I am sore.

Two years ago, I lost thirty pounds over the course of about three months. (Nannying for two very active little boys will do that to you, once you stop eating a Sam's Club-sized bag of M&M's every week.)

Fifty-six ounces. That's 3.5 pounds of goodness, my friends.

I've managed to maintain most of that, but over the last month I've noticed the scale tiptoeing its way back up. This was caused by three things, I think: ice cream season, cold beer season, and waaaaaay too much eating out.

I'm working on the last one and going back to cooking more, which should help both the scale and the budget.

But. To address the first two: Giving up ice cream and beer entirely are Not Viable Options. Cutting back I guess could be more reasonable, but not as much fun as stepping up my workout routine!

Yes, I have decided that in the battle of the scale, I much prefer to work out harder than to give up tasty foodz.

I work out at least three times a week at a Curves gym near my house. It's great because the workout mixes strength training and cardio in a time period to which I know I can commit, but turns out it's also great because it's totally Girl Chat Time, too. There are several women who also work out most weekdays in that after-work 4:30 to 7 pm time range, and we have good conversation. Also, I love the employee who works evenings, and we have gotten to be fairly good friends (by an introvert's definition, which is pretty much, people who will voluntarily talk to you about something other than the task at hand). She even has lent me some books, which is a sure sign of trust.

Exercise? No thanks, Mom.

A few months ago, the club started offering a "Curves with Zumba" class, which combines the circuit machines with Zumba moves. It. is. a. BLAST. And a good workout. And a good opportunity for fellowship with other new Zumba devotees. We are very good laughing at how ridiculous we look, and lamenting the fact that our hips just don't seem to operate the same way the instructor's do. It's been just the change-up I needed for my workout routine.

Now I am trying to draw the DDH into some of the social-workout goodness. Obviously he can't come to Curves, but our church offers a fitness ministry on Wednesday evenings, where they do a half-hour Bible study/nutrition class and an hour workout. It started up for the year yesterday, and I convinced the DDH to come with me.

Oh man, was it intense. Apparently, the instructor varies the sorts of exercises we do week to week, and this was a P90X-themed workout. Holy cow. Muscles I didn't know I had are sore. My triceps are rebelling. My abs hurt so much that it seems a side bonus of this workout will be not eating as much because my stomach hurts.

It's awesome.