mi gimnasio

I joined the gym.

Growing up, I was always the kid who detested gym (physical education, P.E., whatever class). I sucked at situps, pushups, running, basketball, baseball, volleyball, whatever. I was afraid to change in the locker rooms. I missed every foul shot, served the ball out of bounds if it even went over the net, whatever. I never tried out for any sport, staying a band nerd and a newspaper/yearbook geek.

I joined the gym.

My sophomore year of college, I joined Gold's Gym for $35 a month. I went maybe three times in six months. During college, I also balloned up to 265 pounds at one point due to depression over being gay and other things going on. My mom had to call and tell them, in the immortal words of Chandler Bing, "I quit the gym."

I joined the gym.

I lost 115 pounds (52.3 kg) in a little over a year with walking every day and cutting out carbonated beverages (pop soda refrescos fizzy drinks). For the most part, I've kept it off, averaging betwen 150 pounds (68.2 kg) and 170/77.3 between 2007 and now. At my lowest, I was down to 63.6 kg/140 pounds in June 2009 after a bad case of strep (amigdalitis) that March. In December, I was back up to 76 kg after a particularly bad autumn.

I joined the gym.

I was always jealous of all the gym boys. Being gay, not only do I have the complex of seeing guys and envying their bodies and wanting to look like them, I also have the complex of wanting to be with the hot bodies. But I've always had the excuse of money and doubting that I would ever go. Even after I was told by a psychologist that I should join the gym to work out anxiety, depression and self-esteem issues, the fear of that big matriculation fee in Spain kept me away.

I joined the gym.

In December, after reading every book by Federico Moccia that I could get from the library and then seeing Mario Casas and his abs in A tres metros sobre cielo, I had to do it. Like Step in the book version, when I finally got paid in January, I made good on the New Year's resolution to join the gym. I went to the gym, and like Step, I paid them the money (discount. With the matriculation, the first month was free.)

I joined the gym.

The gym has become my addiction. After being told to try out several classes, I fell in love with Body Combat. (I still will give Body Balance another shot and may try the new Body Pump choreography). While some of the classes made me feel exactly like the awkward teenager (the aformentioned Body Pump), Body Combat is wicked fun. Who knew that fake fighting choreography would be my salvation? I have also taken up running and the ellpitical hard core. It took me a month to get over my fear of lifting, and I had so much "vergüenza" to ask the hottie trainer guy for help. Now I lift twice a week.

I joined the gym.

And it revolutionized my life. I am back down to 69 kg (152 lbs). My nicer clothes are fitting again, and all my pants are wayyyy loose. (Hopefully I'll win the lottery so I can buy some new 28 waist jeans?) I need the gym like Mariah needs splashes of champagne at awards shows. It is my new addiction. I just hope I have time and money to continue with it in the future. Who knew that I had it in me to be a gym rat?

I joined the gym.