New faces at the gym

It's January, which means it's Resolution Time, and the gym is full of those new resolutioners.

I've been there long enough that I'm a Regular, the trainers know me, and some of the patrons from my classes know me too. I know a couple of them by name, though no one calls me by name, I take pleasure in being one of the "in" crowd.

There's a distinct increase in busy-ness that I figure will slack off in a few weeks as people realize that Losing Weight Requires Discipline, and those half-hearted attempts to lift weights won't actually result in weight loss without something else involved.

There's Dreds girl. She's got an ENORMOUS head of messy, kinda nasty-looking dreds. Now, I like dreds, generally; I like the small, neat rows, carefully maintained. But the thick, slept-in icky ones? No thanks. Her hair is twice as big around as the rest of her. She's one of those who wants to lose weight, but doesn't have much to lose; she's soft, but not huge. She'll probably quit when she realizes six pack abs don't happen in six weeks of bench presses. She's usually got a Man hovering around her, telling her what to do. He's not one of the trainers.

Then there's Let's Work Together resolution pair. They're both substantially overweight, and clearly there for moral support. I'm all for it; it's so much easier now for me now that I have friends there at the gym who notice when I'm making progress, and shout encouragements when the trainer's being particularly brutal.

The problem with this one is they're there for 30 minutes, work the same four machines in the same order, and do so at such a low speed and weight that they're not actually DOING anything. They talk the whole time, and you can watch; they're clearly working the "lose weight in X body part by doing X exercise" myth, because they have large thighs and are always working the thigh machines. They'll stop moving when they talk, and then remember to keep moving the weights. They won't last long, because what they're doing will do nothing in the end to reduce anything. I want them to succeed, and have even tried to encourage them to join me in the classes (I'm familiar with one of them, in passing "hello, we live in the same area" sort of way.)

They're afraid, though. They're afraid they'll look stupid, or that people will point and laugh. THe thing I learned pretty quickly about that is no one does... they're too busy worrying about looking stupid themselves, or just trying to get through the next exercise without falling over!

There's a sort of camaraderie in these classes, a shared trial of pain, that means you can shout and grunt and groan and everyone laughs and grunts and groans and shouts with you, because it HURTS, and you're all hurting.

Part of me wants the newbies to hurry up and fail and go home so I can have My Treadmill back, but the other part wants them to succeed so I can learn their names and shout encouragement when they do the classes with me.

I know they won't, though.

Then there's My Boyfriend Will Make Me Pretty. He stands over her, tells her how to use the machine, sets the weight way too high for her to handle, and laughs when she can't do as many reps as he can. Then he tells her to get up and he shows her how a Real Man does it.

Then they move to another machine, and they repeat it. She's wearing a cute outfit with words across her butt, probably "Juicy." She's already pretty, but he clearly wants her to be prettier, and she's letting him bully her into something that she hates. She won't last long, because she's not there for herself, she's there for him, and when he gets bored of being better than she is, he'll stop forcing her to go.

I wonder if he's paying for her membership.

Then there's the Old Couple. They're so adorable, and I love them. The guy comes, his wife sets him up on the treadmill, and presses all the buttons for him. He starts walking, and she joins us in our scary classes, and does a great job. I don't know her name yet. But I like her, and always make a point to talk to her after class.

One lady isn't a newbie at all; she's been going longer than I have, and she's got incredible focus. She's very overweight, but she's SO determined, and I've seen a definite change in her body - what she's doing is working. She works the cardio machines for hours, never makes eye contact, never uses the lockers, and works the weights constantly. She's making a life change, and it shows. I want to tell her that I've noticed her progress, and she's doing a great job, but she's very close-off from the world, and in four months, I've never even been able to catch a glance, so I don't want to intrude on her zone, since she's clearly IN IT.

I like to people watch in the gym.

Wait a minute...

With the influx of New Year's inspired emails, promotions, and TV shows, I'm listening to a lot of the advice being thrown around, and something occurred to me.

I'm not a beginner anymore. I don't even know if I'm intermediate. I've been doing the kinds of exercises in my classes that you see on Biggest Loser in those crazy Last Chance workouts.

I've been at this for over four months now, eating right, exercising; this isn't some New Year's fad for me. It's becoming a lifestyle.

