Sweatin' Memories

This past Friday, because of the rainy weather I couldn't walk outside. I still needed to exercise. I decided to do something I hadn't done in a long time. I did an aerobics workout.

Don't gasp, laugh, or file a motion to have my "man card" revoked. The DVD I put in the player was "Sweatin' To The Oldies3". I like all of Richard Simmon's "Sweatin" series. They are the exercise DVDs that have always been the most fun for me; mostly because of the music. I actually own 4 on DVD and about a dozen on VHS. The tapes are currently being converted to DVD for me by my brother-in-law.

For the first time in 5, maybe 6, years I exercised to some of my favorite songs from the 60's for about 50 minutes.

Not only did I get the exercise I needed from the "Sweatin" DVD it brought to mind some of my favorite people. Richard Simmons' exercise DVDs has been as much a part of my effort to lose weight over the years as counting calories or limiting carbohydrates.

Back in the 90's when my sisters and I formed our own weight loss group, Sweatin To The Oldies 2 & 3 were our "official" workout videos.

At one point I created and edited them (on VHS tape at the time) to the length we needed them to be. I even made up a "best of" tape of our favorite songs and routines to use as well. Because of the brand emblem on the tape's label we called it "the 'V' tape".

So Friday, as I exercised with the people on the DVD I was remembering all the fun my sisters, some of our friends, and I use to have doing the same thing. I was also though of my friend, Mary, who lives in California. Her daughter, Carol Lee, was actually in the "Groovin In The House" video. She's a big Richard Simmons fan and has actually been to his exercise studio, Slimmons in Los Angeles.

I was surprised to discover that the workout was a bit difficult for me, at first. I realized that I'm not as agile as I used to be. I was tired afterward and my knees hurt even throughout the next day.

But now that I've started up again I'm going to try and keep aerobics in my exercise routing at least once a week. I hope it increases my stamina and flexibility as well as helps to get me to my weight loss goal.