All sorts of confident

DAY 1

With the children suitably occupied, I am determined to start the project with a bang. A (brisk) walk around the neighborhood on this lovely cool morning! Whee!

First up: Dress myself in exercise ware. We have discussed at length on many different occasions the importance of looking like you’re a regular exerciser, whether you actually are or not. If you are smartly dressed in sleek athletic ware, no matter your shape or size, people automatically assume you have been exercising or are going to exercise at some point in the day. This can garner some respect. And if you do actually exercise, being dressed in a way that makes you feel good goes a long way in motivation. I am not altogether pleased with what I manage to pull out of my closet today. Some sweat pants. A faded black tank top. And some socks with holes in them that once sported the Nike symbol. But, undeterred, I dress as sportily as I can.

Next important part of exercising: Tunes. I have heard real exercisers say that they don’t like listening to music, but just the sound of their own breathe and heartbeat. That is lovely… and I aspire to one day understand that. But, that is seriously not going to cut it for me at the moment. For the past several years, in my sporadic exercise attempts, I have used an MP3 player, bought new when MP3 players were all the rage. Since I promptly lost the instructions when I first got it, it doesn’t have any music on it. So I tune into the radio, usually the local easy listening station with the least commercials, and bop along to the likes of old Wilson Philips songs. This is disturbing to many of our friends, particularly the guys, who are technologically advanced and think I am insane. But, I refuse to let this stop me.

BFF and I discuss the absolute importance of getting some good exercise music as we sit in the car one day, with sleeping babies in the backseat. With fresh resolution, we call her husband, convinced this one small detail is the only thing standing between me and regular exercise.

“Honey,” she says (all business), “please tell us again how EXACTLY we can put music on Mimi’s MP3 player.” (He knows about these sorts of things.)

“Ok,” he replies patiently. “She needs to get in her car…”

“Ok…” BFF replies, confident we are onto something.

He continues: “…drive to the store…and buy an Ipod.”

I finally give in and purchase an Ipod. Oh, the whole new world! Pleased, I conclude, investing money in tunes is well worth it.

And so now I am off. I start down the street (now bopping along to “Doncha Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me”). Five minutes in, I suddenly realize the beauty of the 5-minute exercise plan. Yes, I could turn on my heel and head home, having accomplished what I set out to do. But, what the hay – I’m out, I’m dressed, I’m gonna keep on going. Twenty minutes in, when I am the furthest from the house, I am not too entirely pleased with having scoffed at the 5 minute plan. If I had my cell phone, I might have called my husband to come pick me up. It is getting awfully hot. But, with no other choice, I soldier on. Finally returning home, I have walked (briskly!) for 40 minutes. And therein lays the genius of planning to exercise for only 5 minutes. By the time you dress, get your tunes, chances are you are going to do more.

Being a perfectionist, I tend to be black and white. I’m either going to exercise 30 minutes to 1 hour a day, 5 – 6 times a week, or I’m not going to do it at all. And this also requires extensive planning, charts, lists, and laying out of clothes the night before. You might see why I have completely lost my steam by the time I actually get around to the exercise part. With the goal of 5 minutes a day, EVERY DAY, no matter what, it takes out some of the guess work. I should be able to do this no matter what I’m wearing or where I am.

In other words, I am all sorts of confident.