Newbies...where art thou???

I noticed something strange at the gym tonight...

On any given Monday night, all gym's are packed with people who feel bad about not working out on the weekend, people who ate way too much or drank way too much.  Don't get me wrong, I am no "miss perfect pants" and I love my treats just as much as the next person...BUT ..I work those treats into my daily calories in order not to ruin all my hard work and gains that I have made over the years, but tonight was different. 

Anyone who is a avid gym goer, dreads the coming of January.  That is when you have a rash of newbies who....use the treadmill of over an hour, make a little "area" for themselves and take all the free weights they feel they need to do their work-out, don't get me started on how they are in the change room - that is another day and another post! I am all for someone choosing to do something good for themselves and all the more power to them.  I am happy when I see new faces and see them for the whole year,...not just for two months.  They say that gym memberships are like university - look to your left, look to your right, in 12 weeks one of you will have dropped my class..same goes for the gym. 

But tonight I got the shock of my life...as I was driving to the gym after a very strange crying conversation with my boss ( her, not me) I pulled into the parking lot which seemed empty...walked on up and entered my beloved sanctuary ...and low and behold ...two of the 15 treadmills where taken, the training floor only had one personal trainer working with their client, the class that was about to begin had a handful of people...and my best friends the free weights ??? All lined up and waiting for me!  

What has happened to every one's quest for a better life? I was waiting for the newbies to show this year ...and honestly, only a  handful are new  and one new face that watched me the whole time I was working on my arms, only to come up to me before she left and say ..."you could see your muscles all the way on the other side of the gym..how much are you lifting for that triceps kickback??"  ah,  17.5 pounds I answer , she looked at me and said ...that is why you could see them and they look awesome! ....that made me feel amazing, because if she knew how sore I was and how close I came to driving home and just curling up with a good book and my trusty water bottle ...I would have never gotten that compliment, and who knows, maybe I  inspired her. 

I started my quest for a better body 7 years ago.  After a nasty break-up, years of being a 5'6 toothpick with bones sticking out that could cut glass - I found myself and a community that I could grow with and learn from.  No one is perfect, we are all perfect in our own way.  There is no right "work-out" , correct form yes, you must do legs before arms and never train your abs ...no, everyone is different and reacts different.  I learned a lot about what works for my body and what doesn't...just like life, working out is trial and error.  You must try and if you fail, make sure you do it right the next time. 

I wish I could gather up everyone I know,  that I would love to have get the same rush that I get after a work-out, ( mind you, my thighs are yelling at me very loud right now ..the pain in my arms might hit me tomorrow..;) but it is worth every minute, cramp, pain and cookie not eaten to feel for days like you own it ...that is what I was missing for a very long time.  So, take it from me, a former fat girl, turned skinny -fat girl, turned muscle lifting goddess - nothing compares to looking at yourself in the mirror,telling yourself you love you...and seeing the fruits of your labour, and knowing ...YOU CAN DO IT.

Till next time ....

xoxox
BT&HB