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Excuses Begone: 1 Week of Fitness & Counting, Natalie Hughes

By on October 9, 2013
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By Editor-in-Chief, Natalie Hughes.

 

I had resigned myself to the body I saw in the mirror at 43.

Here is the list of excuses I had for being where I was 8 days ago:

“I guess this is what 43 looks like. Oh well. Could be worse.”

“You know, this is normal for women in peri-menopause. The waistline expands. May as well accept it. You’re no spring chicken.”

“Your schedule is so busy, you do not have time to tackle cooking and exercise.”

“There is no need to be that fit, gorgeous woman who walks into a room and makes people stare. No one likes that anyway. You can always offer other fine qualities.”

“Don’t worry, no one can see your butt behind this piano.”

“Just relax and eat what you want. Stop all the control freaking.”

“I guess this is what OLD feels like.”

“HONEY??!! Did you shrink my PANTS??”

 

Can you say, “denial?”

 

So after 8 days of planning, cooking and fitting in fitness, I sheepishly admit that I was full of baloney.

And I proudly admit that I am down 3 1/2 inches. (Go, me!)

So let’s rewind here and talk about the week. Last week, you’ll remember I started running. My first runs were half power walks, half runs because I was a little out of practice (like a few years out.) And for 2 days straight my poor butt felt like it had been kicked–literally, those were some achy buns and legs–but by yesterday my body had already decided it could run twice as well as it did in the beginning. The body is an amazing thing isn’t it? You ask it to step up the game, you break it in, and it just responds. I love that. We are so adaptable. And my 8 year old daughter is just so happy to see me out there, she’s following me on her bike or on her scooter, distracting cheering me on.

Can we talk about strength training with PJ?

www.phoTobinphotography.com

This is tiny PJ. She is now on the opposite shoulder from tiny Louise Hay, and she won’t let me get away with anything.

At first, reading the exercises I was feeling a little, ok a lot unsure about how to do these things without a live person overseeing me and teaching me. Enter You-tube. Things have changed in the world in the last decade, and I tuned into the Go Fit Gals’ channel, watched a few instructional moves, and I was off to the races. Oh, and there’s that 8-year old, down in the trenches with me, lunging right into my face counting the 20 reps…in a princess dress and thieved blue eyeshadow, I might add. She instinctively knows to move her body. She knows it feels great. I wonder what age I forgot about that kind of joy and elation..? Probably the day I started calling it exercise instead of playing.

Next week, I’ll be talking food (amazing), nutrition and how I didn’t eat the eclairs that my daughter was having for her halfie-birthday.

Yours in spirit (and health!)

Natalie

 

natalie aug2011headshotNatalie Hughes, editor, writer, performer and songwriter, is a gifted interpreter of the human experience, expressing passion, humor, heartbreak, healing and freedom to a depth that few writers reach. Natalie is also the Musical Director for Crystal Andrus Productions, providing music for short films, international speaking engagements, and powerful meditations. Hear her in music and conversation weekly as the co-host on Empowerment Class and The Crystal Andrus Show. Natalie lives along the picturesque waterways of Peterborough, Canada with her husband – photographer Michael Hurcomb – and her two children. For more, visit nataliehughes.com and find Natalie on iTunes,  Twitter and Facebook.

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