Fitness 19

I joined a health club again. Not the Y, but Fitness 19. My complaint all along with the Y was that I was paying for service I never used, like basketball courts, swimming pools, aerobic classes, pilates, etc. Fitness 19 doesn't have any of that crap. They've got step, bike, and tred machines, free weights, and weight machines. And that's it. No less than I want, no more than I need.

The monthly price difference between the two is pronounced. I signed up with Fitness 19 for nothing down and $18 a month. The Y charges a $25 service fee and my monthly dues were around $65.

A few months back I vowed to get my weight down to 190 or so before I started lifting again. I chucked that out the door while in Minneapolis weeks back. My father-in-law bought Wifezilla and I passes to his club and we faithfully attended every day we were there. I got bored with just sweating to the step machine, so I started fooling around with the incline bench. The day I made a beeline for other free weights and I've been going steady on them ever since. I still do a cardio workout every other day, it's just not the sole focus of my new fitness regimen.

Unfortunately, I'm not losing any weight. In fact, I'm gaining. I was around 205 and now I'm at 207. Muscle weighs more than fat so lifting weights is going to nullify any weight loss plans I had. I knew when I prematurely started lifting again that I was essentially kissing 190 goodbye. A small price to pay I should think since I likely would have grown bored with just running or stepping and risked quitting exercise all together.

I haven't been doing any straight bench press since I've started lifting again. Instead, I'm doing only incline bench for my main upper body workout. I combine that with military press and some shoulder weight machines to better focus on the very top of my upper body. Once I'm happy with my shoulders and upper chest, I'll start working some straight bench press back into my routine.

This is all pie-in-the-sky during the summer. My concern is how consistent I'll be once school starts up again. I obviously won't be able to go everyday like I have been. My goal is to go Saturdays and Sundays and at least one other day in the middle of the week. Two if I'm feeling motivated. That would three to four times a week which would be great over the long haul.

I tell you though, I'm really going to miss my man-bosoms. Email me for a beautiful collection of Manziers, a wide assortment of colors and trim.