnight race. Fun fun fun! Roy and I took the afternoon in Seattle. Got some stuff at Frys to turn Guest Bedroom into Home Gym. Then off to Ikea for all things faux-Scandahoovian. We carbo loaded (LOL) at Dennys for dinner because sometimes I just like me some Dennys. Since it was First Thursday we went to the Experience Music Project and the Sci Fi Museum in Seattle for free (my second favorite word next to "Finish"), and then saw Hancock, also for free as we scored some online tickets. Glad that Hancock was free. I didn't hate it, but...

Then off to the Seattle Center to run in the holiday. As soon as we got there I saw Marie, my friend I met at the CDA Marathon who convinced me that I too could become a Marathon Maniac. She was there with her husband and son, so we hung out together and right before the race started Marie and I headed up towards the 8.5 min mile pace group and left our guys in the back.

I was feeling kind of iffy about my pace tonight because my tummy has been bothering me off and on over the last few days, and I just ran a marathon (always a handy excuse). We took off at 11:55 and stayed together for about 500 feet, then Marie ran ahead. She's much faster than I am. Well something happened and I found my sweet spot and about .5 mile in, I just felt like I was flying! My splits:

Mile 1: 8:24

Mile 2: 8:17

Mile 3: 7:49 (woot)

Last lap: 6:49

I finished in 25:39, which is just a few seconds off my best time, although definitely a PR in chip timed events. (The other one was with my watch.) Marie came in shortly after I did, and our guys came in within ten minutes of us. I'm very proud of that time!

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We decided to set up a home gym this summer because the YMCA gets more and more expensive every year. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, I love the YMCA, but our local one has raised rates every year and almost all of the improvement has gone towards children and parent-related benefits. We paythe full family rate and I finally got tired of it. There used to be a cybex area and weight room that were off limits to kids under 14. Not any more! Nope! Now the ENTIRE GYM is open to kids all the time! Whee! You know how much I love having kids screwing around on machines, being ignored by their parents, while I try to work out? Yeah! LOTS!

So we turned our guest bedroom into a little home gym/studio thingy. We got a small flatscreen TV that we hooked up to the computer in my office. We run TV, internet, and DVD through that hookup. You know what's cool? I am a Netflix Member and Netflix has all these movies you can watch on your computer, including probably 50 exercise video titles! So today I did three different ones with my new room, Jim. (I call him my personal trainer.) I also have a Nordic Trak that I picked up for $80 on Craigslist, a variety of dumbbells, and some resistance bands. I found a really good quality step a few years ago at the thrift store for $5. So it's all set! Very cool!

Speaking of personal trainer, I am now officially a Certified Personal Trainer! I finished my internship and sent in my proof of smartness and CPR/First Aid certification, and got back a purty piece of paper that says, "If you want to work out with me, I probably won't break you." Roy is working on my logo and my website will be up very soon! I applied for my business license, will get my insurance in place soon, and then hope to start one training group here very soon to train for a Fall 5k, and possibly the Seattle Half Marathon.