Putting my money where my mouth is !

After a long break which consisted of sleep deprivation, eating wrong things at odd hours, travelling for shows of our play and overall lack of discipline, I am back. My efforts to work on my fitness were sporadic, at best. I was easy on myself and sugar-coated it by calling it “taking baby steps”.

Each day I fretted about my weight and lack of motivation to do something to reduce it. People cracked jokes about my weight and I laughed along with them because the jokes were really funny ! What was not funny though, was my complete lack of effort.

I contemplated going to a gym close to my home and making an enquiry. It took me two weeks to do that.

However, when I finally went there on Saturday, I felt very warm and comfortable there. In that moment something changed for me.

I spoke to the TH and returned the same evening and paid the membership fees for ONE WHOLE YEAR ! Those who know me know very well how cautious I am with my money. Considering my past track record with exercising, I wouldn’t have trusted myself ever to make such a long-term commitment for exercising and actually put down the money for it. But well, that’s exactly what I did.

Actually, I have never felt warm and comfortable in any gym I have been to before…and trust me, I’ve been to quite a few. Somehow, this gym just ‘felt right’. I guess that is what did me in ! :)

So, I have ‘put my money where my mouth is’, as the phrase goes. That will, hopefully, ensure that the goal is achieved.

The whole of yesterday, I kept thinking to myself, ‘When you wake up tomorrow morning, you’ll want to skip the gym and sleep a little longer. At that time, ask yourself this: “Losing weight and becoming fit” or “Staying fat and wasting money” – what do you choose ? Say to yourself, “I choose health”.

So, today was my first day at the gym. I went in and completed registration formalities. Then I was assigned to an energetic and smiling lady N who took my weight and measurements and I got suitably horrified in the process seeing the numbers. She is going to be my trainer too. I told her that I was a novice and she would have to guide me each step of the way. She was so pleasant and had a sense of humour too. I instantly warmed up to her.

She took me through my run of exercises. Warm ups, exer-cycle for 10 minutes, calf exercises, thigh exercises, treadmill for 10 minutes, abs, side leg raises, some floor exercises designed for the lower body and finally relaxation. Today it was all about the lower body.

Then she took me to the dietician who tried really hard to sell me the concept of getting a paid consultation for a couple of months. It is natural for her to do that since presently I appear like the perfect candidate in need of that. It’s just that I’m in two minds about it because it is a paid consultation. I’ve already spent a lot and now there’s some more. TH says I should take it for a month. It will help me reduce the initial weight quickly. That will motivate me to keep exercising sincerely. I’m still thinking on this one.

Here are a few random observations of the day:

As I left the gym today, I felt nice. I felt that I could come here every day without forcing myself to.

I drank 1.5 times more water than usual today.

Usually I go and have lunch at 1:00 p.m. whether or not I am hungry. Today I was feeling hungry for about half an hour before I went for lunch.

As night approaches, I am feeling slightly tired. My mind is telling me that tomorrow morning is going to be terrible because the effects of all the enthusiastic exercising will be felt when I wake up tomorrow morning. So I must be all the more alert and stop myself from succumbing to the desire to sleep ‘just for five more minutes’. :)

All day, there was a spring in my step. I was feeling very energetic all day. Whether I actually had more energy or it is just in my mind, I don’t know. But whatever it is, I was feeling great all day.

Here’s to having a ‘feel-good’ day every day !