Exercise

The difficult thing is, there are lots of exercises I'd like to do but that I feel I'm currently too fat for. It's a bit of a catch 22.

I really want to learn to tap dance, but the thought of being in a room full of people who are watching me lumber around the place erratically - and in front of mirrors - that's terrible. I also really desperately want to learn to pole dance, but I know that my physical fitness and (lack of) upper body strength categorically prohibits that for the time being. Both of those are things I've been interested in for a significant amount of time. And both are things I'm using to bribe myself with, somehow. I'm not sure that that makes sense at all, but in my mind, when I get to a point with my body and fitness that I'd be okay to go, I will start attending.

Until then, I'm left doing exercises that are less public - and that's okay too. I'm wondering whether I might start going for a jog in the mornings, as I'm always awake far earlier than I need to be for work, and it might be nice to have that quiet time on the beach by myself too. I'd need to plan time to shower and dry my hair before work, but I think that'd be okay. I'm going to think about the logistics tomorrow. I have the Couch To 5k podcasts on my ipod and I am hoping to get myself an iPhone at some point soon, which means I can get the Zombie Run game/programme thingy, which I'm told is also rather awesome. Early in the mornings there shouldn't be anyone around who would judge me, or make me feel self conscious. And exercise does set you up into a good mood for the rest of the day, doesn't it? I'm really enjoying walking more, now that it's sunny and I can be in the fresh air and Spring is here, with its birds and ladybugs and bits of seaside happiness.

I've got my bike, and I think I'm going to try and do at least one bit of cycling per week. The most obvious opportunity I've got for that is the cycle to the riding school, where I've got a weekly riding lesson set up (or will have, very soon) and get to horse ride my way to lovely toned thighs. I'm worried that cycling to get to another form of exercise might kill me, but it's not really that far and I wouldn't have to go quickly. We'll try it a few times and decide then, I think! I really hated cycling to work: there weren't suitable places to leave my bike safely, and it made me feel so hideous and hot an unattractive when I arrived. Not fun. I think that put me off. And, finally, there's the zumba class. I loved zumba before, with all of my heart. It was such. good. fun. I'm really inordinately worried about bumping into someone from work there, who might recognise me and then we're back to worrying about being seen all disgusting and sweaty and red - but that's why I'm taking my mother to the first class, both so that she can give it a go and perhaps find she enjoys it, and also so that I know someone there and will have a bit of a security system in being able to pretend I'm only there for her!

Someone on another blog mentioned that it's important to get 'accidental exercise' into the day, so the things like walking to work or cycling to the shop - because it's good for you but doesn't feel like a chore. That's what I'm going to work on, I think. I haven't mentioned here yet but what I'm trying to do is set up the beginnings of habits and patterns so that by the start of April, I can hit the ground running. My first zumba class here will be April 3rd, my riding booked for the 4th. I've got until April to dig out my old favourite healthy recipes, convince my mother to let me cook  some more on my own, and establish morning routines that involve being active and/or just getting my head into the right place to make this a proper success.