This week I started my workout at the fitness center. Oh yeah I’m loving it! It helps that my dear friend is my trainer, and is right there by my side the whole time. She makes it easier by being my brains. I just listen and do what she says to do. We chat and laugh. It sure makes the time go by faster! The fitness center is hot and not air conditioned, but it’s clean and well maintained, so there is nothing for me to complain about (yes I am a bit of a germaphobe when it comes to some things). It’s just hotter than blazes in there! Maybe it’s supposed to be that way? Does sweating make the fat go away faster? If so turn on the furnace!
I am not a girly girl. I never have been. When I was younger, I was a cross between girly and tomboy, a nice mixture of the two (I loved sports but liked to look pretty). I am enjoying being active again, but I really really REALLY hate being sweaty! My feet getting sweaty and cramped in my shoes, yeah that is pure torture! UGH- The sports bra sticking under my boobs, and my undies stuck to my butt…yeah I don’t care for that at all! I can’t begin to describe the amount of baby powder I use on my rolls to keep comfortable while exercising! I’m sure if a big gust of wind hit me there would be a puff of white powder trailing behind me! But hey I’m a big gal and I need to be comfortable! Yeah yeah yeah…. TMI I know, but I have to keep it real. It’s all a part of my journey. It’s all a part of my getting healthy. It’s all about me sharing the good the bad, and the totally embarrassing parts of my process. My trainer said that she loves a good sweat. That it makes her feel like she has had a good workout. I guess I never thought of it that way. Maybe I need to change my view point of sweating. Although I think that may take some serious mental effort on my part! There was one really stinky, sweaty man there the other day next to me …. Oh how it made me want to gag. He was dripping like he had been soaked by a hose. Did I mention I don’t like sweat? Oh I really need to just get over it! It’s a gym for goodness sake! People are supposed to be sweaty and stinky! I need some serious therapy! I am sounding really snooty and stuck up, and really that is so not the way I am. I just need to relax and let go of some of my hang ups!
I am not a super comfortable person in a gym setting. It’s hard being that “fat lady” in a place where people as a rule are “fit and skinny”. However the fitness center that I go to is not like the fancy fitness centers that you’d see those big buff body body builders at (like Golds Gym, and Planet Fitness). I have been to gyms like that before and felt so out of place that I never wanted to go back. This fitness center is at a local high school and is really down to earth. It hasn’t been crowded at all, and every one seems to be pretty nice. I don’t feel uncomfortable there at all. I’m not quite ready to go alone with out my trainer. I’m still in the “infant” stage of my fitness training so I still need to have my hand held so to speak. I’m sure that with time I will be able to go and workout on my own. But for now, I’m happy having my trainer by my side. Besides having someone with you makes it more fun!
I did notice that my shins have begun to hurt a bit. I’m thinking that it’s probably because I live barefooted, and at the gym I have to wear shoes, so my feet are forced into a different position and it just is going to take some getting used to. It’s just slightly uncomfortable. Today I found that while interval training on the treadmill during my up time, I cranked the speed up where it was hard to walk quickly, and was just natural to run, and the shin pain was lessened quite a bit. Down time walking was a tad more uncomfortable. Kinda odd huh? One would think walking would be more comfortable.
What kind of athletic shoes do you wear? Can you make some suggestions? Someone suggested Vibrams because I love being barefooted. But I think that they may take a while to get used to and may not offer the support that my still quite large frame will need. I wear Nike right now, but I’m not sure if they are a good fit for my feet. What about New Balance? Reebok? I’m thinking that a trip to Running Fit (a store in Ann Arbor) is in order. They will watch me walk and look at my foot placement and see what my feet need and fit me with the right shoe.
I mentioned that I ran today. Yes I did run, but to be honest, it was in comparison to someone who is a runner probably a pathetically slow jog. But you know what? I was pretty darn pleased with myself. I used to be a great runner, and was quite competitive. I would love to be a runner again. Not competitively, just run to be healthy. I find walking boring. I’m not sure why, I just do. I always felt a great accomplishment when I finished running, and a new personal time was met. I loved the challenge. I don’t think that I will ever run the mile in the low 5 min range like I used to, but I do know that one day I will run a mile again with out stopping! It won’t matter if it’s a slow pace. It will matter that I’m just doing it! I may not look graceful they way I used to while running. It will matter that I am achieving a new goal that I have set for myself!
I saw this picture and had to laugh! How true this is! I felt so good running today even if it was just in intervals. I know I looked silly. And that’s OK with me!
I just want to run!
I have one more week before I start adding to my workout routine and I am so excited! I am ready for my transformation! I’m ready to be fit and healthy! I’m ready to have my butt kicked in the gym! So I say bring it on!! I can do this!
mytotallycontrolledchaos 
Awesome and nothing wrong with the TMI! It is absolutely part of the process and I love keeping it real.
My gym has air conditioning, but you would never know it. It’s always freaking hot in there so I can relate.
I can’t recommend enough that you go to the running store and get fitted for shoes. They will definitely be able to give you a few choices of what will work for you. I agree the Vibrams are not the way to go right now. I started out with New Balance running shoes years ago and they gave me shin splints and my feet always hurt in them. I then went to Asics, then Mizunos and now Brooks. I also have a pair of minimalist Reebok running shoes that I only use on the treadmill.
Make sure you ice your shins! It will really help.
Yay for running and it doesn’t matter what the speed is because you are doing it!
Congratulations on getting out and doing it. 2 comments. 1)nike’s tend to run on the narrow side. Brooks and basics fit my wider feet better also mizuno. Try on lots of pairs. If you don’t want to go to the store- try the runningwarehouse.com they let you try the shoes on at home and shop them back if they don’t feel right.
2) I know its hard not to feel self conscious, but whenever I see a larger person at the gym I admire them for making the effort, knowing it is often harder for them both mentally and physically, and I mentally applaud them. I am sure that there are gym patrons that are applauding you.
Sarah couldn’t be more right! You’re doing something that is so tough BUT doable! I’m so glad to be on this journey with ya! You’re fun! Even though….the questions you were asking me today about doing a triathlon made me rush to the bathroom!
Thanks Debbie and Sarah for the advice! Thanks Tahny for being my trainer and huge motivator! I think the triathlon suggestion was the heat getting to me 🙂 although I think that doing it in av3 person team would be fun…maybe a goal for next year! I need to remember baby steps!