Get fit playing video games? You betcha! (New bikini!)

Other than running, my main form of exercise is EA Active Sports 2. A video game. Granted, it's not fun. You know you're working out while 'playing' this game. It's essentially the same sort of stuff you'd do in any workout dvd, except since you're hooked up with sensors and a HRM, you can't cheat. If your form isn't right, it'll correct you. And sometimes even if your form IS right, it'll correct you. Which causes me to spew a stream of profanities that would make a sailor blush. ("Don't tell me I have to 'work harder to keep up with me' when I'm AHEAD of you, you sadistic ****!!!" Insert any, and I mean ANY, four-letter word of choice there. It won't be too harsh.)

But I can't complain about the results. Yesterday, for probably the first time in my life, I bought a bikini at the start of summer, rather than waiting for stuff to go on clearance. Granted, it was at Kohls, so it was already half price, plus a 15% off coupon, plus I got an extra $10 Kohls Cash since got a couple pairs of shorts, too, and my total purchase was over $50. But still, for the first time ever, I feel good enough about my body to say, "I am WORTH it! I am worth picking out what want while there's still plenty of good selections available, not settling for what's left after everyone else picked over the good stuff." As someone with chronic thriftiness, that is a big deal.

This is me last summer. At the time, I was pretty happy with how I looked. Until I saw the picture. But even then, I thought, "Self you're 38 years old. You're not going to have the body of a 20 something."



And I wasn't. Not when I wasn't really doing anything to change it. Eating what I want. Main form of exercise was walking the dog.

Now, I still eat what I want, for the most part, but I exercise my *kitten* off. Case in point, a photo of me yesterday after a 4.5 mile run in the sun, heat and humidity.



And THEN, I fired up with PS3 and did a 40 minute EA Sports Active workout. With (*whimpering*) 4 sets of Mountain Climbers. Gah, I hate those things!

But the results? Sooooo worth it. Soooo worth being less than 2 weeks away from turning 39, and buying a "medium" bikini from the Juniors department. Still have a little way to go. Wouldn't object to losing a few more pounds, and tightening up the abs a bit more. But I don't think anyone will cringe at the sight of me.



Best of all? It's reversible! So it's like getting 2 bikinis!