Sore Muscles, How I Have You Missed You!!

Dear Diary...

Well, I did it.  I actually did it.  For the first time in several months.  I burned up a sweat.  I got my heart racing.  And I loved every grueling second of it!

Arriving at Planet Fitness yesterday made me think that I finally knew what Charlie Bucket felt like the minute he got to enter the gate of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.  I was so nervous and excited walking up to the door.  As I walked in, I had to stand there for a second to take it all in.  It was a beautiful sight.  Purple and yellow walls, brand spanking new equipment as far as the eye could see, flat screen TVs in front of all the treadmills, ellipticals, and whatever the machines were that kind of look like ellipticals but aren't.  It also hit me straight away how empty the place was.  I mean, for opening day, I expected the place to be pretty busy - but it wasn't.  There was may be a couple of dozen people there, mostly people wandering around getting tours. 

While standing there, probably looking like an idiot, I was greeted by a very friendly voice.  It was an employee welcoming me to the club.  He asked my member number, pointed me in the direction of the locker room, and told me to not hesitate to ask if I had any questions.  I had questions, but I was so excited to just get started I marched myself straight to the locker room.  The locker rooms were nice.  Simple, but nice.  I put my stuff in a locker, realizing that I probably need to invest in a lock - because locks weren't provided - and hit the gym.

I decided to start on the treadmill.  It's the one place I feel comfortable.  I've worked with treadmills for several years, so I was pretty confident that I could figure one out on my own.  I did.  The treadmill board looked more like a space craft operating system, but I was able to push a couple of buttons to select a program and off I went.  I went with the level 1 weight loss program that provides 2 minute intervals of a zero incline and level 2 incline.  I upped the speed to a 3, and I even jogged at a 4 at one point.  By the time the 30 minutes were up, I was a little sweaty - but I had just gotten started.

I decided to mosey on over to an area that I had been told about when I first signed up at the gym.  The 30 minute, circuit training, full body work-out zone.  There were 20 stations that were controlled by a stop light.  When the light was green, you worked.  When the light was red, you moved to the next station.  Every other station was a step in which I had the power to decide a cardio move to use.  Every other station was a weight machine.  Four machines focused on upper body, three focused on lower body, and three focused on core.

I was lucky enough to have a couple of people who were in the middle of the stations that could point me in the right direction and explain to me how it worked.  I started on my first step.  The first three weight stations were lower body - which killed me after doing 30 minutes on the treadmill and mixed in with the steps.  But, by the time I was on the 6th or 7th station, I had found my groove - and was giving it everything I had.  I even upped the cardio a little on the steps by doing leg lifts and cross overs - rather than just plain ol' steps.  By the time the 30 minutes were up, I was completely drenched in sweat and felt my work-out in every part of my body.

At that point, I didn't want to leave, but I had to.  I had to go and pick up Peanut.  To say that I didn't want to leave has to resonate on you for a second.  I had worked out for an hour, and I wasn't ready to stop.  I wanted to keep going.  I wanted to explore the fancy equipment, I wanted to try the other exercise station area - that is called 6 Minute Abs.  I wanted to try the elliptical looking thing that isn't an elliptical.  But, alas, I just had to go.

But that's OK, cause it's left me wanting to get my behind there this morning to do all of those wonderful things.  And I don't really have a time limit today.  I can do as much as I want.  And if it's as empty as it was yesterday, I'm going to stop an employee for a second so that they can give me a better understanding of the equipment - give me a super short idea how it all works and where I should be focusing my work-outs. 

When I got home yesterday, I was feeling my work-out.  Mostly in my knee.  That was something I kinda knew would happen because, well, I've let my weight creep up to "knee pain" limit.  I didn't lose my knee pain before until I was below 220, so I'm probably going to be dealing with it for a while.  The good thing, though, is that I know my limits and I know how to take care of it.  What I also felt when I got home yesterday was a tremendous increase in my energy level. 

I went grocery shopping after the gym.  Once I got home, I just didn't want to sit down.  I did my laundry.  I finished cleaning my room, after the cleaning out of my closet from last week.  I cleaned up the kitchen.  And when I did sit down, I was wide awake.  In fact, I wasn't ready for bed until 11pm last night - and even then, I laid in bed not really tired.  After one little work-out, I had already changed.  Any other Saturday, after going grocery shopping and doing laundry - I would have been wiped out.  I'd go straight to the couch and probably sleep.  Then, I'd still go to bed early for even more sleep.

This morning when I woke up, I felt the tingling in my legs that I was happy to have.  That feeling that proves I was on the right track yesterday.  I'm not surprised that the soreness is all in my legs - I pushed those puppies hard yesterday.  Today, I want to focus more on upper body.  I'm intent on finding a happy medium between cardio and strength training.  Although, using circuit training like I did yesterday will take care of that.  What a genius idea for a gym to come up with. 

Yesterday, a fire was lit inside of me.  The one that I knew would come, eventually.  The calling of success.  The screaming of hard work.  The whispering of accomplishment.  They were all in my head.  I can't wait to go back to the gym this morning.  In fact, I'm going right now....well, as soon as I'm done here. 

Join me in welcoming the New Me.  She's here for the duration, now, I can feel it.  Goodbye excessive pounds - soon you will be gone... forever.... and I won't miss you one bit.  Hello fitness warrior.  I've been waiting for you for a long time.  I can't wait to get to know you better.  I have big plans for you and I.  I'm ready to have you as a friend on this journey.  And the journey begins, again, now. 

Till next time. ;)