I'm a Little Torn

Dear Diary...

The weekend sure went by fast.  Here it is, Monday again.  It has been a full week since 2012 started, and I wish I could say that I've really put all of the struggles I had last year behind me - but I haven't.  Don't get me wrong, I've done better.  A little.  Not near enough as I could have, but I'm sticking to my mind set of slow and steady, easing myself in to it, you know?  Although, if I move any slower, I'll be going in to reverse - and I can't let that happen.

This week, I really plan on finding my fire.  I'm officially putting myself in to training mode.  My first 5K of the year is only 3 1/2 months away and I'm no where near ready.  I can be, but I'm really going to have to push myself to get there.  So, that's going to be my main focus from this moment forward.  It's not just about the weight loss, it's about getting my body ready to compete....and compete I shall.

Before the new year started, I made this great list of things I will and won't be doing this year.  One of those things was that I wouldn't be joining a gym.  It was nothing against gyms, it was just the fact that I'm trying to be very careful with my pennies at the moment, and apart from Boot Camp I really haven't had much success going to a gym.  I start with good intentions, and then start to make excuses as to why I just can't get there.

Then, my friend texted me on Saturday and told me that a Planet Fitness is opening up right down the street from my school.  Walking distance, in fact.  I'd never heard of Planet Fitness until I watched Biggest Loser last night.  They are running this great sale where the sign up fee is only $1 and the monthly fee is only $10.  And once I found that out, I got stuck in the conundrum I'm now in.  Well, wait, after watching Biggest Loser last night I really found myself in that conundrum.

This season of Biggest Loser is going to touch me, I just know it is.  I didn't even watch last season.  I was so consumed with the failure I had achieved, I didn't want to watch the show even though I knew it would rekindle that tiny flame that was burning inside of me.  Now that I'm ready to not only rekindle the flame, but turn up the fire to full heat, I was ready to get back in to watching the show.  And what do I see from the minute the show starts?  NO EXCUSES!  That's the motto for this season, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

So, as I'm watching the show, I'm Googling Planet Fitness.  It looks pretty normal, nothing stands out to me that would make it a much better gym than any of the others I've tried, except for two things:  It's within walking distance of my school and it only costs $10 a month.  Those are two benefits I've never experienced before.  They claim to keep their prices low by being simple.  The gym is full of work-out equipment, and you work out whenever you want.  No classes.  No childcare.  No personal trainers walking around trying to get you to buy fancy packages or anything like that.  All of those things make it an offer I want to jump on - except for one little thing.  The no childcare part.

Now that Peanut and Butter are attending school in my district, they are with me after work.  Going to the gym everyday after work would be perfect, I'd even have a work-out partner if my friend signs up too.  But then I have to wonder what will my kids do?  I can't drive all the way home and then drive all the way back to the gym. Well, I could, but I won't.  I'm trying to save money, and that many trips to town each day would cause havoc on my gas budget.  I live 40 minutes away from work and the gym...that's just too far to travel home and back again each day.  The trip to work each day and then home again is quite enough thankyouverymuch. 

Needless to say, I'm thinking about it.  I'm going to make a visit to the gym sometime this week and ask a few questions.  Maybe there's an area where the kids can hang out while I'm working out.  It will only be for about 45 minutes each day.  I can't be there much later, because I have Jelly to pick up from daycare.  But a 45 minute workout would be enough.  In my experience, it's not how long you work out but the intensity that's put in to it.  If I start out with basic stuff, and then up the intensity, the 45 minute time limit won't matter. 

I'm not going to make any promises.  It will either work out or it won't.  I just have to start doing something... anything.  I'm ready to make the changes, I just need my body and my brain to get on the same page.  And this week, they're going to put their differences aside.  This week, we start.  For real.

Till next time. ;)