Get off your Ass and work it!

To those people who know me, I like to dance. I love dancing. I cannot stay still and if you try to catch me and tell me to 'be still,' I just can't. Three years ago, when I started Mad Dance House, I was addicted to dancing.

All I thought of was dancing. During work - dancing, during mealtimes - dancing, being with friends - dancing. Dancing was my life. Being active, especially doing something I enjoy led me to do other activities, such as an "All Girls Boot Camp" with the lovely (and engaged) Jools Purchase, other dances like flamenco and yoga - Bikram yoga, adrenaline was kicking in. BUT....for the past year I have gradually ceased these activities (or not doing them frequently) as I should, hence I have been inactive for days/months/year(s).

Asides from the usual walking from patient to patients, nurse's station/reception as such, I feel I have become a lazy ass being on Facebook almost 24/7. If not, eating a lot, watching a lot of DVDs, to the point I swear I could be a walkin' & talkin' movie quotes (Go ask my brother Ray)... .

I know I can do 'at home' exercises i.e. housecleaning, just kicking the football round the backyard with Ray (which I still need to!), a stroll round Redcliffe's Sutton's Beach or a brisk walk but I'm LAZY! I have no dog to take walking with...although I have cats...hmm lets not go there.

Then there's work. I really should use a pedometre while walking, so I would know how many steps (and if I had a super hi-tech pedometre counting the kilojoules/calories I've lost while working 8 - 10hr shifts) I have been doing. Pushing, assisting in the handling of patient's transfers etc, guess can be classified as an 'activity,' but really its work and you don't normally count work as 'exercise?'

Why I stopped?

There are several factors. Factors being: -

WORK: being busy at work can be exhausting. Being a nurse means 'shift work' so I tend to work crazy hours and its either no spaces in the class or its closing time. ARGH! Work shouldn't really impend on the activities I do, but heck I use "work" as an excuse. "To bloody busy to do something," which is probably 99% of everyone's excuses.

MONEY: too little (can't do it), too much (do as much but is it worth all the money for a certain amount of time?), 'opportunity costs' and of course wanting to spend my money on 'all-you-can-eat-buffet,' equating to a dance class! What to choose, what to choose????

MOTIVATION: procrastination of heading to class and all other classic excuses "don't have time," " I can't be bothered..." I need the motivation to get up and do something sometimes. Yes I need someone to kick me on my rear-side and do something. It's good doing dance classes, because you have dance buddies who are doing it, so you go and do classes with them and chat in between.

PROCRASTINATING: In relation to motivation...and just being lazy. Period.

Yes its easier to say things than doing it. But actually doing it will be a good sense of acheivement and keeping your body in shape. Yes I'm a tad lanky, slim, but I swear I feel fat inside, being inactive for a certain period. Summer is around the corner. Need to get out of hibernation and get my ass into gear!

V x