I made another payment toward my debt. I’m now down to $101,100. Woot! I’m within striking distance of breaking through that 6-figure marker! This time next month, mid July, should be when it finally happens. I…CAN’T…WAIT! Finally I will feel like I’m making some progress. In the meantime, I toil away.
Unfortunately, my interest rate isn’t the only thing increasing. I’ve been gaining weight over the past 3.5 years since I started this blog. Clothes that I never wore before because they were too big, are the same ones that I can barely fit into today. Age and wacky hormones, too much stress (for a variety of reasons), a less than nutritious diet, and a cubicle farm sedentary job = expanding waistline, sky high cholesterol (think heart attack territory), and other ailments. I’m letting debt and my job slowly kill me.
I know what I have to do. I hear it all the time. ‘Eat right and exercise’.
I have some vacation time coming up soon and because I’m not traveling anywhere, I’ve got some time to focus on me. So I think this would be a perfect time to scout out some local gyms. I’ve decided to go on a week-long ‘Gym Crawl’ of sorts.
Gym Crawl
Yes, I’m trying again; even after my bad experience at a boutique exercise studio. (I can’t believe that was two years ago!) Well, this is part of the reason I’m doing this homemade gym crawl, actually. I will be going to 4 gyms total and will aim to visit each one at least twice. My hope is that one of them will feel comfortable and welcoming – no mean girls or muscle heads.
I’m mainly looking for a gym with good group classes. I simply don’t have the willpower to exercise on my own. Years ago, I had an AWESOME cardio kickboxing class that got me in good shape, so I know what works for me. I need the accountability of having to show up for a (paid for) class and the pressure of not wanting to fall behind others. So, after taking all these classes for a week, by the time I get to the weekend I’ll be so sore that I’ll only be able to crawl to get around. That will be my measure of success!
A Running Goal
I admit it. I aspire to be one of those svelte, toned, twenty-somethings that I see running around . I’ve had a long standing goal of running and completing a Couch to 5k program, but I’m one of those people who hasn’t been able to get off of the couch. …Ahhh, I can dream at least…
Maybe this gym crawl could help. All of these gyms are a good ways away for walking. They’re probably more appropriate for taking a bus. Perhaps I can use the distance as motivation to run instead.
Readers, Czanclus and The Bookworm are so inspirational with their running and fitness. Those women are out there kicking ass. They aren’t just writing about it, they’re doing it!
Me? I have ‘reasons’ for why I haven’t started running. I’m self conscious about running in public. I have allergies to elastics so it’s not easy to find good athletic clothing. I have to find the right running shoes. I have ongoing foot problems from years of walking in bad shoes and am afraid of injuring myself without the appropriate preparation and footwear. I know that these are all just excuses and that each one of these issues can be overcome with time and effort. I also don’t have the best history with running.
I tried joining a running club once in another state. The website said “All are welcome!”. Well once I got there, I quickly found out that all were not welcome.
It was not easy to find out who was in charge, but I ultimately found out that the runners ran in groups according to their 5k/10k time. There was no beginners group. There was no introduction. I was put in the ‘slowest’ group and the group leader leader let me know that she would check in on me every mile or so to see if I was ok. Ummmm. What? I couldn’t (and still can’t) run a city block without getting winded. I should have fled right then, but my pride wouldn’t let me do it. It would have been too embarrassing. So off we went.
We ran for what seemed like forever. The group leader called out that we’d run the first mile as we started to round a corner. Whaaa? With my last ounce of energy, I caught up to her. I thanked her and told her that I would be turning back now. I didn’t care what anyone thought anymore. I felt like I was dying.
I jog-walked back to the starting point to ward off leg cramping. Once I found the starting point (an athletic shop) and picked up my things, I asked the clerk behind the counter where I might find something more for beginners. His response? ‘Look online.’ Gee, thanks. Needless to say, I could barely walk for a week after that tortuous experience. So, yeah, not the best experience for an intro to running.
If I find a gym I like, perhaps I can work in running to get there or on the way back. We’ll see…
$$$
The cost of the classes will range from ($0-25 each). How am I going to pay for this gym crawl and possible subsequent gym membership? It will come from my health maintenance fund. I have a little over $1,000 in there now, but I may have to increase the size of this bucket in order to accommodate both it and other future health care needs this year.
I’ll keep you guys updated. Keep your fingers crossed for me! 🙂
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“Debtor’s prison is real, and opportunity cost is a bitch.” (DDSW)
Double Debt Single Woman 
Thank you for the shout out! I am doing the Snoopy happy dance with my dog right now!!!!
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Ha! You’re welcome. Keep up with your blog! It’s encouraging. 🙂
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I’ve never heard of the concept of a gym-crawl. I like the idea I also like group activities. My area of the country has some good adult sport leagues. Definitely helps me a ton.
