Step Aerobics

A couple of weeks ago, I joined the gym up the street. I had a free membership that I needed to use before the February expiration date and this was good timing. The trainer that I usually do the early morning boot camp with recently had surgery on her arm, so we knew we would be without her for at least a month or so. I really didn't want to "join" the gym in January though because I figured everyone and their mother would be doing something for the new year. But, my expiration date was looming so I had to join in January.

I think we all sort of know that feeling of walking into some place and not knowing where to go, which machine to use or which tv to watch (I had NO CLUE that people even used headphones to watch tv's nowadays... I was really behind the times). But, after a couple days of acting like I knew what I was doing, and more importantly, observing other people, I was getting the hang of it. I even stalked my mail carrier since I saw her there once and we met one morning at 5 a.m. so she could show me a couple of the machines. My theory on gyms was that they were silly. If I could get dressed to go to the gym, I could just as easily get dressed and go run outside. But, after many many years of back pain that worsens every time I go for a run, I tried the boot camp for something different and realized that my body could sweat in other ways. Let's be honest, Meg loves to eat. I do not stop at one slice of pizza or one cookie. So, the only remedy is to try to sweat off as much as I can. I don't expect to be stick thin after two kids, but now I just want to sweat to get the endorphins kicking in and hopefully make me a better mother to my kids that day. Even better, to get to the gym, I don't even have to go through one traffic light.

At the gym, I have done some cardio stuff, lifted weights, ab work and taken a Cycle and Step aerobics class. This morning I did the step class and it went pretty well. I haven't done it since my JMU college days and was a bit nervous. There was a little workout gym in our freshman dorm and my friend, Alice, and I would take step once or twice a week. We had our favorite instructors and really looked forward to it. So, today, I was really thinking of Alice as I entered this fancy workout studio. Times have changed and I couldn't be that bad, could I? Just a couple minutes before the class started, in walked a girl that looked just like Alice! I felt a smile come across my face because suddenly I was more relaxed. I hung tight the whole class. Messed up some stuff, but overall did just fine. Thanks look-a-like-Alice for showing up just when I needed you.