“I have to preface this by saying that I have always hated exercising. Years ago I had a trainer, and I was in the best shape ever, but it was a LOT of gym time and effort. After three kids and innumerable milkshakes and beers, it was time to try to get back there. Being over 40, I knew that this was a lofty goal.
I am a “program” person (that is, I’m not going to do *anything* unless I force myself to), so I have signed up for running programs, bought magazine after magazine, attended classes, and tried my routines from my old trainer. I inevitably quit all of them because I’m just that damn lazy.
I had been thinking about getting a trainer again; someone to make me accountable. Randomly, Jocelyn and her boyfriend were sitting behind me at a Timbers game, and we all started talking. She was friendly, looked “not like a trainer” (if you know what I mean), AND was drinking a beer! (“I could really like this person!”, I thought.)
About a month later, I showed up for one of her Saturday boot camp classes. It was tough, and I was sore (not having done much of *anything* in months and months) — but I had *such* a great time that I went back the next week… and the week after that… and after that… I admit it: I’m hooked. It’s the best part of my weekend. I kid you not. We all have so much fun. One Saturday, I was hung-over and positively exhausted, and I STILL went to boot camp. (I didn’t have to persuade myself to go, either. That’s serious for someone like me.) At this point, I’ll miss my kids’ soccer games, but I won’t miss boot camp. ?
Well, now it’s been three months. I have gone to every Saturday class, and have been working one-on-one for about two months. I have noticed a *huge* difference, even in that short time.
I can’t say enough good things about how great it is to finally enjoy exercise. Jocelyn’s workouts are challenging, but fun. [Secret: I kinda can’t wait for them. There’s something to that.] You never know what you’re going to get… and that’s *such* a good thing. I have told her myriad times how much I appreciate the simplicity and the diversity: no weight machines (yay!), no two-hour-long workouts (double-yay!), and — best of all — NO CARDIO MACHINES! Every time I go to the gym and I see all those cardio machines, I just want to hug her for not making me spend 45 minutes of my life on one of those damn things.
You think you won’t ever like exercise. You will. You think it’ll be too tough. It will… but, after only a few weeks, you’ll say “That wasn’t very hard.” (No, really, you will.)
Spoken 100 percent honestly. :)”