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Gym

5/30/2021

12 Comments

 
Picture
Those who know me will likely be astounded to learn that I’ve joined a gym.
 
Having never ever wanted to be anywhere near any sign that has the words “fitness” or “workout” or even “club” in it,
I’m surprised, too.
 
In fact, I’m more up for a laid-back stroll, no hills please, and after that, an afternoon nap.
 
Choosing to move as little as possible was already apparent in high school.
 
That’s when my best friend and I talked our P.E. teacher into decorating the locker room bulletin boards rather than going outside. We still suited up, but spent the entire period cutting out construction paper into shapes and writing headlines with felt pens. I can’t be sure, but some collaging might have been in the mix, too.
 
There was more activity in college.
 
At UCLA, and only because there wasn’t any other option, I walked 20 minutes from my dorm to school on a sidewalk that ran parallel to Sunset Blvd. After my Girl Clown time, I transferred to San Jose State and rode my three-speed bike
a mile or so to class and then, living in New York City, walked more than I’d ever had to before.  
 
On the heels of a bad car accident a few decades back, I settled into a yoga practice with some walking on the side.  
 
I stayed on the mat after moving to Oregon, and had just found a yoga teacher I really liked. I paid upfront for
10 classes, and then, of course, COVID-19 shut everything down.
 
Those workouts resumed recently. But when the teacher refused to honor the punch card, and also said she wasn’t about to get a COVID-19 vaccine, it was time to move on. 
 
A neighbor mentioned the state-of-the-art gym three blocks away, complete with yoga, personal trainers and a pool. After taking a tour, The Hubster and I realized that its set monthly cost—which includes an unlimited amount of classes—was way more cost-efficient than yoga from the anti-vaxx instructor.
 
A week later, I had a new patient appointment with a physician.   
 
As expected, I was pronounced to be in excellent health. But scanning the paperwork as I walked out the door, I
stopped walking.
 
I’d put on 30 pounds in the last 15 months. 
 
Or maybe, because I’m loathe to keep a scale, some had piled on before.  
 
Still, I can justifiably blame the gain on the pandemic, during which I mostly stayed home. Like a lot of folks, I also parked my caboose in front of Netflix and Amazon Prime, surrounded by tons of highly-caloric, made-from-scratch comfort food. (Three different posts from last year are about carrot cake, Jell-O salad and snowball cookies.)
 
Still, seeing that number was shocking.  
 
But thanks to the gym I’d already joined, there’s a plan.
 
I take five classes, one each weekday. I’m also walking to and from the venue, which comes out to about 150 blocks every month. The facility was shut down for most of last year and is just getting back on its feet, so there are no weekend classes yet. On those days, I walk laps around a nearby track.
 
Besides yoga, I’m also trying out something I’ve never done—exercising in a warm pool.
 
Its official name is aqua therapy, and this sort of regime first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s as a treatment for cerebral palsy.  A few decades later, it had become so popular that Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was paralyzed from the waist down, was a regular adherent.
 
This makes sense, because aqua therapy is especially beneficial for those who want to increase their strength and range of motion, and to decrease pain from arthritis and pain related to various types of surgeries. I especially admire one woman in my class who needs knee surgery, but says her physician won’t consider it until she takes off 100 pounds. 
 
For me, the buoyancy and pressure of the water has me successfully, and surprisingly, executing moves and poses that have always been impossible to do on land. The sole downside is that my solitary bathing suit has begun to fade, but that’s also a reason to buy a new one, or maybe two.
 
Now, having been a gym member for only three weeks, I’m amazed that I’m already stronger.
 
But more important is my upbeat emotional state.
 
As it turns out, there’s fresh research that shows why.
 
A new study—which tracked more than 18,000 middle-aged and older men and women, a demographic that I’m a part of—concluded that our exercise habits may influence our sense of purpose in life. Taking these findings a step further, a certain amount of regular exercise will likely give us a positive sense of purpose. Finally, those who commit to a  consistent regime are the most likely to stay active over time.
 
Don’t get me wrong.
 
I’ll never be as thin as I was in my 20s.
 
Likewise, I’m a very good home cook, and I enjoy both making and eating my comfort food recipes. If you tried any of them, I’m sure you’d feel the same.
 
But now that this once-every-100 years pandemic is finally abating, at least in this circus tent and likely in yours, a  healthier way of living has me on a high that feels very, very good.
 
Of course, I have no idea what this journey might bring.
 
But for now, my intention is to find out.

12 Comments
Larry Grant
5/30/2021 05:42:04 pm

What can I say. For years, as a high school band director, the nature of my work allowed me lots of exercise. The school was three stories tall and I took the stairs. When my doctor asked if I had an exercise plan I reminded him of my vocation and joked about working in a multimillion dollar "step-master". End of conversation. Now that I've retired I guess it's time for the gym. - the hubster

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Hilary
5/30/2021 06:29:56 pm

Our bodies definitely change as we get older for a whole lot of reasons. xo

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leslie spoon
5/30/2021 06:51:05 pm

Hilary What you are doing is great. I always feel better after a good walk. On Tuesday I am going to a new yoga class in person and not on zoom !! Yea !

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Hilary
5/30/2021 10:31:51 pm

Yes, once I start moving my body, I start to feel better. Definitely another mind-body connection there! :)

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Susan J.
5/31/2021 12:00:30 am

Now you have me wanting to look into aqua therapy!

And I'll need a plus-sized burkini for sure. :)

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Hilary
5/31/2021 11:46:37 am

I don't ever see myself in a two-piece again but I found one cute one piece at Big Five and another, made w/ crinkle type material, shopping online. The prices have also come down--the ones I used to get, via Lands End, were close to $100 each, and these are about $50 each. And yes, aqua therapy has made ALL of the difference to me!

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Bev Praver
5/31/2021 08:54:36 am

I still belong to a gym but I don't go as often as I did before the pandemic. I have been sustained by the new friends that I have made in Zoom singing sessions for the past year. They have inspired me and given me to the confidence to sing and play on my own after having been half of a duo for all those years. I have also written 17 songs and am in the process of writing a book for teachers. It's been an amazing year!

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Hilary
5/31/2021 11:49:39 am

2021 has been a WAY better year than last year -- how could it not be? :) Vaccines have made all of the difference. As for me, I quickly found that I absolutely loathe Zoom -- I tried, I really did! I'm glad you were able to find that it worked for you. I look forward to hearing more about "Solo Bev" performances!

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Pam Thomas
5/31/2021 01:22:17 pm

I don't really like going to the gym, but there is no doubt that I feel much better when I am active. Before Covid, it was 3-6 miles by bike 2-3 times a week, swimming laps twice a week, and a weekly , very informal yoga and stretch class. Now I am trying to ease back in. I have a stationary bike in front of the TV, and we bought an elliptical when the pandemic hit. Chair yoga looks like it would be just the thing about now!

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Hilary
5/31/2021 02:42:23 pm

I love this gym's chair yoga class. Not like any I've ever taken before --Lots of alignment and balance poses -- it's harder than one might think. I predict that you'll be back to your pre-COVID workout sooner than later! :)

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Kerri
6/7/2021 09:13:23 am

Good girl! Proud of ya! Healthy!!!

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Hilary Grant
6/28/2021 10:51:02 pm

Thank you! Getting there and using the tortoise and the hare fable to do it. After all, the weight didn't come on in a few months so it's not going to be gone in a few months. The goal is to just be a loose size 12. :)

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    Hilary Roberts Grant

    Journalist, editor, filmmaker, foodie--and a clown! 
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