So, Laura and I were members of the YMCA right across the street from our apartment, but they closed. Since then, I have told myself that I'll walk the hood, the parking lots, etc., but then summer hit, and yeah, those 100+ temps (even the 90+ temps) kept me from doing that. I've grown a bit stiff, to say the least. I realized how bad it was recently, and though I know myself and know I won't drive to a gym and work out, I can go to Sam's and walk. I've done that a number of times. Laura and I got a little more serious about the situation, and here's what we did.
First of all, we moved to a place that had more room. We each have our own bedrooms, but we also have another room for our individual offices. We bought gym equipment and stored it in various places around the house - it is truly a home gym! In my office, I have the mini-treadmill and the mini-vibration plate, but I also just bought a 40" round indoor trampoline with the "U" handle, so I don't accidentally fall over when I'm bouncing - - that wouldn't be too pretty; not at all.
Laura bought a workout bench, weights, and a power tower! We have those set up in what would have been the dining room, but neither of us really wanted to sit at the table and chat while we ate, so yeah, the table and chairs were given away, and we invited the power tower and the bench to take their place. She has the larger vibration plate in that room as well. She also has a workout mat with smaller weights in her room; I have a smaller set, but I'm old, and she's bulking. I'm trying to stay fit and toned.
I have a really cool thing that you use to strengthen your core and arms. It's a stick with a heavy-duty spring; we also have battle ropes outside. The entire thing, all of it, was about the same cost as our one-year membership at the YMCA! I'm not kidding. And we can keep these things here—we don't have the use of their other equipment, which we miss, but we can make due. When the weather cools down, which it's beginning to do, we'll walk more, use the ropes more, and find ourselves walking the hood to say hi to our old friends who live so very very far away - about a city block - - nearly a city block.
We're both pretty excited about the new equipment. I have to be honest and say that I'm not good at it yet, but when I pass by the power tower, I get up on it, do a few leg lifts, and consider myself in training for the next time I try to outdo what I just did. Soon, maybe not too far down the road, I'll do 10-15 in a row instead of 3. I'll get there. I'll get there!! It will happen, and I'm sure I'll do the dance when it does. I'll do another type of dance when the trampoline comes in this week. I will be honest; I'm much more of a mover than a lifter. I'd rather bounce and walk than lift - but I do see the benefits of both.
We're not fancy - but we have fun, and we reward ourselves with compliments and encouragement. Like I said, she's bulking and going for a different body shape than I am. I want healthy, strong, good bones and a fit frame with the right amount of flesh to keep me healthy, and yeah, I want to feel like I've done something for myself. None of what we are trying to achieve is for anyone other than ourselves. We're not trying to compete or show off -- just be happy, fit, have fun, and know that our investment has paid off. I think we've achieved all that.
Photo Credit: me
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