fat's not so funny

I recently was reading an article reprinted in Utne called, "On Being Fat and Running". The author, Brenton Dickieson, had an epiphany:

The first of my revelations came, as so many of my spiritual moments do, while I was watching The Simpsons. At my heaviest, I realized, I was the same weight as Homer’s lightest. In America, this is apparently “funny fat.” Despite internal objections that cartoons don’t wear their weight the same as I do, the coincidence was a personal blow.

My own slow awakening has resulted in my joining the local Wellness Connection, a fitness center that is affiliated with our county's hospital. Long time readers may recall me grabbing my swim~suittee and diving into the fitness waters in years past. Well, at that time, I would go for several hours per day, submerse myself in water~workouts, floating in calming waters, and splish~splashing my way to a bit healthier lifestyle. Then there was some shit a few years back, and all that came to an abrupt end.

It's my own fault that I didn't continue to keep fit. It's my own fault that I've regained all the weight that I'd lost and then some. Even tho I didn't have access to the Wellness, I could have still maintained some activity on my own.

Last month, my husband finished up his physical therapy and last week, he joined the Wellness Connection. The initial fee for joining was waived for him, as he was transferring from the physical therapy side of the building to the other side which houses the gym, with the pools connecting the two portions. I was able to rejoin at a reduced fee, and we were able to qualify for the couple's membership fee {and he is staff at the university, so that helps even more!}.

Yesterday, I finished up my initial training, complete with a health~assessment {including some lab~work which focused on my glucose {normal}, cholestral {normal}, and triglyceride {high} levels}. Altho I am pushing the scales to heavier than I had when I joined five years ago, overall my current health is better than it had been.

While that is good news, it's rather disturbing that I've let myself go to this point. The sheer girth of my mid~section makes it a chore to tie my boots and being intimate is not always something I feel inclined to do when feeling rather ungainly and uncomfortable. For these and other reasons, I'm determined to slim down, tone up, increase my energy levels {which have been sucking for about a year now}, and increase my stamina.

Since I enjoyed the water so much at the Wellness Connection before, that's where I am starting this time too. Later today, I'll be suiting~up, diving in, and working out. Cuz fat's not so fun.