The Gym -- inches lost -- something else found.

For the past few months, I have been going to the gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday - and Saturday morning. I have built up my ability to work out , do sit ups, work on the bike the eliptical, lift weights etc.. all the stuff you do the in gym.. .. 12 pounds lost (yeah) inches in various locations have been worked off  - I went down a size in my clothing... but that is not the biggest benefit to this whole process for me.

First of all, because of my friend Faiza who dedicated her time  and encouragement to get me going, and then  helped me along the way - I established a routine of "getting there", of getting moving and builiding my confidence after many years of not moving around. Without the awesome steamroom reward chats and the whirlpool... the conversation and the support I don't think I would still be going. Now I can work out whenever I want, with or without the great company - because I am comfortable in such a wonderful place. I like it, I like taking care of me now. The YMCA I belong to is amazing...

On any day you could be talking to women ( I am in membership plus the womens only gym - yeah quiting smoking, means I can treat myself) who have climbed mountains, or run miles upon miles in their running shoes. Or a simple chat with someone could remind you of a place you love - like the lady who I spoke to last Wednesday -- turns out she and I lived (when I visited my dad in Jasper) in the same place 10 years apart, and but she worked in the restaurant my step mother worked in when I was a kid. She even knew the place where I carved my initals into the fresh pavement over looking the lake. Or ou can put your headphones on and ignore the world, I like to take it all in, and indulge in me.

The most amazing thing to me, is every body size is there, everyone is doing there best to succeed at whatever goal they have made for themsleves - be it an ice cream indulgence they want to enjoy, or losing a hundred pounds. It doesn't matter if you 18 or 90 , there seems to be a space for you at the YMCA.

The little things like taking a shower uninterrupted are a joy to me - a 1 bathroom house can mean lots of interruptions! Time to sit in he steam room and relax, or even 45 minutes of music on the ITouch -- is enough to get me feeling better and more centred.

So the gym, sure I will continue because it will help me loose the weight I want to loose, but the benefits seem to be so much more then that -- wish I had listened to everyone years ago/.

Melanie