Feel the Burn

This story actually starts a while ago, when my friend invited us to see a show at Casa Loma. We all met up downtown and ate at an amazing italian restaurant and then walked up the street to see the show. We ended up walking up the stairs to get there rather than walk all the way around. I remember pointing out that a scene from 'Scott Pilgram VS the World' was shot there, and that one of the bad guys died because he tried to skateboard down the stairs and the g-forces he built up as he flew down caused him to explode. 

We then climbed the stairs. 

Half way up I'm gasping out "No wonder he died…" 

I am 28 years old, I should not be having a heart attack walking up a set of stairs.

This was something of a huge wake up call for me. I never realized how completely out of shape I am! So, after thinking about it, and working out how I can fit it into my already insanely busy schedule, I've joined a gym! Now this isn't the first gym I've ever gone to. In fact this isn't the first time I've had a membership at this particular gym! I knew my way around so last night when I went to sign up I brought some workout clothes and my iPod as well. 

Walking into the change rooms was like walking back into the change rooms in grade nine. Everyone else seemed to know what they were doing, seemed to know each other, while I changed in the corner doing the two shirts at once dance to show as little skin as possible. When I finally made it into the workout room, I made a bee-line for the elliptical machines. I remember that I really liked those before, and apparently it's good to start with some cardio first to warm up… or something. Anyways, there were some ladies on some ellipticals so I skirted around them to give them some room and went for some machines that looked a little different but hey, they can't be that different right?

Wrong. 

These were cross-country ski machines, made to simulate the same motions and use muscles I didn't know I could use. But I was on it, and people had seen me get on it so I was stuck with it for 20 minutes. It was hard, and only my glee playlist got me through it. By the end I was sufficiently warmed up. I gulped down some water and headed upstairs to where the weight training machines were kept. Again, I've used these machines before.

But for reasons that I can't explain, everyone else in the room looked like this.

And I looked like this. 

But despite my obvious ridiculousness, I stuck with it and used a variety of the machines (careful of my back the whole time of course) Afterwards I cooled down on an actual elliptical this time, and went home feeling damn proud of myself. I even have a gym date with one of my friends this friday as well! I'm definitely looking forward to it! Now I just have to work on my cardio, because you all know the first rule of Zombieland. Thats right! This isn't just to get healthy, this is for survival!