Things I Wish That People Would Have Told Me

I was at weight lifting class called Chisel last week. It's a class offered at the YWCA in Minneapolis and I have been going to for almost a year. It's lead by one of my favorite instructors. She has taught me everything that I know about fitness, weight lifting, and endurance.

I am going to be sappy for a minute and say that she is a huge reason as to why my weight loss has been so successful. She showed me what hard work was and she never let me say "I can't." She doesn't read this blog but someday I would like to express to her what an impact that she has made on my life.

This same instructor teaches a Turbo Step class right before Chisel, so I first started out by going to Step. Her Step class is super intimidating because she has no routine and just shouts out moves from the top of her head. At first you feel like she is speaking jibberish, and you are trying to move so fast that you feel your legs are going to fall off. After the initial shock period you actually get the hang of it and start to love it.

I can still remember the first time that I was foolish brave enough to go to Step and then stay for Chisel. It is an intimidating class, but the benefits are incredible. She makes me lift more than I would on my own and she forces me to do exercises that I would not do on my own. Like lunges, I hate them, so much.

Last week a new girl walked in. I could tell that she was knew because she walked in and looked really spooked. She clung to the wall, and quickly walked to the back, hoping not to be seen. I knew exactly how this girl felt.

We started the class and within 15 minutes she walked out of the room and did not come back. Again, I knew exactly how she felt. I walked out of a cardio class once and I felt embarrassed, defeated, and ashamed.

It got me thinking that I wished there were things that people would have told me before I started working out:

1) Getting the gym membership will be the hardest step you will take to changing your life. I thought about walking to the YWCA to get a membership for probably a solid month before I did it. Just go. Get it over with.

2) Going to the gym for the first time will be the second hardest part of the journey. It will feel foreign, and uncomfortable.

3) Not losing weight as quickly as you thought you would will make you want to quit. But don't worry, it will start to happen.

4) Walking into your first cardio or weight lifting class will be intimidating. You are going to be disgusted with yourself for being so out of shape. But when you finish the first class you will feel victorious.

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5)You will feel like people are judging you at the gym. And they might be, but who gives a fuck? If they are going to judge you for shaping up your health, it's their own problem. I am a rather judgmental person but I think that is what helps me not to care so much.

6) You are probably not working to your full potential. I started out on the elliptical for 20 minutes. I didn't monitor my heart rate, and I did not give my work outs 100%. When I finally started working hard, I saw results.

7) If you go to a class and hate it, don't completely rule it out. I only like going to Step class with the teacher that I listed above, other instructors are too slow for my taste. I also only like going to certain cycling classes due to instructors.You just gotta find the person that you mesh with!

8) There will be days when you don't feel like going to the gym. Go anyway.