As I left the other gym, in tears for some reason, I called my friend Heather and after listening to me cry she encouraged me to keep looking for another gym. (She always encourages me) When I went to Curves a membership was part of my salary, at the big gym it was only $10 a month, but not what I needed and the one I walked away from (not going to mention names unless someone asks) was going to be $34 a month if I signed a year contract.
I'd been driving by a gym for months that's just outside of my apartment complex. It recently changed to a women's gym and was only $19 per month. I went in and the girl could tell I'd been crying. She asked me what was wrong and the water works started again (poor girl). I told her what was going on and she spent 1 ½ hours talking with me and was a great inspiration to me. I went back the next Monday to try out a class – Zumba! I'd been wanting to try that and I loved it, but I only made it through 15 minutes and I hurt so bad I couldn't stand it anymore. I was even more out of shape than I realized. I went out to my car, got my wallet and signed up. The people where just as nice as Brenna (the girl from Saturday) has said and I knew that's where I want to get back on the wagon and lose this weight! I may even be able to talk my daughter Kayla into joining with me – I'm working on it.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
What I need from a gym (so I'll actually go!)
So, what I've found out is that even when you're "finally" ready to work out, you still need the right gym.
At the beginning of 2005, I realized that I needed to get healthy and lose some weight. I was up to 273, had high cholesterol, and I had my PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) under control. My dad's mom, who I've been told I resemble, had died at 41 from a heart attack when my dad was 17. I certainly didn't want to do that to my kids, so I joined Curves and started WeightWatchers. I did really well and was able to stay focused and even attempted a few 5Ks (okay, maybe 2). I lost 55 lbs and felt better than I had in a very long time.
Then I met my husband, wanted to be with him instead of exercising, started eating junk again, got married, found out I have a very underactive thyroid and gained all but 5 lbs back.
Fast forward to feeling huge and loss of self confidence and New Years 2008 – I resolved to get back on track. That was easier said than done. My husband doesn't have to worry about his weight (although that's mostly because he will go all day and forget to eat – how do you FORGET to eat - and he obviously has held on to his metabolism as he's gotten older. In January a very big and inexpensive gym open very near my house. My parent's got Kayla and me gift certificates to join. Kayla is my biggest supporter at home – always questioning my food choices. Anyway, David, Tiffany, Kayla and I joined this very big gym. Tiffany never did go, not even once, Kayla went once with me, I managed 4 times I think and David has gone a few. What I ultimately realized was that I was not comfortable working out with men around (except David) and it was too impersonal for me.
When I was losing weight and going to Curves I ended up working there. I worked there for almost 2 years and loved it. I love encouraging the women there and became very attached to them. It was my second job and I eventually had to give it up, but it was great fun while it lasted – knowing everyone's name and their stories and helping them reach their goals. I think that kind of feeling – like someone is glad you're there and you're making the effort – that was one of the feelings I was looking for. I've found I'm much more willing to let myself down than I am someone I feel accountable to – that's going to notice when I'm not there.
So, since I wasn't going to the big impersonal gym and my old Curves is too far away, I decided to try another gym. At work they have a corporate discount page on their website. Lo and behold, there was an advertisement for a gym I hadn't heard of. The website looked great, I sent an email for someone to contact me, and ended up going last Friday night to learn how to do the machines and generally about the gym. That part was ok, I still had some reservations – the girl I spoke with was pretty upfront about it not going to be as social as Curves – and that's another thing I wanted, but I was willing to give it a try. I was concerned that the whole time I was there only one other person came in. But I'm ready to do something, so I thought here goes. I went the next morning after Lyric & Kaitlyn went to their Grandma's house (their mom's mom), and the girl working at the gym was there by herself, no member's were working out and she paid attention when I first came in the door and when I asked her to put some "more upbeat" music on (Roy Orbison was playing), but she never once even looked at me again that I saw and the games she was playing on the computer at the front desk were louder than the music that was playing for me to work out to. I tried it, I really did, but I just got so angry – I just walked out without saying a word. My mother taught me that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. She probably didn't notice anyway. I just felt like, since she knew it was my first time, she should have been paying attention to whether I was using the machines correctly – or asking if I had any questions. I was having a little trouble. I know I should have asked – but the point was that nothing was showing me that this was the gym for me. Back to the drawing board!
