Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - Fit Club

Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Fit Club
So, I'm pretty sure I've been complaining about being fat and flabby since round about mid 2001. And then I got un fat, but remained flabby around 2006, and now I'm back to fat and flabby (though relatively less fat than prior to 2006). I'm good at complaining, it's one of my strong points. What I'm not good at is actually getting my ass in gear to do something about whatever it is I'm complaining about. Here is where the buck has stopped for me. See, there's parts of being fat and flabby that I can change, and parts of being fat and flabby that I cannot change (at least not without lots of moolah and major surgery), but it's freakin' ridiculous for me to sit around and bitch about it when I have control over a great deal of my issues.
We have a "gym" at work. A small workout room with a couple of treadmills, a few bikes, a rowing machine, and some very antiquated weight equipment. Being AAHPERD, we're all about encouraging people to get in shape and the crappy parts of our "gym" are in the process of being upgraded to encourage more people to exercise there and reward those who already do.
With some coaxing from a coworker, I decided that I would start utilizing our "gym" this year. We said we'd stay after work twice a week and walk or do some light weight lifting for 30 minutes. This has happend all of twice now - in the whole month of January. We cannot get it together - no matter what. Someone has an appointment, or has to work late, or has to pick someone up - whatever. Today I brought all my workout stuff - even remembered my shoes. I decided that with or without company, I would stay after work and actually exercise. Sweat. Raise my heart rate to something well above a measley 100bpm. I'd do it with or without my trusty coworker. And I did. And it was satisfying!
I started off with my customary walk on the treadmill - only this time I walked for at least 15 minutes instead of 5 or 10, and I carried some handweights for added umph. From there I tried to use one of our exercise balls, but they both needed some serious air, so I gave up on that. I decided instead to work with the hand weights. I'm always mortified by the way my arms look, so here's my chance to change it. I did triceps, biceps, deltoids (all 3 of them on both sides), and then I did it some more. I did sets of crunches - two different times. Leg presses, hamstring curls and a little bit of calf strengthening (not that my calves aren't already the strongest things I've got). After that I was actually sweating a little. I stretched, and finished up after about a 40 minute workout. I was pretty impressed with myself. I didn't need anybody to tell me what to do next or how many times to do it. I actually pushed myself to do something - anything. Now, if only I can continue this routine - at least twice a week (frankly I'd like to do more). Yay me!