It should have been easy to lose the baby weight. Eat right and exercise. What is so hard about that? But I found myself celebrating my baby’s first birthday and still weighing more than when I became pregnant.
My plan was to get into a consistent work out schedule. But it had been a while since I had been to the gym. I set a realistic goal of going to the gym 2-3 days a week. That was about all I could expect my three kids to tolerate of the gym’s child care. So I started with doing cardio and added some Pilates classes. Then on a Friday afternoon, I gathered my kids and all their gear and jumped into the car to catch a TBC Class.
As I approached the group fitness room, I saw another woman also walking in. She was about my height but she was tan, extremely fit and muscular. Nothing on her body jiggled. I began to panic as I realized that this must be the instructor. That should have been my first “sign” to run the other way.
I looked at her with a weak smile, “Is this the TBC Class?” “Yes, come on in.” She nodded and smiled. She was pleasant. I used to take cardio classes all the time. I told myself that I would be fine. She explained the equipment that we needed to gather for class, 2 sets of weights, a body bar, a step with six risers and a mat. As I began to gather the equipment, I heard another member telling the instructor that after last week’s class, it hurt her to sit down for days. This was just another “sign” that I ignored. “TOTAL BODY CONDITIONING,” the instructor said. “That is what we will work on today. We will do every muscle group-head to toe. Let’s get started!”
We started to warm up by marching in place, lunging side to side and then moved right into the horrible muscle burning exercises. It was 10 minutes into class when I actually wanted to cry. I tried to look around to see if anyone else was having as much difficulty as me but when I took the focus off the repeater knee lift on the step, I nearly tumbled off and twisted my ankle.
It seemed like 2 hours, not 15 minutes, when we were told to “grab a drink.” I ran to my water bottle, unscrewed the cap and began to gulp the icy cold water. It started to trickle down the sides of my mouth and still, I couldn’t get enough. When I finally took a break from drinking, I looked at the bottle and realized that I had less than half left. I still had 45 minutes of this excruciating class. I was going to need more water.
With each new exercise, my muscles burned and tightened up. My heart was beating out of my chest and through my heavy support sports bra. With each squat, leg lift and lunge, a voice inside my head screamed “NO!! NO MORE! STOP!”
This instructor was hard core. She didn’t get that body from easy workouts. When she told us to grab lighter weights because we would be doing multiple sets of exercises for triceps, I reached for 3 pound weights. My mouth dropped open when I saw her with 12 pound weights. Hard Core.
I wanted to run out of class when she turned to change sides but I was a little afraid of her and I wasn’t sure if my legs would buckle as I ran. I was breathing so hard that I scanned the room to see if others noticed just how hard I was panting. Beads of sweat dripped down my back. Loose strands of hair plastered to my sweaty neck and face. I looked at the clock about every two minutes. Time seemed to be standing still.
I wanted to be ANYWHERE but in that class. Sipping margaritas at happy hour, waiting at the DMV, getting an annual physical.
By the end of class, I was shooting tiny darts with my eyes at the instructor. I would hear her shout over the already loud music, “SQUAT LOWER!” or “FASTER! GET THAT HEARTRATE UP!” and I would swear under my breath because I figured it was directed towards me. I grew fearful of exercises called “running man” and “ski slope.”
I was actually happy when it came time for the abdominal part of class, at least we could lie down on the mat. But my happiness was short lived, when my abdominal muscles also began to feel like someone set them on fire.
When we took our last deep breath and stretched for the finally time, I was SO happy that the class was finally over. The class did push me to challenge myself. I guess I know why the baby weight is not gone yet. Losing weight IS truly hard work.