When did my exercise aversion begin? I’m thinking elementary school. My feet point outward, and I am a terrible runner, and this didn’t go unnoticed by my fellow first-graders. As a sensitive kid, it got to me. P.E. was always a dreaded subject. I was terrible at most aspects of the Presidential Fitness Test. Luckily I was good at school all the while, so I just sort of focused on that.
I got into walking for a while. Like long-distance walking, which feels good, but isn’t that challenging anymore. And a couple summers ago there was the hiking phase, which was really fun and challenging, but hard to sustain past summer. Occasionally I sign up for a one-month “beginners” course at a yoga studio. I go for the month and then quit. I tell myself I can do it at home, but never do. I feel good about exercising when I’m in the habit of doing it (however rarely that is). It’s just a matter of getting there.
Even as an undergrad I avoided the gym at DU. Mostly because I compared myself to the other people there — people who were in better shape than I was, plus there was this element of feeling bad about myself and also judging people around me. I told myself that if I really wanted to exercise, I would do it on my own, at home or outside, without the aid of equipment. It’s a nice idea, but one that doesn’t really work for me (yet?).
So last week I signed up for a membership at the gym at work. It’s cheap for employees. I think I could have saved a couple of bucks at a 24-hour Fitness, but I literally work steps away from this one, and the convenience of it is unbeatable. Of course I didn’t use said membership for the first ten days… I guess I had to think about it more, or something? Apparently merely paying for it isn’t motivational enough.
Another perk to being staff is that we get three free sessions with a trainer. Not one to give up something free, I signed up. The girl I’m working with is pretty fantastic — into nutrition and holistic stuff. It’s one of those roles (personal training) where you (I, anyway) expect to encounter someone totally fake, so it’s nice to find someone real and frank and funny (I feel the same way about my hairdresser). But yesterday OMG did she kick my ass! With these little tiny weights! And little tiny exercises!
Anyway. I’m sore today. But being sore feels good.
4 Comments
November 14, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Yay! You’re going! It sounds like your trainer is great, too. Now all you need are a couple of gym outfits that make you feel really good… That always does it for me. Let me know if you want to hit up the Tar-zhay (or lululemon!).
November 14, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Ditto. I have to get over this too. Hopefully before I turn 40…or have a heart attack. Either one! Good luck with your new routines!
November 15, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Cool! I’ve always been to timid to meet with a trainer. I am glad you’re having such a good experience.
November 15, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Awww, thanks everyone for the nice comments. I’m still sore today, but in a good way.