After almost two months of signing up for our free health club membership at Anytime Fitness I am seeing and feeling the results of exercising on a regular basis now. And it's all good stuff. My muscles are beginning to tighten up and carry me instead of just dragging along with me like before. I'm not feeling as much like the Saggy, Baggy, Elephant anymore either. And lo and behold...I actually am seeing my waistline once again. Even my stomach muscles are beginning to pull in instead of just hanging out. And most important of all I am feeling stronger and more energetic and my heart rate is staying stable in it's safety zone. I walk on the treadmill for a half hour with another 5 minute cool down, then move to the machines that are helping me rebuild my upper body strength, from there I go work out on this wonderful bike machine that also has arm and leg strengthening levels to help me get stronger and toned too. I don't know what they call that machine but it definitely would be the one I would want in my home besides the treadmill. Anytime Fitness is open 247 and I have my own personal key to let me in anytime I want to go. There is still a lot there I haven't explored but I am just happy to be doing some exercise on a regular basis now. I just go 3 days a week right now for at least an hour on those days but seeing and feeling the results encourages me to keep at it. I no longer feel like I'm dragging my body around...now it's started to take me around. And it's good feeling my muscles actually working again.
No Holly it wasn't easy at first. I wasn't scared to join a Health and Fitness Club (it's free with our Medicare Advantage Plan)...what I was scared of was the people that were going to be there. So joining was another step out of my comfort zone for sure. Once I started going I just went at my own pace and tried to keep my pulse in the safety zone area for my age, etc. At first it was all over the place and I was scared my heart was going to start having irregular beats again...but when I would get home and use the monitor I have for that it always shows a regular heart beat...which was encouraging too. I also found that the people who go there are pretty much going for the same reasons I am and are not scary people at all. We all pretty much do our thing there and then leave and go do the rest of the things that make up our individual lives. At the time I go there are a few people around my age there but I haven't found anyone yet that I think I would like to strike up a friendship with yet. But I hope I will in time as that would be nice too. The only annoyance I have encountered is with my youngest daughter who thinks I should be available anytime she thinks she needs or wants my "help" and doesn't like the fact that on my 3 days a week of going to Anytime Fitness I am not available during certain hours anymore. But she's adjusting to that quite well and is actually proud I'm giving some nurturing to myself for a change. As for looking really well I appreciate you saying that Holly...that's encouraging too.
Lookin’ Good Babs! Not only the physical aspects are enhanced but I do detect from your writing that a tad bit of heightened self asteem is also in the mix! Feeling better about ourselves is just as important as being better and it looks like you’re accomplishing both. Good Job!!
Thanks Bobby! And you are right....my self-esteem is improving right along with my waistline, etc. Every time I take a step out of my comfort zone I feel as if I am growing again and that's a very good thing for everyone to do. We might be getting older but we still are alive and life is meant to be lived and enjoyed as long as we are gifted with it.
One of the biggest motivators for me is going to the VA clinic or any doctor’s office for that matter. I see guys and gals who are much younger than myself who, for no real apparent reason, are all stoved up. People who are so vastly over weight that they need a wheel chair instead of walking or even those who look undernourished, bent over and shuffle when they walk give me some insight as to what I definitely do not wish to be. One of the most tragic things is that for some of those people, their self asteem is already in the grave long before their bodies get there. I know......I was there and I’m not going back to my previous condition! I do not know how long I am going to live but I want to feel alive and live well as long as live.
That is great that you are improving your body, and enjoying your time at the fitness center, @Babs Hunt ! You are looking great ! Do you still have the exercise bike that you bought last year ? We still have the one that Bobby got; but I have a terrible time trying to even get onto it. I can’t get the foot pedals right, and I can’t tip it like you can with a regular bicycle to get your leg over the seat. I really, really miss my Gazelle ! It might not have had the workout that the bicycle has, but at least it was easy for me to use. We have treadmills at our fitness center, too, and I like using those, because I can just step on; but then I miss my swimming time, so I don’t use the treadmill there. I got one of the little rebounders, and I really like that. It is easy to use and helps me to exercise my legs. It has been hot in the house all summer, but once it starts to cool down again, I can use the exercise room more. Right now, the swimming works best for me.
Yes @Yvonne Smith I do still have my elliptical bike....and a spare bike too. Our new neighbor that moved in did not want it anymore and offered it to me and I can fold it up and bring it anywhere with me if I want to. The elliptical would not work to take places with me but the fold up one would work just fine. I work out on both of them at my whim on the days I don't go to Anytime Fitness. Because of my allergies I can not take walks outside on a regular basis and our place is not really big enough for a good treadmill so I enjoy the one at the health club. I like working out in a pool too and use my daughters when I feel like doing that and there is another health club further from us that has a nice heated indoor one and I hope to use that one during the winter months. I am really just getting started with a regular exercise routine and I don't want to overdo it to the point that I get overwhelmed and quit. I am really pleased with the differences I notice so early on and these positive things encourage me to keep going. And you and Bobby have been a big inspiration to me also.
Went to my Health Club this morning and practically had the whole place to myself....for a moment I thought I had been "Left Behind".
A nice surprise to my deciding to start a regular exercise program and join a Health Club is finding out how comfortable sports bras are. I love them.