Recommitting to the stairs

In middle school I was crazy. I woke up at 4:30, practiced the piano until 5:30, then I went jogging. After jogging, I got ready for school and read until it was time to leave. In high school, my schedule changed a bit due to seminary, but I still found time to work out, since I was on sports teams (mainly swimming). My freshman year of college I lived a short walk away from the gym, so I went at 6:00 every morning before my 7:00 class. Sophomore year got harder, since I lived farther away and worked at 5am three days a week, but then my roommates and I decided to swim the other two mornings of the school week. When I got married, the workout habit slacked until I got tired of watching television Friday nights while Kyle was at work and I started to workout again. I slacked off again for a year or so, with an occasional workout when I found energy. When I got my job with Novell, I found out they have an on site gym and they had a free abs class twice a week during the lunch hour. I got back into working out with this class. I also took the stairs for the first year of working at Novell. From day 1, I parked farther back in the parking lot than necessary, and then I walked up the stairs to the fourth floor. It wasn't a big deal (though the last 12 stairs were always painful), but it made me feel like I was making an effort. I took the stairs right up to the last day I worked before having Becca. That's right, I walked up all four flights of stairs when I was a week overdue with Becca. And then it all came tumbling down.

I loved my maternity leave. It was great to recover, relax and learn to connect with my beautiful baby. I gained more than I wanted to during the pregnancy, but after Becca's birth, I lost most of the weight within a few weeks. By the time I went back to work 6 weeks after Becca was born, I didn't look pregnant anymore. I even looked relatively thin. I was happy I didn't have to be too self-conscious. That first day, as I walked into work at 6:00 am and I stared at the 144 stair climb up to my office, toting my laptop and pump bag (which put together is at least an added 20 pounds), I decided I should still take it easy and I took the elevator. And so began the pattern for the last 4 months. Last week I decided it was time to change.

I love my body. It's been great these last 24 years, but I want to help it keep going for a long time, so it's time for me to start taking better care. I decided the first step is to recommitt to the stairs. Fortunately, my body has adjusted once again to getting to work at 6:00, so I'm not quite as tired as I was when I first came back. I've taken the stairs everyday so far this week. A whole 4 days! Tee hee. I know, it's not much, but it's a start. Today, as I was thinking about working out, I remembered that I brought in my 10lb ankle weights a few weeks ago (yes, I know I'm weird). I used them to do some arm workouts for a day or two, then I stopped. So today, I did a few sets with my arms, and I put them on my ankles for a few quick leg exercises. My coworkers aren't in early enough to see if I workout or not, so I didn't feel too foolish doing the exercises in my office.

In addition to taking the stairs whenever possible, I'm going to try to be more active during the afternoons/evenings. Now that it is spring, it's perfect weather for walking and/or playing catch with Kyle. I figure if I can get in the habit of taking the stairs, I can gradually add a lunch time workout, or maybe even an evening workout. I keep thinking it will all be easier when Becca is a bit older so I won't be paranoid to leave her with the daycare at the gym, but I know from experience that if I don't carve the time right now, chances are, it won't happen when Becca is older. So there we go. We'll see how I do.