"It's Water Weight"

Man, I wish that I could assign the water-weight label to 80 pounds or so. But since it's not possible, I am using the water to my benefit.

I am EXERCISING in it.

I went to a couple bad-ass classes this week. Monday was Ultimate Fitness, featuring a workout that made even the instructor beg for mercy. Tuesday's was advertised as a 'gentle' workout, titled 'Mind-Body Connection'. It was actually a beginner's Pilates class that resulted in me sweating all over the Y-provided mat.

Wednesdays at work are what I affectionately refer to as 'hell day'. The day starts with a meeting from 9-11:30 a.m. There's another at 1:30, which lasts til about 3. At 3 or 3:15 (depending on if it's training or just a staff meeting), we meet until 4 when a lot of people go home. It is also a day at which I arrive to work at 8 a.m. after working until 9 p.m. the previous night. Now, my work may not be physical but my mind is sure flexing muscle. And after a summer of unemployment, let me just say it's HARD.

So on Wednesday, instead of collapsing at home at 5 p.m. like a sane person, I went to the pool. There is a water exercise class (apparently the term 'aerobics' is dated, who knew?) that starts at 5:30, just enough time for me to hang up on the computer-help tech and ride bike the three blocks to the Y. Normally, I would rather swim in hot lava than put on a swimsuit in public, but since the other people in this class are actually bigger and more out of shape than me, I can actually pull it off (or pull it on, if you will - ha! fat girl in a swimsuit joke!).

As I walked into the water, the stress melted away. My brow unfurrowed. My breathing returned to a normal range.

I even frolicked.

I grew up in the pool, riding my bike the two miles into town to jump in at noon then pedaling up the hill and around the cemetary home around 8 p.m. Northeastern Montana summer features sunshine until about 9 from the time school is out until the bells ring for return. I loved every freckly, chlorinated minute of it. I lifeguarded a summer after high school, which remains among the few selected as 'best summer EVER'. So, I have an affinity for the pool.

Rather than wear a belt, I chose to work my core extra hard and just work it without the floatation device. I may have waterboarded myself during the crunches, and I think the ladies who wear towels on their heads may have been less than amused at my twisty-turny splashing, but I was as happy as a fish.

I vowed to remember how much I enjoyed it on Friday as well, when I would have two more fatiguing days. So I returned tonight. It's not that hard of a workout, although my heart rate rises and the resistance is certainly working my muscles better than my preferred activity of reading.

And as long as I'm the youngest in the class, I'm going to bust my ass like I'm Michael Phelps.