I have a friend who decided to "splurge" on herself by joining a gym that involved working out with a person trainer three times a week. So, can anyone remember their first trip to the gym and what it was like?

I entered a gym for the first time in my life when I was 41 years old. I weighed about 220 pounds and decided I had lost enough weight (200 pounds at that time) to safely begin a formal exercise program. So, into the gym I went and got talked into a 3 day a week program with a personal trainer. I looked around and saw most of the women were a size 5 and most of the men had about 3% body fat. Hmmmm....

I was given a form to fill out that contained questions such as, "What gyms have you belonged to?" I asked why there was no check-off for "none" and was met with a wide-eyed look of surprise and the response, "YOU'RE a gym VIRGIN?" At this point, I am getting the impression that I might have bargained for more than I intended.

Next came the orientation. My trainer, Satan, had me mount a machine called an elliptical work-out. He set it for ten minutes. At two minutes I was ready for oxygen and at three minutes I told him to get ready to do CPR. As a crawled off the ellipital device, Satan was calling for me to "hurry up" so my "heart rate stayed up." I gasped that I was an RN and that if my heart rate rose anymore I would end up in the morgue.

The half hour of torture moved onto more machines designed to induce pain. I was very happy when I got to sit on one machine where I was instructed to place my legs straight out on a cushioned cradle. This joy quickly faded when Satan turned some lever and I found my legs spread further apart than when I have a GYN exam. Instinctively, I told Satan to put my legs back together. He informed me I needed to use my leg muscles to FORCE my legs to come together. Hello!!! I don't have muscles, I have fat! I informed Satan that I had never done a split in my life and NOW was not the time to begin. This pattern of abuse continued as he ran, and I staggered, to one machine after another and then another.

When I got home, I showered and collapsed in a chair. I went to bed early that evening but when I woke up the following morning, I was sure I had some horrible disease because it hurt to move the covers off my body and standing was torture. Every part of my body ached! I contemplated calling an ambulance but realized it was too late to call into work. I tried to fall onto the toilet so I would not have to bend my legs and would have welcomed a continuous IV infusion of morphine. As I began to dread my next session with Satan, I wondered why I was deprived the experience of an endorphin release. I surmised this was nothing more than some lie made up by a thin person to get fat people to sign up for 3 days a week of torture with a personal trainer.

Now five years older and 90 pounds heavier, I am wiser. At present, a walking program is all I can handle with severe knee arthritis. I still develop nausea when I pass a gym!

What was your experience like?

I signed up for a gym about 8 years ago and worked out 3 times a week with a physical trainer and she was awesome. if i didn't make it to the gym she'd call me with encouragment. I really enjoyed it until I became sick for several weeks and just never made it back.

That was the greatest post I ever read!!! My step mom is a personal trainer, I have to have her read this post, LOLOLOL!!!

LOL! Your post cracked me up! I have been doing Curves and loving it. It is just my speed. You really get what you put into it.

Thanks for making my day!

I am yet to have lap band I have been waiting on approval for a little over a month. I weigh 265 and am 5'8 I am 22 yrs old been heavy since childhood. I joined a local gym about 4 months ago before considering lap band I weighed 284 when I joined in just over two months I had lost twenty lbs I AM pleased with my gym love the people a variety mostly older people but very little sz 5 or less members that makes me happy.

Maybe one day you can find a gym with members more like us. I went to a gym before like the one you metioned I never turned back but maybe this one will be the one for me

OMG that was SO funny!!!! Too early to be laughing this hard.I think I'll go take a nap now !!!!!!!

I starting with a PT next week... and guess who it is....my cousin! I haven't seen her since I was 2 years old, but she remembers me and wants to train me for zilch! WOOHOO!!! she is gonna focus on pilates and endurance training. I am in pretty good shape already... I go out and can dance for HOURS! and I walk the zillion blocks in Manhattan all the time, so hopefully she won't kick my butt too hard... but whatever! I am also going to start going to Columbia Universities Gym since my school is a partner school with them.. I get a discount and its huge! Wish me luck- I am six weeks out and SOOOO ready to get exercising again!

and great post btw!

