The uphill battle of a overly curvy bride...

I am blogging (in another blog all together) about the journey to my weight-loss goals for the wedding. Want a funny read? Here's a large excerpt. Enjoy!

"Anyhoo, I was reading my book, walking crooked on the treadmill (because when holding the book I couldn't use my arms to sway and balance me). I like to attempt to read because it keeps me from looking at the time on the treadmill or watching TV and gauging my time by 30 minute or 1 hour intervals. Interestingly enough, other people don't both me when working out. I figure we're all there for a reason!

So, I began working toward the number I set in my head... 45 minutes. Today, I was going to walk for 45 minutes! I wasn't sure I was going make it since I haven't been to the gym in 2 weeks before today. But I told myself "I will do it! Even if I have to slow my pace to a waddle! I will go 45 minutes!"

After a while, the woman next to me had finished the treadmill and had moved on to the weights, and soon after, off to the rest of her day. I was alone. I like it alone in there too because then I can turn the TV's off and have the over-head music playing to keep me going and focus on what I'm there to do. But soon, a man came in and just had to shake things up.

This guy was a joke! He was probably in his 40's but had a unkempt, brassy, blond dye job in his 1984 long, but corporate haircut. Now don't get me wrong, everyone has the right to use the workout room, and use the TV's or overhead music as they wish. some people like it silent, some like tv, some like music. When I walk in, if someone is clearly listening to music or watching tv, I don't touch anything. I figure, they were there first, and if they leave before I do, then I can have free reign of the techno-gadgets.But this guy was seriously just rude. Maybe he doesn't like fat people. Maybe he thought he was the one that was serious about his workout (assuming I wasn't) and decided he deserved rule over the gym. He walked in and began a "worker bee" ritual of opening the blinds and turning down the music (that I had just turned up), upping the volume on the TV (I had just turned down), and changing the channel to his favorite programming. He didn't ask, he didn't say anything. It was as if he was King of the Gym! It made me instantly furious! The only reason I didn't say anything was because he had the manners to leave the blinds directly in front of me closed! Thank God! It's not like I want to be on display to all passers-by. Plus, I'm already sweating from the workout, I don't need the addition of the blinding sun while I'm reading and walking crooked already. And I surely would have said something at that point.

Anyway, it felt like he just wanted me to leave. But I was on a mission! There was no over-age man in denial going to run me out and mess up my goal! So I kept walking. He only came to lift weights so how much trouble could he really be, right? He started lifting and grunting. The kind of grunting that let me know he was lifting more than he really could or wanted to.. yet another sign he was trying to prove he deserved to be there and I didn't.

I kept walking. And at some point, I negotiated with my self. I forgot to tell you that earlier I decided I might push myself a little further if at 45 minutes I felt good enough to keep going. Well, with him grunting and carrying on, I quickly decided I will get to my 45 minutes and get out as fast as I can. And the more I walked, the more his grunting was becoming funny, ridiculous, and slightly over the top. He already got his way with the windows, the music, the TV, and the throne of gym royalty. What else did this guy need to prove his old ass was probably in better shape?

Just when I started to get comfortable with the idea of doing my bid at the gym and proud that I even pushed myself this far, here comes a leasing agent with a man on a tour of the complex. Great! I'm gonna run this guy off simply by being on the treadmill! At that moment, I laughed to myself a little because there I was, 10 minutes from the end of my goal and I'm stuck like a hippopotamus on a hamster wheel behind a cage of glass! I couldn't stop out of embarrassment! That would only be self defeat! Besides, anyone should be able to clearly see that I am large and in charge! And I'm not just sitting around filling my cheeks with chocolate but I'm doing something about it! I'm young, I'm able, and I'm not interested in gastric re-wiring of my innards!

So, I kept walking. The potential resident walked in, and out and I laughed at myself again. Boy did I have some day at the gym! Although 30% if the excitement was my own paranoia."