July's GOal Getter
My Path to a Healthier Self
Like many other women, I knew my road to un-fitness was not a fast-tracked journey; rather, the process was slow and insidious, sneaking up on me for at least five years. The extra pounds and inches were added one at a time, bringing with them a growing lethargy and a resultant lack of motivation to keep my body active. For a long time, it was easy to make excuses for the clothing that was getting increasingly snugger—no time to exercise, slow metabolism, and just plain tiredness—all of which were keeping me from being fit. Those excuses seemed to prevent me from changing self-defeating patterns.
Until about five years ago, I had always managed to keep my weight (and clothing size) at a fairly consistent level, but I did so mainly by watching my diet. Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize that one of the facets of getting older was a slowing down of metabolism and a loss of muscle mass, which almost inevitably leads to weight gain. Consequently, I couldn’t maintain my weight without making some major adjustments, particularly in the area of exercise, and I wasn’t doing that.
I suppose my “moment of truth” occurred when my already too-tight clothes put me in an untenable situation—moving to an even larger size. Perhaps even more upsetting, though, was the fact that I was very unhappy about my general lack of physical energy. I just didn’t like the person into which I had “morphed.” Those factors finally propelled me toward making one of the best decisions of my life—joining Momentum. I had looked at a number of other gyms in the area, but when I walked into Momentum and spoke to the staff, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be. Everything about Momentum seemed right—the very knowledgeable, highly energized and always helpful and supportive staff; the non-judgmental philosophy that infuses all of the programs; and the supportive atmosphere of women here who share the same basic goal of working to get healthier—all came together in a “package” that was too hard to pass up.
I joined Momentum last June (2007). Since then, with the help of Carol Bruce, my wonderful and ever-positive trainer, and the terrific Fitness-Focus Orientation (aka “Go Program”) through which she has guided me, I started on a fitness program that was tailored to me. Carol introduced me not only to the joys of the Techno Gym and cardio equipment, but also to a diversified exercise program that would help me reach my fitness goals. I have also taken part in some of the group classes, such as BodyVive, Total Tone, and TreadTraining and have also tried Yoga and Pilates. Primarily, though, I spend most of my time exercising independently in the Techno Gym, at least five days a week. I look at the group classes as a great way to vary my routine, and I’m certain that I will continue to try a few more in the months to come.