Boot Scootin' Boogie

Monday evening I attended my first line dance class. No matter I was an hour late (Let's just say I thought the class started at 6:30). I did wonder why everyone looked at me funny when I walked in and took a place on the back row, far right corner. The instructor was working on the sound system, so it looked like the beginning of a class. The music started (Ricky Skaggs) and the group starts a line dance that I have never seen in my entire life. I stumbled all over the back row and looked like a bloomin' idiot. I make excuses and think to myself "it's my first class and they've been working on this dance for months". Let's make a long night short and say that this was the first time the group had worked on the dance. I'm not sure at this point IF I had been on time I would have been able to do the dance, but I do think that I would not have been a bumbling fool. I mean, in my younger days I was known to be a fair dancer, but no one would have believed it when viewing my performance Monday night. I was ready to say that I had lost all ability to do anything when I discovered I was over an hour late to class - OPPS!!! However, I did not give up. I just kept on trying and we will see if I do better this week. Tomorrow night we start at 5:15 -the instructor made sure that I was aware of the time. I think that I need to find something that is fun if I am going to exercise. I'm hoping this is it. Let's also hope that I make a better impression on the group tomorrow.



Tuesday Dan (my husband) and I went into town and bought a couple of bicycles. They are called "cruisers" and actually have comfortable seats (anyone remember the 'old' bicycle seats - not the ones you have to peel out of the crack of your rear end after ten minutes but real comfortable ones?) and wider tires, so we can ride off-road as well as on the pavement. This is a good thing since we are very close to the river and hope to ride along the trails there. They had to be special ordered, so it took a few days to get them in. Thursday we picked them up. When we got home Dan decided we needed to take a nice "little" ride and go to the mailbox (at the community center - about 1 mile from our house). After two minutes I am not too sure this was such a good idea - my legs and knees are burning. By five minutes I know this is NOT a good idea and there is NO way I'm going to make to the end of the road, much less to the mailbox and back. Let's just say that my determination got me to the mailbox and home, but I was NOT having a good time (can your legs fall off from riding a bicycle???). The good thing was I made it home and was able to walk in the back door. While my rear end didn't hurt everything else did! This will be one of those activities that will take time to develop and like, but I will not give up this easily. I will prevail!!

This week I also decided to buy a new diet book - one of ones that is the new rage. After reading through this new book (by a very well know author) I know that there is NO WAY I can survive on 1500 calories. (This is the amount of calories that I am suppose to have because of my "activity" level.) I'm supppose to drink a lot of smoothies and eat fruit and nuts. Come on, get serious! People have to have REAL food. (If any of you know Dan - can you imagine me looking at him and telling him he is going to have a smoothie and a handful of nuts for dinner?? I don't think so!!) After the shock of reading this so called 'diet for life' sinks in I'm more convinced than ever that I am just going to have to increase the exercise and forget the "diet" part. I can watch the portion control - and I can even give up things like soda (this will be a little difficult since I don't drink tea) and sweets (I've never been a big sweet eater anyway) but I HAVE to have real food to eat. We will just try to cut out the fried foods (this will be the hardest for me - no more french fries!) and eat more vegetables (not as easy as one might think). Anyone have any ideas?

So, this week has seen some new adventures - some fun (line dancing), some not (bike ride), but I have not given up on either. I will contiune to go to class on Monday's (5:15 - 5:15 -5:15) and take smaller bike rides (maybe without Dan to begin with). I'll also try to add something else new this week and let you know how it goes next Sunday. Feel free to leave a comment or question - I am always up for suggestions (on the diet or new exercise). Let's see how this goes together.