Imagine this: Short chick in a wine colored sleeveless dress with olive shoes and cool hair (if I say so myself! )...standing in the sports section at Wal Mart with her iPod on doing presses and curls with hand weights at 8something at night...

Yeah. I was getting some funny looks.

But I had to make sure the new weight was right....

I've been telling my wife to do just that, because it is important to get the right weights -- though you'll probably be back a few weeks later, needing heavier ones.

The adjustable dumbells are tempting, but in practice it's a hassle to switch the weights out and keep in the rhythm of your workout.

At some point (if you find you really like dumbells), you're going to have to give in and buy a set of dumbells and a rack to store them on.

The local Dick's Sporting Goods seems to be friendlier to try-before-you-buy shoppers, which is really the way you should be buying new fitness equipment!

Or, shattering the huge wall-sized mirror at Gold's when I was using it as a support surface while doing heavy-weight curls.

And then some guy saying, "Wow, that's power."

Very awkward.

Wow. Did they make you pay for the mirror?!

I hope that wasn't even suggested. Depending how the glass broke, that could have been seriously damaging to his supporting hand... and for that matter any other body part that might have rec'd the blast.

My husband broke the safety glass in a window at a highschool gym (you know the kind with wire in it?) Just pushing the door open.

And then there was the time we were at the ski resort. Upon taking the skis off the rack, a pole tapped (and I do mean just tapped) one of the windows... and it exploded everywhere... probably due to the heat in the car vs. the freezing temps outside. We were covered with glass. Glad it broke into those little squares. The bummer was we had to leave to get the stupid window fixed. It was a perfect ski day too!

Blest... I LOVE that you were in the store dressed to the nines picking out your gear!

I was joking. Apologies if I didn't make that clear.

Claudia: "Blest... I LOVE that you were in the store dressed to the nines picking out your gear!"

Oh yeah. Since I hit goal I have become quite the fashionista! Besides, I sell jewelry so I have to dress to wear it so hopefully I'll get business! One of the great things about being smaller is that I can find cool stuff to wear at Goodwill!

By the way, I totally understand about how having twins can make it harder to get in shape. I've got four boys myself - nine and under. It's not nearly as easy to make all the right choices when you're responsible for people other than yourself who barely let you eat at all somedays! (let alone get a shower!) But you can do it! I never thought I would do it. But it's DONE! If I can, you can!!!

no apologies necessary... but could you just imagine...