What is Wrong With Me

I have officially come to enjoy the art of the gym.  This may be the start of something big.

Back in college, I prided myself on having never gone to the gym.  In fact it was only recently that I went back to my college campus and stepped inside the place (not to work out, mind you, but rather for a recruiting event that was taking place in the main hall).

But it appears that my aversion has turned into an addiction.  I truly love it. 

The whole experience began reluctantly and not without fighting, when Martin mentioned he wanted to spend some quality time together going to the gym.  I was immediately insulted, figuring the request was insinuating that I needed to go to the gym (similar to Dana and my deal that if we ever really need to lose weight the next present to the other would be a gym membership). I went begrudgingly though, once or twice a month and, according to Martin, never enough or with enough heart… I constantly complained and found excuses not to go.

After about six months of off and on weekly gym nights, we discovered a class we both enjoyed going to – BodyPump (the modern day jazzercise) – and things, including my mood, started to improve.  And then shortly thereafter, we introduced dinners out after our work out and I found I was beginning to enjoy myself.  After sweating out the days’ frustrations and gaining some evening energy, we would shower and meet up outside the Y for our walk to dinner and then home, each week trying out a new restaurant! Going to the gym had turned from an act of punishment to the perfect date night, each of us getting a little bit of what we love: Martin some exercise and me some good food.

Somewhere along the way, and in addition to our date nights, I picked up Pilates on Saturday mornings (a little me time before the weekend truly began) and then all of a sudden yoga showed up on Monday and/or Tuesday mornings without any prompting.  Pretty soon I found myself booking classes when traveling (two days of Pilates in NYC and a Saturday morning in Shasta) and I am even researching a yoga retreat for September (although it must include good food and wine).

So it is now easy to admit, although I would have never believed it otherwise, I have come to enjoy working out.  I still can’t touch my toes and haven’t lost any meaningful weight, but at least I am being healthier. I even turned down free wine at work last Wednesday so I could go to the gym that night….What is wrong with me and who have I become!