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I just made up the name for myself, but I’m sure it exists in a more organized form somewhere. There are adult sport leagues in my region, but they are too far away to be practical to get to before or after work, unfortunately. I’ll keep my eyes open for one closer to where I live. Thanks for the reminder.
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Hey – This post took guts to write. Sounds like you understand the basics, which is that all you have to do is exercise and eat well AND you know that willpower alone isn’t enough. It never is and that’s OK!
I wholeheartedly suggest that you continue down the path of finding an accountability partner/buddy or something of the sort. Three years ago I did no exercise at all, but slowly over time I’ve gotten into a routine of working out four times a week AND eating well. I’m not perfect though and this routine seems to fall apart as soon as winter hits. However, eating is the MOST important part, so honestly focusing on that had the most impact for me.
Anyway, just some random words of advice from a stranger on the Internet but again, it’s a brave post to write and you deserve to be cheered on! You can do this! Fingers crossed for you.
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Thanks, Biglaw. My diet is really poor right now, I admit. When I was in my 20s I had no problem burning it off without even trying, but now… My metabolism is slowing down and that is sooo not helping. Yeah, I have come up with a solution to my food problem too. I haven’t forgotten about that part of the equation.
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You are so smart. I really like the idea of gym crawling and having a fund for it. The cost of fitness can get out of hand with poor planning. With the fitness snobs/funny acting people, I have had to pretend to be oblivious if the coaching/facilities were excellent. The good outweighed the bad. More times than not, they end up weeding themselves out or they put they personal crap to the side and become cordial. I’m not proud of it ,but I have had to cuss a chick out to get my point across. I don’t like being talked to crazy to when I’m not bothering anyone. I felt bad because I like being the bigger/more mature person in conflict. So I totally get you where you are coming from.
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Yeah, I’m hoping that one of four will be good for me.
LoL! I wish you could have been there at the last gym I went to so you could cuss out that mean girl. I wouldn’t have minded not being the bigger person that day, heh!
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I am always struggling with motivation to eat well and exercise, so I totally get it. I really hope you find a gym that works for you. And if you can find yourself a gym buddy or a walking/running buddy or some other form of an accountability partner, it will totally help! And it makes it way more fun! 🙂
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If you are on Facebook my name is Kenni Moore. Kendrall Moore
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Hi Kenni. 🙂
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Hey!!!!
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Thanks. Yeah, my favorite classes in the past were the ones that I went to with a buddy.
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Awww… I get a mention in DDSW’s blog – and as an ass kicker to boot. 🙂 The half marathon two weeks ago went most excellently, and I amazed myself at the pace I pulled out that almost beat my fastest 10K. While doing that, I PR’d in the 10K, the 15K, the 10 miler, and surely enough for the first race this long, the 13.1M. Marathon training is in full session now, and the ass kicking is this time in a different direction. My knees and IT band are not happy, but I’m keeping a close check on my body and not overdoing it this week.
Anyhoo – if running/jogging ends up being your choice of exercise, you can count on me as your virtual running buddy/coach/cheer-leader. We’ll get you to a 5K before the leaves turn yellow. It is not for everyone, even if we only consider the mental component of people’s affinity, but for what it’s worth, as a runner with 22 years of ‘experience’, the coveted ‘runner’s high’ is not a myth.
If you find your passions more aligned with another exercise, go for it. This is such a positive state of body/mind to be in that you owe it to yourself to get there – to embrace and await your daily recreation time. If there is a guaranteed positive return on investment in this world (as long as you don’t push yourself beyond your limits), exercise is it.
Happy gym crawl! And can’t wait to see your debt numbers in the 5 digits range.
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Thanks czanclus! I’m thinking about trying one of those couch to 5k apps that helps with pacing week by week.
I have not yet gone out to actually run yet, though. I need to work out that pesky little detail first. lol
Getting started is indeed half the battle.
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Hi, I have never used the app(s) myself, so cannot recommend one vs. another. I’ll take a look to see what they are about (program, tracking mileage/time, etc.) and weigh in with my 2 cents.
What’s of topmost importance is that once you commit to an exercise regime, you unapologetically, every dat block out a window of time for yourself, and change course only for SERIOUS emergencies (which occur in general one day per year, if then). You will not be running/exercising every day, but the 30 min – 1 hour that’s reserved for your exercise other days in the week, should on ‘rest days’ be used for less intense forms of exercise like walking, muscle toning, stretching, and if budget allows, swimming, biking, etc. Keep me posted if you set your goal on training to run a 5K this year. If you were in my neck of the woods, I’d give you my racing bib for one of the 5k’s (mid September) that now interferes with one of the most important endurance runs of my October marathon training. 🙂
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(Hmm, not sure why my phone can’t keep track of my identity. The above post was written by the same person (czanclus) as the one who bragged about her fabulous half marathon. ;-))
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