Okay, so this is the end of my first week……and I am 2 pounds lighter. Whew! I have worked hard. Everyday this week, I did the 20 minute circuit. Wednesday I took my first group exercise class…it was body flow. Interesting enough, a little bit of tai chi, pilates, and regular exercise. Then I tried the Body Pump, which basically was lifting weights on a bar. I took it very easy with only 5 pound weights, trying to get the technique correct, the weights will come second. Then I went on to Body Step. Surprisingly I kept up for the most part, but really worked up a sweat. And drank two bottles of water! The gentleman in front of me kept giving me encouragement, and pointing the way in the more complex steps. Thank you, whoever you are, this helped a lot both with the exercise and making me feel welcomed and part of the whole group working together, although obviously at different levels. Feeling quite confident now, (mainly because of classmates encouragements), I went on to the next two classes the following days. Another Body Flow (different teacher), and a Body Step (different teacher). Maybe the weekend teachers are a little tougher because I had a harder time keeping up with the changes, and the leg pumps. But, WOW, what fantastic shape the weekend teachers are in! Real inspiration. I can see myself with the same shape, one that I enjoyed several years ago, Now all I have to do is take a page from Michaelangelo’s method of letting free the wonderful and inspirational statues trapped inside the marble: he would chisel away the ‘excess’, leaving his envisionments left, for all to see and enjoy. So I can ‘see’ the chiselled body trapped underneath the layers of fat and excess skin. Going to these classes is how I am setting my ‘inner body’ free……chiselling away at the excess.
Thursday, I really didn’t feel like taking another class. It was getting to be too much. I didn’t see any changes. But when I came in, and weighed myself, I was a pound lighter. (Maybe it was because of the shoes I wasn’t wearing this time!.) But it did give me encouragement! Then when the classmates were so helpful because it was my first class……I really began to feel good about myself. Today, Saturday, I didn’t feel like coming in again. (I had planned on taking two classes, the first a workout, the second more of a cooldown and relaxing class. Besides, my new friend from the first Body pump class had recommended both classes back to back. She said she found the pair back to back to be very complimentary.) So I got up early, ate my breakfast, and came. The hardest part is actually coming to the club. Once I am here, I feel the energy all around, and see everyone in different stages of fitness, and I feel the encouragement. And of course, the smiles from the regulars……now that I have been here a whole week, some of the staff and other classmates recognize me. Their support and encouragement by way of smiles and acknowledgments, are encouraging.
I feel part of the group. And their looks seem to say, I was there (where you are now), once too. Keep it up. Good girl. You can do it too. And I believe I can! I am determined to sculpt away at the ‘excess’ revealing my ‘inner’ beautiful self! Oh, yes, almost forgot…….my morning teacher didn’t even work up a sweat! And she was doing all the double advanced additional steps while most of us were dripping on the basics doing our best to stay in beat with the music. A few people did some of the advanced steps, but not for long. To be in shape like her, that is a worthwhile goal……but realistically, will probably take at least a year, maybe two. There is a lot of ‘shaping’ for me to do first, then the muscle strength and then onto the stamina. But, oh will I ever enjoy it when I can keep up to her and not break a sweat either! lol
Tomorrow is Sunday, and I may take the day off. Or just come in for the 20 minute circuit. Til then, or I will come back on Monday and let you know how my day off went. Or if I am able to keep up the pace. (I figure if the likes of Elizabeth TAylor–after Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, and other actress’s can drop weight with hard workouts, then I should be able to as well.) We’ll see how it goes. They had personal trainers, I don’t. Wonder if that will make a difference, or is it just determination that gets results?