The book on the left I got in 1986 and used it lots.  The DVD on the right I just purchased and couldn’t be happier with it!

When we think about Pampering Ourselves, most of us think about a spa day, painting one’s nails, soaking one’s feet, putting vaseline all over one’s feet and covering with a cotton sock.  In fact one can do this with special cotton gloves.  It is also important to get rid of dead skin so it can breath again.  We want to cover our bodies with lotion to soften and repair skin.  Why is it that many of us don’t?  It is because it forces ourselves to get in touch with our body.  Instead we just focus on hands and feet therefore eliminating having to look at our body.  

Many of us won’t even change our clothes in front of a mirror. We don’t want to see our pouch getting a little bigger.  Once we put the pants on it is hidden.  But is that really pampering your complete self?  This year for the Monthly Habit of “Pampering Yourself” I want to do it by way of exercising.

Jane Fonda Prime Time Fit And Strong has come to my rescue!  First, I want to thank a FLYsister Celez Nitkowski for suggesting the DVD.  This DVD fits in well with having Fibromyalgia as it usually is the myofascial pain or the thin covering like a chicken leg that gives us the most trouble.  It just doesn’t want to stretch for us thus, leaving us stiff and crippled.

Well, I don’t want to be that way anymore!  This past summer I had plenty of exercise stretching, walking, bending and lifting with all the gardening I did.  It has been around a month now since I am not going out everyday.  How do I feel?  Frumpy, clutzy and watching the scale creep back up and it is only December!  Winter around South Dakota lasts well into April and sometimes May so I figure I had better at the very least maintain my weight.

Notice how I said maintain my weight.  Because of being around the Flylady lessons and finding some of my own, I no longer say I am going to lose 20 pounds in a month.  Why?  At my age of 53 and most ages it is unrealistic.  I would also believe that it would be unhealthy as well.

The other thing is I am now looking for more of a balanced life.  I don’t want to only be decluttering intensely all the time because then something else will fall, perhaps ones basic daily habits for each routine to keep in one’s life in motion.

The one thing that I have had trouble with while doing the flylady way Marilyn’s way is that my habits and routines tend to get weak when I add into the mix of exercise.  I have a very short attention span and am classified as being ADD on top of being a SHE (Sidetracked Home Executive) so somehow I haven’t been able to work this exercise in.  

When I think of exercise, I think it has to be an hour.  I think I have to really feel the burn.  Maybe if I didn’t have Fibromyalgia I could, but an example from last year going to the high school gym and pushing myself with the weight machines put me into a total flare that lasted a month.  It wasn’t a minor one either.  It was an intense and very frustrating flare.  I had to stop.  I felt like a failure.  Will I ever get my body down to where my weight range is suppose to be and be healthy at it as well?  This is the first time in my life that I have had a difficult time losing it and I feel like a fish out of water.

I did find out from my doctor that I must give the exercise chance for at least 8 weeks.  She said because of the Fibromyalgia it will take that longer before the flares will go away.  I really don’t like the sound of it but what can I do but move forward.  I can handle minor flares.  It is the big ones that knock me out and like I said earlier I am looking more for balance in my life at this stage of my life.

So, if you are thinking about exercising again and want something different, Jane Fonda’s workouts in my opinion will make you feel pleased and accomplished  with yourself.  The neat thing is her workouts are get this, only 20 minutes!  I think that is what I like most about it is the workout is very thorough, hits all the very important parts like balance, flexility, and some muscle strength.  I wish I could reach out to Jane Fonda right now and give her a big hug for making these videos.  I kind of had a feeling they would be great because I bought her Walkout cassete tape and wore it out.  I still have her book I purchased in 1986 and that was used lots.  Join me this month pampering yourself by exercising.  The DVD’s are very affordable through Amazon.
Dance Till You FLY!
Marilyn