And you know something? I like it. It's cool to encourage other people that I don't recognize to join a tough class at the gym, or get to know my fellow exercisers by name. To offer to run a 5k with a friend who's been struggling with her goals.

To be offering advice to those who are just starting, trying to pursue their New Year's dreams.

Wow. I'm not a beginner anymore. That is an awesome, awesome feeling.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

The truth is... there is no ugly in this post. There's not even that much bad!

Over the holidays, I totally failed at my fitness goals. I went to the gym once, didn't exercise at home, and frankly, the only thing I did to exercise was I walked with my nieces for a couple of miles over Christmas.

Still though... I watched what I ate, made a lot of healthy choices, and only had two "naughty" days of eating... out of two weeks! I'm very proud of that. And those naughty days were totally earned. I had a trip to Outback Steakhouse, and one Waffle House morning breakfast that I allow myself to enjoy occasionally. AT least I don't go three or four times a week like I was doing!

I got a new digital scale at home for Christmas, so I've been using that... it seems to match up closely with the one at the gym. So I did what I haven't been able to... I weighed myself for real, naked. See, at the gym, I have to stand outside of the locker room fully clothed to weigh myself. So Monday, I got on my home scale when I woke up, stripped down, and decided to see what I REALLY weigh.

190.

ONE HUNDRED NINETY POUNDS. I even weighed myself again after zeroing the scale to make sure.

That means I've lost over 20 lbs.

That makes me SOO, so happy. And I had my very first comment Sunday morning about losing weight. The nursery lady asked me if I'd lost weight, and I was able to finally smile and say yes!

That is a good, good feeling!

OUCH my hamstrings

I've been taking a lot of classes at the gym, and I'm loving it so much. I'm not losing tons of weight like I was at the beginning;I've plateaued a bit. I'm losing about a lb a week, though, although this week I gained half a pound in spite of my best efforts.

My running training is way off... I took up a couple of new aerobics classes -one known only as "Heart Pumpin'". What she should call the stupid thing is "Heart Explodin"

It's left me too sort to run. I don't mind. :) I'm getting a great workout, and I figure I'll start running when I get used to this level of exercise. I am working on an informal interval training thing when the other classes don't leave me so wiped out I can't function. Last week's was so bad Monday that after Monday's THIRTY MINUTE session, I didn't walk right until Thursday. It hurts So good. This trainer really knows what she's doing, and she knows what I can do... and she makes me DO it. I love it.

The only thing I don't like is when we go outside and it's cold. Getting your heartrate up that high in the cold HURTS your lungs.

Right now, after her class, my hamstrings and my butt hurts. I think abs might have given me some soreness, too. I picked up another great class Friday by another trainer. This one's for an hour, and it's a whole-body workout, including weight training and aerobics, core and everything. I love it! it's only once a week, though. Most of the whole-body stuff is in the evenings, and it's just so hard for me to get to the gym in the evenings, plus it's more crowded.

so even though I gained a half pound, this week, I still feel great. Noticed during a staff meeting last week that my neck looks thinner. I haven't measured anything since my first month back; I need to do that!

I haven't fallen off the wagon!

I bet you thought I'd abandoned you, since my 5k victory. :)

Hardly! I've just been so busy, I've been having a hard time finding the time to compose another blog post.

This week, I started two new things; I'm starting an informal cycling training on my interval days to cross train for running, to build up to riding my bike across the the Golden Gate Bridge when I go to San Francisco!

The other thing happened quite by accident, but has proven to be awesome. See, Monday, I got to the gym a little earlier than I usually do, and the trainer who does my ab class noticed me, and thought I was there for her 8:30 "Heart Pumpin'" class - something I didn't even know was on the schedule, and had never done. So she told me to come on in... even though I was the only one there! Well, I couldn't think of a good reason not to, and I had no idea what to expect.

Well, she spent the next 30 minutes attempting to kill me.

I ran, I jumped, I breathed so hard I thought my heart would explode.

But it felt GOOD. It was like having a real personal trainer (as in, paying the extra for one) because I was the only one in the class, but it was part of the gym membership, since it was a class!

Her ab class followed immediately after. She's REALLY good... once she has an idea what your fitness level is like, she pushes you to extend it, and even though you think you can't possibly go on another step... you do anyway, because she's there driving you along.

So after 30 minutes of hell, I did the ab class, which I've always loved. She watches each class member, and gives you weights based on your fitness level. She always shakes it up, and you NEVER know what muscle group you're going to work, nor what she's going to do.

