On guard

We're a little over a week past the Go Red for Women luncheon and about three weeks from the end of the Better U challenge. Since my first appointment with Dr. Branyas in mid-December, I've been watching what I eat and adding exercise to my normal routine.

Even so, I find that healthy eating and exercise is not automatic to me yet. I still have to be on my guard.

My husband hurt his leg over two weeks ago and has been unable to get around very easily. So the lion's share of the housework, kid-toting, grocery shopping, etc. has fallen to me. He doesn't sleep well, which means I don't sleep well.

All that can add up to an "I don't want to" attitude about my healthy lifestyle habits. To be honest, I've given in to that attitude a few times over the past few weeks. While sitting on the couch still seems to be my default setting, overriding that setting is much easier than it was when I started the Better U challenge.

So this morning, when my hind end, my hips and my thighs (that would definitely include my lower thighs) were aching from Saturday's workout with Kyle at LifeTime Fitness, I stuck my fingers in my ears and shouted "lalalalalala, I can't hear you" and put on my workout clothes anyway.

I took the kids to school and headed for the gym. After 45 minutes on the elliptical, I felt better -- emotionally and physically. Who knew the key to dispensing muscle pain is to work through it?! To me, the victory is not just getting myself to the gym, but also recognizing that I have to stay vigilant about staying on the road to a better me.



Amy Magan