Ahhhhhhhhh... to be 22 again and know what I know now. LOL. First of all, you're brilliant for doing something about your weight while you're young and don't have any complications like arthritis. Don't let your cousin push you too fast. I'm sure you'll do great but... keep the Motrin on hand just in case. LOL.

LOL Elisabeth about the Motrin... boy do I KNOW ABOUT THAT! lol

MY school had a required class my 2nd and 3rd year of college- movement! It was sooo hard, but it got easier. It was 2xs a week - an hour and half each. It was stretching/aerobics/yoga/dance etc... and it made me feel really good! That was hard too and I know I can push myself, so this is something I think I can do well. And once I take the control to be able to do it, I think I'll be fine... its the first step thats the hardest to take!

I can't believe that life is changing for the better, I'll be able to have a life now... This band has saved me!

Good luck to everyone with their crazy PTS!

Dear Elizabethsew,

You are hysterical. I loved your gym experience and laughed all the way through. How true your words are. Good luck with your lapband. I love mine. It's the easiest dieting I've ever done and believe me I've done a lot of it. Since Feb.28 I've lost 46 lbs. without being hungry or being concerned about what I eat. It's wonderful! All you have to do is pretend you're a model since they never eat and learn to enjoy plain soup. It doesn't matter whether you like or enjoy soup since you only get 4 ounces anyhow.

Best of luck!

Pat

That was cute! I must have lucked out when I metmy trainer. She understands that I can't physically do what a 100 lb teeanger can but she also doesn't let me off the hook either. I just recently went back to her and I knew this time how sore I was going to feel the first week but the pay off is worth it. I agree that training is not for everyone but if you are like me and I can't get motivated to do anything on my own, I would highly recommend it. The idea is to find some kind of excercise that works for you. Good for you that you didn't give up and found something that works.

Such a great post just the smell of the gym makes me think thats what hell is all about! I do like the fact that Alexandera made a great point, PT should not push u past your THR and increase as u go in your weights great advise. I admit i do go to the gym and hate it but I was banded with the 4cc inamed band April 04 and have gone through many different stages however it is all worth it I have lost 115.lbs and can go to the gym and hold my own. started at 238lbs and i am at 120 to 125 and holding for a good year.Thanks for great post and great replys Lori

:0) You have a way with words!

I meet with my trainer next Friday... I HOPE she kicks my butt! I have already been going to the gym for over 3 months... but I want to make sure I am doing things correctly.

I am so sorry you had such a bad experience at the gym. I got with a trainer when I was 4 weeks post op. I explained to her that I did not want to get sore because I was afraid I would quit. She was real helpful. I started my weights out low and worked my way up. I try to do cardio two days a week (20 minutes) and weights two to three times a week. By starting out slow, I have never gotten sore. My trainer showed me how to correctly use the equipment and weights. I started my liquid diet on May 14, 2005 and had my surgery on June 7th. I received my 50 lb pin monday night. I have gone from a tight size 24 to a tight 18 jean. I feel that the gym is a lot of the reason I have done so well.

Don't be afraid of the gym. Just be careful and talk extensively to your trainer. It is not easy by any means but the results are worth it.

Jana

Go to the "Y". They are cheaper and full of REAL people!! :-)

One of my girlfriends (who I think is in pretty good shape) went to a trainer and explained that she was 50 years old, didn't want to be a Barbie doll, etc.. She THOUGHT that he understood. He worked her so hard that she couldn't sit down on the toilet the next day without screaming. She never went back....

One of my girlfriends (who I think is in pretty good shape) went to a trainer and explained that she was 50 years old, didn't want to be a Barbie doll, etc.. She THOUGHT that he understood. He worked her so hard that she couldn't sit down on the toilet the next day without screaming. She never went back....

I can so relate to the toilet. I had to go to work the "day after" and was trying my best to walk without using or bending my thighs. One of the staff RNs asked me if my knee was hurting. I told him no, this was the effect of a personal trainer. He immediately came over to me with water and Motrin. LOL.