1,2,3 and blog

I have worked out several times since the first day. I have a different trainer who is MAYBE a little TOO easy on me. But he is really into it so I may stick with him for two days a week and find a different person for Sundays.

Anyhoo, here's the story about almost passing out. Twice.

I didn't bring a lock so I couldn't lock my stuff up in a locker. I gave my bag to the trainer guy and he put it behind the counter in some secret place. I forgot to get my water bottle out so as we were working out I didn't drink any water. BAD IDEA. Water is the oil to your body's engine. Oil is NOT the oil to your body's engine. Funny how that works.

We/I started with leg presses. Three sets of 20 and between each set, 15 jumping jacks. I didn't think that would be a big deal because I have pretty strong legs. I could do it, but I was shaky by the end of the third set. I look up at the clock thinking, "How long did that take? Are we done?" Get this: I had just STARTED! I wasn't done. It was a pretty rude awakening. I had to get all zen and meditate-y to get through the next 20 freakin' minutes, let me tell you.

Then I had to do this thing where you step up on a high step while holding onto a handle attached to weights. You do 10 on each leg, meaning you step with your right, then down and then with your left and down. You catch my drift? This works your gluts, apparently. I don't really know from working gluts because I mostly sit on those. Between each set, jumping jacks again. So now I'm really wiped out. I can't really look my trainer in the face for fear that he will either see pleading and self pity or searing and deadly hatred. I don't want that. He's just trying to help. I don't want his pity either. He looks like Gary Sinise and I can't decide if that's a good thing or an intimidating thing.

Lastly I do these pull down things. You know what I'm talking about, right? Sit facing the machine and pull down the bar to your chest. Three sets of 20 with the ever present jumping jacks separating the sets. This is the thing that crippled my left arm for a full 24 hours starting at 5 am when I awoke from so much pain I could no longer lay in my own, comfy bed. I know I'm not making this sound appealing, but I must say I feel so freakin' great when it's all done.

Now ... here's the thing to remember. This guy was/is really into talking to me and telling me which muscles were being worked and how that is gonna benefit me, etc. So while he would teach me he would often lose count. So very often, instead of 20 I would do 27 or 28 reps. I didn't complain because all I could do was focus to get through it.

When we were done we went to the counter and he told me I should now do 30 minutes of treadmilling. I looked at him like he was a frightening and unbeatable foe from hell and WITHOUT BURSTING INTO TEARS said, "I have a treadmill at home and ... I need to go home." We were trying to schedule another time to work out and I started to feel dizzy. I told him that and I squatted down and put my head between my knees. I stood up and talked to him for about a minute and he looked at me and said, "Come over here and lay down." I can only assume I got a very far away look on my face and may have turned even more white than I usually am. He put a mat down for me and lifted my legs and stretched me out. He told me to lay there about 2 - 3 minutes. I did. Then I got up and went back to the counter.

We continued to scour our prospective schedules and find a time we could meet. I then looked at him and said, "I have to lay back down." He walked over to the mat with me and said, "I see this a lot. Don't worry. It's common. You worked out hard today and your blood is rushing to those muscles. Lay here as long as you need to." I did. Dont' know how long it was, but it was longer than 2 minutes. There was a time in my life I would have been too embarrassed to do that but I gotta tell ya, I didn't give two shits who saw me or who made fun of me. They were gonna make much WORSE fun of me if I passed out. Plus, this gym ... I don't feel judged like I did 15 years ago when I belonged to a gym. If you think about it, I'm sure it was my imagination then. Whatever the case, it feels better now.

So I finally got up and said, "I will have to call later and schedule the next work out. Is there a water fountain?" I went and drank a bunch of water and felt better in about 20 seconds. Seriously.

If you're gonna do this, don't let yourself get dehydrated. Your trainer SHOULD be reminding you to drink. And listen, I ALMOST passed out. I didn't ever ACTUALLY pass out. And I'm not as sore now as I was so it's not to be feared. In fact, I recommend it although I must say ... I'm only doing it for a month. If I thought I was doing this for longer I might shoot myself in the face.

Sore blog muscles

Can't ... type.

Arms ... in too much ... pain from ... workout.

Woke up at 5 am in so much pain that I thought I MUST have pulled a muscle or something. Plus the muscle that is hurting isn't even a muscle I was SUPPOSED to have worked out. But clearly it got worked out even though I wasn't targeting it. I am thankful it's in my left arm so I can use my right arm today ... in my life for eating and bathing and such because the left arm is immobile. No. Really. And I'm working out again today. Oh yes. I am.

I have to keep this short for the purposes of pain, but Monday I will tell you the story of almost passing out. Twice. (that guy kicked my BUTT)