Smoke and Mirrors

An old proverb says that a journey starts with a single step, but I'll bet that person probably has never joined a gym - it's not the single step that will hold you up. There is a learning curve - not the gym - but fitting it in. Since I"m doing this before work most days it took a bit of configuring to figure out how I would do it since I'll have to take my morning shower and get dressed there.. The gym I joined has  2 private showers which was one of the big pluses, I hated shared showers in high school and hate them as an adult. Then I have to bring all my own supplies plus a towel, office clothes, blow dryer, shoes, etc... and it all needs to fit into one bag. I did a dry run on the weekend so I could time the drive, packed my bag and off I went. The whole thing looked better on paper.

Oh, and did I mention there's a sign that asks all gym members to limit their time to 15 minutes? Hmm! The first go around I went over the time limit a bit but that was partially because I forgot to bring soap which is considered an Important Part of any shower. FYI - shampoo will do in a pinch. But all in all it was not too bad and I thought I had it. But like I said - it was a practice run. This morning I got there early early and worked out for over an hour, it felt so good to really break a sweat! As I finished up I saw the shower was open so in I went. First of all just because you stop moving doesn't mean you stop sweating. And when you sweat you're clothes stick to you. Have you ever tried to take a wet, tight sports bra off? It takes on a life of its own, the more you pull the more it rolls and sticks. It was sort of like that scene in Alien when the guy is trying to pull the face hugger off before it sticks it's probe down the guy's throat - but not quite as exciting.

In the shower, that went well, thank you for asking - I had soap and everything this time but the clock is ticking. Pulling clothes on while you're still a bit wet is the reverse of yanking off a wet sports bra and of course everything rolls up like a window shade, clock is ticking. My hair, which is getting long refused to behave and looked like it had been styled by a deranged monkey but I figured I would straighten it out in the car and put my make up on there too. But all in all I looked (somewhat) decent today and as time goes on I'll figure it out. It  also might be time for that haircut I've been putting off. 

Run Around You.

So, as we all know I've been having tons of problems with my weight. I don't know if it's my age, going through menopause, my sedentary job - but at the end of the day none of that matters. I've been on multiple diets, exercise, yada yada yada - would work for awhile, then stop, then I get discouraged, stop exercising, start eating too much again, wash, rinse repeat. The end result is I now weigh more than I ever had in my entire life. How much do I weigh? I'll let you know later. 

I decided I would join a gym - I worked out for years prior to this job and always kept my weight down - and I could have the time if I wanted to.  The biggest problems I had to overcome is time and distance because nothing is close here. I did a mapquest first to see what's around and ruled out a variety for too far, too expense (Fitcross was almost $200 a month but included towels. For $200 a month there had better be someone to dry my hair!). One looked like an assembly of everyone's old basement equipment, on and on. So I narrowed down my search to 3 gyms, 2 of which were near my office, those I visited first. One was way too small, I walked through the first room....and was out of it. But it was cheap and no contract.The second was Glittery and Swanky - it was in a huge black glass building and it was huge! Pilates, Zumba, juice bar, gym staff. The price was reasonable and it was right around the corner. But no, it was way too big.

The 3rd one....was just right. I like the idea of classes but don't have that kind of time, but this gym does offer some if I want it. The equipment is just the way I like it, half machines and half free weights, clean. You get a fob so you can go anytime you want so I can go before work. I took a week to think about it and then joined the 3rd one. I was not crazy about having to commit for a year, but the trade off is this gym is a chain and after the first month you can go to any facility which really works for me as there is one here in Waynesburg and one up by my office. I've gone about 4 times and feel better already. Hopefully this will be the answer I've been looking for.

Walk

Today was the perfect day to go walking, sunshiny, cool but not cold, little breezy. We went to the game lands we haven't been to yet, parked first on the stream side. Because it's been raining so much where you can step over the stream was too wide for me. David jumped over but I saw all that slippy mud and was nope, not today. I am a klutz on the best of days, this was not a good activity for me. So, we headed to the other side of the game lands that has no stream. Nope on this one too - acres of dried cornstalks which doe NOT make a relaxing anything with Reuben. Reuben runs around like he's on a game show and David hollers at him like he is not. 

Back in the van and down the road. There's a little park I pass all the time with a hiking trail so out we got - score! Beautiful little pond and wide grassy path. It went much farther than I thought it would, uphill we went. Reuben still ran like a crazy thing but we could see him (most of the time)  and they were just having the best time. The trail continued uphill, we havent' been walking in a very long time so I'm sure I'll feel it tomorrow, but it was such a lovely day.

And then Molly found a poo. And not just a run of the mill rabbit or deer - David said it was most likely a bear poo. It was huge and nasty - Molly manged to cover her entire back, all her collars, down her sides. At that point there was nothing we could do so we made it to the top with Crazy Reuben and Stink-O-La, what a view! You could see for miles, more than worth the walk. The ride home was interesting to say the least. Molly refused to stay in the back of the van so we rode home with the windows rolled down. The smell! was a combination of low tide, a poorly run pig farm with light notes of month old road kill wafting gently, I was surprised there was not a little black cloud hovering over her

Fortunately she's washable this was not the first time she's done this and it most likely is not the last. I guess you just have to take the good with the bad!