A new road ... is the gym really working for me?

i woke up one day — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:59:00 +0000

I hired a trainer about month ago to guide me through workouts at my neighborhood 24 Hr Fitness center. We worked out five days a week for the first two weeks. I lost seven pounds that first two weeks. I know, not exactly dramatic when your starting weight 278. However, I lost at least two inches off my waist. Two inches is a completely different world. But, I'll come back to that in a bit. Unfortunately, after the third day of the third week I got sick. In hindsight, maybe not so unfortunate. So, it's been two weeks since I have set foot in the gym.

The thing about the gym experience is that everyday I literally hated going there. I had to force myself each morning to leave my home and take the excruciating three minute drive to the gym. And every morning, I mean EVERY MORNING I arrived late. Yep, three minutes away. Yep, late every morning! Obviously, if you are in the obese category you are no fan of working out. However, my hatred had more to do with the gym and not the actual workout process. What got me through each day is knowing that Cherie was there waiting for me. Once we got started it wasn't so bad. I actually enjoyed working with her. Although, she is a bit of a workout fanatic.

During the time that I had to stand down because of illness (bad cold), I began to reaccess the experience. I realized that I was so caugh up in the "workout" thing, that I wasn't paying attention to my inner voice. On the one hand, there are the results. Not record shattering weight loss. But I did loose weight. I did experience a dramatic change in body shape. At least two inches off my waist. Definitely an inch or two off my thighs evident by the looseness of my pants. My mid-belly shirt buttons are no longer screaming for relief every time I am in a seated position. My face is thinner. I can now close the top button of my dress shirts.

I also noticed that I am less winded when scaling flights of stairs. In fact, I can actually handle three flights now without breathing heavy. The month before I started working out, I would stop after climbing a flight or two to catch my breath before entering a client's office. I didn't want them to see me struggling to breath. Now, I don't have to do that. It only took two weeks of exercise to achieve that. Therefore, I conclude that the results are in the "Satisfactory" to "Good" range. So, why do I still hate the workout process?

To be continued ...

M~

Thursday

i woke up one day — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:08:00 +0000

If you have never been significant overweight the idea of not knowing you are fat seems preposterous. Of course, I was aware that I am not thin. But, the fall from grace is a slow almost iimperceptible process. The increase of a few ounces per month easily goes unnoticed. Over time, the gain becomes significant. As your size increases you make minor adjustments here and there to compensate. Each change in your life is as minute as each ounce that is added. Eventually something happens to get your attention. Suddenly you are faced with a truth you unconsciously managed to avoid for far too long. Not only has your weight changed, but your life has changed as well.

Did I say I am fat? According to the CDC fat is an understatement. An adult with a Body Mass Index of 30 or more is considered obese. Think for a moment about the images that popped into your head when you encounter the word "obese." Hold those images firm in mind. Now apply those images to yourself. That should give you an idea of how I felt when I realized the word "obese" applies to me.

Malcolm

I Woke Up One Day ...

A new road ... is the gym really working for me?

Thursday