I had no energy for my running plan after that, but she DID have me running during the first class, since I told her I was training for a 5k! I walked a mile and a half to cool down afterwards. All told, that was an hour and a half of intense workout!

I rested the next day, which hurt SO much... but today, I did it again. On purpose, this time. :) It was so hard, I turned absolutely crimson and was wheezing like an asthmatic monkey, and I had to take a little tylenol when I got home, but I feel SO good.

And the best part? I decided that since I started this new, intense workout with the gym, that I would go ahead and repeat week one on the Rookie Running Program on the treadmill. And I did it! AND I pushed on my intervals. Since I did 60 seconds last week, I pushed it to 75 seconds this week, and tried to walk shorter intervals by a few seconds. . That last run felt SO good, I was grinning like an idiot, talking to myself... the other people on the treadmills to either side of me probably thought I was nuts. ;)

I also came home and ate a HUGE breakfast... sausage and a toaster strudel, and I've been eyeballing that banana in the kitchen. I needed to refuel! Also drank three full water bottles of water while I was working out. So there's my 6 cup minimum, and I'm still drinking. ;)

I raced in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

I *did* it. I set a goal, and I made it. I've been doing the October TRick or TReat Trot training program, and Saturday was my race!

I wanted to do a real 5k for my first time, and lo and behold, my city's annual Race for the Cure popped up. So I signed up. I didn't expect much, just to walk, go home, and be proud.

Honestly though, I found the entire experience to be electric. There were more than 4,000 runners there, and the atmosphere was just incredibly charged with emotion. I found myself randomly tearing up while waiting for the race to start, and a few times while walking, just moved by the power of the whole experience. I walked alongside survivors in their dark pink shirts, supporters, people who've lost friends and loved ones to breast cancer, and people who have been touched.

My aunt Kathy (who isn't really an aunt, but might as well be) is a breast cancer survivor.

My grandmother Ninney is a breast cancer survivor.

My great-grandmother Gamie was a breast cancer survivor.

These wonderful women were who I raced for. I can't describe the feeling I had when I was done, walking back to my car, and I saw a group of four survivors walking by. I teared up, raised my hand, and shouted, "You go ladies!" And they smiled, waved, and thanked me, and meant it.

My first 5k wasn't only an accomplishment for me to be truly proud of, it was a spiritual experience. I wasn't even done walking, and I was already plotting to RUN next year's race. Not to challenge myself, but to do more for these incredible women who were celebrating their fights and lives.

Nothing seems quite as important when you're walking behind a woman whose hair is still growing back from her chemotherapy, to revel in the power of her life as she's walking with thousands of others in a fight to make many more like her.

I raced for the cure. And I won. Sure, I was far from first, but I won something so much more special than a medal or recognition. I can't even quantify it, and I've been floating ever since. I was a part of something truly amazing, and it was nothing short of intense.

I've never lost a loved one to breast cancer, though it has touched my life in many, many ways, as it has threatened a lot of people I hold dear to me. I'm at risk myself, with a strong family history, so much so it played in to my decision to breastfeed my children (nursing lowers your cancer risk.) But I cried today for women I've never met, who have been lost to this disease. The feeling of joy and sadness was a physical thing at the race.

I've never been so proud of 57:15 in my life.

Progress in spades

First, what I fed my kid today!

This is all by request, mind you.

Pickle
Salad (Italian dressing)
Guacamole (Made it tonight.)
Whole grain chips
Blueberries
Pepperoni

I asked her what she wanted tonight, and word for word, that was what she asked for. I am so thrilled that she is making healthy choices! Granted, she's a pickle addict, but all have our vices! She may be 5, but she's got a good head on her shoulders.

Yesterday, I had a writer's conference, and I had nothing clean to wear, so I started digging around in my drawer.

I spotted my favorite cargo pants; pants I haven't been able to wear in months because my butt got to  big. I stared at them for a moment, and said, "HEck, why not."

So I put them on.

They FIT.

Comfortably! Yeah, I've still got the Muffin Top of Doom, but they fit around my hips!  

I felt SO good.

My aunt says I look different. I know what the mirror's showing me isn't repulsive anymore, and the huge underwear I bought are starting to get too big.

I'm liking this so, so much.