Post Image This is the week that I am taking on the gym head on! After my stress test last week, I feel like I was given a gift with the Cardiologist telling me heart was 100% great and that I am fine to up my exercise routine. I have since that appointment had a great long walk at one of my favorite local parks, a 5 mile walk around a lake that was very challenging and plan on taking that walk twice a week. The gym though always alludes me and I need to change that. This is the perfect week for it as my walking buddy is away and the rain is here to stay until Thursday.
Yesterday I went at 3:00 and walked through my favorite afternoon past time, watching General Hospital, ( I have followed that soap since I was 14 years old!)
I set the treadmill to 1 elevation and after a 5 min warm up I walked a 4 mile an hour pace, and the combination was enough to keep my heart rate at the 85% that the cardiologist recommended for 45 minutes! I was sweating up a storm and feeling pretty good about the pace, and that is what I want, I want to feel good about me.
I eyed the other equipment and I plan on trying it, one thing at a time though, first I really want a comfort zone. This week will be dedicated to finding that comfort zone.

Half way into my workout I realized I did not come to the gym alone, as the little guy and voice that has been silent for awhile, you know the one who sits on our shoulders and offers negative thoughts and comments, well he was back. All of a sudden I heard, " These pants you are wearing do nothing for that area around your waist "

I have an area that despite losing 35 pounds, my tummy seems to hang over my waist and the workout pants that I wore yesterday really emphasized that spot. So even watching General and I eye spying what other walkers were doing , I was still able to obsess over my overhang and whether anyone was noticing it and if it was shaking like a bowl full of jello as I walked....YIKES!! Hear what I am saying, I just could not silence that voice that tries to undermine my progress. That little voice on my shoulder always pops up, and I can silence it most times, but sometimes like at that moment I am all ears, I hear it and react to it and obsess over the message. Even after the workout and feeling pretty happy with my progress, I spent a lot of time last night looking for exercises to minimize that area, and thinking of what I can wear to minimize it at the gym.... and until right now, and my rationale mind coming back, I forgot that it is smaller, and that is from what I am doing, eating fantastically and exercising to the best of my ability and silencing that voice. That little voice will not find away to keep me from the gym, or my more importantly my goal of obtaining the weight loss and health I so want and deserve. Today is day two of 6 days at the gym, and I will do it and that much smaller area can shake like a bowl full of jello, as I am sure that it is shaking itself free of me!