Tuesday, April 12, 2011

gym digest vol.1

As many of y’all may know, I’ve been trying to lose a few LB’s.  With regular exercise(4+ X’s/wk), I feel as though my days have become rejuvenated, and it’s a great liberating feeling.  Even on days when the workouts leave me tired and a bit droopy for sleep, I approach the day with a better reserve knowing that I did something healthy and good.  It really does make me FEEL better.

While I used to measure my progress in lbs, I noticed a pattern of decreased weight BUT the variation from day to day really irked me.  So, while I still weigh myself from time to time, I like to gauge my progress with inches lost.  When I started in December, I was at a 28 1/2 inch waist- pretty much the biggest I’ve ever been.  Today, I measured at 26 1/2 inches.  Which is 1/2 inch smaller than my “good waist” measurements!   Needless to say, I’m very happy with my workouts both physically and mentally!

I realize that, at the gym, people look at other people.  I do it too, and confess to it eagerly, because I see it as a great form of motivation for me… to see a great looking girl, fit-as-a-fiddle, shining and happy, it’s a great motivator for me.  Not so with all girls.  Some girls see it as sheer competition, sizing up other girls with a flick of their eyes- turning into a half-glare/half-dare if the girls sees something she doesn’t have.  I’ve seen it, I almost feel sorry for these poor fit girls.
After my bout of cardio this morning, I settle in to my nook in the sauna, where I like to read magazines and relax my muscles as I “imagine” my heart rate going up, further amping up my metabolism to lose more weight through the sauna sweats.  I get comfortably “into” my magazine and start smiling at the pics (like a goob) when this strange woman begins to talk to me…

Hi, are you Korean? Japanese? Chinese?

I shake my head at the slight interruption and at being labeled Korean– again.. 

No, I’m Chinese, 

I told her with a slight frown, not knowing what it had to do with anything.  I fix my head to look down because I really wasn’t ready for conversation… and it always irks me when people try to determine races… it makes me wonder why they do it?  What is the ulterior motive?

Oh, she says, and proceeded to speak mandarin to me from this point forward.  Do you always use the sauna after your swim?  I shake my head- no, and wondered at her question as I was sitting there in a sports bra and shorts and NOT a swimsuit, so I really don’t know what she was getting at… 

I never swim, I told her, as I tried to look down at my magazine… the peaceful quiet escape with the celebrities in US Weekly staring innocently back at me…


Oh, yeah, what do you do, then?  She asked.  Ok, I made a mental note that this woman wanted to talk… put the mag down and to the side. 

I usually just to cardio, then sauna, I told her, smiling.  It wasn’t good enough she wanted more answers. 

No weights? 

Oh, I do arms about once a week.

That’s it?? Nothing else?  I see a girl who looks like you, upstairs doing weights. (Enter really strange condescending laugh) Is it you?  I don’t know, maybe.

Are you married? (wow really?? are you serious?) Ummm no.

Do you have any kids?  (whoa, lady, easyyyy.)  No.

She then comments on how it’s easier to lose weight BEFORE you have kids.. yada yada, I smiled and said I know… she then started talking about her daughter… ok… interesting.

Here comes the kicker. 

You know I saw a girl downstairs who weighs herself before she workouts, then finishes her workouts and weighs herself AGAIN!  She looks like you… is it you?  Hyena-condescending laugh.  I really don’t know what to say at this point and secretly wonder if I’m being PUNK’D but, no jumping Ashton… bah.  

Yeah, I answered, it probably WAS me!  I used to weigh myself a lot when I started working out to see if I was making a dent at my weight and found it interesting to see how much sweat loss equals to loss in weight… But I think that weight loss should be gauged in inches lost over pounds lost…  I found myself explaining myself to her… ugh… I fell into her trap. 

I only ask because you look good.

Ummm ok… thanks.  I fall into the rabbit hole and need to agree with the chelshire cat.  You look great too!  You don’t look like you need to work on Anything!  I complimented back.  Oh… she smirked… she smiles… 

That’s because I’m MAINTAINING.

Oh… Shnaaaap.  This woman has asked me my secrets, compared herself to me, used me to make herself feel better (no kids-easier to lose weight) used me to fish for compliments then came at me with that!  *sigh*  really…..

Speaking of Alice in Wonderland… I kinda really would like to get this…

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