24: Return of the Jedi

Not really Jedi, but I could not write "Return of the..." and not write Jedi.  It's in my geek code.

My favorite Jedi, just in case you were wondering.

Actually, that snearing fighter pilot excuse monster of mine, Maverick, showed up with good tone and guns locked on target.

We had this photo in our locker our senior year of high school.

"It's no good."

I did not want to walk into that gym.

I shouldn't have worried.  They don't call it a gym, any wise.

I prayed someone would call, text, message me and say I was needed elsewhere-anywhere but there. 
This was my last ditch attempt to get out of it:

Here was the response:

Note the good doctor is the only one to quote my antagonist, Nike.

Of course I got out of the car.  I told Maverick to stay there-and headed in to meet the man.

He looks real friendly and Grizzly Adams like here, doesn't he? Actually, he looks more like this:

This is Joey teaching me the rules, biomechanics and real life wearing of a buff.  The professor and I will get along just fine.

I learned more today about my body in one hour with Joey than I have with anyone sans The Knight of Physical Therapy and my sister-in-law (his sister Laurie) who is also a PT.

 Colordash, obviously.  Laurie has the womb-perm.

After instruction in form, the real exercise began.  Joey took no prisoners, and corrected my form.  Repeatedly.  My over active brain tried to process all the different sets of instructions, and I kept making a mess of it.  

It was a real Pvt. Benjamin moment.

Despite his grizzled appearance, Joey kept on me until I figured it out.  Imagine my delight when I not only found the form, but discovered it was EASIER.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

By my fourth and final set, I was drenched in sweat, ready to puke and shaky as a bowl of jello.

But I could do a fabulous on-my-knees push up.

I flipping did four sets of 9-13.  That's about 40 push-ups!  Nose to the ground!

Physics.  Locking it in.  The professor is my new favorite person.

He was my favorite person on Gilligan's Island, too.

OH.  MY.  WORD.

Have you seen this???

Comic relief or scary image that will haunt you?  The King of Athletics & I saw that in Hawaii.  Just had to share.

Where was I?  I was going to hurl so I called Jim, my health coach.  Earlier I had eaten a banana. He told me to refuel with protein, so I ate a half a tin of tuna, 8 wheat thins with a dab of peanut butter, 5 grapes and 6oz of milk.

I have never tasted food so delicious.

Exercise is the best seasoning?  Who knew?

My darling niece Abby posted a picture shortly after I ate; where she was just as cute as a button.

Isn't she sugar?

So I took my picture to send to her.  It turned out rather horrifying, so I didn't send it.  Instead I got ready for my big sales meeting.

Hard to believe these were taken less than an hour apart!

Today, I really, truly wanted to quit-BEFORE I walked into the gym.  I didn't want to try eating right.  I wanted to mope, eat whatever and be sullen (sometimes closed head injuries have these moody flare-ups. It's sooo not me.) It boils down to this:  I didn't want to try.

In exercise, there is no try.  Either you do it or you don't.

No picture of Yoda.  That's too expected:)

I cannot stand "Just do it" or "suck it up."  I do love to hike & swim, but those won't get me the results I need.  I need to fix my posture, gain strength and establish a healthy lifestyle.  Like 80% of the US population, I don't want to do it.  I haven't as of yet figured out how to make it fun, or what my catchphrase is, but today the only reason I walked in that gym today was accountability to my boss that I would write a column called fitness quest.  That's it.  While my fears were unfounded, it doesn't matter.  They were real until I walked through the door.  

The before and after (or after and before) picture shows exactly how I felt about exercise - and the glowing after effects.  My confidence gained quite a boost, and my meeting went better than expected.  Everything about the day brighten because I did some push-ups.  Silly, isn't it?  But true.

So the Quest continues.  Tomorrow we tackle Granite Mountain's #261.  I must try to eat 6 times again (which I did do today!  I had an orange and a piece of bread (#3), the rest of the tuna and an avacado (#4), a double cheeseburger, medium fry and iced tea from McDonalds (#5) and a cup of melted shredded cheese (#6.)  Yes, I am aware the last two were not healthy choices.) At least tomorrow we plan on bringing wine :)