“Never discourage anyone…..who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.” – Plato
Hello my friends,
You know in a horror movie when the girl is in the shower and the killer is walking up the stairs? We scream “Look behind you!” as we can see the neon sign with flashing lights above the bathroom door screaming “VICTIM HERE!”?
That is very similar to the fat girl joining the gym.
WenchyWe signed up at @virginactiveSA gяєєиѕтσиє when Liberty Life launched their “Own Your Life” product end November 2012.
As I am by no means a small or average size girl, I expected to feel rather out of place and self concious. I felt very aware of my body and its limitations. The truth is very different.
So what did I find it is like as the fat girl in a busy, mainstream gym?
* If you are not the cute girl with the tight pant with the ponytail (some even sport make-up!), don’t worry. Nobody else does. Honestly.
* Put your ear phones on and just do your thing. No slow dancing with the moon music! You need up tempo angry chick kinda music. LOL Pink works well for me.
* Bring a bottle of water. I have a 750 ml bottle and it is finished in an hour. I wouldn’t mind a bigger bottle.
* There are trained staff to help you. Ask! Pace yourself. I started off doing 20 minutes of cardio (bike/treadmill etc). Start slow and build. I now do 60 – 80 minutes of cardio and sweat till my clothes are wet. THAT makes me feel kinda bad ass. LOL
* You must bring a sweat towel, it is the right thing to do. I sweat like a pig, although I have personally never seen a pig sweat! You need that sweat towel to wipe your brow, but also to leave equipment hygienic for the next user. There are however many cleaning staff that spray (no spit) and polish each machine after each user. It is very proper.
* I have found a packed gym to be less social than a deserted grave yard. The only time people truly interacted with me, is when the staff at the front desk swipe my membership card.
* The one exception to the above is when I wore a shirt that revealed more ink. Always the same question: Did it hurt?
** Answer: Off course it hurt! You are paying someone (in my case, Brent 076 914 7030) to use their creative skill to cause socially acceptable mutilation in a pretty pattern and/or colour. So YES, taking an sharp object, cutting your skin and injecting ink – hurts! (Why *I* personally ink, is another blog post on its own.)
* Men remain friendlier to me and may *smile* kinda in recognition that you see each other often at the same time. Woman, not so much.
* On the weights floor, big boys dominate. I find the showing off big boys annoying. They are like little kids who keep wanting you to say how fabulous they are each time they do an action. Ugh! I prefer the section with no light action telling you to move to the next machine. You find more humane people (mostly male) there who is also just doing the best they can.
* I have not ventured into any class situation. Don’t have the confidence for that… So I have not done water aerobics, yoga etc. Hopefully one day!
* The ladies change room is a funny place! Black ladies are far more confident than any other race and in my opinion much prettier. Everyone else tries to kinda hide unless they FHM material. I can with confidence tell you that FHM material are few and far between when nakkid with no make-up. Most woman are flawed. Hallelujah! Okay everyone didn’t go to town with the concept like me, but real, naked woman look nothing like the movies!
* I am not a sauna fan, but I l♡ve the steam room. My skin looks better and my sinus feels better. I always seem to have some or other sinus issue!
* I pack hotel size shampoo, conditioner, face wash, body wash and a great big towel. I often forget my hairbrush so I look kinda windswept when I leave.
* I find tracking my visits and what I did on that particular day helpful. There are facilities to track via PC, so at the end of my visit, that is the last thing I do.
* There is a creche for small kids but I can give no feedback on that as my kids are now big.
* ….oh and a small organic type outlet for smoothies and such. Just a tad expensive.
There you have it. 🙂
I wish you enough,
Weทchƴ¸.¸.☆¨
poѕтed ғroм тнe ѕecond cloυd on yoυr leғт
Nocturnal Wenchy 
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