Don't be Such a Show Off!

The past several days have been unseasonably warm. That would be great except they have been gray, humid and well, kind-of gross. It's not like spring, where there is the hope of 70's and green grass. It's December. I personally feel December should be cold(not too cold) and snowy(which should melt within 2 days). December should NOT be humid and warm.

So when I peeled myself from my bed this morning, grumpy and sullen, I felt a distinct sense of, "I don't want to go to work today. I want to stay home and sulk." And why shouldn't I? I could skip my workout. I could turn on Lifetime television. I could wear soft fuzzy pants(they make me happy) and eat raisins and chocolate all day. No one would have to know. Because some days the only person I feel accountable to is me and I'm not in the mood to lead. Today, I would rather be a slacker.

But….(and it's a big butt!)…

My crazy, healthy, evil twin was not having any of that today. She put me in my place and said, "Hey, you! Lazy buns! It's 50 degrees outside in December and I don't care how gray and gloomy it is. Get your booty out there and move!" Yes, I do talk to myself and listen, I've never pretended to be sane. If you want normal, visit another blog.

So I turned on my favorite tunes(this morning it was the book of Hebrews) and marched up my street and into the great wide open.

While my crazy, healthy, evil twin whipped me into shape I humbly obeyed. For I really am a weak-willed, lazy, sugar-fiend. She had me jogging(when I wanted to walk) and pumping my arms when I wanted to flop in the middle of the street in rebellion. But when I completed my first mile, I started to feel like maybe she did have my best interests at heart.

Then it started to drizzle. Sweat and rain dripped into my eyes and I realized I was hot. Except these facts did not make me cranky, they ramped up my determination to show that crazy, healthy, evil twin how strong I really am.

All of this to say, something really cool happens to your body when you push yourself. It's not just physical, though endorphins are really awesome. It's emotional and spiritual too. Disciplining one's body by forcing it to do something it doesn't inherently want to do, gives you a feeling of accomplishment. By making yourself do something difficult, you begin to realize it bears fruit. How, you ask? Well, taking control of your life by harnessing your body is one of the most difficult things you will ever do in your life. Walking up that hill might take your breath away the first few times, but on the 5th trip, when you make it to the top without gasping for air or clinging to the curb, a light bulb will go off in your brain. You will say, "Hey, I didn't think I could do that but I can. Holy mother of Moses! I am stronger than I thought!" Persevering through demanding physical work makes us strong emotionally, as well as physically. Yes, working out feels like crap when you are out of shape. But if you make a habit of it, you will begin to feel REALLY good.

So I was driving to work and still a little out of sorts. It was still rainy and still drizzling and traffic was not fun. So I turned on my favorite Switchfoot album(okay, they are all my favorites) but today it was "Bullet Soul." And I danced in my seat while I was sitting on the highway waiting for the log jam to move. It was awesome. And I thought to myself, this is why I got healthy. So I could FEEL like I won the lottery even though all I'm doing is sitting in my car. So while I get awfully aggravated at my crazy, healthy evil twin and want to tell her, "Don't be such a show-off", I am secretly giving her a high five. Because when I danced up the stairs into work today, while all the other drones were dragging @ss, I realized I may be completely insane, but I no longer weigh 310 pounds and that is one heck of a reason to celebrate.