The Resolution-ists

Why is it that I'm shocked at the amount of people at the Y at the beginning of the year? I get that everyone is gung-ho to better themselves. I get it. Two years ago, I was one of these people. Plan A: waking at 4:30 (!!) so I could get there first thing, work out, come home wake the kids and begin my day. My thought was if I do it first, then nothing will prevent me from going later. Okay, that didn't last long... since, I don't remember driving to the Y that early and I nearly ran over a "boot camper" one dark morning. Plan B: I started going after dropping everyone at school. Banning myself from going home first, because I would always get sucked into house work. So, I work out along with all the mommies and retirees.

Now that I've been at it a few years, I also get that there are some who wait until the "resolution-ists" give up sometime around Valentine's Day. My dad, who has been going to the Y for around 30 years, turned me on to the term "resolution-ists". Some veteran Y members prefer to wait out the crowded period between January 1st and Valentine's Day. Confident their perfectly honed muscles will not atrophy or sag during that 6 week period. I am not one of those people.

I am in entirely different group. I LOVE seeing new people at the Y! I secretly cheer on those people who are staring at the elliptical, like "What-the-hell-have-I-gotten-myself-into"?! I'm screaming inside for someone to ask me, "How do you work this machine?"

I have been sending positive energy/love to a woman resolutionist, who this past year began swimming. She was very large. And I've been there... so fat that I thought I needed surgery for my hips, knees and back. I've had that hot, sick, empty feeling in my stomach. Standing in that bathing suit determined that if this is all I can do because everything else I do hurts, then I was going to do it. Every day she came. She got in that pool and she stayed for 45 MINUTES. At first she just did flutter kicks the whole time. She gradually moved up to flutter kicks and back stroke. After a few weeks, she moved on to freestyle. Surely she wasn't aware that I was up in the workout area that overlooks the pool cheering her on. The other day, I saw her in the woman's only area doing circuit training. And I couldn't believe her progress!! I wanted to to confess my stealth cheerleading. Telling her, "You're a true inspiration." But, I didn't. I just smiled.

Two years ago, I was sitting on the couch crying and depressed. I was so tired of being fat. I remember asking Tom. "Should I go to therapy, again?" And he looked and knelt beside me and said, "I think you should spend that money you would spend on therapy and hire a personal trainer." I did. I made a $1000 investment in myself . I hired a personal trainer and joined LA Weight Loss. I felt so guilty about the money. But, Tom told me to keep telling myself, "You're worth it."

And if you are on that couch, crying and depressed... you're worth it, too.