the foreign world of exercise

Hey everyone. So, I've been able to eat anything and everything for about a month now and I think my body has FINALLY realized that I'm going to feed it everyday.. so hopefully it stops hanging on to every single thing I eat. I'm feeling pretty strange. It's nice to be able to actually eat the food I set out to eat.. but it's weird to actually feel HUNGRY. all the time. very hungry. and now that I can eat anythinggg.. I need to keep the hunger in check or I'll go off the deep end and find myself at some fast food restaurant. Not okay.

Now: exercise. I realize I should have been exercising over this whole process. but I just didn't really care all too much about it. Sure I took a couple of walks in the summer, trikked a little bit, did some rollerblading in the fall. but I would hardly count any of those activities since I did none of them consistently. I joined a gym. Paid in full for two years right up front (if that's not motivation to actually USE the membership, I don't know what is). And I have to say, I know it's only been two weeks but I'm pretty proud of myself! I usually only go for about an hour at a time but am looking to increase that in the future. I'm really pleased with the gym. It's a little out of the way but I think anything that's not two houses down from my own is 'out of the way'. It has tonnns of machines and space, a "women's only" room with a nice circuit, classes, sauna, etc. I have a good routine going so far. I go Monday & Wednesday mornings, Tuesday and Friday afternoons. And one day on the weekend (so far it's been Saturdays). 5 days a week! Not bad! I was a member at Anytime Fitness years ago for a year, and I'm pretty sure I've been to this new gym more times in the past week and a half than I went to that gym, period. I really do like it there! I'm still getting a feel for how I should use my time. I usually do the circuit in the women's gym (12 machines) and then I use the rest of the time for cardio either on the treadmill or elliptical.

I'm happy to report that my water consumption has improved by 50%. But since I was at 0% before, I still have plenty of room for improvement. I really liked Amy's game of putting dashes on the bottle that holds the water! Seems like just that little incentive would make it easier to drink. Right now I use a 25 oz bottle ... I'm trying my hardest to get at least 75 oz (did you know that you're supposed to drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day? with 64 oz being the minimum?). I think I've only met my water consumption goal once. But hey, I'm working on it. Amy -- I have NO idea how you drink 120 oz a day.. or whatever it is that you drink. Good for you! but you're crazy. :P (I kid, I kid).

I miss my band. but every once in awhile it reminds me that it still exists (like me PBing on raw carrots this afternoon at lunch).

In non-food/non-band related news... My little sister has decided to get married. She's 18. Don't get me started. She's a very emotionally immature 18 year old at that. OH - and did I mention she was engaged to a different guy 6 months ago? Hmm, yeah. I love my little sister.. I do. But wow. I wish I was half as smart as I thought I was at 18. She's been dating this guy since October (known him since June).. They met at her schooling in Pensacola for the Marines. That schooling is over and as of the new year, she is in California and he is in Hawaii. I hope it works out for them, I truly do. And, hey, weirder things have happened. I just don't think it's the wisest of decisions right now. Not my life though. He seems like a genuinely nice guy (I probably won't meet him until the day before the wedding).. it's just all so fast. It doesn't help that my mom lives vicariously through my sister so she's more excited than words can say.. so my sis doesn't have anyone to really say.. "whoa. wait a sec. let's think this through'. *sigh* Maybe I'm just bitter about the dress I have to buy :P

I better get back to work :p