30 Before 30

Let me just get right to the point - I'll be 30 this year (Novemeber to be exact), and it kind of sucks. I mean sure, I'm a very blessed woman (or "girl", since using woman makes me sound even older)... I'm a very blessed girl. I'm almost 30 and I've been happily married for 5 years, all my loved ones are happy and healthy, I own my own home, both cars are paid off, and WHO FREAKING CARES, BECAUSE I'M ALMOST 30!! In reality, it's kinda scary. It won't be long before I can no longer say that I'm in my 20's.

So as I was driving through town today, I had a revelation: If I wake up the morning of my 30th birthday, and I know that I'm now, "in my 30's," I want to wake up and know that in some way, shape, or form, being 30 has transformed my life in some way.

Of course that's a little dramatic, but I'm determined. So how do I do that? Well, I lose 30 pounds, that's how!! I need to lose weight anyway, and even though i could certainly stand to lose more than 30 lobs, that 30 lbs would make me feel freaking amazing and would be a great step in the right direction! If I know that being 30 motivated me to do that, then I'm much more likely to have a massive smile on my face all day on my next birthday.

HERE'S THE RISK: If I don't lose any or enough weight, how depressing will that be???!! Even more motivation to lose weight.

So then hours after this revelation, I had another. I was sitting in the Chevy dealership, reading a local magazine article about a guy who's heavier than I am, and how much weight he's lost by doing a local boot camp. Ive never done any kind of boot camp, but my endurance sucks, to blunt. But the idea of being at a park at 5:15am and doing boot camp for an hour before my day starts somehow appealed to me. Plus, I know all the hard work would pay off and help me lose much faster. So then I started to tell my husband, who was sitting next to me, reading the lastest ESPN, that I was going to start a 5:15am boot camp.

But then, as I tried to share my new idea with my husband, I realized I couldn't get it out. See, I have this thing where I get these random ideas in my head and run with them. I'm spontaneous like that. In contrast, my husband thinks things through and hates surprises. He also hates getting up early, as do I. I know that he knows about all these crazy ideas I spring on him that never come to pass. The more I tried blurt out my 5am boot camp idea, the more I couldn't get it out. I couldn't really think of a way to be subtle about it..

"So.. I was thinking, 5am boot camp sounds fun!! -- Not subtle enough.

"Hey, look at this article. This guy lost like 40 lbs by going to boot camp at 5am. That sure does sound fun." -- No way would he think that sounded fun.

"Who would be stupid enough to go to boot camp at 5am? Not me, that's who. I mean yeah, I could stand to lose some weight, and yeah I will turn 30 this year, but that's just too drastic. I like my sleep way too much. I mean sure, it would work, but it's not worth it, you know? I mean, unless I took it really seriously, which might then be worth it. I respect the guy for doing it, after all. I mean, I guess it wouldn't be worth a try. Do you think I should try it?" -- That might work, but I'm pretty sure he will think I'm insane.

But then I read the rest of the article, which stated things like, "running up stairs for a full hours,." and, "doing push-ups for 30 minutes straight" and decided I like my beauty rest. I also started cracking up laughing, at which point my husband just smiled and continues reading his mag.

ALL THIS TO SAY -- I will do this 30 before I'm 30 stuff. I may not be in boot camp at 5am, but I will work out more. I'll eat better. I'll eat less. I will lose 30 before I'm 30!! Who's with me?!