Gone Swimming and Celebrity Spotting

Things have been going pretty well with my quest for fitness. Some weeks are better than others, but I make it there every week. 

Last week I decided to have a peek at the swimming pool. I have always loved swimming or splashing in the sea, but have never gotten into swimming laps. What I found beyond the ladies locker room was a treat for sure! They have a very very nice spa area with a huge hot tub, two saunas, a steam room, an ice room and a fancy tropical shower or ice blast shower. I have to say it is pretty amazing. The pool also looked pretty good, so I decided to give it a go.

I decided that I was going to take up swimming and indulging in the luxury spa area. Which meant I need to get a bathing suit. Something that I wasn't looking forward to. I've got a nice J Crew suit packed away somewhere in Minnesota, but it was of no use to me now so I went down to the mall.

I found a very decent Speedo style suit for 5 pounds! I couldn't believe how cheap it was. Usually a cheap suit back home would run you at least 25.00 dollars, so I was pleasantly surprised. I will have to go back and pick up some goggles, at 3.99 you really can't go wrong. The suit in the picture isn't the one I bought, but isn't it super cute?

I've been swimming now three times and I have to say that I really like it. I am feeling the benefits of exercising and with five weeks to go before I come back to Minneapolis I am well on my way!

P.S. Matthew claims that he saw the butler (Geoffrey) from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air in the saunarium.....

Up in the gym, just working on my fitness

My commitment to exercise and healthy living has been going pretty well. I gave myself a goal of getting in good shape on the 9th of March. At that point I would  have 9 1/2 weeks before I go back to Minneapolis for a visit so I made myself a schedule and it started out great. This is week three and so far so good. The first week I went to the gym everyday for two hours. I usually warm up on the exercise bike (while reading a gossip magazine) and then do an aerobic class. 

Now, some might think going to the gym for two hours is a bit much. Although I am not going to work, so I've got the time. Don't worry. I am not drinking protein shakes and wearing a sweat band 24/7. I haven't gone over the top. 

I've been into the Nike Rockstar Dance Hall workout. I absolutely love it. You learn a "dance" in an hour and it's good fun. I call it my MTV booty dance workout. I throw in some weights and some other evil classes like Legs, Bums and Tums and hopefully there will be some results by the end of it.

I've been wanting to try a spinning class, but I find the seats to be a little uncomfortable. I guess I could just really go for it and stand the entire time, but come on. Would I really do that? No.

I didn't do as well as I wanted to last week. I only managed to get to the gym once. I was doing an intense project management training course and I needed to study every night. I managed to eat well and get lots of water, so that's good. I don't have a certain weight that I am trying to achieve, although the Beyonce body is what I am going for. They play her put a ring on it video all the time at the gym. Who knows, you just might see me in Minneapolis sporing a black leotard and nothing else!

I'd also like to give a shout out to my friend Elyse! Thanks for the support, I miss you and your laugh :)

Getting Fit

I put up a FB update a while ago that I was going to get into shape. I said I might be unemployed, but I don't have to be out of shape and unemployed. Which, at the end of the day is true. I've had a membership to a great gym, Virgin Active, for a long time. I haven't exactly been making the most of that. I have nothing do to day all day besides look for a job, so technically I have no excuse not to be fit and healthy.

Although many people will tell you it's hard to get motivated, especially when you aren't working. As counter intuitive as it seems its true. For a while I rebelled against going to the gym because I did have the time to go, I want to be working not working out!!! I've never been the kind of girl who counts calories or is obsessed with my body. I have the fortunate body type that just kind of gets big all over instead of in one place, so you don't necessarily feel that fat...but then you see a photo of yourself at Christmas and there's no more denial.

My friend Raya is getting married on May 16th so I have given myself the goal of getting in shape for that trip back to Minnesota. So if by some cruel joke I don't have a job by then, at least I will be looking good. My fitness plan involves drinking lots of water, eating fresh fruit and veg, cutting out the junk and getting to the gym everyday. I've done it before and I can do it again.

There was only one other time in my life where I really decided to get into shape and that was when I was 18 years old. I bought a great workout tape from the Goodwill. It was was filmed in the 60's and it was a blast. I did that and jumped rope every day and became fit as a fiddle. So, I am making the commitment here and now on this blog!