New Gym

So I made the very tough decision to switch gyms. I know it doesn't seem like a very big deal, but it is for me.

I never, ever, ever thought I was someone who would join a gym in the first place. I mean that was where fit people went, lol. I was always way too embarrassed. So when I did join last year, I was thrilled to find that I didn't feel uncomfortable. There were people of all body shapes and physical abilities. The owner of the gym was great and always friendly. As we know, I had problems with the personal trainer and he went above and beyond to set me with a new trainer.

So why did I switch?

My gym membership itself wasn't crazy expensive, but when you add in a trainer weekly for almost a year, I have spent a LOT of money at the gym. What irritates me about this, is that some of that money still goes back to my old trainer.

When I used to work out with my trainer, he never had a plan, we just walked around the gym and used machines. He didn't personalize anything for me, and he was always distracted. When I work out with my new trainer, she always has a plan before I get there. She spends time outside of the gym texting me, working on a plan for me, and she always has unique things for us to do that she has seriously put thought into. So it really irritates me that she works so hard, and my old trainer makes money off it. The entire reason I work with her is because he couldn't do his job in the first place.

Sooooo, when Planet Fitness opened in Blue Springs awhile back, I had a hard time even thinking about them with their pizza nights and bagel mornings. But the more I struggle financially, I decided to look into them with their $10 a month membership. You can't beat that price. Everything is nice and new and taken care of. I know this may be petty, but I felt gross at my old gym when they would have the doors open and it was all muggy and sweaty. I don't mind sweating while I work out, but I don't want to walk in feeling gross. Underneath the machines was always really filthy, etc... So, I enjoy the air conditioning and cleanliness of Planet Fitness.

I do miss having a track, and having the free space of the aerobics room at my old gym. But you have to give up some things for the others I suppose. They do have some circuits which I like, because you don't really have to plan your workout. Today I did the total body circuit which takes 30 minutes. It was tough!

I ended up doing the $20 a month membership which comes with some extras, you can go to any location, you can use the massage beds and tanning (which I will never use), but the biggest thing was that you can bring in a guest as many times as you want. So far, it is really helping me because I have been taking a friend almost every day. Since I have someone I've committed to meet, I definitely get up and get to the gym where most days I would talk myself out of going and put it off. It also makes the workout go by much faster when you have someone with you.

So, that for me is the biggest plus. I am excited and I think it will be really good for me and hopefully I can start seeing some real results!

If anyone wants to come with me, just let me know!!!

Post Vacation!

I am seriously terrible at updating my blog! Lots has been going on since the New Year!

As I was approaching my one year anniversary of my heart attack, I was really getting a lot of anxiety. I think doing the news stories and talking about it so much just really got me freaked out again. I started having a lot of anxiety attacks and was feeling like something was wrong again.

So, I've been working on different methods of managing my anxiety. I actually did a stress test at the hospital and got positive results, and that helped a lot!

A stress test is not the most fun thing to do! It took about four hours. I arrived at the hospital (fasting) and put an IV in your arm and inject you with some fluid. You have to sit for about 30 minutes and wait for it to go through, then they do a scan of your chest. You lay in this machine (not totally closed in, thank goodness) for 14 minutes without moving. FUN! So my anxiety was really high then! Then they took me over to the cardiac area and they hook you up to all the heart monitors and you run on the treadmill. You have to get your heart rate super high (and they aren't used to people so young, so it was harder to get mine up) and you run on the treadmill. Every 3 minutes the treadmill speed increases and it inclines. So by the time I got my heart rate high enough I was like climbing a mountain. Then while you are running, they inject you with fluid and then you have to do two more scans so they can check for any blockages.

But all of the results were good! So that was a HUGE relief to my anxiety. We also switched my anxiety medication and I think that helped.

I went on vacation this past week and that was nice and relaxing as well! However, I have been pigging out and now I have to get back into a healthy eating routine!

I did switch gyms... I will write more about that tomorrow!