09. Life in Rewind: How 'Glee' Changed My Life

There was a period of time this past year when I dressed extremely "blah" every day. Shapeless outfits with no form, poor color coordination, and no makeup whatsoever -- who has the time?! I guess it was somewhat understandable though. It was freezing outside with lots of grey slush on the ground, and all I wanted was to be warm and comfy! Geez. 

However, in retrospect, it had a severe, negative effect on my self esteem and my perception of the world. I wasn't taking care of myself: I had become lazy and was mildly pessimistic about everything. To feel like I still had "control" of my life, I turned a blind eye to the fact that my metabolism was definitely not in it's prime (last seen freshman year of college), didn't bother exercising (ever), and ate everything I wanted, without regards to calories, fat, or sugar. Needless to say, I packed on about 15 - 20 extra pounds. Looking at pictures from a couple months ago, you could definitely see the weight -- it was visible in my face and upper arms, and my collar bones and chin had lost their definition. I felt so helpless.

Then, about 8 weeks ago, I finished watching the "Prom Queen" episode of Glee and something clicked -- Quinn, Rachel, and Santana all looked so healthy (and gorgeous!) So, I decided to go to the gym. Sure, I eked out a puny 15 minutes of elliptical "running" that first day, but something told me to keep trying and to keep making time for exercise. Over the past few weeks, I haven't skipped a day and I've upped my elliptical time to at least 50 minutes (on busy days) and more than an hour (on ambitious days). I'm eating much healthier and watching my caloric intake, but I also get to eat the food I love in moderation -- especially on the weekends! I'm happy to say that I dropped about 12 pounds (translates to a full dress size) and I'm maintaining my current weight quite easily. Most importantly, I'm more fit than I've been my entire life, and I can actually enjoy activities that involve cardio! 

So, what's the secret? Well, I get to watch an episode of Glee on my iPhone every time I go to the gym! Who doesn't love a good dramatic comedy with talented singing and dancing? I find that this system works well for me because (1) I'm thoroughly entertained, (2) by the time I finish the episode, I've completed at least 40 minutes of my routine and (3) it makes me genuinely want to go to the gym. I'll be finishing up the second season tonight, and then, I guess I'll start all over again from the first episode of season one, or... I could look into a different TV show. Suggestions are welcome!

Thanks Glee, even if you are a part of FOX Broadcasting Company.