To the gym for "skinny jeans"!

One level of Dante's inferno?

I got up at 6 this morning, was at the gym by 6:20, and did the 30-minute exercise circuit (like they have at Curves) until about 7.  Then, I showered at the gym, blow-dried my hair there, went home, got dressed, and drove to work.  I got into the office at 8:20.  In my book, that's a pretty good morning!

Why am I motivated to kick a little tush? 

Answer:  I have a wedding to go to on August 4th.  It is at the Ritz Carlton. 

I have a gown that I bought for an event in 1997.  This gown is gorgeous and has been worn by me exactly once.  It is a fitted black sheath with a halter neck and a deep slit up the leg.  The gown is classic and though I've been out to the shops to see if I can find something, there is nothing to beat this gown.  Every fiber of my being wants to wear this gown. 

Do you remember the "skinny jeans" measure of success post?  Well, this gown is my new "skinny jeans" and I am on my way.  (The old "skinny jeans" got to be so baggy and saggy that I donated them to Goodwill last September).

The problem: the gown doesn't fit.  Oh, I can get it on, but it is too snug, and the zip doesn't zip all the way up the back, and it is just not hot.  Yet.  I am guessing that I have about 10 pounds to go before it looks good on me, and about 15 before it could be considered comfortable. 

The solution: kicking my own ass.  I recently watched a documentary on paleolithic man, and how it is believed that they survived the bottleneck that killed off all of our human like competitors who were not homo sapiens.  The thought is that they ate meat, worked hard to catch their meat in the mid-day, feasted at night, then did the whole thing again the next day.  Essentially, they exercised earlier in the day, and ate more at night.  I have been doing the opposite of this: eating more in the mornings, going to the gym at night. 

I can't exercise at mid-day.  Nope, I have to work. 

So, I've decided to give exercising in the morning a try, and to hydrate copiously and eat sparingly after that until dinner, where I feast on good things.  Meaty, vegetable-ey things.  That's the plan anyway. 

The complication:  I hate mornings?  Yesterday, that would have been a ringing, affirmative, declaration.  Today, though, there is some hope that I may be a morning person.  I won't confirm or deny it yet, but, so far...

I feel good.  I woke up naturally at 6.  It wasn't a struggle.  There was no alarm to scare the living crap out of me - ahem - to wake me.  I was up, turned to the hubby for a snuggle, and was told, kindly, that he had another hour left to sleep so could I please go back to sleep or something.  Not today.  I got up, dressed myself, and hauled off to gym.

And I feel good now.  I have energy.  There have been no yawns at all this morning.  Maybe I felt some endorphins this morning on the drive to work?  Not sure what that feels like, but it could explain the positive energy that led me to roll down the windows, amp up the U2, and rock out like a super freak during morning traffic.  I was happy.  I am pretty sure that I made a bunch of my fellow commuters laugh this morning with my antics.  I am happy and awake.

Can I keep this up?  Who knows.  I am working on it though!