I joined the local YMCA yesterday. You can stop singing the song now 🙂 Maybe it’s a pre-midlife crisis. Maybe it’s the fact I’d like, at least once more before I kick the bucket ,to have a guy give me a second look instead of looking through me. I used to go to the gym regularly years ago. Then I got hurt and it took a couple of years before the docs figured out everything that was wrong and made it so I could be on my feet for more than 15-20 without being brought to tears because of the pain. By then, I had a convenient excuse for not exercising.
About 9 or so years ago I joined a gym again. It was right where I worked so very convenient to go to at the end of the day. I started an expensive “diet” too. And it started to work! I started losing weight. But then my work offered medical insurance. I knew I needed to go to get all the preventative maintenance done but I couldn’t afford both medical insurance and the gym fees. So I opted for the medical insurance.
Now my circumstances, be them liked or not, I am able to afford insurance and gym. So as kind of a birthday present to myself, I signed up yesterday. I was supposed to go down a week ago Saturday but the cold hit me and I didn’t have the energy to go from the chair to the refrigerator without getting worn out. That’s over and I had to stop making excuses. And I needed to find motivation. The latter definitely being the hardest.
My motivation comes in the form of a picture of one of my fellas in a luggage tag that’s hooked to my water bottle. It will make it easy for me to find the bottle when I do group classes and the picture will keep me motivated. And I don’t mean in the “if I get all in shape and skinny he’ll want to date me when we meet” way. A) He’s has a significant other and B) That’s just creepy and crosses so many fan/celeb boundaries I can’t count them all (but that’s for a different post). And no, he’s not nearly naked, nor is he even shirtless, in the picture. Shocking, I know 🙂 He’s my motivation, nonetheless.
The Y is freaking HUGE! They have a Jacuzzi, sauna, & steam room. And a pool. With a slide. And a lazy river. They offer exercise classes using the resistance of the lazy river. I hope to try those out along with some kickboxing and a self-defense bag boxing classes (despite my annoying elbow issue). All the carido machines upstairs have iPod/Phone hookups, USB ports, and cable TV on the screen! Just plug your headphones in and you’ll barley notice you’re getting your ass kicked by the machine. There’s also the standard walk/jog/run track upstairs and weight machines/free weights downstairs. And when you get sore, there’s a place for massages!
I watched a zumba class. Until I am able to get some coordination, I don’t think I’ll be trying that. They do have Yoga classes but most of those, including the beginning one I’d need, are during the day when I’m working. So I am starting with their 12 week program that’s included with the membership and some classes on the days when I’m not doing that workout. I have a personal trainer picked out who I am hoping will still be there as I get to the end of the 12 week program. Or if I find I’m needing more help, I will hire him earlier but at $50 a shot (and having to pay for 12 sessions at a time) I’d like to use the free stuff first. This guy however is ex-British Special Forces. OY! Just what I need to help keep me in line and on track!
If I do start feeling more adventurous, they have a rock wall there. Yep. And Rock climbing classes too. Maybe as a reward for staying with this? Just looking for ways to keep myself at it until it becomes habit, something I just have to do. I’m sure my friends will help/find ways to keep me motivated too 🙂
Yah! I’m proud of you. I wish I had that kind of ambition but I’ve never wanted to join a gym. I am reading a book called “Foodist” to maybe help me look at food differently. 😉
I expect that one day you will enjoy it all, that it will be a habit you’ll find fun. It must turn into that at some point otherwise why does anyone work out at all? 😉
I’m looking forward to your review of that book. if you like it, I may pick it up. I know my eating is not the best. It’s not horrid but if I modified that and with the exercise, it might speed things along as opposed to the super expensive “diet” thing I was one last time. Although really it was just expensive because of the types of food I was buying. Eating health is more expensive than eating like crap which is totally ass backwards to me.
I look forward to the day it is fun work and something I want to do, not have to convince myself to do, LOL! Hopefully the classes like kickboxing and such will make it that way. Finding someone to go with would be nice too!
I’ve read a chapter and bits of it online as well (excerpts) and I’m already finding myself at least aware that I should be eating better. I kinda wish I had bough the electronic version too but I wanted the hardback in case I ever see her in person and get her autograph. LOL
I’ll never get to the point of wanting to exercise. Heck, I still dread my walk to work sometimes! LOL Although that might just be because I’m walking to work. 😉