Weighty Matters

For those of you that know me well, you know that I am better known for my homemade jams than I am my athletic prowess.  To put it frankly, I sucked at any and all team sports.  I have been known to make a basket from the free throw line, if the hoop is low enough and I have been successful in getting a tennis ball over the net, but I have never been able to catch a ball using a mitt. Not once.  I was slightly famous in my freshman year of high school for breaking the bamboo high jump bar by landing on it in my failed attempt at jumping.  (They had to use a jump rope thereafter.) When I was up to bat in kickball, everyone moved way in as they knew my only chance to get on base would be a bunt. I never made it on base. 

Suffice it to say, athletics were not my thing.  Coupled with my lack of ability, the fact that I was a very girly girl who did not like to get hot and sweat did not help either.  When I was a child, being told to weed the garden during summer was torture for me.  I hated getting hot and dirty.  I never really outgrew that. However, after two kids and 40+ years of eating whatever I want, when I want, and as much as I want, my indulgent choices have affected my waistline.  When I saw myself in a video for work in May, I looked pregnant. I knew I needed to make a change.  I like food, and I like being able to eat whatever I want, so now I am trying moderation.  It is a battle for me, to say the least.  Changing my eating habits is not enough though according to my scale and the fit of my pants. Now I have turned to the dreaded exercise to help me reach my goal. 


The first step was joining a gym. I chose one that was highly reviewed on Yelp, a short distance from home, and had a really reasonable rate. Included in the membership was free personal training. I went a few times on my own at first before I got the nerve to inquire about the training.  My trainer was a very polite and helpful older gentleman who looked like he was probably former military and likely a coach.  He put me at ease right away and took the time to find out my goals and target areas.  He walked me through the machines that he thought would help me most. He wrote down all the settings that I needed for each machine and had me try 15 reps on each so that I would know how it was supposed to work and feel.  I thought I would feel embarrassed because I knew so little walking in, but he did not make me feel that way at all.  


Today I was on my own and did twenty minutes of cardio on the treadmill, and 40 minutes on the weight resistance machines.  I am a pro at the treadmill as it was the only machine I had used before walking in the door.  Just a few days ago, I was too intimidated to try anything else, and today, I used not only the treadmill, but machines for my abs, arms, legs and back. I even tried one that the trainer did not show me. Surprisingly, I have to say that I did not hate it. It is too soon to say if I like it or it will become a habit to go to the gym.  I can say that it does not entirely suck and despite the soreness in my arms, it kind of feels good. 


Tonight I have the Indian Spice class and next week I have a beginner pistol class.  That's right folks. LostinTexasMama will be a pistol packing mama next Tuesday.  I have always wanted to shoot a gun, but was a little intimidated by them.  When in Texas though, do as the Texans do.