I saw some new faces working the “Planet Fatness” desk on Friday. That’s what happens when it’s been 49 days since your last check-in. Stretching was fine. Yoga has tempered the 49 day lull, so flexibility wasn’t an issue, nor was set one of dumbbell work. That’s when reality reared its fat head. The 50 rep ab machine set didn’t reach fiddy, and the hand weights got very heavy in set 2. Usually the performance “wall” is scaled with will, but not on this day. The 10-short ab set was followed by a flat-out quit after 23 minutes on the elliptical machine… I was done.
“Failure” can be a sobering experience, but hopefully it’s followed by determination and perseverance to simply get better. There’s really no point (aside from the humor) to thinking “my god, you’ve gotten fat,” unless it’s a verbal kick in the pants toward action. It’s also good to step back for a little more perspective. For years I’ve gone to the gym on average twice a week, and more recently added occasional biking and yoga. It’s more than most:
- A 2013 report by the CDC stated 80% of Americans don’t get the recommended amount of exercise in a week.
- While 45 million Americans have gym memberships, 80% don’t use them at all.
Some other interesting stats say “more than half of members join a gym or health club to:
- Feel better about themselves
- Look better
- Lose weight”
Yep. All of the above. I realize and appreciate the health benefits, but I can’t help but think my return to the planet was prompted by the fact I’m going to see college friends this week that I haven’t seen in over 30 years… and I’m afraid it’s going to go something like this…
i can relate….not to mention thankful for cooler weather cause easier to hide skin :0)