the ramp up

Ah, day one-ish. I'm Sara, name changed to protect my anonymity...well more that if I told you my real name I would be less likely to bare-all.

My friend and I spent the early hours of the evening sort of dancing around and giggling in our bathing suits. When I arrived at the house she had managed to pull the swim suit on, tuck the length of the top up into the bra, push the bottoms super low, and pooch out her belly in a sort of "Ta-da!" kind of way. I bust into laughter and changed quickly into my own two piece. i was sure to make it fit as awkwardly as possible. Which it did anyhow because it was an athletic suit...the most awkwardly tight suits you can find. Like strapping one whole butt cheek into the entirely of a man's teeny speedo. I always feel thin until I put on that baby.

We both poked and prodded and laughed at our own pudgy parts and started taking our official "before" photos for the Gold's Gym, three month, fitness challenge. It starts on the 10th of this month and ends sometime in March. Then the measurements. Mine are as follows:

weight: 136lbs
waist: 28"
hips: 39"
love handles: 34" Note: this is the area below the waist and above the hips that I want to drop so we made special inclusion of its measurement.
bust: 34"
upper arm: 10" They don't call em' "stay puffs" for nothing!
thigh: 21.5"
calves: 12.5"
neck: 12.5" Why not, I am curious if it changes in size.

So, not bad but not where I want to be. Here is where I want to be:

weight: 126lbs
hips: 36"
love handles: 30"
bust: 34"
upper arms: 11"
calves: 12.5"
neck: 12.5"

In pondering this new endeavor I started to think about my history with working out. I was a very, very, very active child. Track, ballet, hiking, climbing, girl scouts, YMCA camps, swim team, you name it I was there and winning ribbons. Until I hit puberty. Then I was just "blessed with a high metabolism." Then I started smoking and the active side turned to teenage angst and giggling about boys. The most active I got was sprinting home just before daylight in time to sneak back in the house before my parents woke up.

The next highest level of activity was spurred a few years ago from a break up. For whatever reason I found running on the ellipticals and fist fighting guys twice my size in Krav Maga until I nearly passed out, a much better outlet then burning the bastard's house down. Since then, anytime I start to feel pudgy or depressed I go straight to the gym. Now we're being told that physical activity is just as effective as Prosac and I believe it. By the time I graduated with my first degree I was a hungry size four. Then I got a "real" job and an amazing boyfriend and put of few of the babies back on. So here we go again. And this time you can track it if you like. It wont get more real than this and no camera men will be spoon feeding you drama that you don't need.


Now here are a few things that I refuse to do:

No fad diets. I will not *NOT* drink fruit for two weeks, or eat only protein, or take laxatives, or what ever incredibly insane things people try. I will not run everyday because its boring and well...I hate running.

I will not wear coordinated workout outfits or make up at the gym...its gross.

I will not obsess over the pounds I lose. Since muscle weighs more than fat and I have little of either, I expect that despite my desire for 126 lbs I will likely break even or only drop a few.

I will not spend more than 50 bones a week to eat, and I will not be eating junk food (which I don't eat anyhow.)

I WILL be doing the following:

I will be eating strictly organic foods in smaller portions to offset the higher cost of commercially grow foods and to lower my caloric intake. I am a college student that is paying of the last bit of debt I owe and the money will be tight.

I will spend 6 days a week doing exercise of some kind with 4 of those being heavy work outs with aerobics, swimming, ellipticals, and bikes. The other days will be at least yoga for 45 minutes.

I will also be giving you, along with my friend, the play by play of how this effects not just our bodies but our mindsets, our relationships, our jobs, and our friendships and priorities. And we'll see about that contest, even if it is just to promote the Gold's Gym trainers and protein shakes (eveident in the previous winners) we'll be busting our asses without that.

-sara