Personal trainers/gym phobia

[Guest guest]

Sharon wrote:

> I was scarred by bad high school p.e. classes,

in which all the people who had any kind of actual athletic ability

were mean and cruel and constantly picked on the ones who couldn't do

anything right. (Can you guess who one of that second group of people

was? ;oÞ) As a result, I have a mortal fear of doing any kind of

physical activity with ANYONE watching, much less someone who's really

athletic and who is there for the express purpose of scrutinizing

everything that I'm doing wrong.

Oy, do I hear you! This was one of my big fears when I first started

going to the gym, too. It was about 6 weeks after my surgery, so I'd

only lost maybe 45 lbs., and the thought of me out there jiggling and

huffing and puffing was too scary for words. But I also felt that I

just HAD to do it -- and that feeling was stronger, so I did.

I lucked into a class that was labelled " moderate low impact " , but

which in fact turned out to be mainly for seniors. So here was me, 44

years old, sweating it out with a bunch of 65+ people...and getting

winded long before they did! However, I stayed at the back of the

class, got my feet tangled up more often than anyone else, and

invariably came out of the class with my face an absolutely alarming

shade of red. Gradually, I started to get better at it, and braver too.

These days, almost a year and a half later, I toss around terms like

sets and reps and quads and hamstring curls as if I'd never known any

different...but I, too, was a high school gym drop-out once upon a time.

As for personal trainers, my husband hired one for a few sessions, and

has found it very worthwhile. He has more trouble than I do getting to

a gym regularly, but our family room is now stocked with one of those

great honkin' exercise balls, and more hand weights than you can shake

a stick at. The trainer cost $35 an hour, and I think she came here

four times altogether, just enough to get him started. She focused on

correct form, and didn't mock the fact that he was pathetically out of

shape (he's another h.s. gym loser), but focused on what he *could* do

instead. He's tickled pink that he's finally developing some muscle

tone in his arms, legs, abs...he gets up a bit early on his exercise

days, and does about 45 minutes to an hour before his shower. It's

become kind of fun, trading tips and techniques on fitness. An

unexpected, but welcome benefit of my WLS!

I.

--

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

RNY September 19, 2001

Dr. Freeman, Ottawa General Hospital

BMI then: 43.5

BMI now: 22

-152 lbs

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

[Guest guest]

Sharon wrote:

> I was scarred by bad high school p.e. classes,

in which all the people who had any kind of actual athletic ability

were mean and cruel and constantly picked on the ones who couldn't do

anything right. (Can you guess who one of that second group of people

was? ;oÞ) As a result, I have a mortal fear of doing any kind of

physical activity with ANYONE watching, much less someone who's really

athletic and who is there for the express purpose of scrutinizing

everything that I'm doing wrong.

Oy, do I hear you! This was one of my big fears when I first started

going to the gym, too. It was about 6 weeks after my surgery, so I'd

only lost maybe 45 lbs., and the thought of me out there jiggling and

huffing and puffing was too scary for words. But I also felt that I

just HAD to do it -- and that feeling was stronger, so I did.

I lucked into a class that was labelled " moderate low impact " , but

which in fact turned out to be mainly for seniors. So here was me, 44

years old, sweating it out with a bunch of 65+ people...and getting

winded long before they did! However, I stayed at the back of the

class, got my feet tangled up more often than anyone else, and

invariably came out of the class with my face an absolutely alarming

shade of red. Gradually, I started to get better at it, and braver too.

These days, almost a year and a half later, I toss around terms like

sets and reps and quads and hamstring curls as if I'd never known any

different...but I, too, was a high school gym drop-out once upon a time.

As for personal trainers, my husband hired one for a few sessions, and

has found it very worthwhile. He has more trouble than I do getting to

a gym regularly, but our family room is now stocked with one of those

great honkin' exercise balls, and more hand weights than you can shake

a stick at. The trainer cost $35 an hour, and I think she came here

four times altogether, just enough to get him started. She focused on

correct form, and didn't mock the fact that he was pathetically out of

shape (he's another h.s. gym loser), but focused on what he *could* do

instead. He's tickled pink that he's finally developing some muscle

tone in his arms, legs, abs...he gets up a bit early on his exercise

days, and does about 45 minutes to an hour before his shower. It's

become kind of fun, trading tips and techniques on fitness. An

unexpected, but welcome benefit of my WLS!

I.

--

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

RNY September 19, 2001

Dr. Freeman, Ottawa General Hospital

BMI then: 43.5

BMI now: 22

-152 lbs

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>