Wedding Blog
…to try to go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week.” Mrs. Bee’s post on unconventional diet tips and Miss Lemon’s declaration (and nudging from Mr. Orange to lead a healthier lifestyle), has led me to make a 1-year commitment to a gym. I am turning 30 this year and knowing my eating habits (favorite bagel topping: peanut butter and butter), my metabolism will not keep up much longer and I will only grow wider.
The problem is I am a gym virgin. Yes, I’ve never been to a gym in my life, not even in college. I will have my first session tomorrow with a complimentary personal trainer and hopefully set a goal for my arms and tummy.
Do you have any suggestions for a gym virgin like me?
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Take it slow. Don’t get caught up in the things that others can do- think of YOUR limits. How far YOU can stretch, swim, run. How much YOU can lift. Don’t pay attention to other people’s limits because you could seriously hurt yourself trying to “out do” others.
where did u find a complimentary personal trainer?!?
I’ll be going to the gym 3/4 times a week as well, with a personal trainer after not stepping in one for over a year, scary
Concentrate on your form. You can do 30 crunches but if you’re not doing them correctly then you won’t see results.
21 days to make a habit, so find consistent times to go to the gym. 3 weeks later and you won’t think twice about going! Getting there is always the hardest part.
That’s a good start! Don’t go hard core, start out slowly like twice a week then move on to 3x a week etc. It’s best if you have a trainer to oversee if you’re doing everything properly b/c if you don’t, you might hurt yourself. Good luck!
If you’re going to make a committment, this is definitely the time to do it. There are a lot of people in the gym this time of year who aren’t normally there trying to keep their new year’s resolutions. Basically, they don’t know what to do either. I never really go to the gym but decided to use my free membership thanks to my college! I would start out slow so you don’t get burned out too fast. Try out lots of things to find what you like best. If you are going to do cardio on a machine, find a television program you like, a magazine, or something else to focus on, rather than your time/distance. Cover up the digital numbers on the machines so you aren’t counting down the seconds! Good luck!
Don’t be self-conscious. Everyone at the gym is worried about their own work out–they’re focused on themselves, not the people around them. Realizing this was a gym breakthrough for me!
After working out, take some painkillers before you go to bed that night. Potassium helps ward off the soreness.
Bring a towel! I know that seems so basic, but so many people don’t bring one. You can use it to cover the display, wipe down machines, and lay down on benches.
I agree with Bridget. NO ONE is paying attention to you, so don’t worry about looking stupid!!! Everyone’s motivation systems works a little differently. I’ve been messing with mine for years. Things that have helped me in the past include:
-write down everything you do when you do it (I write mine in one section of my “everything” notebook that I always carry), this is really motivational!
-Get a mantra that works to get you out the door. I once read something in Oprah about how she thinks she was successful once she realized that being healthy meant doing the work even when you don’t “feel like it”! I think that’s true. So I kinda back-talk myself when I’m saying I don’t feel like it.
-If you’re really struggling to get out the door, tell yourself you’ll go and just do 15 minutes (or 10). If that’s all you do, fine, you kept your commitment to yourself and can feel good. But, more often than not I say, “Since I’m here, I can do 10 or 15 more…” 
Honestly if you’re a gym virgin, I would veto the personal trainer. It’s really tough to just bust into it all of a sudden, although it might be nice to just go with a friend who’s familiar with how all the equipment works. I really think personal trainers are for certain type of people.
My strategy to start off is 10 minutes cardio, then 15 minutes of stretching/lunges/weights. Then do another 10 minutes of cardio. Continue… this way, you don’t want to DIE after only 10 minutes of cardio and feel like a wuss! Also, pilates stretches REALLY gets rid of cellulite and you barely break a sweat!
Hey- don’t go thinking that a gym is your only option! I cannot for the life of my drag my sorry butt to a gym, but I love dance and yoga classes. In NYC, there is a dance studio called djoniba, where they teach all kinds of dance. I’ve been to one of their West African classes, and it is a cardio work out like no other. And fun! Also highly recommended is “Yoga to the People” on St. Mark’s. Great teachers, amazing atmosphere, and the classes are on a “pay what you can” basis. It’s the best
^ I used to live on 7th and attended Yoga to the People. It kicked my butt, needless to say, but gave me a really great and intense work out. I’m more of a long-distance runner/cardio person, but I’m trying to up the weight-training workout because I’m in some dire need of strength and muscles!
If you have a gym in your apt/facility, I would start out there. You get a lot more privacy and can work at your own pace, take your time, not feel self-conscious, get a true feel for a personal regimen.
Also, if you’re doing cardio at the gym (the most dreaded of all exercises for a lot of people), don’t worry about running at high speeds for a long period of time. It’s good to change-up your heart-rate during cardio anyway, so sprint for 30 seconds, then speedwalk, then sprint at high speed again, then jog, etc. In doing this, you won’t be discouraged by lack of stamina. An ironically, easing into this style of cardio isn’t so dreadful, and you get the most benefits of cardio at the same time. Of course it goes without saying that the intensity will have to increase as you get used to exercising in order to get a real workout, as the hard part is doing this for at least 30-40 mins. Baby steps though! Hope that helps, good luck!
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Mrs. Orange, New York
Age and Occupation in 06: 29, Librarian
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Academic
Engagement Date: January 25, 2006
Wedding Date: March 2007
Venue: Nassau County, Long Island
About Me: Mr. Orange and I met thanks to my college friend and Mr. Orange's dad in Feb. 05. I love to eat, cook, watch Dog the Bounty Hunter, Without a Trace, L&O, and MTV Hits as well as chill with my cat Illie, work on little DIY projects for the wedding, do extensive wedding related searches on Google using my "skills." Ha-ha. We are having a 150+ ppl wedding incorporating his Jewish background and my Japanese heritage.
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