I had no idea what to expect. The gym was HUGE and there were lots of people.
I felt like they were all staring at me.
My mom said to me in my senior year of college, "Go do something about your weight now while it's not a bigger problem." I can't say exactly what she said... it was long ago and my memory is lax. But it's the BEST ADVICE I'd ever been given. "Go now," she said, "while it's only 10lbs and not 60."
Thank you MOM.
LOL, I thank her now but at the time I was not happy. She was right. Don't you hate admitting that someone, especially your mom, is right? (someone remind me of this when Bella is older.)
I joined Weight Watchers and lost my Freshman 15. I kept it off but never exercised. I was an accomplished flute player in high school. I toyed with idea of playing in an orchestra. It was either that or join a gym. Either way I would be too busy to eat. Gotta do what works....
It was the last week of the year and I refused to commit. I went to another location near my friend (before we were going out dancing of course) and negotiated the best deal of the decade I got half off of half off of three years. I cared more about THAT than I did my own health and fitness.
That's how it began.
That was 20 years ago.
20 years??!?!? I'm not old enough to say that, right?
There are a few pivotal moments in your life. Mom's advice was one. Joining the gym was another. I was addicted. I liked having something to do. It worked very well with my schedule. I could go to the location close to my job and workout then drive home. If I drove home straight from work it took the same amount of time. I made new friends. I tried to get my other friends to join me.
It was FUN. This was back when I used to stand in line to sign up to take a step class. I would be the last person on the list, in the back corner. LOL, I liked it there. I could do all the moves I wanted, make them fancy, and wouldn't distract anyone.
If you would have told me I would have be in the front of the class TEACHING it three years later I would have laughed at you.
There came a time when someone said "You can get paid to workout". Paid to workout? I took 5 classes a week. $$$$$ = extra income for getting fit and looking good?? SURE WHY NOT?
I chickened out, not once but twice! I seriously believed that everyone at training would be tall, thin, blonde and beautiful. I did not consider myself any of those things. It was dumb. STUPID really. To judge a book by its cover. To judge myself. To compare myself to people who didn't exist. My instructors were all heights, shapes and sizes. Different ethnic backgrounds, men and women.
I finally took the plunge. In 1998 Bally's had something called B-Fit University and that's where I learned to get paid to work out.
Let's just say... I began a new journey and never looked back.
