As I’ve previously stated, I am not a lover of exercise. I do it because it needs to get done. When my kids are grown and out of the house, I plan to live my second youth, and I’m going to have a damn fine figure when I do!
Anyway, yesterday I decided to take a Pilates class at my gym. It had been years since I took part in any exercise class and this was the first I’d be taking at my current gym. I was feeling a bit unsure about it, picturing lots of slim twenty-somethings prancing around with their perfectly fit bodies and me with my belly rolls hanging all over the place, so I was pleasantly surprised by the group that did show up for the class. There were young women, old women, overweight women and one man in the class. They were a group that clearly knew each other from classes and didn’t hesitate to both encourage and poke fun at one another – the instructor included. I was not spared either – taunted for my “happy legs” which trembled from fatigue for pretty much the entire class. It was perfect – I fit right in!
The great part about taking a group fitness class, or working out with a partner, is the encouragement to “push harder” you get from those around you and from seeing that not everyone is in better shape than you are – that all those workouts you’ve struggled through actually had an impact. We’re all there for the same reason, to feel good and look good and sometimes when you work out on your own, at least for me, it becomes too much of a chore and not fun.
If you’re able, work out with someone, whether it be in a class at your gym, or a neighbor or friend that you walk with. It makes the effort so much more pleasant and inspiring.
