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In which I am afraid of the machines
Hi there! Guess what I did today? I went somewhere and exercised for the first time in nearly two decades where it didn't involve some kind of plant or staying in my general neighborhood. I went to the gym!
Many years ago when I was working down in Kent at a company I thought I would be with for the rest of my born days (I wasn't so much naive as I had found my perfect job and I was well-loved in my position and everything was going swimmingly until my boss showed her true psycho colors and purged me as she had many people before me), I bought a lifetime membership in the nearby Bally club, where I would work out with my friend on our lunch hour. It had a pool, so that made it worthwhile for me, because I would rather swim than do anything else. But then I lost the job, and I went to the one across the lake from me a few times, but I felt awful there. The pool was kinda gross and cold, and whenever I would work on the weight machines, there were tons of people around and everyone seemed really mean and I was very intimidated. So I never went again, though I kept the membership through the yearly small fee.
A few weeks ago I went to the Y with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gattagrigia and sherrold up near gattagrigia's house, which is new and very lovely, and we swam and spa'd our afternoon away, and it was wonderful. I figured, if I started going to the club once or twice a week, and swam with them a few times a month, I might be able to get rid of some of this awful weight I can't shake. I have cut my eating in half, literally, and I garden and walk all the time, and most of what I do eat is all healthy and stuff, but I still can't get this stupid weight off. So stronger measures must be taken.
The thing is, I hate gym exercise. I'd much rather be out. But the cold and damp get to me too much, I'm realizing, and I don't do enough in winter. Today I tried out the recumbent bike, but the elliptical machine, which calls to me, also intimidates me like hell, and rather than make an ass of myself, I decided to forgo it for another day. Then I went down and did weight machines, most of which are a lot nicer than the ones I used 18 years ago. ;-) I absolutely love the torso twister machine, and the leg machines are all good, but the one I like best is the one that simulates squats, which I can't do because of the no cartilage in my knees thing. Of course, I have really strong legs already and always have thanks to high jumping when I was young, but that machine is just really enjoyable.
I don't think there really is anything for the spot I need to lose weight in the most -- this weird space above my hips, at the top of the glutes, which I don't even know what it is. It's like, nothing targets that area, but that's where most of the fat is that I need to get rid of to fit in my favorite pants again. Also back fat. ::Ew, hates back fat.:: I realize that's probably just the cardio... but the cardio confuses the crap out of me. I have never had good aerobic condition -- which is weird coming from the camping family from hell, where it was expected I could carry a 50-pound pack before I was even a tween and we climbed a mountain when I was 17 (I mean, a real mountain). And so any kind of aerobic things wipe me out within 5 minutes -- my friend used to make me do the stair machines, and she never sweated, while 5 minutes in I was not only dripping with sweat, I couldn't breathe and wanted to die.
The machines now ask you to put in all this info -- your age, your target heart rate, how long, etc. I put in 15 minutes and made it only 8, because even the recumbent bike still hurts my pelvic bones like whoa. But how the hell would I know what my target heart rate is? How the #$&!@#* do you figure that out? I haven't got a clue and the bored desk person is of no help.
Anyway, all in all, it actually felt good. Like I did after swimming, I wanted to come home and curl up and sleep, but I'm trying to stay awake. (And, um, I ate a sweet roll when I got home so... yeah.) Too much to do still today. I feel like rubber and my chest aches, but more weights will fix that as I get used to them. Still don't know about that elliptical. O.-
And it's pretty easy -- I think if I just roll out of bed and head over there after traffic is clear, then I can come home and shower without looking at gross hair-clogged drains and catching weird foot diseases; I could wear only my workout clothes and just come straight back. Sweaty, but simple.
Many years ago when I was working down in Kent at a company I thought I would be with for the rest of my born days (I wasn't so much naive as I had found my perfect job and I was well-loved in my position and everything was going swimmingly until my boss showed her true psycho colors and purged me as she had many people before me), I bought a lifetime membership in the nearby Bally club, where I would work out with my friend on our lunch hour. It had a pool, so that made it worthwhile for me, because I would rather swim than do anything else. But then I lost the job, and I went to the one across the lake from me a few times, but I felt awful there. The pool was kinda gross and cold, and whenever I would work on the weight machines, there were tons of people around and everyone seemed really mean and I was very intimidated. So I never went again, though I kept the membership through the yearly small fee.
