I know this is shameful but I'd have to rank Fitness way at the bottom of my personal interests. I simply have little desire to be physically strained when there are countless alternative activities to experience that involve minimal pain.
Up until my third year of high school I was fairly active, taking up gymnastics when I was three and progressing to varsity soccer as a teen (I have no idea how I made the team). Once I was in motion I enjoyed the adrenaline but honestly, little Britt thrived on the community and spirit of a team sport. As I got older, I became aware of the occasional snicker or eye roll from people when I expressed an interest in finding a gym program - "They're right, what am I talking about? I have a high metabolism. The gym is not the place for me!" I've been in denial for years although leading an active lifestyle is so much more than losing weight or bulking up; it provides a sturdy foundation on which to strengthen every aspect of your life. Let's focus deeper than what the mirror can show us.
A few failed attempts... Last summer, my boss and I enrolled in the Tracy Anderson Method as a "team bonding" experience that lasted about two months. TA is a celebrity trainer that designs her fitness program on the swift, small movements of dancers using stabilizer muscle training. At my initial consultation, the head trainer made the comment that there's "not much weight to lose" which was the primary problem that I had with TA as it is an extremely fast way to lose weight. That's if you follow the recommended schedule of 2 hours a day, 5x a week. I was highly impressed with how many women had that much time and money to spend at a gym but they are extremely loyal to the brand (we're talking a base of $900/mo). I loved the dance cardio classes but found everything else to be painful on my knees, hips, and lower back as it was rep after rep after rep with minimal interaction with the trainer or other members. An extremely hot studio, I never failed to have multiple rivers of sweat running down my body so I figured I was atleast burning calories. Not that stabilizer muscle training is a complete waste of time, I felt as though I needed to take a different approach to developing a workout routine.
With that being said, I've started the 6 week Cross Fit Challenge to kick my ass into shape and jumpstart a healthy lifestyle.
"Isn't Cross Fit a tad extreme for beginners?"
A quick Google Map search pins 65 gyms below Central Park, many competing to grow their program with the latest fitness trend or membership model. Class Pass aside, what criteria does one assess when considering which gym to commit to for months/years at a time? Especially when you are starting out and have absolutely zero idea what you're doing much less a level of commitment?
I've lost count of how many advertisements I've seen for Manhattan gyms on Facebook but the 6 Week Cross Fit challenge clearly stood out to me and I applied without a second thought. 4 things that I didn't realized I needed to succeed until they were presented to me:
1. Definitive Deadline: Just 6 weeks to develop a habit that structuralizes a healthier lifestyle. Make it or break it.
2. Small Classes: Trainers that know my name and do not hesitate to correct my form
3. Accountability: I've committed to my classmates, if they can be at the gym before sunrise then I have no excuses
4.Women Only: I'm all for equality but the less testosterone the better in the gym. I don't want to keep adjusting weights and it's helpful to be able to track my progress alongside similar body structure. Cross Fit sounds intimidating enough as it is.
What does $300 get me?
- 6 weeks of intimate training classes, 3 days a week (offered 5 times per day)
- Additional 7th week to make up any classes and try out other locations
- Weekly Meal Plans
- Free membership to Whiteboard to track my progress
To the gym I go!
You now know where I'm dying every Monday, Wednesday, Friday at dawn. Wish me luck!