April 03rd, 2018

Yup that's me.  Getting ready to get back into the groove of real life. Or at least what is my real life at the moment.  I took this just before I walked out the door to my Pilates class.  The first one in three weeks.  

​The first week we took off because we had company.  I don' t feel one bit guilty about it either. I would much rather enjoy my guests without any concerns and perhaps miss a few workout sessions. No big deal.  We were very busy the entire week and I'm sure that while it wasn't the same thing as a good Pilates Class, it was still activity. No long term damage done.

​The second week I took off because I had no idea what shape I'd be in after the eye surgery and if I would have any physical restrictions.  I did receive a vague, "take it easy" request from the clinic but it was up to me what I did as long as it didn't involve being underwater.  I'm very happy that I took off that second week because my eyesight was so wonky with one eye corrected and the other totally completely entirely not that I was off balance and a little dizzy all week. It was the right choice.

​The third week was essentially the same reason, just the other eye.  I probably could have gone to at least one class that week.  With both eyes corrected the dizziness and off-balanced lurching around had stopped but I was lazy frankly and felt like continuing to baby myself.  I did go to the gym with Tim a few times toward the end of the week and that only served to show my how very out of shape I had already gotten.

​Three weeks without attending class and my body had completely gone to hell.  When the heck did this happen?  It isn't as if I did nothing at all for three weeks.  I didn't just sit on the sofa eating bonbons and watching soap operas!  (are soap operas still a thing?)  I walked, I cleaned house, I cut down a small tree, I did yard work and grocery shopping and laundry and cooking and well, it's just not the same thing as attending Pilates class.

​So this morning I left, Pilates mat firmly tucked under one arm, good attitude screwed onto my face ready to begin. Again.  Starting something you've never done before for the first time is always a little trepidatious.  And about a year ago when I began taking these classes, I was nervous walking in.  During class I was stunned at how hard it was, how out of shape I was, how much of it I couldn't do!  But within a few months, I could feel the difference, I could see it and I was tickled by my progress.  Before I took my little hiatus I was feeling downright confident.  I could do everything the instructor directed and most of it fairly well.  Woohoo!  Look at me!

​And now I'm almost starting from scratch again.  While there were some things that I could still manage I found myself taking teensy little breaks part way through things.  I was breathing hard. I was sweating!  I never sweat.  Wow!  So this was ugly.    Here is me having just arrived home from class.

Sweaty, disheveled and discombobulated.  Not pretty.  But you know what?  Rather than discouraging me, it just me all the more determined to do better.  I know that in a relatively short time I will be back to cruising through class and afterwards bouncing along happily homeward feeling like I got a really good work out and energized by it.

​Meanwhile, today, I'm ready for a nap.  Friday's class will be better I'm sure.