I've been using the cardio equipment in the Wellness Center at our Community Center for almost a year. I've decided that really like using the cross trainers. I get a good aerobic workout and it's easier on my knees than running on the treadmill. I've been attempting to lose the ten or so pounds that I gained last year, particularly during the time I took a break from regular workouts (bad idea on my part, but I was burnt out). I've been losing and gaining the same three pounds for the last 6 weeks, so I thought perhaps I needed to mix things up a bit and decided to get my (re)orientation on the weight machines. I used them many years ago, but they've since re-done the gym and have all new machines...some of them work the same way, but others are completely new.

I've been trying to do my orientation since Friday. When it was time to start, I found that the person who was supposed to be taking me around had called in sick and the person covering for him/her really wasn't prepared to do an orientation. I offered to reschedule to make it easier for her. So then Monday was supposed to be the day. Except the Monday times were supposed to have been blacked out because they had some job shadowers coming in that day. So I rescheduled again. Yesterday was finally the day. I was shown how to set up each of the machines and did a few reps on each to make sure I was doing the exercises correctly. Since I am there pretty much every day, my trainer suggested alternating between upper body and lower body each day so I can still get in a good cardio workout every day. It sounds like a good plan.

I'm in biiiiggg trouble. My arms and shoulders were sore this morning after just those 3 or 4 reps on each machine that I did yesterday. I did a full upper body workout this morning. I figure that by tomorrow or Friday, I won't be able to move my arms!! Tomorrow I'm going to do a lower body workout. By Saturday, there probably won't be a part of my body that doesn't scream in pain when I move. Just have to keep reminding myself that it will be worth it in the end.