The nzgirl Gym Virgin

Gyms give me a sinking feeling. I know I should go to a gym and I know I should want to go, but all too often I end up losing enthusiasm and trailing off. I think the problem is enjoyment. If I enjoy something I’ll do it forever but without enjoyment, there’s only so long I can be disciplined before I succumb to the (sweet, sweet) call of the couch again.

Every time I’ve been to a gym my focus has been weight loss. The problem is that then I feel guilty when I miss a gym session, which makes me feel like I’m not going to reach my goals, which makes me think I might as well quit! All this self-sabotage and angst is no good for the happiness levels so when the girls at nzgirl HQ challenged me to the five day gym challenge I jumped at the chance to try a gym that I would enjoy going to and that would make exercise fun again.

 

I’m back in a gym and I actually feel pretty good about it. First impressions at Contours Albany are great. There’s heaps of parking, super friendly staff and gorgeous bathrooms with huge changing rooms, fantastic showers and a makeup bench that takes up one whole side of a room, complete with hairdryers! I sit down and have a chat with Contours Albany owner Kathy, who takes me through my goals and how I can achieve them.

Then personal trainer, Sarah, takes me through to the gym to show me around. I love this! There are no big, buff guys laughing at my 1.5kg weights and everyone in the gym seems really friendly. Sarah takes me through the programme that’s been written to help me meet my goals, then I grab a magazine (they have a big stack to choose from), jump on the strider and go through my workout. By the time I finish I actually feel refreshed. Not so much in my body (it’s in a bit of a horrified shock that it has to move again), but mentally I’m clear headed and ready to face the world again.

 

I’m definitely feeling yesterday’s workout in my muscles today but the idea of a sauna gets me to the gym. I go through my programme again but this time I focus on really stretching out my muscles and being aware of how I’m working each group. By the time I finish I’m in an almost Zen-like state; it’s been ages since I’ve felt this in tune with my body. I head to the sauna to unwind (it’s free for Contours members) and it’s absolute bliss. It’s full-body relaxation and by the time I haul myself out to the showers I feel completely re-energised and refreshed.

For my third day of exercise I’ve signed myself up for a Fight-Do class. Fight-Do is a class that incorporates kicking and punching with upbeat music to really get you going. Sarah promises me that it’s suitable for beginners because you control the intensity of the exercise as you perform the actions. I’m a tad nervous as I go into the class and I tuck myself at the back because of my legendary lack of co-ordination, but as soon as we get started, I see I can chill.

There’s a whole range of people in the class, from the pro's (mostly clustered around the front) to the newbies like me, and everyone’s working at their own pace (fantastic!). The instructor runs through the moves before we do them, then we punch and kick our way through dance tracks. I especially love the punching parts. It’s so satisfying imagining all your worries at a spot in the air and then hitting the spot as hard as you can – instant stress relief! By the end of the class I’m feeling all Lara Croft-ish and take myself off to the sauna for more relaxation.

I’ve signed up for a personal training session with Sarah for my fourth workout. Sarah’s been fantastic at introducing me to the gym so far, but I’ve got a terrible feeling that she’s going to put on her tough face for personal training. We start off on the bike with me peddling and Sarah standing beside me pushing up the intensity (I’m still hurting as I write this). Every time I feel like I’m going as hard as my little legs will go, she pushes the button to go harder!

We move on to boxing which I absolutely love and I decide it’s a must for any fitness routine that I do. Sarah teaches me how to pivot off my back foot properly so I can punch my heart out and I start to feel pretty good. From there we go to a bench press and I decide I’m definitely getting into the swing of things – Sarah only had to save me from being crushed by the bar once. We finish up with some ab exercises and I head off to work feeling tired but very virtuous.

For the last day of the challenge I’ve chosen a circuit class. Circuit involves doing a whole series of weight training exercises, with small breaks in between each one for heart rate-raising cardio, all set to a soundtrack that makes you want to move.

By the end of the class my muscles are aching and I feel physically exhausted but I also feel like I’ve really achieved something finishing it. I’m a gym bunny! Or if I’m honest, maybe more of a slow-moving guinea pig but I still feel great!  Since it’s my last day, I do a Biostat body composition test. The test measures the composition of your body so you know your percentages of body fat, lean muscle and water. It turns out I’m quite low in body fat and have fairly good lean muscle (plus I’m 56.9% water) so I’m feeling super motivated to maintain the good results.

 

I can’t believe it’s the end of the challenge already; I’m enjoying exercise! My energy levels and stress levels have swapped so I have heaps of energy and far less stress. I’ve also noticed I’ve been sleeping better, so I’m less cranky (more of a bonus for my boy, than for me) and I feel calm and more content. There’s no way I’m stopping this – I feel so good! The ladies at Contours were incredibly welcoming and Kathy and Sarah didn’t laugh once at my lack of fitness or co-ordination. I think next week I’ll try a yoga or Pilates class and treat myself to a massage (they have an onsite masseuse and beautician).

Visit www.contours.co.nz to find out more now!