Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned From the Gym

1.  A trainer is someone who makes you work so hard you have no energy to rebel.  This might be helpful to think of parenting in this regard.

2.  You have a right to occupy space in the gym, no matter what level you are.  This applies to church and education, too, btw.

3.  Don't spit on the track.  (It wasn't me, p.s.)  Other people don't need to run in your muck.  If you got muck, get rid of it properly.

4.  Even though it's tempting to look at other people's treadmill display and either laugh or cry.... don't compare.  Everyone is pushing at their individual edge.

5.  Sign up early for the crazy hard classes. It might seem insane to sign up for pain, but if you are going to make an effort, make it count!

6.  Who cares what you look like.  In fact, you don't want to know what you look like.  Think sweat marks. Flushed face. Stumbling. Two hours after swimming I still saw goggle marks, WHAT?!

7.  Get your workout done early.  Go before you are actually awake enough to protest.

8.  You have a body.  Use it.  Even if you only have teensy tiny muscles.  It's still a miracle and a beautiful thing for a body to be in motion.  Exercise it so it can give you even more.

9.  Stretch and drink lots o' water.  You'll likely become best friends with the bathroom, so get cozy.

10.  Never give up.  I almost left a class yesterday to go chuck, but I knew that if I left I'd never come back.  Hang in there, find some inner strength, and slow down if you need to... but don't give up.


All this and more I have learned from my 15 days so far at the gym.  15/100 (100 is my goal).... and I am pretty sore.  But I've been promised it gets better.  I hope so since I can't even get in or out of the car gracefully today.

BOO YAH.