Friday, September 21, 2007

Motivation


I don’t exercise. Seriously. It’s not my thing. I feel that running (or walking briskly for that matter) is pointless unless there’s a chocolate cake and a triple white chocolate mocha at the finish line.

After careful evaluation, I decided that I need to have a better attitude. This month, a new community center opened near our house. It is 80,000 square feet, and it is nice. They have all kinds of new crap – Exercise equipment out the ying yang, two gymnasiums, four pools, yada, yada, yada. They even have a child watch area so you can drop your kid off while you exercise. (So I really don’t have an excuse now.)

We decided to join, and the kids are loving the pool area! Eli would go every day if we would let him. And they have family locker rooms, so we can all strip down together, and then everyone can stand back and watch me wrestle myself into my minimizer swimsuit. That’s fun.

One of my mid-year resolutions was that I was going to start exercising regularly. Today was the second time I went in. I dropped Georgia off in the child area, and screaming ensued. Remember, I NEVER leave this child unless it is with daddy and she still cries when I leave. When I left her with strangers, she was pissed!

I could have easily used that as an excuse not to work out, but I didn’t. I went on ahead to the fitness area, and pulled out Eric’s Zen player (think iPod, only just different enough that I don’t know how to work the damn thing).

I looked at all the weight machines, but I think I have a ways to go before any sort of weight machine should be involved, so I decided to stick with the cardio. First I went to the treadmill. I thought I was doing pretty good. That is until the 80-year-old man in a blue polyester suit got on the treadmill next to me and began to outrun me. I am seriously not making this up. When I first went to work out, I was afraid people would stare at me because they could sense how out of place I feel. The guy in the blue polyester suit at least made me feel better about that aspect.

After 20 minutes on the treadmill, I moved on to the elliptical machine. I always see people doing that on TV, and it looks fun. Plus, everyone told me what a great workout it gives you. Dude! That f*cking thing is hard. I was huffing and puffing in less than three minutes. It was not pretty. I made it 10 minutes on that machine before my legs couldn’t take the “burn” anymore. Then I moved on to the bicycle. That was a little easier, except the bicycles are up front, so everyone can watch you, and there was a skinny blonde Barbie doll on the bicycle next to me.

Overall, it was a good workout, but I can see where motivation is going to be a problem. Today, I wouldn’t let myself go to Starbucks until I worked out. Then I rewarded myself with a nonfat pumpkin spice latte. Is that wrong?

9 comments:

Crazy Working Mom said...

Great job!!! Keep up the good work.

Ian said...

I actually like using an elliptical machine. I'd even buy one after we move if I can figure out how to rob a bank without getting caught.

Ian

Travis Cody said...

Honey, the only way you're going to stay with any exercise program is if you do something that makes you feel good and that you enjoy doing.

I had a pumpkin spice latte this morning and it was fabulous! I think that's my drink through the holidays.

withthanksgiving said...

Good for you. Thats awesome. What an awesome sounding place. I wish we had one near me.

Maggie Moo said...

I only run when being chased. And even then, I think I would contemplate turning around and reasoning with the killer.

Keep up the good work!

Desert Songbird said...

I miss being able to use the elliptical. They are tough at first, but then I found I liked it better than the treadmill. Now, however, it's too taxing on my heart, so I can't use the elliptical easily. Boohoo!

Trav's right - you need to find something you like. If you don't like something, you won't stick with it.

Anonymous said...

you go girl!! Wow, My motivation would be a few minutes without the kids but that latte sounds really good!! Congrats to you.

Mo and The Purries said...

mmmmmmmmmmm pumpkin spice latte....

I think it's awesome that you joined the center, and that you're doing fun things. I'd have to wear my swimsuit under my clothes, if I used the family locker room. I just don't want people to see me nekkid. Is that weird? At home, my normal state is nekkid.
I'm just an enigma wrapped in a tortilla.

SAH in Suburbia said...

Hey, where can I get one of those minimizer swim suits! Keep it up -it'll get easier...I think!!