Diary of an Out of Shape Shrink 2.0.1

I did a thing. I joined a gym and signed up with a personal trainer. I've needed to do this for a long while, but I always thought I could exercise at home on my own just as well. EPIC FAIL! So, I took !the plunge and made a financial investment in my future. I kept a blog then, too, which is why this is Diary of an Out of Shape Shrink 2.0 with the .1 being the first entry in what I hope to be a blog of victory and not a blob of vitriol.

The last time I worked with a personal trainer was 17 or 18 years ago. I know Jadyn was 3 or younger because I was not taking him to Arkansas Baptist (now Baptist Prep) at the time. I was working at a private practice affiliated with Baptist Medical Center, so I was able to work out in the gym they had deep in the bowels of the Med Center. I worked with a trainer then, too, and really enjoyed it. I can't remember his name, but I'm pretty sure I cursed him on a regular basis. The gym was always full of people. I remember having a bit too much pride and choosing a treadmill beside a little old lady that looked like she just stepped out of the nursing home. BAM! She got on that treadmill and was off and running, leaving my bruised pride in the dust. I should have remembered never to judge a book by its cover because that little novella was racy! Literally!!!

The summer of 2013, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I had PCOS since early 20s, and had been insulin resistant since then. My pancreas could no longer keep up with what I was asking it to do. The scary thing is that I have no symptoms. You could be talking to me and neither of us would know if my blood sugar was 30 or 230. I have some neuropathy in my feet, but I was studying taekwondo at the time and thought it was due to being barefoot in the studio 4 days a week. Several years and meds later, my blood sugar is pretty stable, but I knew I could do better.

So I did it. I joined Anytime Fitness. I also went all out (or possibly lost my mind) and signed up to work with a personal trainer, Michael, 3 times per week. Our first meeting is what I call the Depression Session. That's when this machine takes all sorts of measurements and then destroys whatever pride you have have had. Seriously, it was better than I had anticipated. I have 3 main goals: (1) continue to rehab my left shoulder that I had rotator cuff repair surgery last March right before The Rona shut everything down; (2) improve balance; and (3) have a healthier life which does include weight loss.

Monday of every week is focused on my shoulder, specifically improve range of motion and strength. I was shocked at just how much strength I had lost! Excuse me, Michael, but can I simply lift AIR right now?! Holy Smokes! But, we both are seeing improvement in my left arm in both range of motion and strength, and that's what matters.

More developments as they come...