6 A.M. is for the Birds (and Fitness Freaks)

My quest for physical fitness began several months ago when I enrolled in a Nutrition and Fitness class at school for the summer.  And in case you're wondering, the class was a pre-requisite to graduate from Forsyth Tech, so don't give me too much credit.  Those who know me well also know that my husband carries the genes for maintaining a strict discipline of physical fitness, not me.  Which is probably why it's a good thing I had to sign up for the class. 

Our instructor opened the semester by warning all of us unwilling participants that we would be continuously sore throughout the entire 10 weeks of the course.  Mr. Warren, a former high school football coach, had no qualms about putting us through sweaty routines of regular exercise during each class session, no exceptions.  We learned how the body works, discussed a minefield of dietary pitfalls, memorized muscle groups, studied nutrition guidelines and food labels, and developed our personal exercise prescriptions.  We did squats, lunges, hurdlers, push-ups, sit-ups, and throw-ups.  (Ok, no throw-ups but our gastrointestinal area was certainly heaving at times.) 

Halfway through the semester, I decided to enlist the help of my husband to keep me accountable on the days I had to do workouts outside of the classroom.  We got extra points for doing this and I had been having a hard time staying committed, due to my lack of enthusiasm about exercising.  Four weeks later, I passed my class with an A and the ability to maintain moderate to high levels of physical activity for an extended period of time without feeling like I was going to die.

Happy with the results I experienced from having a one-on-one trainer, I asked my husband to continue helping me as I work towards to my fitness goals.  He gets me out of bed three mornings a week, when the alarm clock beeps at 6:00 and no one is awake except the birds. I start off half-heartedly, but by the time he has put me through 45 minutes of boot camp routine, I am fully awake, invigorated, and ready to start my day. 

While I don't have the ripped body of an athlete, I am thrilled with the fact that I am gaining endurance, losing inches and body fat, dropping pounds, and feeling more confident about myself.  I feel healthier, sleep better, have more energy, and feel less stressed.  Most importantly, it feels good to know that I am taking care of my body and increasing my chances of living a longer, healthier life.