Change Is in the Air

"There's a change in the weather, there's a change in the sea. So from now on they'll be a change in me."

I'm tired of being fat and sloppy and broke. So I asked for a fitness assessment at LA Fitness, where I try to work out 3x/week ... but haven't been. And when I do work out, I obviously don't push myself hard enough.

The assessment was humbling. I'm in terrible shape and a health club is populated by the strong and the skinny. I get out of breath easily. I'm not flexible.

But this emphasized how much I need to do. Over the last 20 years I have gained ... gulp ... 80 lbs. Thirty of those pounds have been put on over the last 8 years. The trainer thought it was reasonable for me to expect to lose 35 over the next year. I'd be happy to lose 5!

OK, I said, let's get started. Two 45-min. sessions/week for ... I don't remember how long. My mind went to the happy place when I saw the dollar amount. NO WAY CAN I AFFORD THIS!

Which I told him. I was also feeling bad that they didn't let me know how high the fees were before I embarrassed myself waddling through the fitness assessment.

OK, how about one 30-min session/week (preceded by 30 mins. of cardio warm up on my own) for about $60/session? That seemed reasonable. Expensive enough to force me to show up, but affordable. I mean, this is my health we're talking about here. I'm worth $60/week.

But not $60/week for 28 weeks. That's $240/month for 6 months ... and it's a binding contract. On the one hand, my paid-for sessions never expire. On the other hand, if I lose my job between now and October, I'm still on the hook for $240/month.

After thinking about it overnight, I decided I simply can't do it. I'll go back to my local health club. I really didn't like the trainer I tried in 2009, but that was 5 years ago and she doesn't work there anymore. The thing is, that gym is in my neighborhood and LA Fitness is downtown, near work, and easier for me to get to.

But I'm tired of weighing more than Abraham Lincoln did, so I called and set up an appt. with a new, more affordable local trainer for Sunday afternoon.

Then guess what! LA Fitness called back. They just now began offering a new 12-week program!* $290/month for three months. I sign the paperwork next week and then we'll get started.

Next up: straightening out that bog of paperwork on my dining room table.

I can do this. I have to do this. Because I'm the only one who can!

*Yeah, I don't believe it, either. The $870 option was probably always available but they didn't want to offer it until they were sure I wouldn't take the $1440 plan.