"I'm off with a shot at the start"

So I just finished my daily workout, and for this first time in a long time I found myself doing an exercise where I was in excruciating pain - this is not the new part, this is in fact fairly normal for me since I'm a big pain baby - and instead of collapsing in a chest heaving, sweaty heap on the floor until Ed comes home and resuscitates me (my workout m.o.), I had the instant thought that this hurt so badly because that area was so pathetically weak.

(Disclaimer: the fitness instructor in me would like to say that pain does not necessarily equate gain and that there is a distinct difference between injury pain and weakness pain... it is up to you to be careful and know the difference and when one is turning into the other) 

But today was definitely a weakness pain in my cute-sounding-but-not-cute-looking kangaroo pouch. It was such a good feeling! I know that sounds ridiculous but... it was fantastic! Having the trained reaction change from defeat to 'of course it hurts let's do something out it right now!'
I feel like there are major first steps in a workout routine.

1. Committing to just getting there. Yes, you eventually need to really work hard, but if you can't even get yourself to the gym on a regular and frequent basis, then you just aren't going to get anywhere.

2. Working through the change. And by change I mean pain and sweat and exhaustion. Working out is not comfortable, changing yourself doesn't 'feel good' at least, not the recent state of feeling good you've been enjoying, sitting on the couch watching hoarders and eating anything you can get your hands on. And stopping cause it's hard is just too tempting.

3. There's nothing wrong with being hungry every now and then. It sucks but you can't change your weight without eating differently. That doesn't mean cutting out certain foods or sugar or carbs. You just have to eat less. As Mom says, calories in, calories out.

And I feel as if I've really nailed step 1 and step 2. Hurrah!

Another thought I've had... I'm nervous to use the wedding as a reason to lose weight. Almost every bride I know did everything in their power to lose weight for a wedding and then after the wedding gained that and much more back. I try to use 'the dress' as a motivator to get myself out the door to workout but from that point on, when the pain hits, I just focus on how much more I could physically do if I were stronger. I could swim longer, race longer, hike longer, chase down goats easier, and play Wii games longer! I could carry Ed over the threshold after the wedding! :)

There's tons more to say about wedding plans and ideas and things really freaking me out but for now I need to go collapse into a post-workout coma with some water... until Ed comes to revive me. :)