Thursday, October 04, 2007

Ain't no mountain high enough

Some people look at me and know my miniscule weight-loss has plateaued. The rude ones go as far as to say I haven't lost any or I've put some on or not saying anything at all (probably fearing my wrath for saying something wrong). I've cut that lot out of my address book.

My revised 6 month plan to lose some serious kilos is near its middle and I have been terrible at going to the gym. 60 weeks in to a very expensive gym membership and I am only managing 3 days a week in my best weeks. A far cry from the initial motivated self that dragged herself out of bed, well into week 40, atleast 4 to 5 days each week to hit some cardio machine or swim. Some weeks in the recent past I have woken up, given myself an entire lecture on why I should go NOW. Turned over and gone straight back to sleep, wiping away the list of reasons why with one fell swoop, "anyway it won't make a difference", slept 4 minutes past my bedtime/ too late last night", "it's too cold/ wet/ hot/ muggy", "life is too short". You get the drift.

To make up for the lull in gym participation, steeply falling levels of motivation and the sniggering scales I decided to take the plunge and try out a new class. It's taken a year of watching people attack this class through the glass walls of their studio for me to pluck up the courage and go and talk to the teacher. Am I too fat/ unfit? Will I manage? etc. Being assured I would be just fine and that if I kept at it and did it upto twice a week I could lose some serious kilos, I convinced myself two weeks ago that I would try it out.

Come Tuesday morning, attired in my finest non-branded garb, I presented myself at Studio A for an Indoor cycle class (I hear the round of applause). Instructions carefully given, cycle adjusted, loud thudding music booming and we were off. For 45 minutes of hill climbing. I mostly sat and cycled (more in shock on different levels: what am I doing HERE/ Man, these dudes are SO FIT/ Up, down, WHAAAAT, make up your mind lady/ Resistance - now which way do I turn damn knob/ Oooh can people see my continent-sized behind/ There goes my towel skidding along the floor/ Dropped water bottle cap makes LOUDER noise than boom box/ Boom box is giving me a headache/ I'm a fatty, get ME OUT OF HERE) as the rest of the super fit athletes stood and cycled up the Alps. I attempted going up just one 5 minute hill with resistance for better balance (technical terms only we cyclists get you know). I nearly died.

For the rest of the week I needed no excuse to not go to the gym. I couldn't feel most of of my legs, just the muscles that took on a new throbbing life of their own. Here was my perfect excuse to sleep away each morning.

This week however, glutton for punishment that I am, I went back. All those 40 minutes of Cardio in the gym nearly every morning, paid off and with my strong-as-a-horse-heart and big-as-an-elephant-body I managed an entire class at the pace of the oh-so-fit-class; up hills, down hills, along long treacherous roads etc. Came away soaked in sweat (which I hear is a good thing) and feeling virtuous like never before. Did not even care that I was in the back row and an entire gym population had been tortured by having to watch my elephantine backside lurch from side to side as I valiently climbed hills. I, 32 in 2007, had tried something new and managed to endure it and in some small measure *GASP* even enjoyed it. What is wrong with me?

The 45 minutes flew by faster than anything and the drill seargent yelling motivational things from up front certainly speeded things up. Especially "lets get those gluts in motion". Of course I haven't lost any weight (yet) but my muscles are having the time of their life. Born to be free and all that. Muscle weigh more than fat yada yada yada. Eventually something will have to give. I will go back.

11 comments:

  1. That's awesome. I'm almost feeling motivated myself to start some cardio here but the part I identify with most is the rolling over back to sleep.

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  2. Anonymous3:05 AM

    you are my type of gal! i even took a 5-day free trial pass to a local gym and didn't go back after Day 2.

    Yoga is my answer to all this. It's free, you can do it in the comfort of your home, don't need any equipment (except a mat) and you can even do it while traveling. I have been able to lose 10-15 pounds through yoga. You should try it.

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  3. More power to you. I felt really faint after my first and only spinning class.

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  5. Ever thought of taking up running? Pick a race, any race, even if its a short distance. It requires a few weeks of dedication, but it is a set plan and it will definitely help you in your fitness goals. And the feeling of having run one is incomparable.

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  6. I would think thrice a week of cardio in a gym is pretty good. If you try to do more, you'll end up not going at all.

    So... just wondering, with this spinning class, you can go less times to the gym and lose more weight?*

    *ever the one trying to find ways to go the the gym less because it reminds me of The Matrix

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  7. Wow, are you my doppelgänger? Because I go through the exact same set of procrastination-rituals when its time for me to head to the gym.

    But its awesome that you found something you actually like. And thats probably the hardest, no? So more power to you.

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  8. I finally got back to a fitness class after THREE years of no exercise and my legs feel your legs' pain - literally!

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  9. Hey, this is wonderful. You go girl!

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  10. Beks: Sadly, that is the part I too most identify with. It takes every ounce of willpower to overcome!

    Chakli: I do go to the gym, fairly regularly for a time and after some loss of motivation I am back at it in a new way. Yoga is not for me sadly - but good luck with that.

    ggop: Thanks. I have enough blubber to keep me from fainting!

    Parth: I should post about running and my mental block. Someday!

    Bride: I need to do 4 - 5 days to squeeze value from my membership. And someone told me that one spinning class (if properly attempted) is like 3 normal sessions at the gym - and that I, yes I, could melt away if I kept at it!!!??

    WIP: Yes, it took 30 years to get to the point of taking my health seriously. It's taken a further few years to think about my how I look and do something about it. It was a hard start and stop all my life! And I am the world's greatest procrastinator....

    Ro: Aaww. I think it gets easier the more times you do it. Hot water and salt for aching legs....

    S: Thanks

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  11. Anonymous10:24 PM

    I have just been told to do more cardio vascular exercise. I am sooo lazy when it comes to exercise. I therefore bow down to you in admiration.

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