Gym Cheapskate

I've lost a few more pounds. It's really not a surprise with everything that's been going on outside of exercising. I'm still very far away from the weight I'd like to be at, but my body seems to want to hang on to the pounds and I seem to want to hang on to the Thin Mints. Go figure.

So, this morning, after running through a quick upper body resistance circuit to get rid of my Jell-O arms, I got to thinking about getting a personal trainer again. It's expensive and you have to sign a contract for 18 months. 18 half-hour visits for forty some dollars per visit...once a month. That's pretty high for my budget. I like using the machines and find that I'm not really comfortable dabbling in the free weight section. Better results from free weights, but if I don't feel comfortable being there I'm just not going to do it. I'm stubborn like that.

What's a girl to do. Stalk, er, covertly observe other gym members that is. I've been noticing certain people who do employ a personal trainer and if I can just watch their routines then I'll copy them. Lordy, I'm a cheapskate at the gym.

So, here's my plan. The treadmills look out over the rest of the gym, so starting on Monday I'm going to start observing the circuit that a couple of the people who are there regularly do while walking on the treadmill. I'll watch and then when I leave I'll jot it down in a notebook in the car. I know, it sounds creepy to be watching someone workout, but I'm not really watching them. I'm mentally recording the machines that they use, so that I can use them too. Without having to spend money that I don't have. Tricky.

I used to go to a gym in Phoenix where the personal trainers met with you once a month and wrote down a routine for you to follow. There was no extra charge (although it was slightly more expensive...about $10 more a month) and even if you just grabbed them to ask a quick question during the month they never acted like you were stealing their time. I liked that. I think that if this gym did the same thing their member retention would be higher. Better support yields better results which yields happier, more motivated members. So, if you're from the gym I go to...HINT, HINT, HINT!

Back in the Saddle

It was off to the gym this morning after not having been there since Thursday. It felt good to go, but boy, was it tough hearing that alarm go off at 5:35. I set it after the baby woke up at 2am. I figured since she had woken up in the middle of the night she would not be waking up at her usual 5:30-ish time.

So, off to the gym I went. I found a routine in a new magazine I got the other day....when to do arms, legs, abs, cardio. Day 1 was 20 minutes of upper body and 20 of cardio. Since that's what I was planning on anyway it was a good fit. I think I'll try sticking with their routine and see how it goes. It's a 6 week plan, so we'll see.

My right instep has been bothering me the last few days. I think I have a weird arch. Anyway, I warmed up on the treadmill, but my foot started feeling uncomfy, so I did the recumbent bike for my 20 minutes of cardio. The resistance was a lot greater today than it was the other day, so I got a good workout.

I signed up for the 7 day free Weight Watchers trial period the other day so I'm exploring that aspect of this whole fitness thing too. I've discovered in the last few days that I eat A LOT! =) So, even if I choose not to continue it it's a good wake up call for portion control and the amount that I'm eating. I'll let you know how it goes.

The "Testosterone Zone"

Leaving a few minutes later in the morning makes a world of difference. The sky was lighter, the sound of the world waking up was in the air and there were a few more cars on the road. Not a whole lot of difference in the gym though. It seems as though there's a consistent flow of people through the building throughout the day. No one time seems any less crowded than any other. A peculiarity for a gym.

So this morning I smartly avoided the Cardio Killer and went straight for the treadmill. After stretching of course. And untangling my iPod. (By the way, thank you for the iPod, honey. It's working out great!) And getting a sip of water. I was stalling, but chose to think of it as "letting my body wake up." Positive self-talk, right?

After 10 minutes on the treadmill I hopped down and almost propelled myself into the row of Cardio Killers behind me. I apparently had a bit too much pep in my step as I stepped down. Alas, no harm done, but I think the woman whose machine I almost ran into was given quite a shock. Hey, I'm just helping get her heart rate up.

Upper body resistance training was on tap for today, so I headed into the (drumroll please!) "Testosterone Zone"! It's the part of the gym with free weights and big, bulky men who wear those ripped shirts and have names like "Bud". Okay, maybe that's stereotyping, but you know the type. Although Shawn assured me women use the "Testosterone Zone" there was nary another woman in sight. I must say, it's slightly intimidating venturing into that area of the gym alone, but I did it. Of course, I did my reps without making eye contact with anyone and hightailed it out of there to the safety of the Arm Curl Machine. I felt like I should receive a t-shirt or prize for venturing in and coming back safely. "I survived 'The Testosterone Zone'!"

A bit more cardio and abs and my workout wrapped up for the morning. I'm thinking of going to the Mat Pilates class this afternoon, but that's all going to depend on if I can still move. We'll have to wait and see!