I’m Just Here To Lose My Love Handles. This Is My Trip To The Gym.

I walk through the front doors of my gym. The air conditioning smacks me in the face. It feels refreshing, but the smell of sweat stings my nostrils. I look around and I make my way to the front desk. I flip my hair as I glide across the floor. I give a nod to the cute guy who walks out of the locker room. He turns without even noticing I’m there. I think to myself “whatever, I’m here to workout. Not to find a cute guy to flirt with.”

I stop at the front desk and the young girl sitting behind it has a face full of makeup and shiny, brown, pin straight hair. She looks me up and down and says, “I have to sign you in.” I hand her my card and she swipes it on the computer monitor. Before she hands it back she mutters “you haven’t paid your bill in 3 months.” “Shit,” I think to myself. That was before the holidays. I ate so much at thanksgiving I couldn’t even think of running on a treadmill, then with Christmas shopping, I was too busy. But now it’s a new year and a new me. So I hand the girl my credit card and pay my bill. She hands back my card and tells me to “enjoy” my work out.

Who enjoys their workout, I think to myself. Maybe marines and correctional facility inmates, who have nothing else to do. But not me, I’m just here to lose my love handles.

I walk past the front desk and into the gym. I walk past the weights and toward the machines. I step onto the treadmill and pull out my ear phones. I have created a kick ass playlist to get me motivated. I set the treadmill to a slow walk. It’s been a few months I need to work my speed up slowly.

I set a pace for a brisk walk. I look around the gym at all of the fit people who like me want to get this workout over with. The big TV screens on the wall are showing the Food Network. Yea, that’s a great idea. Let me look at food while I’m trying to lose weight. Now I want a cheeseburger and fries. I look across the machines at a girl running a fast even pace. I hate her already.

I spent the whole day at work preparing for this workout. I spent two hours on Pinterest pinning Fitspo images and workout quotes. Then I spent the next hour ordering new Nike running shoes. I was able to design them myself! After 3 hours of thinking about working out I was ready.

I bring my walk to a slow jog. As the song ends on my iPod I decide it’s time to pick up the pace. I set the speed to 4 mph. Wow, this is hard. My breathing is quicker, my lungs start to burn and my forehead collects with sweat. I am running! It feels great. The wind is in my hair and my legs feel strong each time they hit the treadmill. My heart rate goes up and every step I take I can feel my heart beat in my chest.

I lessen my speed and slow my breathing. I bring it back to a slow walk as I take a sip from my large water bottle. I take my earbuds out and stop the machine. I look down at the time and I smile.

7 minutes and 32 seconds. Damn, that has to be a new record!

I wipe my face with a paper towel and I collect my things. I walk past the girl at the front desk who is now reading a glamour magazine, while sipping a protein shake from a large paper cup. She tells me to have a great day, and as I walk to my car I think to myself that it is a great day. I get into my car, blast the radio and pull out of the parking lot.

Next stop, Starbucks!