Happy Valentine's Day!

Good Morning,
It's Valentine's Day and I had to tell my man not to buy me chocolates this year.  I love chocolates.  We're going to go out for lunch - the Pizza Delight buffet - I figure this might be a safe bet seeing as how they load their buffet up with salads and fruit.  I have a plan and I hope I can stick to it.

I told you yesterday I would share my first day at the gym with you so here goes.  Initially I began this journey by myself.  For Christmas I asked John to buy me the Biggest Loser DVD and I'd work out in the livingroom.  I tried the workout on Christmas night, I was by myself and I just feel more comfortable exercising alone.  I turned on the new beginner workout and I thought I was going to faint!  I did that workout 3 times over the course of a week.  I needed help.  I tried cutting down my junk food and eating healthier.  I lost a couple of pounds in the first 2 weeks, but I still wasn't happy.  I needed more.

I joined the Y.  It was cheaper than any other gym I could justify going to, seeing as how I own gym equipment.  I was so nervous going in there.  I immediately signed up for the 3 trainer sessions so I had no excuses now.  Before my sessions began I thought I'd try this new class - Yoga combined with Pilates (Centergy).  Everyone in that class was smaller than me, more fit, and more coordinated.  I felt so out of place.  I noticed one other woman in the same shoes as myself and wondered if she felt as horrible as I did.  I didn't return to that class.

My trainer, 'Alison', was expecting me at 8am on a Friday (Jan 21st).  I didn't know what to wear - I bought a new pair of yoga pants, tank top and tights.  I opted for the yoga pants and a tshirt, I wasn't ready to wear the tank top.  Alison was a tiny little thing.  We went up to the workout gym with my stomach in knots.  There weren't too many people there that early in the morning.  Mostly older ladies and the odd gray haired man.  Perfect, I fit in!  There was this one lady I remember, and see often, she was about 390lbs.  I had so many emotions running through my head when I saw her.  She works out very hard and must be very proud of herself.  Then I started thinking, I don't ever want to be in that situation - I think she keeps me motivated. 

The following week I saw Alison on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Tuesday's session was in the evening and I absolutely hated it!  The gym was full of very fit people and very young.  It certainly wasn't the same crowd that show up in the mornings.  I don't want to go at night anymore so I'll stick to my mornings.  It was so busy I never even had a chance to use a treadmill.  I joined the Step Up class that week too - it was certainly more my speed than the Centergy class. 

I was finished with Alison and now I'm on my own.  I have to make and keep my own appointments.  I've been doing pretty good.  I try to get there at LEAST 4 mornings a week, but I've been getting there 5 so I'm impressing myself.  If I don't get there on the weekends, I actually work out in the basement.  The best time to get to the gym is definitely the mornings, for me anyway.

The one thing I do have to do is stop getting on the scale so often.  Sometimes it's discouraging and other times it's motivating.  This morning it was motivating.  I'm down 11 lbs since the beginning of this journey but if I get on the scale tomorrow, I might be only down 10lbs.  I have vowed to only get on the scale on Monday mornings.  That's a good idea, eh?  The gym has also become a habit now too.  When I don't get there I feel like I'm missing something.  My only challenge now is going to be healthy eating.  I'm getting bored.  I promised myself I'd try a new food/vegetable every week.  I bought an eggplant two weeks ago and it ended up in the greenbin.  I didn't know what to do with it.  This week I bought a zucchini and I chopped it up and put it in my spaghetti sauce.  It was really good.

So, for today, I'm off for lunch and I really hope I can stick to my plan ...