Back on Track at the Gym

When we signed up at the gym a year and a half ago, I never expected it to last. I signed up because I was tired of being overweight and out of shape. As I mentioned in a previous post, the weight gained as a result of having undiagnosed hypothyroidism, umpteen years of varying levels of infertility treatments, pregnancy (thankfully) and related chaos, had just become too much for me. I was unhappy and I figured the gym was a good starting point. Even if I only stuck with it a short time, I had decided that every minute I was at the gym was better than an equivalent minute sitting on my tail side watching TV or vegging at the computer. It was also a better alternative than snacking on something in hopes of feeling better. What I discovered is that exercising actually makes me feel better and my time at the gym has become exactly that, my time.

But with the holidays, things got hectic (preaching to the choir, I'm sure). I helped in the classroom or shuttled kids for a field trip. I needed to get Christmas stuff done or stayed up too late watching a movie. Oh yeah, there was also a spell of really crappy Iowa weather that made me want to stay in bed all day. What resulted was a two week hiatus that, surprisingly, frustrated me. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but who would have ever expected that to hold true for something like working out at the gym?

Today was my first day back since a week before Christmas and I couldn't be happier. It was a difficult workout, as usual, but that's the way I like it. Leah, the instructor, encourages us to work at our own pace… whatever that may be. I worked as hard as I could without overdoing it.

Even after a year and a half, I'm still out of shape but at least I have some muscle-tone now. I feel better about myself and have realized that the scale doesn't tell the whole story. I also am stronger and more confident than before and must be emitting that vibe. For the first time in I don't know how long, (maybe ever) my brother didn't make any attempt to steal my garlic bread at this year's Christmas dinner.