Gym – Season in,season out…

Every time I tackle a new class at gym I wonder at how many muscles the body actually has. I’m of the opinion that Metro and I work all my muscles all the time but I’m proved wrong each time I go for a spinning class or tackle an aerobics class! The pain I experience the following day, without fail, convinces me that there really isn’t enough exercise to make one feel confidently fit!

 My sister-in-law has asked me how I stay at gym; keep at it season in and season out?  Tough one, for I know that even though my 10-year Vitality membership has never been cancelled due to my not making the minimum required attendance, I have in some years made it by the skin of my teeth. So I could totally identify with her question.

 In response to it though, I would say that other than the hundreds of people watching me through my weight-loss journey, my fitness-fanatic husband and really in trying to work with my body to reverse the pre-diabetes, I’ve just realised that I like exercising. There I said it! I’m not talking about break-your-back, pull-a-muscle type exercising, but more moderate break-a-sweat and get-the-endorphins-going type. I like the camaraderie you get from knowing you’re fighting a common enemy with the rest of the gyming fraternity, body size notwithstanding- just by walking in and swiping your card.  Sure, the enemy comes in many forms for all of us, but the commonalities are there.  Lose or gain weight; tone; define or maintain muscle mass, keep diseases at bay or fight aging; it’s all common amongst us.  

But, like it though I do, that has not prevented me from reading a book in the morning in bed instead of going to gym, because I was too lazy to get dressed in my already set out clothes mind you! It has not prevented me from going to gym and instead of actually exercising, taking my still-clean gym clothes off and going to the sauna or steam room for my dose of sweating! Nor has it ensured I go to gym after work if other commitments prevented me from going in the morning. I still only go to gym in the morning because I really don’t trust myself to go after work. Too many excuses come up later in the day, and those guarantee I don’t make up any missed sessions. 

 So why do I keep going back…? quite honestly – it’s become a habit, and just like any old habit, one has to keep going back. The big difference with this one though is that there are such cool benefits, and if I am to keep feeling good about myself, I realise it’s one of those habits I have to maintain!! Sure, I don’t always feel like it, but one of these days, my brain will work with me and there’ll be a real love affair between the gym and I. Watch this space!