Day 1 - The First Blog Post. The First Gym Visit. The First of Many (Hopefully, that's the plan anyway... just wait and see)

Okay. So let's do this?
I decided I wanted to talk my way through my newest endeavor. What is the best way to make people listen to you? Start making a toast at family dinner, and then make it all about you - and just go!
If that isn't your style, or if they start throwing dinner rolls at you, maybe try a blog?
Maybe this is the way to tell my story, for me, because that's my most important audience... and maybe someone else will read it? Maybe someone will think "hey, that's not a bad blog" or maybe someone will think "hey, she's odd, but this is free and I'm bored, so I'll keep reading it" either way, I'll have my audience.

I have thought about starting this a few times, on a few occasions, and in a few ways. There's always an excuse. Just like there is always an excuse to NOT work out. There is always and excuse to not start something new. As of today, I have run out of excuses.

I have tried everything, all the excuses "it's too early" "I can't jump around on the floors at 5am" "it's too dark, I don't want to get eaten by coyotes" you know, everything.

Today I ran out of excuses (pun intended - I ran on the treadmill today)

I have tried a few things thus far on my own ( I mean I was alone at the gym, well not like alone alone there were a few people there - or that would be really creepy - zombie Apocalypse creepy!)
Anyway, I have tried Jillian Michaels. (Her talking isn't for me. And what is with those perfect people? "So-and-so will be doing the modifier, so for beginners keep your eyes on her" she's no beginner! she is a 100% expert! She is probably being paid more than the "expert level" girl because she is TOO hard core! and doesn't want to be just the modifier girl!)

Again, off track. (pun again - treadmills are not tracks.)

I tried a Beach Body program. Did you know that if you don't see those results in the 6 weeks promised it can really do some damage mentally? Did you know that you actually have to work out during those 6 weeks?
Ya, it's crazy. And it turns out, that's not so much for me either.
I do enjoy those workouts, to a degree. I tend to be a little hard on myself if I can't keep up, and I need the group motivation to push myself. and no not the group ON the dvd itself! Again, experts. Those people literally work out for a living.

I do appreciate the water bottle they give you though.

 Anyway, this is a lot of reading for you, I hope you prepared yourself. Do you need a little break? Go grab a snack (probably should be fruit, this is a "getting fit-er" blog after all. and don't go grab those little packets of swedish fish you have left over from trick-or-treaters Saturday night, like I am)

Okay, so on to today.

I decided if I was actually going to work out, more than once a week, more than an hour, once a week, it had to be at a gym.

I signed up. First step. Big step.

Then I made myself get up at 4:30 am on a Monday morning. Actually I slept in and woke up at 4:50, the time I was planning on leaving the house... but that is so far from the point! Get off my case!

Okay, so I get dressed and grab my bag, and leave my house at 5:04 - the gym is like 3 driving minutes away...

5:08 really long red light..................

5:12 in. in the locker room - is there locker etiquette? Since I'm new am I supposed to go to the back of the room? Is the front reserved for the fit, cool kids who comes 6 times a day? Or is the back where the cool kids hang out, and I should be at the front? Okay Naomi, just pick a locker.
Okay wait, but is there actual LOCKER etiquette? Like bathroom stall etiquette? am I supposed to leave an empty locker between me and the lockers with locks on them already?
Stop stalling, it's a locker. Put your stuff in it and get to the actual workout!

5:15 bag in locker, key in pocket, water bottle in hand, earphones in, playlist ready.

5:15 and a half - heading to the Women's Only room. The upstairs treadmills were all empty. Do I want my first day to be in front of the HUGE front windows? and be the only one on a treadmill? 100% no. Plus maybe there won't be anyone downstairs!

5:15 and more... I can hear someone.

it's still 5:15 I'm just doing the time thing to be dramatic - one lady in this room. On a treadmill, she is on a pretty steep incline... and walking at a pretty brisk pace! Glad she's the only one in here showing me up! Okay, here we are again at etiquette dilemma! How many treadmills do I leave between her and the one I choose? If I go to the end of the row (there are only 5, relax.) will she think she's too sweaty and smelly and I don't want to be beside her? Will I give her a complex? What if I choose a treadmill too close and she IS too smelly and sweaty? I can't run on one for 3 minutes, and then move further away!!! Okay. End of the line it is.

5:16 Putting the strap thingy on my shirt. I know no one is here with a smart phone filming me, but I refuse to be the girl who passed out and then had to go around for 2 weeks with treadmill burns on her cheek because I refused to look foolish wearing the rope!!!

5:17 How does a treadmill work?

5:18 Okay I got it.

5:something... as if I can watch the clock and run! also it's an analog clock and I'd have to count like a 6 year old.... okay so here I am. running.
pace good, feels good, leg cramping a bit. I'll stop and stretch after 2 laps.
okay. so this gym is nice! but staring at the mostly drawn blinds is a bit boring...
There are a few TVs going, I can see one, it's on a sports channel. Why? because I work out I must love all sports? Or is it to motivate me? I must be an athlete like these people! Not.
Oh that other TV is on the Food Network! hahaha that's like polar opposites! it's like, hey fatty, you're working out, not eating pastries like these. and no you may not have one on your way home from the gym. Or maybe it's supposed to teach you how to cook healthy meals? Then why is there a baking show on? Oh wait, is that sushi? k wait, it doesn't matter.
I'm hungry.

5:30 (could have been, I really don't know) 2 laps done (that's what the treadmill says, I'm sure somewhere on there it also said time, and distance in km but I did not see that... I was just watching that little dot move very slowly around that rectangle...) okay time to pause and stretch.

ahhhhh. feels better. and I like this song. Get back on the treadmill!
Oh "pause" didn't pause.... okay start over. 2 more laps to go!
This set went by much faster, I found it easier, and I felt more motivated!

Done, and time to stretch it all out!

Oh. I like this song!!! We had a routine in Zumba! I'm just going to do some leg lifts and squats to this song, then more stretching....

That felt great! Now to the locker room! I'm amazing I can achieve great things!!!

5:45 Okay lesson time: If you buy a dollar store pad lock, and then take said lock and key to the public pool for 3 years, and then take said pack lock and key to the gym - you will have to ask the gym for lock cutters.

5:50 these things are heavy and I am having trouble. TV has failed me again. this is much harder than I ever thought. Maybe being a CSI isn't all glamour either? Maybe being a doctor isn't saying medical terms and being pretty? and then going for walks in Chicago snow falls with George Clooney? Maybe?

6:00 okay I'm home. Whatever. New lock tomorrow. Best shower.

Type more at ya tomorrow?

Feed back welcome :)