In the mid-90’s, I was what my family affectionately called a “gym rat.”  I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and was at the gym by 5:00 am. My routine lasted about 90 minutes, so I could be home in time to be sure Jennifer and Brian (daughter and son), were up and getting ready for school.   Some days I popped right out of bed ready to go. But there were also many days when I had to talk myself into getting up.   “You KNOW you will feel soooo much better after you work out.” Or “You’ll never go back to sleep now, so you might as well get up.”

I had a friend at the gym who was in school to become a personal trainer.  He asked me to allow him to train me 5 days a week, for a year, while he was in school. He could practice what he was learning on me, and I would obviously benefit from his knowledge. You’ve got to understand that I was never good at sports. But anyone can lift a weight, so lifting weights, and learning how to do it properly built up my self-confidence, in a field where I had always felt inadequate. It was a win/win situation for us both.

Once I had finished my year of training, and my friend moved on to paying customers, I found another gym partner (for accountability) and continued with my exercise program. In the mid-2000’s, I started losing my passion for the gym, and while I did exercise, the intensity of my program dwindled, the frequency of my gym days became less and less. When we moved to Coarsegold, 3 years ago, my exercise program simply became going for walks. Yes, we do have some very steep grades here in the mountains, but it’s not the same as an all-over body workout. Still…. it’s what I have done. Some days.  

Honestly. I became quite lazy. Well, maybe lazy isn’t the right word.  I became “complacent.”  I was not motivated in any way to do anything other than what  I was doing. 

I have no excuse for not exercising other than motivation. We have a gym in our community here on the mountain, just 10 minutes from our house; and our medical insurance pays 100% of a gym membership. (Yea Kaiser!). I just needed to make the decision to exercise again for my health…. and I needed a committed partner.  Eight weeks ago, I found one! Eileen and I have been going to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday since then.  But there were a few days when she couldn’t make it, and I just bailed out myself.  

But yesterday!  YESTERDAY, we went to the gym, and about halfway through our routine, Eileen said she was tired and was just calling it a day.  Three weeks ago, even last week, I would have left with her. But yesterday, I stayed. Not only did I stay, I kicked it up a notch. I OWNED it. FINALLY.  

I know that if Eileen can’t make it, I’ll have to talk myself into going to the gym by alone. But I also know I will do it!

Brian created the “gyme rat” drawing for me using a paint program when we got a “new” computer in 1995.  It was a Pac Bell.  Did anyone have one of those?  Not upgradable at all.  It was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get-forever computer. So funny to think of that now.

I “scrapped” his drawing, and I can’t say my scrapbooking skills were amazing. (How embarrassing!)  This page was created 22 years ago.  

Do you have any gym stories or early scrapbook pages you would care to share? I’m feeling quite vulnerable right now!