I love to exercise which is an odd thing for many to process and understand. I like getting on a machine and working out while I listen to music, watch the television on mute and answer emails. Bizarre. I have been on teleconferences while on a treadmill. Its not that hard to do once you can control your breathing. I work out every day.  When I don’t exercise I feel like a slug and my legs get antsy. Sadly, despite all this exercise, I still have to do new work out exercises, as per my doctor.   Apparently, I have plateaued. There is nothing worse than plateauing.

So, what is a girl to do?

My doctor recommended that I do pilates. I am not a group exerciser. I far prefer exercies that I can do on my own. I don’t like inetracting with others while I work out. I like my space and like to be in my zone.  So, group pilates will not do for me. But I far prefer pilates to yoga.

So, what is a girl to do?

I downloaded some pilates videos onto my iPad and started doing the exercises in my hotel and at home. I actually like the strength building portion of pilates. I also like that I can do power pilates in 15 minutes.  I take longer showers than that.  While I was initially skeptical, I must admit that overall I’m ok with pilates. However, as there is always something for me to be snarky about I must admit that I do have some problems with the breathing portion of pilates. This whole taking a breath in as one stretches upwards and exhaling while stretching back down is so odd to me. I hate controlling my breathing. I know that must sounds so bizarre. But I like to be a free breather.   Here’s the thing. I never took lamaze classes. I didn’t see the point to learning how to breath while giving birth.   And guess what?  My active labor was 12 minutes long and I breathed whatever way I wanted. I got the job done without learning to breathe right.   I know that I must sound so bizzarre.  Either way, I don’t like the breathing part of pilates.

So, what is a girl to do?

Well, my son came to the rescue. Tonight, as I was doing my pilates and trying to do a child pose and trying to breathe while stretching my spine, my son joined me. Every night I have been begging him to watch a television show with me. And what brought him to the living room with me was pilates.  We worked out together. We breathed together. We laughed. It’s the first time I have liked working out with another person.   He noted to me that it had looked so easy and simple, but it was actually hard. Thus, my son got a life lesson as well as some exercise.   What an inspiration my son is to me.

So, what is a girl to do? She is to work out and learn to breathe alongside her son.