42.5, 38.5, 43

And 158 lbs.

Not exactly Barbies measurements, though I guess I should be happy that I'm still hourglass shaped.

Of course, I don't really want to be like Barbie either so I guess that's okay. But I'd like to pair down those numbers a bit.

I officially joined the gym again on Thursday night.

Let's discuss. I joined the gym once, many moons ago with my bff and my sister in law. This was back when stepping was a craze. So we took step classes and since I am the most uncoordinated person on earth, I couldn't keep up.  So we used the step machine but since there is nothing I hate more than my legs hurting (well...I hate tooth aches more but we're not talking teeth) I didn't last long on those.
I loved the weight training equipment but this was a gym proper and that meant there were burly, steroid enhanced men working on them most of the time and what I got left with was the thigh machine that put your legs in compromising positions right in front of the lobby window.
So my SIL and my BFF and I would go to the gym, pretend to work out and then go to the McDonalds down the street when we left.

I joined the same gym a few years later with Sean.
I didn't go a whole lot. Neither did he. And much like the news stories you hear about - after quitting - perfectly within my contract - they still took money from my account.

That was 15 years ago.

For Mother's Day in 2009 Sean gave me a 6 month membership to the local city run fitness centre (don't worry, I asked for it) It gave me access to the gym (any city run gym in my city) as well as the pools, tracks, rinks, indoor tennis courts and squash.  (those have a nominal fee but it's okay - I don't really play racket sports and there are lots of free outdoor tennis courts I can play on if I want to)

I even got two sessions with a personal trainer. She showed me what exercises I needed to do to meet my fitness goal (said goal being to be able to walk from here to there without getting winded.)

I was good. I went every other day for all of May and June.

I started to feel good about myself. I had more energy. By the end of June I was able to go 30 minutes on the elliptical without wanting to puke whereas when I started I could barely go 10 minutes without crying.

But at the end of June the gym's hours changed for summer. And these new hours did not coincide with a schedule in which I could actually go (being that I had a job, children and a husband who works strange hours)

So I didn't go as often and my membership ran out.

Since then I've tried using an elliptical at home (wasn't as good as the gym one). I've tried jogging (injured my previously broken foot) and I've become one of those people who actually craves salad if I don't have any for more than 2 days (I'll be having a giant one today...I miss my salad)

So I went to the gym last night on my way home from work (that's the plan...if I don't go home first...if I go straight from work....I'll go!)

I was prepared to be miserable. I don't like physical activity (hence the weight and measurements above).

I was pleasantly surprised though. I went 28 minutes on the elliptical before wanting to die. I remembered all the exercises the trainer had told me to do and did them!  I was at the gym for just shy of an hour and I felt great afterward.

And today I'm as sore as a son of a bitch so I know I did it right!!

I am determined to feel good in shorts this summer. I'm determined to WANT to wear my bathing suit this summer. Because let's not forget - I now have a job that gives me summers off and you know what that means?? That means a lot of time at the beach.

So I have 5 full months until summer vacation. I'd like to be down at least 18 lbs. I'm not sure about the measurements...I'd like like to look smaller....
I'm not making promises that I'm going to start eating right all the time. I'm still going to have cookies and wings and beer....but I'm going to eat less of them.
I'm going to continue my healthy breakfast and lunches. I'm going to try to eat less supper...I tend to gorge at supper.

And on the 30th of each month I'm going to post my measurements and weight and you people are going to keep me on track...so feel free to taunt me in the comments section if I have a month in which I don't lose anything or (gasp!!) get bigger.

I WILL do this.