By Melanie from tales from the crib.
My arm swung out to turn off the alarm of its own volition. And that is the last thing any of my muscles did without great thought and concentration for the rest of the day.
We finished our first session of bootcamp, and I had muscles screaming and complaining in places that haven’t felt the benefit of a workout since Clinton was in office.
I have always viewed myself as fairly fit. I might not have a regular exercise regimen, but lifting the baby during the day, walking kids to school and to the bus stop, hefting groceries up the stairs to our apartment seemed like a good alternative for a concentrated routine.
Only since the kids have started school and I only have one little one at home have I started to think about what it might be like to have a little extra time for me. Getting on board with the ReVamp Project seemed like a great way to jump start the areas that I have sadly been neglecting for far too long.
On the first day of the workout with Total Results Training, I told the trainer that I am generally fairly fit but I haven’t worked out since having a baby in March. He told me that I might feel a little lightheaded and/or nauseous and that was okay. I mentally scoffed. Surely I could survive this hour-long workout without negative side-effects.
I enthusiastically and wholeheartedly did every exercise he described to us. I held my plank as high as I could. I flew up and down the stairs and enthusiastically turned to fly up and down again. We reached our last set of exercises using the bands to stretch our arms. Surely this would be the easiest part of the routine.
Suddenly, I knew that I was going to have some trouble. The world looked black, and I had a hard time seeing much of anything but the concrete. My delicious peanut butter bagel that had seemed like such a healthy choice that morning was threatening to visit me again. I found myself sitting on the ground before I knew it, willing everything to stay in one place.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish that workout the way I wanted to, but the experience really showed me the importance of making the time for me when it comes to exercise. By staying healthy and in shape, I am not only helping myself. I am setting an example to my kids and giving them the opportunity to have me around for more years (and hopefully those years can be spent without needing extra care from them!).
A few days after the boot camp, I am starting to feel better about my body and its abilities. More importantly, I want to make a commitment to continue with this routine, even after this ReVamp Project is done. I look forward to staying on the fitness wagon, and maybe getting my kids involved too.
Melanie is a mom to four kids. Now that three of them are in school, she can start to remember what it is like to eat your own food without having to share any bites with anyone. She writes about life as a mom and the crazy things her kids do on her blogs, tales from the crib and reviews from the crib. You can also follow her on twitter @mmmyatt.
The ReVamp Project fitness bootcamp is sponsored by Total Results Training