Working Out, Works for Me

 

Working Out, Works for Me

I feel like S&%@! It must have been a great session! I’ve been working out with my current trainer for over sixteen years. You would never know this from looking at me. I like to say, “I’m not doing this for my health!” But I am actually doing it for my health. And it works – physically, mentally and emotionally.

Over 25 years ago, one of my clients gave me a set of sessions with George, who was a personal trainer who came to one’s house with a moving van filled with workout equipment, George was dumb as a box of rocks and always sleep deprived because in order to just break even he had to drive a lot of miles to call on clients all over the bay area in a gas guzzling van.

Even on cool days, because the van was without ventilation, the doors were open for air and for the entertainment of my neighbors. Were they really bringing beer and lawn chairs for this? It felt that way. Anyway, the temperature was unbearable in the heat of summer. I asked if he could provide a fan and he did………….a mini fan on the floor. No, George it’s not my feet that are hot!

The one box George checked was convenience – just walk out the front door and you’re in a gym...of sorts. I didn’t see any huge difference in my body except for one thing. Because of George’s enthusiasm for chest flys, my bra size went up two sizes. It was time to say auf wiedersehn to George.

My next trainer was Tracy with the old Linda Evans workout gym. A friend of mine was offered a free tote bag if I signed up. I did, she got the bag, and never set foot in the place. I, on the other hand, went full tilt boogie and signed up with a personal trainer. Tracy chewed gum, darted her eyes everywhere but on me, and never varied the workout. Could it be worse than with George?! It was.

Tracy left to open her own place so I was spared the discomfort of breaking up. They then assigned a young high school football coach to me. He quickly concluded that coaching future possible NFL quarterbacks was a lot more satisfying than watching a middle aged woman doing bicep curls. Wow, could this top Tracy for incompatibility? It did. This time he quit me.

Then voila! It seemed as it I hit the workout trainer jackpot. 24 Hour Fitness bought out Linda Evans and I was assigned to another facility and another trainer. Wow! Jesse was drop dead gorgeous, charming, and a fabulous trainer. I worked with him for several years until he was fired. How could they fire this popular trainer?! His clients, myself included, were almost picketing outside the gym in protest.

To the benefit of both Jesse and me I found that my senior center gym would allow me to bring him in. More pay for him, less cost to me – a win-win. Until…..his pathological lying, unreliability, and perpetual sniffing was more than I could tolerate. Yes, you guessed it. The perfect trainer had a perfect cocaine habit. I guess the sniffing gave it away.

Then because I like happy endings, here’s mine. My search was over! Travis, who is a much sought after trainer, agreed to take ME on as a client! He checks ALL the boxes! And so does the gym he owns!. I’ve been told that working with a trainer is too expensive, to which I respond, “being sick and unhealthy is expensive and drugs are costly”. I’m almost 91 and take no drugs. Oops, do we count martinis and wine?