Thursday, October 9, 2008

First day at the gym

People (including myself) know what healthy is. We know that smoking, drinking, consuming sugar, caffeine, fried anything, greasy anything, and drugs are bad for our bodies. Almost everything that tastes like guilt is bad for our bodies. Yet, we all seem to do it or eat it. Why is that so?

My next step to my new “Confident Positive Life” is to be healthier and active. I suppose that means heading to the gym more often and eating healthier. Putting down the chips and soda, retiring my jelly-filled donuts, emptying my cookie jars, and picking my jello-y butt up off the couch.

Yes, I did it. I decided to get a membership and head to the gym. I was extremely nervous and self-conscious about going, especially alone. I didn’t know what people would say when they saw me, or think about when I walked in. I did not have those cute little sweats with matching shirts and a bouncy ponytail. Here I was, walking in with some big loose-fitting sweats, large t-shirt, and a bun in my hair. Cute, I know. I figured it was a place to get sweaty and smelly – why would I want to look cute?
As women passed me with their sweet smelling body spray, tight spandex, tank tops, and matching tennis shoes, I grew more self-conscious. I walked around looking for a machine I recognized. Alas, I found a treadmill. Now this machine I knew very well. I hopped on and pressed ‘Quick Start’. It told me to enter my weight. I thought to myself, “Oh great, another shallow bastard asking for my weight.” Then I realized that it calculates the calories you burn by the weight you enter. Smart machine! Before I entered it, I made sure no one was looking and entered it faster than my PIN at the ATM. It felt like the longest number I ever had to enter. I was off to a good start. By the time the treadmill read 30 minutes, I was flushed with sweat. It was dripping down my face, neck and back. Gross! Let me tell you that I walked the entire time. I didn’t run a marathon, as you would think if you saw me. I went on for another 15 minutes and decided that was good for the first day. I burned 300 calories and inclined 65 feet. Good deal!

I have made another big step into my future. I feel great about it. Little by little, I will peel away a piece of the old me to reveal the new me. It will be like an orange and when all the peel is gone – there will be sweet beginnings.