Mixing Things Up

I'm on 1300 calories a day and brisk walk, or peddle on the stationary bike, 30-40 minutes 3-5 times a week. Nevertheless, I can't drop the 10 pounds I gained two years ago when I turned 60. It's now apparent to me, at that milestone, my metabolism slowed down significantly. To lose weight, therefore, I have two options, eat less or workout more. Frankly, I'm tired of eating less and less, so that leaves devoting more time and energy to exercise even though I hate working out.

I hate sweating profusely and I hate the time it takes to fully cool down after a workout. So, in an attempt to get past those obstacles, I've decided it's time to mix things up and look for ways to make exercise more fun. Hubby and I have given a lot of thought to bicycling, but we currently can't afford the upfront costs. So today I decided to check out our municipal fitness center.

I quickly learned the cost of membership is reduced 50 percent for seniors, which is fantastic. Hubby is already 62 and my birthday's next Tuesday. I also found out I still have 10 visits on a card I purchased years ago. So, without delay, I participated in today's 50+ class.

It turned out to be a solid aerobic workout with some strength training. The only thing that made it 50+ was the pace, which was just slightly slower and greatly appreciated. I'm done with jumping and running around to workouts designed for people much younger than me. My goal is to stay healthy and fit as long as possible. It's not to fit into jeans I wore 20-30 years ago if I still had them.

Before class, I walked a mile on the indoor track. Although I like my neighborhood walks for the scenery, it was great to walk without any obstacles. I found I could go much faster if I didn't have to keep looking down.

I still hate working out, but today's experience was a positive one. I believe the fitness center can provide the variety I need to keep from getting frustrated or bored with any one workout. I sure do hope so because I'm ready to kick my metabolism's butt!