Good Morning,

My master plan for this winter was to find an affordable, close to home, and friendly gym. I hit a plateau this summer and damned if I could get pass it. Considered throwing myself off of it for a while.  Mix in that with some ghastly peri-menopause symptoms including weight gain, insomnia, hot flashes, fatigue, and not being able to loose anything but 1 pound in six weeks- which I still can't figure out.
I did what worked so well before- I lost 60 pounds that way and kept it off for 3 years... Now that same walking, and diet routine was in place and only one pound lost in 6 weeks. (Insert primal scream, here.)
I was exhausted and started to drink lots of caffeine (tea and diet soda) to try and stay awake during the day, and I was stressed out and discouraged as hell.

Here I am looking at hitting the big 5-0 this year, and damn it, I want these 25 -oh that's normal every woman gains weight when they start 'the change'  extra pounds- gone. I worked so hard 4 years ago to loose 60 pounds and gaining back 25 because of stress and hormone changes is a buzz kill.
Perfection is over rated. I just want to get back to where I was, and be as healthy and strong as I can be.

The other reason I was considering joining a gym is because every winter I get stuck inside unable to do my 2 mile walks outdoors as I typically do 8 months out of the year...
I have work out DVD's but they are annoying if you do them all the time. And again you are stuck inside. Plus, if I live on the edge and do take walks in the wind and cold I tend to get a cold or a sinus infection. Right away.
 About a month ago (after valiantly taking my walks outside in the cold anyway) I got a nasty ear infection and it lasted for over 3 weeks. Wow, I had no idea an ear infection could make you so sick. Two rounds of antibiotics, decongestants, and ear drops, 3 trips to the doctor's office and  finally I had to have the ear flushed out so I could hear out of it again...  Ick.

But finally I am over that and have the okay from the doctor to continue to exercise. I made some radical changes to my diet while I was sick over those 3 weeks and to my amazement lost 5 pounds over the holidays. The doctor's scale confirmed that and I was tickled. And a little flabbergasted.
What did I do? I gave up diet soda, all caffeine, chocolate and I cut waaaay back on milk.
I eat yogurt and cheese- I get plenty of calcium- but I cut back on my daily servings of dairy- which I discovered had been far too many anyway, and I guess the changes in the diet must have kicked started something.

That day I left the doctor's office- hearing in stereo once again, I called the gym that I had been scouting out, and made an appointment to come in and take a tour. I liked what I saw. People of ALL ages, shapes and sizes, I saw a tiny older woman who was 80 if she was a day- just flying on an elliptical machine. (Scary but impressive).

So I signed up and went ahead and purchased sessions with a trainer as well. My reasoning? I have NO idea how to use any of the equipment in the gym- this way I can have someone teach me to use the equipment correctly. I have 20 more pounds to loose and I am determined to keep my knees injury free. Plus a trainer can set up a smart work out routine and  keep me motivated. I had my first session with my trainer a couple of days ago. And honestly, I was nervous as hell.

Ended up he is a nice young man, think big, quiet, football player/ teddy bear type. He was encouraging, supportive, soft spoken and probably younger than my own kids. And just when I convinced myself that he was a sweetie, he bent my happy ass like a  pretzel, when it was time to stretch out. Well good gods.
I had no idea I could bend like that.

I went home thinking,well, that wasn't too bad. Then my muscles decided to show me exactly where they had been used in a new and different way.  Yesterday we had crazy warm and windy weather mid 60's in January, so I was able to zip up a hoodie and go for a half hour walk up in the park in the sunshine. I was directed by the trainer not to do any weight lifting - but to either come in and hit the treadmill for a half hour or if the unseasonably warm weather held- to go do a mile and a half walk in the sunshine. I was only too happy with that assignment.

While on my walk I discovered my legs were sore in all new places. So were my arms and so were my shoulders. Well awesome. The best way to get over a plateau (I am told) is to do something different. Now today I go back for the second session, I thought we would do the same machine routines so I could memorize them and I was informed very quietly. "Oh no- Saturday we are working with free weights. All different things."

Which I find a little nerve-wracking when that is said with an affable smile. I think this guy is cheerfully relentless. And you know what? I'm up for that. So yeah, I am nervous but I am up for the challenge.
The motivation has spilled over into other areas of my life as well. I finished up chapter 6 this week and cranked out over 2000 words on chapter 7 yesterday morning.
Then after my walk in the park I figured out and outlined what the rest of chapter 7 of book #15 will be.
Fist pump!  It was a good day's work.

So I wonder what kind of work out challenges the trainer will throw at me today?
Bring it on big guy.

Blessed be, Ellen