Banana Ramble

Before I begin to recap my journey to a new, better fit, more physically active me, let me first present some background information on me so that those who read this will have someone what of an insight of who I am and where I come from...


I've never really considered myself to be "fat" or large in any way, but as is common with many, if not all, members of the female gender, I was, and still am, displeased with certain images the mirror reflected back. I'm a fun-sized 5'1" , 27 year-old, Brazilian woman weighing in at about 132 (weight prior to beginning my exercise routine). That number doesn't quite qualify as shocking, but sadly enough body image does weigh heavily (no pun intended) in today's society. With that in mind I'd love to be able to sit here and say that that doesn't influence me at all, but then I'd just be lying to myself.

I've always wanted to lose weight or start exercising regularly. I even began random exercise routines every now and again, but have never had the determination to stick with it. I either resorted to good o' diet pills for that quick fix or had help via emotional distress, i.e. breakups. Seeing as how those quick fixes never really lasted I came to the realization that it is time to get my butt off of the couch and motivate myself. I mean... I'm not getting any younger here and sooner than later my great metabolism would dwindle and I would be left to my own devices. This realization is what prompted me to make my New Year's resolution and do my very best to stick with it. I knew very well that my commitment to exercise normally falters around the 2 week mark therefore I would really need to push myself to get past it and onto week 3.

I've even contemplated joining a gym with my boyfriend, Matt, but due financial and scheduling issues I was unable to do so. Then about a year ago I purchased a not very authentic set of P90X DVDs to see what this work out was all about. The DVDs didn't come with a meal plan so we weren't completely immersed in the whole P90X experience. Matt and I got through weeks 1 and 2 with tremendously sore bodies, but were able to start week 3...and that's where it ended. Matt would have most definitely continued because he has an unwavering commitment to exercise, but my mental and physical hurdle was tremendous. Not to mention that we were exercising after a full day of work, which for me is around 6pm, after cooking and eating dinner, and also washing dishes. A few months later we decided to give it another go, sticking with the same routine. Needless to say, that didn't work out either. We (mostly just me) barely made it past the 2nd week of the work out. Very disheartening.

Putting these 2 failed attempts behind me and focusing on my goal we've embarked on another journey down the P90X highway of pain. ha ha This time, though, we're doing things a little differently. We purchased the real P90X workout with nutrition plan, schedule, and guides all included. I also decided that it may be to my benefit if I were to work out in the morning right before work so that I don't have to worry about putting dinner on the table and then cleaning up after myself just in time to drag myself to bed. Now approaching day 19 of the 90 day workout schedule I can say, without a doubt, that that was a wise decision. Especially if there are days when it seems that the world would end if I parted ways with my uber comfy bed at the ungodly hour of 5:30AM. If one morning I slack off on my exercise I'll have the evening to try and catch up on what I missed in the morning. Getting up that early is hard enough for me, since I am in no way, shape or form an early bird. In fact, I still cringe at the thought of getting out of bed before the sun comes up. But I digress...

This is just a tid bit of the back story to my new journey, and now I must trek foward for a journey does not commence without first placing one foot in front of the other and thus repeating... Here goes nothing.