Dancing Queen (GBE2 Topic: Dancing)

I decided about a month ago that I needed to get serious about losing some weight.

Not because I'm fat...I mean, of course I am quite a large woman...but I'm pretty darn fabulous all the same.

I am smart enough, however, to realize that all this excess poundage is hurting my health.  My blood pressure is elevated, I'm often tired, and it's quite evident that if one of my kids were to take off on me--well, it's doubtful that I'd catch up to them.

Throughout my life, I've tried about eleventy-seven bajillion different ways to lighten my load--with various degrees of success.  I really don't want to say that this time is different, but it feels different this time.  I feel more committed...more invested in the outcome this time.  After reading Beth's awesome review of the Fit Bit, I splurged and picked one up.  (Her review pretty much says it all...it's a fantastic little gadget and I love, love , love mine.)

Everything was falling into place.  I was tracking what I eat and my activity level.  I had a goal and new found sense of accountability for my actions.  I just needed some form of exercise.

But what?

I hate exercise.  I hate sports.  And anyone who reads my blog regularly already knows how I feel about nature.  I thought about joining a gym, but the idea of my fat behind exercising in public--grunting and sweating among the masses--caused me a great deal of anxiety.  I knew that I needed to do something.  I was not going to burn enough calories by just existing.  My days aren't really all that busy and hey, I sleep for a living. 

I decided to dance.

I've been playing Dance Central.  It is a video game for the Kinect, which is an attachment for the Xbox 360.  The player mirrors the dancer on the screen and tries to emulate the moves as best as they can.  There are varying degrees of difficulty and ways to progress within the game. 

I have no rhythm whatsoever.  I am so NOT a dancer.  Honestly, I have trouble moving my upper and lower extremities at the same time without falling over!  But I was determined.  At first, I was very frustrated.  But Jeff kept encouraging me--telling me that it didn't matter how well I performed at the game as long as I was moving and burning calories.  It's been about a month now and, after considerable practice, I can perform about an hour's worth of dance routines properly. 

More importantly, I'm being physically active and burning calories for an hour everyday.

I'm down about thirteen pounds so far.  My first goal is twenty-three pounds--to make my weight a nice round, even number....and to see if I can actually achieve it.  Then, I'll keep going and create a new goal.

I'm having a lot of fun with this.  Everyday, before the kids get home from school, I throw on my rattiest clothes and hit the dance floor (aka my living room).

I'm sure I look like a total fool.  But I really don't care.

Because for that hour, I'm a dancing queen.