So Far... So Good...

So, last June, for the umpteenth time, I quit smoking. I'm happy to say that I haven't smoked since June (yay!) but that's not what the post title is referencing.

Now, most people know that weight gain is one of the side-effects (so to speak) when you quit smoking. Yep - and it creeps up gradually, which is the worst part of it. If it just kind of ~BAM~ happened, I think that might be better. But no. Instead, little by little, your clothes shrink (okay, they don't shrink, you grow. But that's neither here nor there, right?)

Ahem

Anyway, over the summer, it wasn't such a big deal. I was swimming almost every day (yay!) so I was getting exercise.

Yeah, well, we had to close the pool, so there went my exercise.

And then it happened...

Okay, I'm not huge, so that's a good thing, but my jeans were getting a wee bit tight, so it was time to take stock and accept that which I could no longer deny.

damn it.

But, I still have my gym membership (now, in the days before my wonderful little blog, I was in great shape - working out 4 -5 days a week. And it was good! Then my son was born and here we are... not so good....)

So it's time to hit the gym.

Again.

Oy.

Now, I'm one of those crazies who actually likes working out. I love having two hours to myself, plugged into the iPod, and not having to listen to "Mooooommmm!!!! The Boy is looking at me weird!" (mind you, the Girl doesn't call him 'The Boy', she uses his name... most of the time)

or

"Mooooommmmmmyyyyy! Mooooooooooommmmmmmmyyy!" That's the Boy. The mommy is usually followed by a long, intensely garbled string of what I am sure are words to him, but gibberish to me.

So, I cherish my alone time at the gym.

But it's been a while. And no, I won't say how long a while, let's just leave it at I had to really search for my workout stuff, mmkay?

So, when my husband gets home from work, I hurry him into the shower so I can head to the gym. I'm pumped. I'm looking forward to getting out of the house and doing something for me. He knows this and humors me by showering in record time. Yay!

It's been a while since I'd last been there (did I mention that already? Oh well) and they've got some new equipment in. Yay! New toys to try!

Did you ever notice how those weight machines strongly resemble medieval torture devices? You want to get information from someone, strap 'em into one of those stomach-busting machines. They'll be singing in about thirty seconds...

But I digress.

My routine came back relatively quickly. And this time, I was smart. I knew I had to get out of bed this morning (how nice would it have been to just sleep, though.... ah.....), so I went easy on myself. Two sets. Twelve reps. Not too much weight. Oh, and I had to be careful that I went easy on the sore knee. Nothing high impact for the knees. Good, I hate doing those leg press machines anyway. One time, someone actually got stuck in one of the leg press machines. Swear to God, I am not making that up. The gym people had to call the Rescue Squad to free this woman. I don't ever want the Rescue Squad to have to extricate me from one of those machines. Talk about embarrassing! I often wondered if that was why I never saw that woman in the gym again...

Ahem

So, like I said, I try to make sure I don't really shred my muscles - they were shocked enough, I'm sure.

Long story short, I came home, showered, and relaxed. But waaay back in the back of my mind, there was this little echo -

"I hope I don't hurt too badly tomorrow."

And, I'm happy to say that no, I don't hurt too badly today. My shoulders are a little tired, my legs are a little tired, but other than that, I'm feeling pretty good. And, get this, I'm going to go back again.

Yep.

So far, so good...