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Working out’s never really been my “thing.” Eating healthy – yeah, not so much. And, yeah I know, everyone “hates” me. I have been blessed with fantastic genetics. However, looks can be deceiving. While I have an incredibly thin, fit looking family almost every single person has high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. Maybe this should have been a motivating factor to “get in shape” over the past 27 years but that is mighty difficult especially when you have a mother who just called 10 minutes ago to see if you wanted her to bring over a Number 1 from McDonalds (mmmmm…Big Mac). I said “No” if that makes you feel better.
I’ve had a hate/hate relationship with working out pretty much all my life. Case in point – I played soccer for ten years. When ever I tell people that they typically assume that I was a forward – small, fast, etc. No one ever assumes – “she was a keeper.” Why would I subject myself to the role where balls fly at my face constantly? Because, I was too lazy to run. Literally. When I played for my very first team our coach never made the keeper run. Done, sign me up. Seriously, all I have to do is stand here and dive for a ball every now and then? A perfect role for the complete apathetic eight year old that I was.
Three words – Presidential Fitness Challenge. Every.single.year. It made me nauseous to think about that stupid track, the stretching box thing and the sand pit. I’m pretty sure I faked sick a few years so I didn’t have to participate in PE that week. Running a mile – ridiculous. Pull ups – ha – never in my life.
Standing jump – what the hell is the purpose of that? Stretching – I can’t even touch my toes. Needless to say I was never one of those students who received the “OHHH, You’re so awesome and in shape” letters from the President. My parents probably would have framed it (not because they were proud of me but because they LOVED Bill Clinton). Needless to say, I was always embarrassed because all of my super sporty friends always received metals or trophies or some awesome prize and I would just have to stand their – yep I’m 5’0, skinny as a string bean and I am incapable of being fit (classic 11 year old).
Sure, those stories might be humorous – but growing older my addiction to apathetic behavior didn’t change. In fact it probably got worse.
Sure, I played golf. But really, all I need to do was walk around. In college I dated a workout-aholic. Seriously, while all of our friends were going to the bar he would drag me to the gym. I hated every second of it but at the same time I got to stare at his amazing body for an hour and a half – so it wasn’t all bad. I made an art form out of making five pound curls look incredibly taxing. It was when he told me I couldn’t eat dessert anymore that we took a turn for the worse. You can make me stare at your amazing arms for an hour while I half ass lift five pounds weights but you cannot tell me I can’t have dessert – ah, the beginning of the end. But I digress; my unhealthy relationships are a whole other can of worms.
Around the same time I also got a personal trainer because I was convinced that I just needed some motivation and magically I would get Kelly Ripa’s abs. Well, unfortunately that didn’t work out too well. My trainer happened to be a pseudo friend. In fact, I’m pretty sure Rachel and I drunkenly bought him at a fraternity auction once – no we never went out on our date. He was not attractive at all. Anyway, he never figured out the key to my motivation. He did however tell me that I was his laziest client in the history of time. I’m not making that up. I was 110 pounds and just wanted to get toned up – how is it possible that I was his LAZIEST client?
At the time I was pretty offended – but deep down I knew it was true. I literally did everything he asked me to do but pretty much half-assed it. And when I say I literally did everything, I don’t really mean it. I just couldn’t stick to his crazy diet and supplements. He wanted me to eat salads – WTF? I grew up on McDonalds, TV Dinners and cheese curds – lots of cheese curds. You can take the girl out of Wisconsin but you can’t take Wisconsin out of the girl…
As you can imagine this unhealthy relationship with working out/food carried on for the next few years. A random week of treadmill here, a week of only eating yogurt there. It might be hard to believe but nothing stuck. Which brings us to a 27 year old me…
To be perfectly honest I have no idea why I am addicted to Bar Method. It is completely out of character. Maybe it is because I don’t really sweat that much at class. Sweating grosses me out. Maybe it is because I am motivated to try my hardest because I don’t want to let the teachers down…because they (you guys) are pretty awesome.
All I know is that I love it. I look forward to it all day. Rachel and I typically gchat about it for at least twenty minutes a day. I pretty much try to get everyone I know to come to a class. I mean, I even cross the 520 bridge four times just so I came come to the evening classes. Side note, I’ve been meaning to ask you guys about some more afternoon classes – like 3pm or 3:30?
But here is a list of reasons why I love Bar Method:
- My butt looks pretty good – I’ve never had one before
- I can touch my toes – I’ve never, NEVER been able to do that in my entire life (my physical therapist told me I had the tightest hamstrings she ever saw – an excuse I’ve been using since fourth grade).
- My “love muffin” no longer hangs over my favorite pair of jeans that my mom gave me for Christmas my junior year in college – woohoo!
- I can lift my carry on suitcase into the overhead bin without the help of a pissed off stewardess.
- I feel really good about myself after class – like I’ve actually accomplished something.
- When I dressed up like Lady GaGa for Halloween I got so many comments on my stomach – It was pretty awesome (almost Kelly Ripa style).
- I like being able to tell people that I did 50 push ups on a Wednesday night (even if they are girl pushups)
- Miaka’s socks – they pretty much always kill me, especially when she says “Polkies unite”
- Having the same people in class and seeing how much their bodies have changed is totally motivating.
- Rachel and I like to pretend like we are best friends with everyone at Bar Method. We seriously spend more time talking about you guys and people we met in class than we do our real life friends.
- Bev’s ability to motivate me – I probably just need more people to tell me to suck it up and do it in my life – seriously.
- Luke always acting like he cares about my day – I don’t know that you do but I very much enjoy that you act like you do, so I’m just going to go with it.
I know my story isn’t really inspiring. I’m definitely still a work in progress. But the fact that I attempt to go to class five times a week and I’ve seen results is a “giant leap for mankind” – well at least in my family. My mom, grandma, aunts and uncles are shocked that I’m following through – they always sign up for classes and just never have time to make it. Bar Method has definitely made a positive impact on my life. It’s nice to be headed towards a toned body…
I was seriously devastated when my dermatologist told me that I couldn’t stretch for at least two weeks. The first thought that came to my mind was – F*** I can’t go to Bar Method. I’m pretty sure I even mouthed that to my mother who I made come into my surgery with me. Such a change from the first question that would have crossed my mind last year which would have been: how badly is this going to scare and did you have to cut into my tattoo…Don’t worry those were my second and third questions.
Now, if I can only conquer my unhealthy relationship with food….I’ve been working on not eating pizza and ice cream every night. I’ve been relatively successful. But I will tell you this, you can pry the Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Lacy Cookies from my cold dead hands…
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