At the beginning of 2005, I realized that I needed to get healthy and lose some weight. I was up to 273, had high cholesterol, and I had my PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) under control. My dad's mom, who I've been told I resemble, had died at 41 from a heart attack when my dad was 17. I certainly didn't want to do that to my kids, so I joined Curves and started WeightWatchers. I did really well and was able to stay focused and even attempted a few 5Ks (okay, maybe 2). I lost 55 lbs and felt better than I had in a very long time.
Then I met my husband, wanted to be with him instead of exercising, started eating junk again, got married, found out I have a very underactive thyroid and gained all but 5 lbs back.
Fast forward to feeling huge and loss of self confidence and New Years 2008 – I resolved to get back on track. That was easier said than done. My husband doesn't have to worry about his weight (although that's mostly because he will go all day and forget to eat – how do you FORGET to eat - and he obviously has held on to his metabolism as he's gotten older. In January a very big and inexpensive gym open very near my house. My parent's got Kayla and me gift certificates to join. Kayla is my biggest supporter at home – always questioning my food choices. Anyway, David, Tiffany, Kayla and I joined this very big gym. Tiffany never did go, not even once, Kayla went once with me, I managed 4 times I think and David has gone a few. What I ultimately realized was that I was not comfortable working out with men around (except David) and it was too impersonal for me.
When I was losing weight and going to Curves I ended up working there. I worked there for almost 2 years and loved it. I love encouraging the women there and became very attached to them. It was my second job and I eventually had to give it up, but it was great fun while it lasted – knowing everyone's name and their stories and helping them reach their goals. I think that kind of feeling – like someone is glad you're there and you're making the effort – that was one of the feelings I was looking for. I've found I'm much more willing to let myself down than I am someone I feel accountable to – that's going to notice when I'm not there.
So, since I wasn't going to the big impersonal gym and my old Curves is too far away, I decided to try another gym. At work they have a corporate discount page on their website. Lo and behold, there was an advertisement for a gym I hadn't heard of. The website looked great, I sent an email for someone to contact me, and ended up going last Friday night to learn how to do the machines and generally about the gym. That part was ok, I still had some reservations – the girl I spoke with was pretty upfront about it not going to be as social as Curves – and that's another thing I wanted, but I was willing to give it a try. I was concerned that the whole time I was there only one other person came in. But I'm ready to do something, so I thought here goes. I went the next morning after Lyric & Kaitlyn went to their Grandma's house (their mom's mom), and the girl working at the gym was there by herself, no member's were working out and she paid attention when I first came in the door and when I asked her to put some "more upbeat" music on (Roy Orbison was playing), but she never once even looked at me again that I saw and the games she was playing on the computer at the front desk were louder than the music that was playing for me to work out to. I tried it, I really did, but I just got so angry – I just walked out without saying a word. My mother taught me that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. She probably didn't notice anyway. I just felt like, since she knew it was my first time, she should have been paying attention to whether I was using the machines correctly – or asking if I had any questions. I was having a little trouble. I know I should have asked – but the point was that nothing was showing me that this was the gym for me. Back to the drawing board!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Being a step mom is harder than I thought it'd be
First a little background, my daughter Kaitlyn has the opportunity to go to Washington DC with her 6th grade class. Until recently she thought she wasn't going to be able to go. There were some requirements that she had been unable to meet and we hadn't known anything about them. During Christmas break from school she came to live with us and after a conference at her school David and I learned more about the trip and I emailed the teacher later to ask about it. The kids who had "chosen" not to go to DC were going to Animal Kingdom at Disney World. Since we hadn't known anything about any of it, I wanted to find out how much it was going to cost and what the requirements were and all that stuff. The teacher told me that since Kaitlyn's circumstances had changed that she might be able to make it so she could go on the DC trip. Well, Kaitlyn had been insisting that she didn't want to go, but I thought it might be a brave face because she thought she couldn't, so I asked about that. I told the teacher that if Kaitlyn really wanted to go that I would make sure it happened. There were fund raising requirements and, in total, the trip was going to cost about $525. She had about $70 from the fund raising she had been able to do, so that was a pretty big commitment.
