Something Positive

I have something positive to report – I started working out! I have worked out 3 days this week.


Last Thursday a classmate approached me and asked if I was writing the Fighting Weight blog. I said I was and she asked me if I wanted to work out. I said yes before I had a chance to think about it much and come up with a million excuses why I couldn’t. We figured out that we could work out together Monday and Wednesday mornings, and sometimes Fridays if I don’t work. So we started this week at the University Recreation Center.


Does everyone know that if you are a student at UM-Flint, you pay for a membership to the Recreation Center with your tuition?
http://www.umflint.edu/reccenter/

Monday morning I was stressing about working out. I had a ton of things to do and didn’t really want to devote time to exercise but I didn’t want to let down my new work out partner. Plus I was tired as usual. I went and it did feel good to be making a move in the right direction toward my goal.

Our routine is to do an aerobic activity, like ride on the stationary bike or walk on the treadmill, then go to the weight room and use the machines there. It was good to have someone there to talk to and figure out the exercise equipment with. My two big hang ups about exercising are lack of follow through (procrastination) toward my goals and feeling stupid about not knowing how to work the equipment. Having someone count on me to be at the Rec. Center, and just someone being there with me (someone I can laugh with over my stupidity about exercise machines) takes care of these two quite nicely. I left the Rec. Center that day feeling pretty positive and my energy level was up. I hope we both benefit from this and motivate each other. My work out partner was doubtful about coming back on Wednesday because she might be too sore but I said we should come back if just to walk around the indoor track.

We worked out Wednesday too. I wasn’t too sore from Monday but I was feeling it more on Wednesday than I did the day before so I was moving slow. I found it somewhat easier (less stressful) to go to the Rec. Center on Wednesday. I wanted to get that energy burst but the damn exercise bike was hurting my butt. I pushed on though. We did our aerobic workout and then worked out on some machines. Fire drills cut our work out short that day but I think we still got in a pretty good work out. Hey, at least we are trying.

I didn’t really feel like going this morning because I was super tired (I had to drive to Lansing and back in this morning), my sinuses were jacked up and I was moving slow, BUT since I wasn’t working, I decided I had to go and exercise. That was the deal and I have to keep this going! We got a really good work out today – about 2 hours. The machines seem to be getting easier to use which is good because the more comfortable I feel about using them the less likely it will be that I will be scared away from working out. We decided to try to play racquetball next week. It looks like fun and it is supposed to be a good work out. Something to look forward to.

Overall I am feeling pretty proud of myself and I am so happy that my new work out buddy was brave enough to approach me about working out. I definitely wouldn’t have started exercising this week if not for her. So far I like exercising – I feel a little better, if not physically all the time, I feel a bit better mentally. I am feeling a little healthier. Energy wise I am hoping for more. I get a little burst of energy immediately after working out but I don’t feel it later in the day. I might have to incorporate some exercise into my evenings too.

The iconic Rosie the Riveter