Comment: No pain, no gain

My legs are burning.

The slightest stretch forward, and I feel as if they are going to give out at a moment’s notice.

My abdominal muscles are knotted up like a pretzel. And we won’t even get into the pain shooting through my hip flexors.

At times it’s almost painful to walk, and yet I can’t help but grin.

Ah, victory is mine.

After a near two-week hiatus from the gym, I spent four of the past five days sweating it out in the Lakewood Ranch YMCA.

And, let me just say it was nothing short of glorious.

The new addition to the YMCA fitness center is like a toy store for athletes. You walk in and you can’t help but stop and look around in awe.

I’m a major fan of the elliptical, as many of you who frequent the gym know; but with rows of brand-new cardio machines and weight-training circuits, it’s hard to focus on just one exercise.

I somehow feel the need to try them all. I think I could literally spend hours in there if given the opportunity. Of course, then you might not see me out and about for the next few days.

There’s just something about hitting the elliptical or the treadmill that’s refreshing. Not to mention the old adage “no pain, no gain” that constantly runs through the back of my mind when I’m working out, making it difficult for me to quit even though my body is begging me to stop.

Sometimes I just have to remember to sit back and take a break.

That’s probably what I should be doing right about now; but, instead, I’m staring down the gym class schedule planning my next move.

I’ve already scratched cycle express and Zumba off of the list. I may be athletic, but I’m not that ambitious. Not to mention that dancing and I aren’t exactly the best of friends.

It looks like I’ll be making the total body, Pilates and yoga circuits this month, assuming my body doesn’t give out on me before then.

I guess only time will tell … total body class starts in two hours.