For some stupid reason, I’ve had this dumb song in my head all frig fragged day: Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree… merry, merry king of the bush is he. Laugh Kookaburra, laugh kookaburra. Gay your life must be. It’s on a neverending loop of crazy making and I have no earthly idea how it got stuck up in this noggin of mine. It’s not like I was listening to the Only Play Really Annoying Songs Radio Show hosted by Barney, the purple dinosaur. If you don’t hear from me for a while, know it’s because they don’t allow Internet access in the padded rooms. Stop the Frimsanity!
Moving on… it’s winter. Don’t try to talk yourself out of it. It’s winter. If it was still fall, snow wouldn’t have fallen. I’ve been kind of dreading the winter for 2 reasons… A.) I get that seasonal affective disorder (aka SAD) in the winter and 2.) It means that my days of exercising outdoors and enjoying it is pretty much over with for the next 8 months. You’d think with all this extra fat padding I been blessed with (gag me a river, Martha), I’d have plenty of extra warmth to get me through those frigid winter months. That ain’t the case with me because I’m also anemic, so don’t make enough red blood cells to keep the blood flowing warm. Stupid good for nothing fat cells… what have I been paying you for!? See this tiny violin… I’m playing it just for me.
Why am I blathering on about cells and fat and frigidness? I’m currently trying to figure out how I’m going to set me up a realistic exercising routine for the winter… something I’ll enjoy as much as I have the biking outdoors and the walks. Last winter I stayed inside and rode the recumbent bike all winter… which is cool and everything and it totally gets the job done, but I don’t look forward to riding that thing. It’s boring… and I’m all about exercise being something I look forward to… something that helps me unwind at the end of the day.
Today I went and did the unthinkable… the thing I said I’d never ever ever ever ever ever (add 32 more evers in your head… this is getting nuts up in this chocolate factory) do again. What’s that you ask? I went gym shopping. THE FRIMFRAMITY! I’ve had several gym memberships in my day… and I’ve never enjoyed them. The smell, the crowded feeling, the claustrophobia, the germ factor, the stares fat chic on a treadmill gets… Just don’t like it. But, I think I need more exercising options… so, I shopped. I haven’t signed up for one yet… though I did get me 7-day free trials from 2 of them. The extra expense is not something I’m excited about… but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Kookaburra and Barney, the purple dinosaur agree!
Question of the Day: Do you have a gym membership? What do you pay per month? Any locals have any gym recommendations for me?
I took this video tonight as I was riding the recumbent bike… this is how Lucy (more about her in future posts… though you might recognize her from earlier this summer) helps me exercise:
That plastic thing is the foot strap that I refuse to wear due to claustrophobic feet! She’s like a lionness… do not cross me, foot strap! Also, shush up about the videographer… you try vidoegraphing whilst riding 16 mph on a bike with fat flabs hitting you in the face! I rest my case…
craving a life 
So glad that Lucy has adjusted well to living outside! 😉
Dagblasted cat makes me feel all guilty! She does spend the night in the garage and most of the day running around outside.
Okay–I want to know about the CAT! I’m glad you have one. I still can’t seem to handle getting a new dog–but then I’m babysitting a giant dog (I like little dogs). I keep wanting to look on Craig’s list for a cocker spaniel, but I still just can’t bring myself to do it. I’m afraid.
Anyway–no gym membership. Have you tried Curves? My sister swears by them.
Me, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE walking in the cold. Mittens, a scarf, etc., you just have to find somewhere where they keep the walks clean so you won’t fall. I fall anyway, but I also love to ride bikes in winter–bundle up, wear a scarf to breathe into–talk about exhilarating (spelling???).
Take your time, Colleen with the doggies… this one kind of picked me, I guess. It’s the one that showed up on my doorstep earlier this summer. I gave it away twice and it keeps coming back to me… so I guess it’s mine now!
I wish I could stand the cold to walk outside in the winter. I hate being cold!
I have a membership to the “great and spacious building” as my husband used to call it. That building has always intimidated me but not anymore. Once you get started you’re pretty much like anybody else, just trying to get r done. I like the options i.e. spinning, step classes, strength training, yoga and a hot tub although I have only used it once.
I thought the great and spacious building was the one down by Elements… that is a big building and is really crowded. It intimidates me!
