The Y is my Home Away from Home.

Day 167

Since mid-December, I have been working out at my local YMCA and it has helped further my body along in its healthy transformation. Not only do I go there to workout, I go there to relax and get away from life in the outside world. Most of the people I know there are people I only know from my daily Y visits and no other areas of my life.

I do cardio seven days a week and Nautilus three (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Since I am there everyday, I think I will do Nautilus every other day starting tomorrow. This will make it either three or four times a week depending on where the Nautilus workout days fall during a particular week.

Nautilus has been a part of my workout for exactly eight weeks now and already I have been seeing results. My chest is beginning to develop a vertical center ripple and my midsection is slimming down. Over these past eight weeks I learned more and more machines, so if I am getting these results in just eight weeks doing them three times a week without doing the whole room of machines until just two weeks ago, imagine how I will look in eight more weeks, going three to four times a week using every Nautilus machine in the room.

I have spoken about my meatless year project to a weight loss group at the Y twice and now I am giving back even more. Today I started volunteering on Saturday mornings at the Y’s front desk. I figure it’s a great way to occupy my time and even put some more experience on my resume under the “other” section.

Today from 9 am to 1 pm I answered phones, greeted Y guests, set training appointments all from this point of view:

That’s my coffee in the picture of course. I think that was my second of the three cups I had today. Coffee always makes the time pass faster but I didn’t need it in the positive, relaxing atmosphere of the Greenfield YMCA.

Talk to you soon!
meatlessman@yahoo.com
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Y-M-C-A!

Days 43 and 44

Yesterday, I visited my local Y and found out that there were no volunteer positions open but I could still qualify for the sliding scale because I am currently unemployed. After filling out the necessary paperwork I made an appointment for today to take a tour and fill out additional membership papers.

My guide for the Y orientation was Bill, a 60-something retiree, who was very friendly and enthusiastic. He seemed to know everyone in the place and everyone seemed to know him and like him. See, it’s that sense of community you can’t really get at a Bally’s Total Fitness. The two YMCAs I’ve belonged to over the years have has just as quality equipment as any Bally’s and their staff is more likely to be visible and approachable. The manager at the Bally’s I used to go to in Chicago seemed like an ex-con. I really think Bally’s wants your money rather than for you to get the most positive fitness experience you can. Why else would a place sell you a lifetime membership for a big lump sum yet still expect you to pay at least $100 a year to renew it? Maybe it should be Greedy Total Fitness.

Okay, getting back to today’s Y visit…

After the tour I went right to the locker room, changed and ascended to the top floor. My objective up there was the new cardio room they put in a few years back when they added onto the building. This cardio center is in addition to the ground floor cardio room they have had for many years. The new room ensures that there is rarely a shortage of treadmills, elipticals, exercise bikes or stairmasters for whoever wants to use one. I made a beeline for an elliptical and worked out on it for an hour.

After working up a good sweat, I went back down to the locker room and did some sit ups and then used the steam room. That’s what I really love most about a Y or Bally’s, they always have that relaxing component like a sauna or steam room that makes one feel at least a little bit like they are on vacation when they are using it. It’s nice to get away from the outside world for a bit.

I started off today with 202 lbs. I’ve lost 10 since November 2nd. Only 40 more to go folks.

Talk to you soon.
meatlessman@yahoo.com