Training Incentives

My recent health scare—especially the concern about potential liver damage—has given me the push I needed to commit to exercising more regularly. I feel like I have to take action now, especially since the earliest appointment I could get with a gastroenterologist isn’t until November. With that in mind, I joined my local Planet Fitness. Yesterday was my first visit, and I met with a trainer (we’ll call him Neo—not his real name, of course).

Beyond improving my health, I’ll admit I now have an extra bit of motivation to work out: Neo himself. He’s not the guy in the photo above, but the body type is remarkably similar. He’s cute, sweet, and seems genuinely interested in helping me get into shape (which, of course, is his job—but still). I’d been nervous that working with a trainer might feel intimidating, but Neo immediately put me at ease. During our first meeting, we talked about my health, my prior experience working out, and my fitness goals. We didn’t dive into a workout just yet, though I did spend some time on the treadmill. Our first real training session is scheduled for Friday, when we’ll begin developing my personalized fitness program.

Originally, I’d planned to work out before work, three to four times a week—around 6 a.m. However, now that I’ll be training with Neo, that plan needs adjusting. He doesn’t start until 10 a.m., and while I know I could go alone before work, the truth is I'm not sure I'd stick to it. I know myself well enough to recognize that after-work sessions, at least for now, will be more realistic—especially if I have a scheduled appointment. Once I commit to someone else, the thought of canceling (or worse, skipping entirely) would eat me alive with guilt.

Once I get comfortable with my workout routine, I can transition to morning workouts on my own and keep occasional training sessions with Neo either during the day or after work to stay motivated and ensure I’m making progress.

And I can't forget the Isabella pic of the week. This is her, "You need to go to bed" face (similar to her "You need to get up and feed me" face):

I opened my eyes this morning to see her face a few inches from mine staring at me. It's a little disconcerting when you wake up and open your eyes to be met with total blackness.