Ginger: Looking Back, Looking Forward

*In 2003, Mimi & I wrote this story to earn points for a competition at our Curves gym. I'm including it here 'cause it's kind of inspiring to look back at how motivated we were. We've had our ups and downs but our activity levels have really changed. Now, we're YMCA members and a "three workout week" isn't something to celebrate -it means that we've missed two days! Maybe blogging with friends will get that "borrowed willpower" thing going again.

You Can Borrow Willpower from a Friend

Mimi: This year was my magic birthday. What’s that? I turned 30 on January 30^th. This only happens once in your entire life. I was doubly excited about this special birthday because 30 is such a milestone in one’s life—especially so in women’s lives, it seems. This wasn’t a traumatic landmark for me, as it is for some. I didn’t look back over my life and see wasted years or look at where I am and think that I should be doing something else—or look ahead feeling the best years of my life are gone. I’m 30 and I’m excited. The future is mine!

The only mar on this landmark birthday was my weight. Now, I wasn’t depressed because I had put on 10, 15, or 20 pounds over the last decade. I have always been “big,” as some people put it euphemistically. However, I have always been overweight and healthy—my cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure—all good. I had no urgent reason to lose weight (other than the whole want to be thin thing, you know!). But over the last few years I’ve noticed that my knees ache a little bit here and there, and I am reminded that my sister got diabetes younger than I, and that heart disease runs in my family. I started to feel my mortality. I decided that I didn’t want to be dead before 40.

Shortly after, I was sitting in the laundromat glancing through the City Daily when I came across the Curves advertisement. I was immediately excited. I’d thought about joining a gym, but I wanted a safe and supportive environment. Curves looked like it was it. I called and scheduled a visit. Then I called a friend…

Ginger: It’s safe to say that I’ve never been a gym person. Ever. Actually, to be honest, it’s not just the gym. My idea of fun just doesn’t include working out, playing sports or engaging in vigorous physical activity of most kinds. This feeling never stopped me from buying one gym membership after another –I just couldn’t motivate myself to actually go. At the last place, the staff didn’t even recognize me when I came in for my first workout –probably because it was six months after I had signed up!

Last year, I moved on from my job, away from my family, and out of my comfort zone. The transition was a good one. I felt a real sense of adventure and started to think seriously about other life changes that I wanted to make. Diet and exercise seemed like a good enough place to start (the whole want to be thin thing, you know!). I talked about the idea for a while, mostly to hear how it sounded out loud, and then put it right back on my list of things to procrastinate about.

So, when Mimi called to tell me about Curves, I was naturally more than a little skeptical. Why would this time be any different? Our student budgets don’t leave much room for error but her enthusiasm was contagious. Armed with lots of misgivings and a new pair of Nikes, I came in for a visit. I could tell right away that this place had a different “feel” to it and I joined that day.

While I can’t say that I’ve fully embraced a more active lifestyle, it’s two months later and I’m still here. Mimi is right here with me. I have a string of “three workout weeks” under my belt and so does she. Mimi is steadily earning Curves dollars for being the “motivator of the week” but I’d go broke trying to pay her for the initial push and the ongoing support that I need to stick with this. I now know for sure that you can borrow willpower from a friend!