Thursday, September 13, 2012

The gym experiment begins

Thanks to my friend John from high school, and feeling otherwise fed up with feeling like a slug, I did the previously unthinkable, and joined a real gym last week. My biggest motivator was being categorized as "pre-diabetic" a few months ago. That was the first time I had ever been put into a potentially scary as hell group in regards to my health. I don't know anything about the best way for me to achieve my goals other than to flat out start SOMETHING!! And the company I work for is extremely generous about helping us live healthier lives, so they reimburse monthly gym dues! Well, I walked into the LA Fitness close to where I work, and signed up! Then had to come home and break the financial news gently to David. He was NOT happy about the additional up-front costs that came with my membership!! But neither was I!! "Why can't you do any of the free things to get healthy?!!!" Well, dearheart...I need more structure than you do!! BLAHBLAH-YADAYADAYADA...it's a done deal, so what next?

I'm not going to say much about the personal trainer that I had a consult with a few days after I joined up other than to say that it was a HIGH pressure sales attempt to get me to spend even more money a month OR ELSE I can say goodbye to achieving any of my weight loss goals!!! And apparently I am an idiot because I wouldn't be able to accomplish being able to take a shit without being told how to do it correctly by a professional trainer!! I left that consult in tears unfortunately. Not because I was destroyed or demoralized or any of that other crap. I was PISSED!! Oh, and we did a few half-squats that were supposed to "shred" my quadricep muscles. Yeppers, we DID accomplish that!! I didn't walk very good for about 5 days. What I wanted from this consult was a brief overview of what strength training machines would work best for me, and which wouldn't. I get the cardio part a lot easier than the strength training part. That's what we WILL focus on tomorrow during my "throw her a bone on the house" session with my torture master.

I know they expected me to never return after exiting the building in tears the other night, but I am undeterred. I have been back 3 times since then (but just for cardio) and have done some research online about self-monitored and self-directed strength training in a gym, so THERE!!

OK, just for record-keeping purposes...these are the ugly beginning stats...weight: 215 lbs, 44.1 % body fat...GROSS!! But here are the realistic goals I've set for myself with the approval of the gym guru and my doctor!! In a year's time (from Sept 6, 2012 forward...) weight 160, 24 % body fat (the idea is that I will actually gain a little weight in muscle and lose it in fat...HEALTHIER!!!

I have 3 LAF locations that I will take advantage of, and I have friends at work that are also new LAF members and we plan on working out together as often as possible, but I'm OK with going solo too. I might try some of the workout classes, and will definitely take advantage of the pool!! And oh yeah, trying to partake of a healthier diet too. I actually have access to telephonic nutrition and weight-loss and general health coaches thru my health insurance company, and we've already had a coupla conversations since the gym experiment began!! This is a new feature that I am tickled to take advantage of!!

Ok, this promise...I have no plans to constantly post pics of any progress I may make, or constant non-pictoral blatherings about my gym experiences. I don't want to share THAT much about THAT aspect of my life with THAT many people! I'm just say'in...til next time

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