I Mean, Really?

 

As I was getting dressed in my workout clothes today, I was thinking about why it’s so hard for me to find workout clothes at the stores here in Rio. As you probably know, here in Brazil, and in Rio in particular, there is a virtual “worship” of the body. There are gyms on every other corner (no exaggeration, I pass at least 3 on my way to ByFit), vacation packages for plastic surgery, beauty shops galore, a new industry of cosmeticians, nail salons, waxing salons,  and so forth and so on. There is even a strict “code” of workout clothing that consists of skin tight lycra pants and matching bra-tops. Someone like me doesn’t fit into the mold of “body-beautiful.”  I am not young, skinny, tanned or even very fashion conscious.

Nevertheless, I want to workout and not stand out at the same time. I can understand

why some of my young friends who aren’t into the size 0, tanned blonde thing look, would shy away from the gym. It is very intimidating. Now that I am old enough to be the mother of all the instructors and I no longer have anything to prove, I have gulped down my pride and headed off to regular workouts. When I did aqua-fitness, it was not nearly as scary, since all the other students were older, unskinny, and somewhat “broken down” like I am.  Now that I am in the gym where folks are lifting over 100 pounds, running at 9 miles an hour and look like they stepped out of a magazine for physical fitness, I have whole new issues to deal with. The equipment itself is a little bit scary, as I saw a girl fall off one of the machines the other day, screaming for help as her legs hung up in the 60 pounds weights. She was okay in the end, but once in a while, I think of the injury I could sustain if I am not careful. I also have competitive issues. While I am huffing and puffing at 6K per hour, the gal beside me on the treadmill is off at 7 or 8 Km. So I want to push it up a notch, just to show I am not so decrepit and then I get a leg cramp. And there is the horrible music that is always playing, and the slasher movies on the TV’s to deal with, since the average age of those at the gym is about 21!

I mean, really, what AM I doing at this place that makes me so uncomfortable at so many levels? By the time I get there and warm up, do the exercises and come home and shower, I have lost a good 2 hours out of my day. Is it really worth all this sacrifice and pain. And yes, there is physical pain while I am pushing 20 lbs in the back of my legs or pulling down 35 lbs with my arms. Why am I doing this 5 days a week?

The obvious answer is that I want to get in shape. I want to feel better. I want to decrease my risk of heart disease. I want to have more energy. I want to build up my immunities. I want to sleep better I want to ward off osteoporosis. These are the benefits. I really do feel more energetic, have less body aches in the long run and actually feel like eating less and am finding that my clothes are looser. I feel better about myself. So despite all the strikes against someone of my size, age and disposition working out in a gym, here I am going every day. And glad I am!