I think I have been possessed.....

by a strange new addiction! I have never liked exercise, so much so that I usually do anything to avoid it. I usually joke that I only run for vomit bowls (in my job as a nurse), or for drugs/blood etc.

Last year a gym opened a few minutes drive from my house. I decided that I would join up, to try to get fit. The advantage with this gym is that it is on the way home from work, so in theory I could go there on the way home from work.

They have now been open for 6 months, and at the start of April I signed up for their 12 week challenge. That involved having an assessment with a personal trainer, and getting a program designed for me. You get bonus points for classes that you attend, and the winner gets a years membership to the gym.

I have not done too badly so far, considering the extra challenges I have had to struggle with...

These photos are of food we enjoyed at the Scquilters retreat in Adelaide in mid April. I had been really good for a month before this, so I allowed myself to let loose a bit. The dinner the night before the retreat started involved a plate full of all sorts of goodies from the buffet, followed by a plate full of desserts from the buffet. On my dessert plate (I wish I had a photo) I had seven desserts. I was good though, I didn't eat everything on my plate. I ate some of everything, and all of a couple of really good things.

The dessert at the Saturday night dinner was just devine. I could go on about how fantastic it was, but I think devine covers it. We had dinner that night at the Glenelg Football Club, which was special in its own way - my Grandad used to play for them after WW2. He was a great footballer from all I have heard.

Anyway, back to the original topic. Gym and exercise. I hate exercise. I always wondered why people felt good after doing it, I always felt like I was going to die, and wondered if I did in fact I did have any of those feel good hormones that are supposedly released by exercise. Until this week. I ended up off work for two days this week with the return of a headcold that I had thought was gone, until my sinusses decided to nearly explode on me and let me know they were there. On those two days I kept thinking about going to the gym, but you shouldn't do that when you are sick it is bad for you (especially when you are having a sick day). I could not believe that I actually felt the desire to go to the gym, before that I have always gone because I felt I had to.

So yesterday, after my 10 hour shift, I went to the gym. And exercised for almost 90 minutes. I did the bike, rowing machine, and the weights machines. After such a long day, and a hard workout, I felt good. Energised. I think I may have some of those feel good hormones after all. I am getting stronger, and fitter. Stronger is good, I completely failed all of the strength tests at the 12 Week Challenge assessment. I need to be able to do better than that at the final assessment.

I know I won't win the challenge, I can't get to enough classes with my shiftwork and being on call, so I won't have many bonus points (and I was away for 3 weeks). But I know that I have given it a good shot. And begun to like exercise - but not running. Two weeks ago I did a cycle class (like the spin classes), and then the challenge class run by the trainers assigned to my group. They can be really hard task masters, and I have to admit I didn't like it when I wanted to slow down and walk and one of them ran behind me so I couldn't stop. I think I more running than I had in 20 years. Talk about sore muscles!

I left the gym last night in time to be on call for the whole weekend (except Sunday night). I won't be able to do any classes, because I won't hear the phone over the music. I plan to sit now and watch a movie and do some knitting. And eat easter eggs that I have been slowly consuming since I came home from my 3 week holiday to Adelaide and Mildura. I will manage to use one of my yoga dvds that have been sitting in the cupboard for the last few years. I think that is the only exercise I will manage this weekend, I find it is too hard to keep the pedals going at a good pace if I don't have the iPod blaring loud music. I discovered yesterday the Ash Grunwald's music has a great pace for rowing and doing weights.

I am only a couple of rounds from finishing a hat, after that I can work on my Forest Canopy Shawl again.