Today I joined the gym. For a whole year! It’s been many years (I think about 5-6) since I’ve been a member in a gym. Historically I have loved the gym. I’ve liked the challenge, the accountability, the commitment, the community. Today though I feel somewhat scared about getting back into a gym routine, however when I decided my word for 2018 was STRONG, joining a gym was probably inevitable!
I think the first gym I joined was the one in the basement of the Castle Hill RSL and I was probably 17. Back then I did mostly classes – Step, Body Attack, anything Les Mills really. Over the last 2 decades I’ve been a member of 5 gyms any each one for many years. I’ve done classes, weights, treadmill, bike, rowing (ok not much rowing).
I’ve done years of group training, boxing and outdoor exercise. I’ve had a few years in between of personal trainers, a well used treadmill at home and various home gym regimes too. And then there was the year and a bit of Bikram Yoga (which I LOVED). For the last 4 years or so though, I haven’t done much exercise at all.
Truth be told I don’t like exercise, I never have, I just hoped it would make me skinny. So when I got a brain lesion 4 years ago and my balance and strength in one side was compromised, it wasn’t hard for me to have an excuse to not do anything and to be honest it didn’t make much difference to my weight whether I exercised or not so I wasn’t strongly motivated anymore to exercise to lose weight. Then there were my feet dramas in 2016 which made it uncomfortable to walk, then I had the moon boot which gave me back spasms and sent me to hospital. Lots of reasons excuses not to exercise.
My entry back into exercise began after my hospital stay when I realised that I had to embrace Pilates for the sake of my back and core. Best decision I’ve probably ever made for my body. For 18 months I’ve done highly personalised Pilates with the most incredible instructor, Monique from Meta Pilates. She knows her stuff and has patiently taught me how to sit, stand and walk. Properly, in alignment. She’s helped me get my body strong enough that I am now ready to take it up a notch.
I am determined to finish 2018 strong. I will have strong arms and legs without compromising my core. I will be stronger and fitter whilst maintaining a strong back/neck & shoulders. I’m old & wise enough now to know not to launch week one into boxing classes and burpees but to start slowly and build strongly. I’m not sure yet if I’m excited or terrified. Probably a bit of both. I love that our workouts are held on this ‘My Wellness’ key in the photo above. It all comes back to Wellness.
It’s not only me this time though, both my husband Leigh and my 14yo son Alex are joining with me which is very exciting. We live 2 min walk away, got a family price and all need to get into exercise for different reasons, so all excuses are now gone, it’s time to get STRONG. Watch this space…
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