DAY ONE: Trying out this exercise thing people keep yapping about.

People keep talking about this funny weight loss solution; exercise. Apparently its a thing and people have known about it for quite some time. But have people bothered to tell me about it until now?! Yes, they have. But I largely don't listen because why? Because up until about 2 years ago I felt pretty cozy in my 200lb body. I'm so obviously not out to impress anyone with my thin-ness so I've never felt a push to lose any weight. Instead, I just buy clothes that fit me and try to have long pretty hair and decently makeup-ed face so people will look past my chubby rollers and look at my hotty-pants face. Anyways, I was happy enough to do nothing about my body.
And then Alice happened. This massive 10lb baby made me gain 30 lbs while pregnant. No sweat. Every time I have a baby the weight disappears within a month, tops. I'm usually still overweight, but at least the baby weight leaves. But this time something happened. I birthed a 10lb baby... and didn't lose 10 lbs like usual. I was still 230lbs, what I weighed before I had her. WTF body? What you doing.  I decided to ignore it hoping the weight would just decide to vacate on its own but after several months it just didn't. To make matters worse, I started to get aches in my knees when I went up and down the stairs. My ankles and wrists were on FIRE. I went to get checked out and it turns out I developed mild arthritis, likely from carrying around way more weight than my body could handle (and you know, regularly hauling around 30 pound toddlers). I've been on cortisol injections and anti-inflammatory's for the last 18 months and man. Arthritis is the PITS. Still, I had zero desire to gym it up.
THEN, this year I filed my taxes and the most beautiful thing happened. We were POOR! The thing about being lower middle-class is you are too rich to be given handouts, but too poor to be able to afford small luxuries like, for example, a gym pass. Half the battle of going to the gym is having the desire. The other half is having the funds. Well, hot dang! Being poor meant I would have access to the city's recreation centers for free for the next year. 50% of the excuse to not go to the gym was suddenly taken away. It became more apparent with the combination of arthritis and sudden gym funding that this is something that I need to do! If not only for my health but to take advantage of sweet sweet free stuff. ( I LOVE FREE STUFF)
So here it goes! My first attempt to be a gym-goer. I went this morning on opening day, with all these weird social distancing measures in place. I only had time for 35 minutes of working out, but I didn't hate it. Mind you, I don't know what I'm doing so I stuck to the treadmill and rowing machine since they're familiar- but maybe in the future I can branch out. For now, keeping small. Hoping to keep it regular.

DAY ONE COMPLETE!

Keeping my distance. Don't touch me.

After my workout. Still exhausted from waking at 6:00am to come here. Not worth it yet.