It turned out that Kaitlyn did want to go, so I got to it. I accepted the M&M's that she hadn't been able to sell before and brought those to work. I am a henna artist and there was a local IndiaFest and I pledged my earnings to her trip. I also do face painting and glitter tattoos. I have a birthday party gig coming up and I've pledged the money from that as well. My parents are helping and Kaitlyn's mom's parents have said they'll help some, and between all that we're pretty close to meeting the goal. We have one more fundraiser at her school at the end of March as well. I've done henna there every year for a few years as it is, but now I actually have a daughter there so it's going to be even more gratifying.
Anyway, turns out Kaitlyn's "teenager-ness" has been showing at school and her trip is in jeopardy. I'm frustrated to say the least. How can she be doing this when I've been working so hard for something I thought she wanted to do. I guess I'll have to wait and see.
And, all of that doesn't even include the challenges that occur almost daily with Lyric. I love them both, A LOT, but I thank God for my parents who have them spend the night every Tuesday when they're in town. A little distance makes a big difference in how easy it is to have patience. As the step mom there is only so much I can do.
It turned out that Kaitlyn did want to go, so I got to it. I accepted the M&M's that she hadn't been able to sell before and brought those to work. I am a henna artist and there was a local IndiaFest and I pledged my earnings to her trip. I also do face painting and glitter tattoos. I have a birthday party gig coming up and I've pledged the money from that as well. My parents are helping and Kaitlyn's mom's parents have said they'll help some, and between all that we're pretty close to meeting the goal. We have one more fundraiser at her school at the end of March as well. I've done henna there every year for a few years as it is, but now I actually have a daughter there so it's going to be even more gratifying.
Anyway, turns out Kaitlyn's "teenager-ness" has been showing at school and her trip is in jeopardy. I'm frustrated to say the least. How can she be doing this when I've been working so hard for something I thought she wanted to do. I guess I'll have to wait and see.
And, all of that doesn't even include the challenges that occur almost daily with Lyric. I love them both, A LOT, but I thank God for my parents who have them spend the night every Tuesday when they're in town. A little distance makes a big difference in how easy it is to have patience. As the step mom there is only so much I can do.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
I don't even know where to begin...
I've been so impressed by the blogs I've read before now. I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll start at the beginning. My name is Kelley. I'm 38, and I've lived in my home town my whole life. I have 2 daughters. Tiffany is 21, out on her own and finally one of my best friends (I knew it would happen someday). Kayla is 16 and also one of my favorite people and that doesn't even take into consideration that she's my daughter.
Tiffany (left) & Kayla (right)
I had pretty resigned myself to growing old by myself. I hadn't had a really serious relationship for over 10 years before I met David. We met when he was the security guard where I lived and I walked out my door calling my cell phone because I had lost it. He was walking by and asked if the thing under my car that was buzzing and blinking was what I was looking for. We talked for 6 months before we finally went on a date. I had noticed him before the chance encounter though. I had seen him walking around doing his security thing and noticed he had a cute behind. (He hates it when I tell that story.) Finally, we went to the park with his kids, and the rest is, as they say, history. So, now I have 2 new daughters and boy are they a challenge. It would take too long to give all the history, but I figure I can always start from here and go on :o)
I had pretty resigned myself to growing old by myself. I hadn't had a really serious relationship for over 10 years before I met David. We met when he was the security guard where I lived and I walked out my door calling my cell phone because I had lost it. He was walking by and asked if the thing under my car that was buzzing and blinking was what I was looking for. We talked for 6 months before we finally went on a date. I had noticed him before the chance encounter though. I had seen him walking around doing his security thing and noticed he had a cute behind. (He hates it when I tell that story.) Finally, we went to the park with his kids, and the rest is, as they say, history. So, now I have 2 new daughters and boy are they a challenge. It would take too long to give all the history, but I figure I can always start from here and go on :o)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)