$13.83/ month for MWF from 10a-4p. That works for us. But, we have a treadmill at home and our legs to go walking outside when inside doesn’t sound so great.
That’s a frigging awesome price! Walking outside would be my first choice, but I can’t tolerate temperatures below zero!!
I love your cat Lucy! Let me know how your trial memberships go. I hope you find a gym that’s not too boring. I like anytime fitness because each cardio machine has its own tv to watch, so at least you can pick your own channel. I prefer watching infomercials while on the treadmill. They hold my attention pretty good.
You and your infommercials, Jen! You best watch out or you’ll be on the next 20/20 informmercial special! I think I might have to go with anytime… it’s most convenient… even if I don’t like the price.
Good for you, Whitney! I am proud of you for stepping outside your comfort zone in an effort to reach your goals! I highly recommend the YMCA if you have them in your area.
I’ve heard a lot about the YMCAs… We don’t have any within 90 miles of here or I’d totes sign up!!
Question of the Day: Do you have a gym membership? What do you pay per month? Any locals have any gym recommendations for me?
No, I don’t have any gym memberships and never have had one either.
We have two small gyms here in my small town but neither one look interesting to me.
If I went to a gym, it would be a YMCA where I could do classes, team sports, the pool, and the track anytime (open 24/7 ) but the only one we have is 35 min away. Then I would have to pay for the whole family b/c I would have the kids with me and they would want to participate as well. ( hearing the cha-ching sound of $$money$$ being spent )
We used to have a Curves but the building got sold so …no more. I had some friends going there and they loved it.
I prefer to do my workout dvd’s on nasty days and be outside when the weather permits.
Good luck with your gym hunting. Check out Curves too.
Keep pushing forward.
You sound about like me… I have few options on this end of the world when it comes to gyms… no YMCA either! Dagblastit. I’ll have to give my free trial a go and see if it would be worth it.
I’m a Planet Fitness member. If you decide the distance from your location is worth it, you are welcome to come be my buddy! I liked PF for several reasons, the first of which is cost. Can’t really beat $10 a month. The membership fee is $30 a year and I have zero commitment. I can cancel it any time I want to without penalty. The second reason is that they call themselves the “judgment free zone.” Not that you are going to be able to go to a gym as a hefty person and not feel judged, but they at least try. It’s also pretty clean which I also appreciate. They have plenty of equipment and you can work with a trainer and/or take classes if you want at no additional cost. Those were my selling points. I’ve been a member of other gyms before and this was the best fit for me.
Planet Fitness has to be so far away! I keep wondering how crowded it is out there since it’s so cheap. I hate sweating with a sauna full of people… but the price is awesome!
I don’t mind gyms, but I live outside of town and had to be realistic. Was I really going to hop in the car on a freezing Sat morning and drive to the gym? No. So I went to Kmart and bought things for the same price as a yearly gym membership. Treadmill, recumbent bike, weights, elliptical, big fitness ball, etc. So much easier to hit the basement and not the gym. AND I work out more than I normally would! If you have the room try it. Or you could get some free fitness videos from your library. There are some great 10 Minute Workout ones I found. Keep it up!! And try snowshoeing!!
That might be the smartest idea yet, Liz. Every time I think about the gym, I think about how I’m going to dread going out in the frigid air to drive all the way there and then back. Decisions! I’m definitely going to try snowshoeing again… I did it once as a teenager and hated it, but I was in bad shape, so maybe this time I’ll like it!
Not a Gym kind of gal 😦 I am working more on being a hermit like your buddy Nathaniel Hawthorne 😉 Love the cat!
We hermits are in good company since Nathaniel is famous and all!
I paid $45/mo for my membership when I had one, worth every penny. I had the choice between the big beautiful shiny impersonal gym in town (the university’s) and this crummy, run down, machine’s are always breaking gym. I chose the latter cuz I wanted free classes (which they offered, university gym did not) and I walked past it twice a day so I figured I’d feel guilty if I didn’t stop in regularly. ANYway, best gym ever. Shabby because it was locally owned and run but because it was locally owned and run it was a COMMUNITY, not a gym. It was like being a member of a club. The owners learned your name, I made friends there (and I’m pretty anti-social on the whole!), it was just a lovely place to hang out. So don’t discount the places with less shine on em. I’ll never even consider one of those 24 hour franchise places again.
So true… I too like the feel of the mom and pop business. Much more appealing than the cattle prod places.