Day 31 - I Like the Gym???

Today was a painful but great day.  It was a nice relaxing morning getting Michael ready for school without having to check emails and get work done at the same time.  The slower pace was definitely appreciated by both of us!  Once he was off to school, it was time for me to get to the gym for a spinning class.  I was really afraid of this one, but curious, too.  A very nice lady helped me adjust my bike to the correct settings, and then the instructor saw that I was new and helped me get my foot into the cage and all buckled up.  She made eye contact with me several times during the class to make sure I was doing OK. I really appreciated that!

The good news – I survived the class.  That bad news – my butt may never recover.  According to the schedule, it was a 45 minute class.  However, it turned out to last an hour.  Since I had been pacing myself for a 45 minute class, I was so far beyond exhausted by the end I was close to tears.  And my butt was completely numb.  In fact, if it wasn’t for the pain of the seat, I know I would have done a lot better.  But, just the agony of sitting on that tiny, hard seat pretty much convinced me that spinning is definitely not for me.  Not for a long while at least.

I had intended to go to another class after spinning.  There was supposed to be a fifteen minute break, and I thought I’d have time to recover.  Needless to say, it didn’t happen.  I wouldn’t have been safe to lift my arms above my head, let alone use a barbell.  So, I went home and did some chores around the house and ran some errands with Steve.  It was actually kinda nice.

Since I still needed another hour of exercise, I went back to the gym for a yoga class this evening.  I think I am starting to love yoga.  Even though it’s harder than any of the other classes I’ve taken, I always leave with a feeling of calm and accomplishment.  Tonight was no exception:  there were many poses I just couldn’t twist into, but there were more that I could.  And, by the time the deep relaxation was done, I was recovered and ready to take on the world.

One thing I just really have to say is that the personality of this gym is so different from any other co-ed gym I’ve ever been in.  Every instructor has been supportive and encouraging.  Before, in my prior gym experiences, I had felt so out of place and looked down on by all the fit, healthy people.  Here, I feel like people look at me and are proud of me for trying.  People I have talked with after class have suggested more classes.  And the classes they have suggested have been challenging!  They have all said the same thing:  “You do the best you can.  No one is competitive, and everyone wants you to succeed.”  Never in a million years would I have believed I’d get a warm fuzzy feeling walking into a group strength class!

So, once again, it’s the end of the day and I’m really sore, but really happy, too.  I am trying new things and opening myself up to experiences I never thought I would.  I’m having mixed results, but I am so proud of myself for trying.  And, the good parts are really, really good.  Today, I am glad that I am doing this!