This morning we have sunshine! It rained again last night, but the clouds are rolling away. I am completely a child of the sun.
I got to go to the gym yesterday. Not as long as I would have liked as I had to be down at the theater again, but ... Hey, isn't that weird? I was disappointed at how short my gym visit was. I worry about me sometimes. Anyway, it was good to go as much as I did, and I intend to go there again today. I think it's helping to burn off some of my stress. Or something.
Jean likes the recombinant bike at her gym. (Read her blog for more on recombinant/recumbent.) I think it's my favorite, too. I just get on and peddle away, listening to my music. I can't say that I don't notice that I'm exercising, but it doesn't seem as hard as some of the other machines.
Like the SkiTrac machine which duplicates the motions of cross-country skiing. Uphill. In a blizzard. While stalked by hungry bears. And telemarketers. Most people don't know that the SkiTrac was developed by the Chinese communists to break the will of political prisoners. Five minutes on it and I'd be willing to tell all.
As I walk around the track in the fitness center, I walk past the aerobics room. One side of the room is a glass wall. Last night I noticed a heavyset woman at the back of the class. She was waving one arm in the air in an attempt to duplicate the gyrations of the bouncy instructor. As I walked and watched, the woman brought her arm down in a dismissive wave, made a disgusted face and then marched wearily to the door and left. She passed me on the track as she headed for the elevator. At first, I thought it was funny. Her face expressed exactly what I've felt many times when attempting to fight the battle of the bulging belly. But the longer I thought about it, the more sad it became. I hope she's not so discouraged that she gives up and doesn't come back. I've certainly given up many times before and have only got this far through the help of Weight Watchers and good friends. So if you're out there and reading this by some weird chance, try again. And keep trying. I'm rooting for you.
7 comments:
--snort-- "Hungry bears" That is one tough workout! lol
And I'm rooting for you!
I'm one of those folks who attends those cardio classes regularly. When I see someone who's a bit overweight and attending the first time (trust me, I know quickly after a few minutes if they're a newbie), I like to go up to them after the class had ended (and they stuck around) to say hi and hope to see them again. Some do; many don't . I don't know if my greeting helped the former come back but I hope so. The gym's for EVERYBODY (and every type of body.)
We're all equal at the altar of pain (from exercise, that is.)
Good! Sunshine makes Tech happy! Tech has been in a grump slump. Shine, sun, shine!
Great summary on the Ski-Trak machine. It's so very true. I get tangled up and nearly strangle myself in the handles. Of course, only the aerobics room makes me look more graceless, so I completely understand the frustration of the woman you describe.
Someone really needs to devise a class (and an instructor) for the heavyset and uncoordinated so they don't get discouraged. I detest bouncy aerobics instructors who breeze from one step to the next as if everyone has been attending their class forever. Next to each class listing, instructors ought to have a user rating. I have attended aerobics classes that were a dream for the newbie or uncoordinated (i.e. me), and it was all about the way the instructor conducted it.
Keep up the good work, TECH.
"Like the SkiTrac machine which duplicates the motions of cross-country skiing. Uphill. In a blizzard. While stalked by hungry bears. And telemarketers" - what great imagery, the telemarketers just finished off the picture nicely for me.
Joel, frankly you scare me! :) Someday I will be brave enough to ask about your exercise routine.
Yes, Press, sunshine is good. Need more sunshine. :)
Gloria, the SkiTrac is one tough machine. I've only seen one person actually use it. Good old Tommy. We'll miss him.
Jean, they'd have to figure out a good name for the class. "Aerobics for the Fat and Graceless" just doesn't bring people in the way you might think. :)
Thank you, Nightrider and FF for the laughs. Those are always good to hear -- although not when your love sees you naked for the first time. That's a bummer. Or so I've been told, not knowing myself, of course.
Uh, yeah. That's right. Must think of class name...Years ago, I had to participate in a FIT class. We class members called it "Fatties in Training." (The real acronym was Fitness Improvement Training--that was back in the days when I ran 7:30 miles and ran 8.5 miles every day in an hour and a half--I wasn't unfit; I just weighed too much)
Post a Comment