My Most Shameful Secret

drawing  by Allie at http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

I have a confession to make.

I hate to exercise.

My most shameful secret in life?

I have a degree in Exercise Science, and I hate to exercise.

It's not even a secret that I hate exercise. I have written 7 posts in the last year on how much I hate exercise, or how much I struggle with exercising consistently. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

And it's not even a secret that I have a degree in Exercise Science.
So I'm sure people have put two and two together, but it's so EMBARRASSING and SHAMEFUL to admit the anomaly.

I admitted it to my hair stylist, Jen F., at Halo Salon and Spa in Wexford back in March.
I was frustrated with not being able to lose weight. I told her that I know the best way to lose weight and maintain it is to build muscle, but I was so intimidated by the weight floor at most gyms. I confessed to her that my degree in Exercise Science just made my fear even worse. It was hard to admit that I had the education and no idea how to apply it to myself. In addition to my degree, I am a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine, and I'M AFRAID OF THE FREAKING GYM.

Her reaction was one of surprise and compassion. She told me that I was "one of the most self assured young women [she'd] ever met" and that she was surprised to find I was afraid of this thing - this silly, silly thing. I've known her for 12 years, so I took what she had to say to heart. She told me I have to go for it. She told me how lifting and doing Crossfit had changed her life. She gave me a name of a woman who could help me, and told me to make a training appointment with her to get over my fear.

Then I did nothing.

I did nothing for three months until I saw that my friend Becky had signed up for a Crossfit Foundations class at Crossfit North Park in Allison Park. Becky was my 5k training buddy, then my marathon relay training buddy, then my marathon training buddy. If I was going to make anything happen with Crossfit, it was going to happen with Becky.

I signed up.

Then I went on the Bachelorette Weekend Trip to Naples.

Then I went to the Crossfit Foundations class.

And I LOVED IT.

drawing by Allie at http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

To Be Continued...