Lonely, Red, and Tempted

As I sit here and eat my Friday morning powdered donut, I thought I'd tell you about my first experience at the Healthplex last evening.

Overall, I'd say it was lonely. One of the very best things about World Class Martial Arts is the camaraderie. We're like one big dysfunctional, but happy family. Well, maybe I was the only dysfunctional one, but you get the idea. We were teammates, comrades, and friends. At the gym, I was a lonely wanderer in a sea of buff bods, self-consciously going from machine to machine with my dorky clipboard of instructions. Not a friendly face to be found.

This is not me on the machine

While my weight training time went smoothly enough (though I'm not as strong as I thought I was), the elliptical machine was another matter. I almost fell off more than once. Now I'm not the most graceful or well-balanced person (in more ways than one), but this was just plain awkward! If you hold the moving handle bars and let one hand go to scratch an itch or turn the page in your magazine, you're completely off kilter. Or, at least I was completely off kilter. I had to remember to first transfer my hands to the stationary bars in order to remain in position if I needed the use of one of my hands.

By the time I had finished my 30 minutes, I'd gone a measly 2 miles and burned a lousy 200+ calories which I then consumed at home in two Snyder's of Hanover sourdough hard pretzels (did you know they are 100 calories each!). When I reached the locker room, I discovered my face was beet red and I looked close to collapse. It's a wonder someone didn't stop and give me chest compressions. Oh, and did I mention I'd been on level 1 the entire time? Clearly this cardio thing is going to be an uphill climb for me.

I think the most interesting part of my first night at the gym came in the locker room, not when I saw my face, but when I saw the vending machine. While the drink choices were standard healthy fare, the snack machine offered Fritos, chips, candy bars, and more! Are you kidding me?? I work like a dog and then you tempt me with my favorite junk food? And next week I'm supposed to talk nutrition with my trainer. Ha!

Overall, I think this whole Healthplex thing is going to take some getting used to. Perhaps if I go with a friend I'll feel more at ease. But then again, I'll probably spend my time comparing myself to that friend and that could work against me. Or our friendship.

My goal for my next visit includes reaching 2.5 miles, burning 300 calories, and navigating safely through the parking garage (I think it's actually more likely I'll be killed in there than on the elliptical machine). Wish me luck!