Healthy Living

As the clock struck midnight on New Years Eve, I became a changed woman.

For the year 2012, I resolved to not eat so much junk food.  The added weight that I gained from all the potato chips and chocolate started to interfere with my normal functioning, and I became irritated that I was so lazy.  I would often look out the window to see others playing, walking, or simply enjoying the outside air. 

I could not live a sedentary life, so after the Christmas cookies and fudge, I sought out a weight loss option.  After spending hours on the internet, I finally found a gym that was reasonably priced, seemingly non-judgmental, and near where I lived.  Upon my arrival at the gym the day after Christmas, I was surprised and glad to see that people with a wide range of body types were there.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw some really muscular people and got nervous, but then I noticed that they went on with their business and were not judgmental of those who were not as well-defined.  Young and old, obese and skinny, they all worked out together with a wide variety of people working out with trainers too.

My first official workout was on December 27. My trainer showed me basic floor routines such as hands to toes, crunches, and other exercises to get me warmed up.  After the floor work, she introduced me to the machines used to isolate the many muscle groups of the body.  She recommended 8-12 repetitions on each of the machines, emphasizing that I needed to take breaks that were as long as my workout time.  I was not to blow through any of the three attempts I made on these machines but to really go slowly and work to strengthen each muscle.  After the machines, I could go for a minimum of ten minutes on either the stationary bike or the treadmill to both improve my health and relax from the whole workout.

Four days later, I could feel a change from the gym and I began to embrace a healthier lifestyle.  From looking around the room and working with my trainer, I felt welcomed into a world I once thought was cruel to fat individuals like myself. I think that now I will not feel out of place anymore!

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For the IndieInk Writing Challenge this week, RegiMac challenged me with “INTROSPECTION: New Years resolutions require introspection. Do some scratching below the surface and identify the current fear you are facing.” and I challenged Lisa with “It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times!”.

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