Master and Servant

Ok, the title is obscure, unless you are a fan of Depeche Mode and know that the song is in reference to Sado-Masochism. No, this blog entry is not going to be a look into my kinky sex life (which I don't have), it is a focus on the fact that I recently realize that I am a Masochist.

For those of you who don't know (and I'm sure most of you do) a masochist is someone who like to inflict or have pain inflicted on themselves. Masochism is inevitably linked to sex, but can also come out in so many other ways. So, why do I think I'm a masochist, well I've recently begun working with a personal trainer, I think you know where I'm going with this.

My trainer is a very nice, 22 year old guy who I am going to call Joe, in reference to G.I. Joe because he has the physique to be a well trained solider. Joe decided we would start working on my legs, so he had me sit on a bench and stand up without using my arms to push me up. So I went from a sitting to a standing position for 3 sets of 15. Sounds easy right? Wrong! Halfway through the first set, my legs started to burn and I could feel clenching in my stomach. Joe told me this was a good thing because not only were we working my legs, but my core as well, I guess that is what trainers now call the stomach. When I finished the 3 sets, my legs felt a little spongy and we move on to the next exercise. Now if I thought sitting and standing was hard, I was in for a surprise. For the next leg exercise, Joe put me on a weight machine that focused on my quads and calves. I sat in the machine and my legs went behind this pad, which I would lift by straighting my legs 15 times. When I finished on the machine, Joe had me go on a bike with the resistance set at 13 and I was to pedal as fast as I could for 30 seconds. I had to do 3 sets of this exercise and by the time I was finished, I didn't think I would be able to stand. The final exercise worked the inner and outer thigh muscles and was done on 2 machines that left me in uncomfortable positions. For the outer thigh machine, there were two arms with pads that rested on the outside of my knees and I had to push my legs open. On the inner thigh machine, I started with legs wide open and had to push them closed. Not the most lady-like position, but it did the trick because by the time I finished, my thighs were burning. Needless to say, I'm not exactly sure how I was able to walk out of the gym after the session. Not only that, but my legs were very sore for the next few days. It is never fun when you have to use the tub and the sink to balance yourself as you try to sit on the toilet.

So, now you can see why I'm beginning to feel like a masochist. And I will be meeting with Joe again next week so he can make my arms and upper body feel like jelly. Why am I doing this? I hope to be able to tone up and, as the weight continues to come off, I will look and feel better.

Ok, I have weighed in at Weight Watchers twice since the last post. On 2/14/11 I lost 5.8 pounds, which was great. This past Monday, 2/21/11, I stayed the same. I have to admit, I don't think I was quite on my game last week and it showed. At least I didn't gain. So I am trying to keep my eyes on the prize (that's my motivating statement) and not be discouraged. I am also working on embracing new parts of my personality, which is why my other motivating statement is "no pain, no gain".

Thanks for all the tips and support! It really makes a difference. Until next time, keep pushing and keep your eyes on the prize. (Ok, that was really cheesy, but you get what I mean.) :-)