Friday, January 6, 2017

Welcome!

It is one of the rites of early January.  The gym is a bit more crowded than usual.  Sadly, many of those new faces won't be around a month from now.

It all works like this.  You pick up a few pounds during the holidays, and a New Year's resolution to get in shape follows.  some gyms offer year end specials, or you get a membership as a Christmas gift.  You go a few times and give up.

I've been watching the routine for five Januarys.

It might not look like it, but I've been visiting a gym two or three times a week since November of 2012.  I burn off come calories and work up a good sweat.   I have great legs, and my upper arm muscles are getting bigger.  Pectorals!  Really!  Unfortunately, I still need to make better food choices, but that's a story for another time.

Right after the first of the year, I've noticed some newbies at the gym.  Friends tell me there is an even greater influx during the day and evening.  I'm an early morning person.

The gym thing isn't easy.  You don't see results right away.  I can see how people can get discouraged and give up.

Here is my advice:  start slowly, have modest goals and be patient.  Take a friend with you or make new friends at the gym.  Exercise, even with a bank of televisions over your head can be really boring.  Conversation makes the time fly.

I didn't invest in expensive gym clothes.  Most of my stuff came from Walmart and KMart.  No high tech sweat wicking materials-- just cotton tee shirts and shorts.  I enjoy peeling off that sweat soaked shirt in the locker room.  It's a sense of accomplishment.

A co-worker put it best.  He said "The hardest part is getting in the car."  It's true.  It's very easy to hibernate on these colds winter mornings.  Crawl out of bed and hit the elliptical.  You won't be sorry.

If I can do it, anyone can.