Gearing Up For A Workout

I've made up my mind to join the gym this week. They're having a reasonable online special at the moment, so I can definitely afford it and this Bally's is right near my home, so distance isn't an issue. It's just a matter of getting my butt to the gym a few times a week. Karen says that she'll go with me, but I have these fears of people laughing at the fat chick as she attempts to work out. I know they probably won't care one way or the other, but I'm still worried about this. Silly, I know.

To get myself into the mood, I ordered some workout gear: a T-shirt and stretchy black capri pants. The only "workout" clothes I own right now are ripped T-shirts and mangled sweats that are way, too tight, so I figured that I'd feel more comfortable if I at least look presentable.

I've also tried to map out a reasonable workout for myself. The last time I belonged to a gym, I could easily do 90 minutes on the elliptical. Obviously, I can't do that now, but there are plenty of other machines that I can work on. I can do the bike, the rowing machine, the treadmill ... if I do five minutes on each, just to start, and then add in some weights, that's a decent workout. Then I can work my way up. There's nothing wrong with only doing a few minutes on each piece of equipment until I can do more. From what I remember, I built up strength fairly quickly the last time I was at the gym.

I think that these are reasonable goals as I prepare for our Greece trip. There, I'll need to be able to walk up some hills and maneuver narrow, stone streets. I'd like to be able to enjoy the city, to be able to take in the views and just have fun walking around. I don't want to be in pain for this trip and I know that if I went right now, it would be a disaster. I NEED to get in shape so that I can finally get some of my life back and having this trip as a goal is a good place to start.