10. I love how it makes me feel. I feel great every day after I’m done. Yes, I’m hot and sweaty, but I’m also energized. The first couple of weeks were hard, but I noticed the change pretty swiftly. I found that if I needed to work late, I should spend 30 minutes on the treadmill. I always feel more alert and ready to tackle projects than I ever did on two or three cups of coffee.
9. I love that it isn’t easy, but a lot of people tell me I make it look easy because I seem to be enjoying myself. And I do. I have a rule; I like to watch my soaps. So I TiVo them. When I’m on the treadmill, I get to watch the T.V. It’s about the only time I do watch it anymore.
8. I love the variety and the challenge. I haven’t lost loads of pounds, but I did drop four dress sizes and I feel GOOD about that. I know another three are coming!
7. I love not feeling stressed 24/7. I love the fact that after a workout, a lot of the frustrations and anxieties of the day have melted away. I can face each day fresh and charged.
6. I love how much water I drink. I don’t like water. But by working out regularly, I drink more. It’s healthier for me and I know that on many occasions that I’ve been pretty dehydrated. Well, not anymore.
5. I love how my skin looks. Because I drink more water, I work out regularly and I don’t frown near as much, I’ve been told I’m glowing. But it’s not just being told, it’s nice when I look in the mirror and I see the glow for myself.
4. I love how healthy I’ve been. I have a youngster and she gets exposed to dozens of colds. I seemed to always have some form of a cold before working out, after 12 months of a regular program; I am healthier than I’ve ever been.
3. I love how strong I am. I don’t need to have my husband haul stuff in for me just because a box seems like it would be too heavy. I can lift it, carry it and put it where I want it and I don’t feel hard winded, or exhausted afterwards.
2. I love how much endurance I have. We went to Disney World about three months ago and spent six days walking everywhere in the parks. It was a fantastic trip. My husband’s legs and feet were killing him inside of the first 24 hours. I started feeling some mild fatigue on day 6, otherwise I had no trouble just going and going and going. What a change that felt like!
1. The number one thing that I love about exercise is that exercising is my one true selfish act. It’s all about me. I exercise for me and no one else. I know my husband and my daughter enjoy the benefits of my being healthier and happier and I love that too. But the workouts are about me, about how I feel, how I look and how I want to live my life.
So I don’t care what the scale says and no matter how much I may hate the time spent, I also love every minute of it.