omg kill me now

[wordinista]

Okay, so... yeah.  I've made a disturbing discovery. Actually, it's not so much a "discovery" as an "acknowledgment."  I have fallen so completely out of shape it's not remotely funny.  I was doing pretty good last summer, taking regular trips to the college fitness center.  In fact, I was doing damn good.  And then we moved a half hour away from said fitness center, and I got a lot less "good."  So, then we moved back closer to where we lived before, and I'm rather close to the fitness center -- again.  But I feel kind of weird using it, since I'm not exactly teaching this semester.  I'm still an employee, so I suppose I COULD use it, but... yeah.  Feels weird.

So, this past weekend, I found this.

It seemed like a good idea, actually.  "Seemed like a good idea at the time," as they say -- famous last words.

Holy shit, kill me now.  I knew I'd fallen out of shape, but this?  Is ridiculous.

Of course, it reminded me why I prefer to go to fitness centers and use equipment -- I like seeing my progress.  It's harder to see progress when you're working out at home.  (And I'm constantly afeared of catching my fingers in the ceiling fan -- yes, I'm that tall.) 

I'll keep using it, because I'm just that much of a masochist, and I feel as if maybe I haven't given "Maya" a fair shake.  For an animated "trainer," she's far more tolerable than most aerobics instructors I've seen.

My plan is -- and I do have a plan -- is to shed some poundage and get my lower body back in the shape it used to be, and then see about taking riding lessons again.  I've probably forgotten all I've learned (heels down, dammit!), and I'm probably too old to start up again, but after reading so many of vitanifyrewolf's posts, it's hit me that I really miss riding.  I mean, a LOT.  I even got a new pair of riding boots after I moved up to Alexandria, with the belief that I'd start up again.  Unfortunately, grad school took up a bit too much time for that.  So I've got a sweet pair of boots I've never even USED, and a definite itch to ride again.  Lessons weren't that expensive, if memory serves, unless I wanted to lease a horse.  (Ohhh, that was tempting for a long while. Still is, except for, you know, the money part.)

I'm sure I'm not the only 30 year old out there yearing to recapture her halcyon days of old.

...

Dear god, is this the start of a mid-life crisis?

Comments

[hyanan.livejournal.com]

*hee* I know what you mean about the "days of old." I'm not even sure I had any since I've been fighting the fat demon my whole life, but I do know what you mean.

Getting old is teh suck.

[mscongeniality.livejournal.com]

Could be worse...a few years back I bought a workout DVD with the intention of getting in shape...it was 'The New York City Ballet Workout'. In a general sense, it was a good idea. I did dance for years, I'm familiar with the type of exercises involved and I still am more limber than I have any right to be given my general sedentary behavior.

Of course, the one time I put the DVD on to assess the difficulty level I fell asleep watching it.

No...I'm not kidding. I was waaay overtired and the damned thing had a classical music soundtrack that just lulled me straight to sleep.

Of course, I probably could do the majority of the exercises...if I didn't live in apartments. You see, most of them involve jumping which is something I'm reluctant to do when I've got people living immediately below me. So...yeah. No NYC Ballet Workout for me.

[ankoku-jin.livejournal.com]

Whoa, I'm stunned, the virtual trainer doesn't look like a Barbie doll. @_@ Boi brought an Xbox (hisss) along with him, I'm tempted to give that thing a try as an "active recovery" exercise on my non-weight-training days. (I do find that if I do something besides sit on my arse on those days, I recover much more quickly.)

I'm pushing 30 myself, which I suppose is part of my motivation for taking up weightlifting again (not to mention having the constant example of my super-thin 22-year-old bf in front of me, egads). At his age, I was 5 feet tall, 146 lbs, and a size 4. I had fabulous arms, shoulders, and legs. I find that I miss that. T_T

Anyway, it's only a midlife crisis if you dump your man for a younger one and buy a fast car (or maybe a fast horse). XD

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

Dear god, is this the start of a mid-life crisis?

No, but it may be the start of the dreaded early-30s crisis I've seen so many women go through. Trust me, it gets better!

[scorpionocean.livejournal.com]

aww, Niamh one can NEVER be too old for horses! I take care of 5 of them every day, I wouldn't trade them for nothing ;)

[vitani]

Um, my best riding friend at our barn, the one I trust the most, is 35. So, no, you're definitely not too old ^^. (Although she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to ride again because of a back injury). Plus, we've got a lot of women who started by sending their kids to lessons and then thinking - "Hey, I want to ride, too!"

There's nothing quite like it, and you're right - being in shape (strength wise) is a necessity, but it's an afterthought. It just happens. It does wonders for your legs, for instance - especially if one is a jumper. I've been riding for 10 years, and a few years after my legs had gotten so good that I discovered I really loved running, too! So now I run every day, because I want to.

In fact, my summer schedule consisted of getting up in the morning, going to work at the Zoo until 5, then driving to the barn and riding until 7, then going home and eating dinner, and then going for a run.

Start riding again. Really. Once you're on that horse, you won't regret it a bit.

(And if you ever visit, you're welcome to ride my horse, as well. XD)

[everstar3.livejournal.com]

....I'll be damned. Something I had absolutely no idea about. I didn't know you rode horses.

[mishakatt.livejournal.com]

I can completely feel for you about being out of shape. I have been since I had my kids. It's only gotten worse over the years with developing health problems caused by The Shot. I curse that damned thing and how it threw my hormones completely out of wack, then to be told it's not for everybody. No, really!? and I hate how I look.

I've been slowly working on getting myself in shape for the past several months but I need to do more. I walk everyday, watch what I eat, but I need to join a gym or something. My mother reminding that at my age, 35, getting into shape won't be easy for me as it was years ago doesn't help me much. Love the woman but sometimes she just doesn't know how to give encouragement. I also don't have the complete dedication I did once before. Raising kids can distract a person.

I want to be in shape again, like I was back when I was modeling, or at least close to how I used to look back then. Of course this time, I'm eating right and not starving myself. I also don't want to have a bluish tinge to my skin and have my damned ribs showing. Yeah, I modeled between the ages 19-21. Can you believe I looked like I just mentioned and was told to lose ten more pounds!

I told myself once the PCA job gets approved I'm joining one of the gyms in my area.

[somnambulicious.livejournal.com]

Oh, goodness, no, you're not too old. My aunt took up riding again when she was in her 40s, and she does roping for crying out loud. And she wins, too. Of course, this is the same woman who used to sneak into rodeos after dark when she was a kid, to ride the broncs; and then there was that time when she was a teenager and rode her horse OFF A DAM into a river, and the time a few years ago when she lost her thumb while roping a calf...so...yeah. But you should totally take up riding again! I will be uber jealous when you do. ;)