Let's be cliche today.

I'll just hop on the bridal bandwagon and talk about getting in shape for the wedding!

I've seen a version of my story on every wedding board/blog I'm on or follow. I was a dancer from kindergarten to my senior year of high school. I think I had my best body in junior and senior year: puberty was over and I had curves, but I was working out all the time at dance class, so I was really well toned. Then comes my twist in the story. About a month before graduation, I did a step wrong in a dance routine and broke my right knee. Everyone will be happier if I don't go into details. I had surgery and went into physical therapy, but my legs have never been in the same shape.

The rest of me held out for a while longer. An ex once described my stomach as "the perfect girl stomach: flat with rock hard abs." With the exception of the messed up leg, I was in fantastic shape when I met John. I tried to get back into dance classes through my college, but ballet was ridiculously painful, and the end of that came when I twisted that same knee learning how to ski. Since then, I've tried to get back into a workout routine, but something always happens that I miss a day, and I never get back into it.

Well, my wake-up call came in two forms this holiday season. I work on the fourth floor, and one day I took the stairs. I felt worn out at the top! That was not a good sign. Pair that with the second wake-up call: a small weight gain. Three pounds isn't that much, but when your weight has held steady for six years and then you realize it's going up, it's a bit of an unpleasant surprise.

I have a really fast metabolism, but I'm realizing that won't keep me in shape, and it's not going to stay that way forever. Step one in my new fitness routine came in the form of my brother's Christmas gift: Wii Fit! I've started getting up earlier to do Wii Fit in the morning instead of trying to squeeze exercise in any random time of day, or even worse, right before bed. I've also continued to take the stairs: I won't do the elevator unless I have the cart, I'm in an unfamiliar building (I haven't taken the time to scope out the stairs in any of the other buildings on my work campus) or my knee is really bad. I've learned taking the stairs when my knee is really stiff is just painful.

I'm also thinking about taking the 100 push up challenge and buying 30 Day Shred. For the record, John is working out too, trying to get better muscle tone for the wedding! Any other ideas for working out? Anyone else trying to get in shape for the new year and for their wedding?