Work was loong. At five o’clock, with the beginnings of a headache nudging behind my eyes, all I could think about was going home, putting my feet up, and vegging out.
But… I had Pax Beale’s workout schedule in front of me. My first, since joining the Body for the Ages Online Wellness Program. It was time to learn what it meant to be a Member of Team Body for the Ages.
I checked over the personal email I’d received from Pax, noting how amazingly in-tune he was, regarding my wellness needs. He was warm and encouraging, yet just strict enough to keep me heading for the gym, rather than making a bee-line for home.
Pax had strongly suggested that I print out the personal workout schedule he’d sent, and bring it with me to the gym, as a guide. “Consistency,” wrote Pax, “is key. You probably wake up at the same time day. You probably eat lunch at the same time every day. It’s important to work out at the same time every day, as well. This way, you train your body, and you “trick” your subconscious into believing that no day is complete without a workout at its normal time.”
So, with my guide in hand, I entered the Body for the Ages Health Studio. I had no idea what I was doing.
But guess what — I made it through. I followed my workout schedule. I sweated and breathed and laughed and at one point I had to sit down and rest… (”Baby steps!” Pax had written in his email, advice that echoed in my head as I got ready to begin again.)
Halfway through my workout, I noticed something wonderful: I could feel my muscles. All of them, it seemed. I was stretching, bending, straining, relaxing muscles that felt like they hadn’t been used in years, and it felt so good to be conscious of my body. Sometimes we forget what a wonderful machine it is.
When I’d finished the workout, two things struck me:
1. My headache had vanished.
2. Though I’d been dreading visiting the gym, because of my long work day and lack of energy, I was suddenly filled with energy. My visions of going home to vegg out had vanished along with my headache.
I walked out the door, and into the sunshine, wondering what I’d do with the rest of my day.