A few weeks ago I went to the Y with
gattagrigia and sherrold up near gattagrigia's house, which is new and very lovely, and we swam and spa'd our afternoon away, and it was wonderful. I figured, if I started going to the club once or twice a week, and swam with them a few times a month, I might be able to get rid of some of this awful weight I can't shake. I have cut my eating in half, literally, and I garden and walk all the time, and most of what I do eat is all healthy and stuff, but I still can't get this stupid weight off. So stronger measures must be taken.The thing is, I hate gym exercise. I'd much rather be out. But the cold and damp get to me too much, I'm realizing, and I don't do enough in winter. Today I tried out the recumbent bike, but the elliptical machine, which calls to me, also intimidates me like hell, and rather than make an ass of myself, I decided to forgo it for another day. Then I went down and did weight machines, most of which are a lot nicer than the ones I used 18 years ago. ;-) I absolutely love the torso twister machine, and the leg machines are all good, but the one I like best is the one that simulates squats, which I can't do because of the no cartilage in my knees thing. Of course, I have really strong legs already and always have thanks to high jumping when I was young, but that machine is just really enjoyable.
I don't think there really is anything for the spot I need to lose weight in the most -- this weird space above my hips, at the top of the glutes, which I don't even know what it is. It's like, nothing targets that area, but that's where most of the fat is that I need to get rid of to fit in my favorite pants again. Also back fat. ::Ew, hates back fat.:: I realize that's probably just the cardio... but the cardio confuses the crap out of me. I have never had good aerobic condition -- which is weird coming from the camping family from hell, where it was expected I could carry a 50-pound pack before I was even a tween and we climbed a mountain when I was 17 (I mean, a real mountain). And so any kind of aerobic things wipe me out within 5 minutes -- my friend used to make me do the stair machines, and she never sweated, while 5 minutes in I was not only dripping with sweat, I couldn't breathe and wanted to die.
The machines now ask you to put in all this info -- your age, your target heart rate, how long, etc. I put in 15 minutes and made it only 8, because even the recumbent bike still hurts my pelvic bones like whoa. But how the hell would I know what my target heart rate is? How the #$&!@#* do you figure that out? I haven't got a clue and the bored desk person is of no help.
Anyway, all in all, it actually felt good. Like I did after swimming, I wanted to come home and curl up and sleep, but I'm trying to stay awake. (And, um, I ate a sweet roll when I got home so... yeah.) Too much to do still today. I feel like rubber and my chest aches, but more weights will fix that as I get used to them. Still don't know about that elliptical. O.-
And it's pretty easy -- I think if I just roll out of bed and head over there after traffic is clear, then I can come home and shower without looking at gross hair-clogged drains and catching weird foot diseases; I could wear only my workout clothes and just come straight back. Sweaty, but simple.
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Here's a tool that calculates target heart rate based just on your age. There are more complicated ones out there, but this is a good starting point.
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The machines at my crappy Y have target heart ranges on them, which is handy since I don't remember things.
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Yay! Go you!
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Go you! I think it's awesome you're exercising again.
Yay, you! I say with singular lack of originality
I've been biking lately after which I don't so much want a sweet roll but I did ask Gradka if she didn't think a beer would be a good idea when I collapsed next to her this evening. "Shower!" she said in her Slavic way. "Is better."
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Plus! The ones at the gym had TELEVISIONS. ON THEM. Hello! Bring your headphones!
This is from a person who used the treadmill at the same place and just about fell on my ass.
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But it does look like people really love them. Sandy says they are a lot easier on your knees than stairs, too. There were some with fancy handles and some without. I just have to figure out how to get on it without hurting myself.
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Keep it up.
I used to dot he same thing when I went to the gym - much nicer having a bath at home. I liked it so much I bought some exercise machines, so now I have no excuse not to do it.
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Re: Yay! Go you!
I wish I did have someone to go with, but everyone I know goes to the Y. It would be great to have someone show me the ropes and have someone to talk to. I do feel really intimidated by a lot of the equipment and my klutziness makes me even more concerned, and kind of fearful of certain things.
Hey, when do you want to watch Deadwood?
Re: Yay! Go you!
This week and next are pretty busy with the norsk classes and weekend plans. I could do Monday or Wednesday after some early evening workouts—so, say, 8 pm or so. What do you prefer?
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I often think how lucky I am to live somewhere that it's usually nice enough to exercise easily outside all year round. It's technically winter here now, but I went for a run in warm sunshine in the middle of the day.
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Re: Yay, you! I say with singular lack of originality
The thing is, I don't even know what that body part is! It's sort of hip, sort of glutes, sort of waist... does it even have a name? It torments me!
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