Hip Hip Hooray only light on the hips

I returned to the gym a couple months ago warming up to my current workout level. It takes me a while to ease into a new routine so I like to get a head start. Also, I was prompted by the appearance of knee flab. Seriously, I had saggy knees, and this wasn't going to stand. After years of working out and more or less modifying my eating habits I wasn't going to allow this backslide to transform into an avalanche. I mentioned how I've gained weight and I have to watch it only for people to reply that I look skinny as ever. Well, I don't just want to be small. In fact, I don't give a fig if I'm small, what size I am, or how much I weigh. These are just measurements which, true, are helpful guidelines providing objective progress reports, but my ultimate metric is to look good naked. What's the point of all the numbers?

Knee flab. I had developed a small fat fold around my knees. I hadn't gained much weight, but my body was sagging. Cellulite is a fact of life for women who are not professional athletes. That's just how it is. Most women - drop dead gorgeous too - have some cellulite. I've let go of saying goodbye to the bag of nickels nestled just above my hamstrings. However, I know the amount can be reduced and the resulting look smooths out my legs nicely. I also know that this only happens after years of healthy eating and regular exercise, and I'm now learning that slacking off for a year will bring it all back. There's some motivation for me to stay on the treadmill.

So why all the fanfare? This morning, I noticed that the knee flab was gone. I've officially hit my first fitness goal. I don't think I've lost any weight. I know I haven't gone done any pants sizes, but by jing my knees have firmed up! I started cardio only workouts sporadically since Thanksgiving, I started earnestly sweating at least three days a week around Christmas. Recently, I included weights in my routine and I'm working out four days a week. Resistance or weight training is essential to weight loss since muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells. Bottom line: pumping iron increases metabolism.

Now that I am taking my workout seriously, perhaps it's time for me to start dieting. I'm so conflicted on the diet thing. I don't want to modify my eating habits to a level that I'm not going to sustain, but I know that if I slog through for a few months then my body will naturally want to stick to the new regime. Ultimately, I will ease into restricting my diet just like I eased into increasing my workout.