adventures in fitness # 1

So. The time has finally come. I have decided that I am tired of being fat. I weigh 220 pounds. Nothing fits anymore. I feel jiggle where I shouldn't when I run or the vehicle I am travelling in hits a bump.

Now I never used to be such a wreck. It's only when I left Newmarket and started eating like a fool and not caring that I really started to bulk up, but I daresay the worst happened in my summer of unemployment last year. Today when I went for my fitness assessment at Extreme Fitness, I was treated to some truths about my physical state that I never ever want to hear again.

Basically I am a wreck. An erratic sleep schedule has pushed my blood pressure up. My core strength is all but gone. My flexibility is going away. My actual strength is iffy. And I am 29% fat. My god I wanted to crawl under the chair and die every time this guy said that word. And after he led me on a workout for a bit on the floor, I actually thought I was going to. In fact, we did some really simple exercises that left my limbs trembling, which was utterly embarassing, but I had just come off a 12 hour shift at work. I am in the worst shape of my life right now, but on the other hand, there is nothing but improvement ahead of me.

So I am getting personal training. Not a huge package, just enough sessions to put me on the straight and narrow and to encourage me. I am also going to see the nutritionist who is going to tell me everything I already suspect: my eating habits are apalling. Now I try to keep it healthy and good, but with this shift work I just grab what's handy and chow down sometimes. There is nothing wrong with eating when you are hungry, but it's just what you eat, they say, that is the problem. So I suppose the love affair with donuts is over, for good this time. And I will drink more water.

I am reminded of a few choice episodes of Absolutely Fabulous when Edina endures body crisis after body crisis and does everything she can to lose weight, while hoping to avoid exercise at all costs. I still feel like kicking up the fat crisis commotion just for fun, but the reality is I am 37 and my body is not going to look after itself. It's all up to me to take control and change things.

Tomorrow is the nutritionist day. Let's see how that goes.

That is all.