In labor NOW

Going to Lifetime Fitness today to meet with trainer Kara Wagner reminded me of being pregnant and in labor. At one time, (to continue the analogy) getting pregnant seemed like a really good, even great, idea --- but then, when I was finally in the hospital pushing that baby out, in hard labor, the thought would hit me: I'd really really really rather be home. Want to go home now. Now. Just get the heck out of here...

That's sort of my experience with working out. I like the idea fine in theory --- for me, it is THE key to weight loss and lower cholesterol and many other good things. But let's face it, ladies, it is a LOT OF WORK. And once you're there in that gym...well, it's tempting to bag it.

Kara, however, is just what the doctor ordered: a gymnast by training, totally dedicated to athletics, a former cheerleader at Cathedral and a graduate of U of Indianapolis, she's been working out her entire life. She is terrific, and I loved it when she challenged me to guess how much she weighs (at 5'3"). I won't tell, but the point is, it's a lot more than you think because, while she's tiny, she's all muscle. Point taken.

The other thing that is impressive is Lifetime itself. It was so big I passed it the first time, thinking it was a hotel. But no, it's a state-of-the-art facility and the first Lifetime Fitness in Indiana. (Headquarters is Minneapolis, where they are thick...)

So the facts: like Kimila and Amy, my VO2 needs to be higher -- that's the maximum rate the body can consumer and process oxygen during exercise. Even tho I've worked out with a trainer in the past, I've never heard of this measurement; way cool. Kara assured me that with good regular cardio workouts, my VO2 will go from the moderate range to a "good" classification.
Other tests were also a baseline -- pushups (excellent), biceps (barely good) and IRM bench (poor). Flexibility is nothing to write home about, either.

The other disappointment: scales showed a heavier me than I anticipated. This is no doubt in part due to a womens' weekend retreat, a beautiful Christian getaway, where the retreatants were all pampered and fed lavishly and I frankly ate too much of the wrong things: cheesy stradas and chicken tetrazzini when I should have stuck to salads, yogurt and fruit. My bad.

With luck, the pounds will come off once labor -- er, exercise -- begins in earnest at Lifetime.
Thank you, Kara and AMA for making it real.