no pain no gain. Right?

Back in the day we were Y Rats. When Abby was little we spent most mornings at the YMCA. We did parent-tot swim and she did tumble time. The day care was structured like a "preschool" and we knew all the kids and all their mothers. When Annie came along - she went right along with us. I did a race-walking class and all the other women took turns carrying her around the gym. Then we would head downstairs to lift weights and she would watch happily from her carseat. I think I had her in the pool when she as just a couple of months old. We would head back in the afternoon, too. I would stick Abby in childcare and Annie and I would head down the basement to walk on the treadmill. (Me - not her. She slept in her carseat) I was in great shape. Eventually, I took a part time job and I stopped going to the Y. I did have a friend who I walked with every day but my social life at the Y ended.

When Abe was younger we started going to the Y in the mornings. That lasted until I increased my hours at work and was working in the morning. I tried the early (very. very. early) classes but just couldn't keep getting up in the middle of the night to exercise.

Even though my weight has been the same for 23 years and my BMI is well within normal range, I am currently struggling with body image and decided to try the exercise circuit again. If I could just stop jiggling and wiggling I think my self-esteem would increase. So in the last two days I have done a core class. A Zumba dance class and Yoga.

Today I feel like I was in a bar room brawl. And I lost. My stomach muscle hurts. They hurt real bad.