Tuesday, March 10, 2009

I'm the one they sell to

I always watch TV as I fall asleep at night (usually after I’ve begrudgingly put my book down). I flip around between Friends, Family Matters and country music videos. This has become my late night ritual and I love it.

However I tend to see lots of infomercials on at this time of night. Some of the things they try to sell crack me up. Who would buy some of that stuff? I'm not someone who normally falls into fads easily. Or someone who needs to have the next big thing.

Except when it comes to exercise gimmicks. Then I eat those up with a spoon. If I had a substantial amount of money I guarantee I would have bought and tried every one.

Like most women, I'm stuck in a constant body image battle. My goal is to one day look forward to bathing suit shopping. To get to the beach and strip down to my suit proudly. To actually physically move around on the beach and not just lie flat on my towel the whole time in the most flattering position possible.

So, when I see something that is guaranteed to give me a 6 pack in 3 weeks, I desperately want it. I've bought a couple of them and they now lay collecting dust under my bed.

I think about all the exercise things I've tried and it cracks me up. Pilates, Martial Arts, Yoga, step classes, trampoline routines. I'm keep trying these things hoping I will find something I actually look forward to doing. Something that I will keep up with.

My latest one is a big exercise ball (I'm sure it has a formal name, but I don't know what it is). One night I saw these people on TV working out on balance balls having a grand old time. I thought I can do that! The next day I went to Target and bought a ball, a work out video and a few other accessories.

I mean how hard can it be to sit on a ball and do stuff? Well, I tried my new ball. Let me tell you, it was hard. I did an exercise routine for 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes and I was dying. The next day my stomach was so sore I couldn't sit up in bed. When I laughed or sneezed it felt like someone was torturing me.

I'm hoping my ball will be the thing I stick with. But if the past is any indication I'll us it for a few weeks, maybe a month and then it will collect dust like all my other impulse exercise purchases. Perhaps the fact that I’m already seeing bathing suits in stores will inspire me…

5 comments:

Julia Everts said...

you are too funny. this sounds like me!

Megan said...

I LOVE the big ball!!! It gives an amazing workout. I used to take a class at the gym with my mom with those balls. I miss it. I suppose I could blow mine up and do a workout at home with it - great idea! Thanks for the reminder of bathing suit season...not sure I am quite ready!

sptalley said...

Can you take the ball in to work and sit on it instead of a chair? I hear that alone is a great workout and you dont feel like you are doing much other than balancing on a ball all day at work!
~Heather

Jessica said...

I keep my size 0 jeans ( that I haven't fit in since 2006) and my bikini & running shoes by my bedroom door and a picture of the beach on my fridge. That usually helps motivate me to use the running shoes and NOT eat bad stuff. It also helps that I don't keep ANY junk food in the house. NONE. I know...sort of inconvienient when I'm PMSing or have a bad day, but usually the thought of driving to the store for some ice cream looking like hell is enough to keep me inside munching on hard boiled egg whites and doing sit ups between Hannah Montana and commercials. LOL Sad, but true. SO, so, so sad.

Kaye said...

It's called a stability ball....I would be happy to show you other exercises that will work more than just your stomach....that is the main thing I use when I train....you got your money's worth on that one


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