Friday, July 29, 2011

Well... Happy Friday to all of you. Yesterday was my first of 3 guest pass visits at the Bellevue YMCA. This is our second summer that we have been using the YMCA for summer day camps for Conrad. The Bellevue "Y" is conveniently located in between my work in Issaquah, and Scott's in Bellevue. (Ok it is super close to Scott's work) Scott has the morning duties of taking Conrad to school or to summer day camp. I then pick him up and take him to after school activities. This coming year Conrad will be in Boy scouts and Karate. Last school year we both attended the boyscout meetings and events together, with Scott only missing a few due to work. This upcoming school year I will be taking him to Karate 3x a week, and Scott will primarily handle the 1x a week Boy scouts events. He is taking Swim lessons over the summer, and if we have a Y membership I can continue to take him to help teach him through the school year.
Every time I take Conrad to Karate, he does a double class which is 5:30-8:00 with a 15 minute break in between. Usually during this time I would tootle around Bellevue poking in shops, nap in the car, or use the Dojo Wifi. All pretty sedentary stuff. I thought that I could be just a block down the street at the Y exercising during his Karate. There is plenty of time to get ready, work out, and shower and freshen up too. Being a full time member as compared to a program member (only using them for lessons or daycamp) will save $50 a year on costs for daycamp, and costs for other Y programs will be less as well.
So I started with an orientation tour of the facility. I kinda snubbed my nose a little because the last gym I attended was just to nice, it was years ago mind you, but a spa like gym..and the area I know I would use the most at the Y at first glance appeared a little dingy. I then received a 3 visit guest pass.
Yesterday was my first visit and was actually very pleasantly surprised. The area I thought at first was dingy was very clean and in the midst of actually using the equipment, it was so ZEN. Yes, peaceful and not intimidating, and I was so at ease and comfortable. (Except for my screaming ankle that has never been the same since I twisted it on Kauai a few years back.)
I didn't overdue it. And even though I felt weird , my ankle really did hurt, so I did not try to be all "I am super workout person", but did things slow so I would not hurt my aged body(!). I did about 7 minutes warm up on the elliptical, 10 on the treadmill, 10 walking the track, and 10 on the cycle. In college I took 2, yes 2, full course semesters of weight management. What did I glean from these courses you ask? What secrets do I have? The answer is there is no fast way to lose weight. It comes off after time and alot of effort. You build and strengthen as you go and with a balance nutritional calorie reduced meal plan, and 2 - 20 minute expenditures of exercise daily, it will come off.
Every day?!!! Well if you seriously want it off, YES, every single day. I do know also that it has been stated that it is more beneficial to work out in smaller increments like a burst of 10 minutes and then a rest and another burst. This is because your body will level off and run at the expected higher level, and if you stop and start up again, the "gearing up" burns more calories and is better in the long run. I am not sure, but I am adopting this until I can get to 20 minute sessions per type of exercise. I am not 17 anymore, so I cant jump right into any routine and do it every day. I am reasonable and rational, and above all do not want to hurt myself.
I am happy that the first experience at the Y was better than I had hoped. I really was not looking forward to it, and I am not so happy about paying monthly for anything, especially a gym. Such is life. Sometimes change is worth the price. And I have not been able to get things going on my own. Believe me, I have tried.

I hope your exercise routine is faring well.
Have a great day!
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