Conditioning Your Body

I took my first class at the swanky health club I joined. Well, I consider it swanky just because they provide towels, soap, shampoo, razors and even shaving cream. They have an indoor and outdoor pool, an awesome child care center, TV's on every treadmill and elliptical, a sauna and a steam room. It's the kind of place that if you need to pay for something they ask if you want it on your account. There's something that boosts my ego about having "an account". What that really means do I want it charged to my credit card on file, but still...I'll take it.

So I took the class TOTAL BODY CONDITIONING. My first question is, when will my body be conditioned? How many classes? Will it make me shiny & smooth? Ha ha. Seriously though, I asked the super skinny, well toned instructor, Darlene, if a person of my size could take this class. She told me cheerily of course! It's for all levels! Come in and become one of us!! Well I took the bait. I met another woman who was there for the first time - mom of 3, skinny, beautiful. So we laughed nervously together about what we were in for.

The instructor then told us to get free weights, one of these 9lb rods, a stretchy band thing with handles, and one of those big balls. At the mention that we were going to use those balls, I about bailed. It's bad enough being an enormous person taking a class with people who are half the size of me, but to be subjected to humiliation trying to balance on a rolling object...I was scared. I imagined the ball popping out underneath me...or at the very least popping under the pressure of my body.

However, it was not the ball that ended up causing me grief. It was the dumb 9 lb rod and lifting while squatting. I felt my arms were going to fall off. This confuses me because I am constantly lifting my 30+ pound children so I should not feel so much pain for such a small amount. Of course I am not generally lifting them over my head. So I did what any self respecting person would do...I gently put my bar down and walked out of the studio to do ... whatever would kill 3 minutes of time until the next set of exercises. I went back though..and the rest of the class went okay..even the sit ups while on the ball. They have a lot more traction that I thought they would. I finished my afternoon with a steam and a sauna. Ahhh.. I love my gym.

One thing that struck me today is that I easily forget that I'm supposed to be eating healthy for this gym thing to have any effect. I started out well...eating eggs and fruit for breakfast. But then I took the kids to Panera for lunch and had a Chicken, Cheese Onion type sandwich on a foccacia. It wasn't until we were done with lunch that I even thought - "I should have gotten a salad..."

Then I ate too much at dinner. My kids whining + burning burgers on the grill = stress = eating.
I really need chocolate though. It's not TOM, but I just want it.

Tomorrow I'm going to try Chair Yoga. That's sound just about the right speed for the overweight life. Hopefully 9 lb bars and balls are not involved.