Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Progress Report...

According to the FitBit Aria scale, I have lost 5 lbs.  FitBit has given me two weight loss badges:  One is for Lifetime weight loss for their system and the other for the 5 lbs loss.  Last night, I decided to check FaceBook for any friends who are using FitBit.  I found only one, a co-worker from my IBM days.  Next, I joined a couple of communities, in particular, one for those who have over 100 lbs to lose. 

I also looked at getting a bike.  I think I will wait just a bit on that.  The cheapest bike I saw for overweight people was over $700.  I figure I will just wait before making that investment. 

I am trying to stay a little strict on not putting in a lot of money into things that I may not do regularly.  That means, do not rush out and get a bike, then leave it in the garage to rust.  That goes for joining gyms.  A co-worker had told me about joining the Plano Recreational Center.  When thinking of paying the LOADS of money I did in the mid-90s through 2009 for the various gyms, I would say joining a community recreation center would be your cheapest deal. 

The first time I joined  a gym in 1997, it was with the IBM discount and the monthly cost was about $40 a month.  It was a nice gym and I got a personal trainer for a day.  Pretty soon, I left IBM for my current job and going to that gym was out of the question.  Luckily, I was able to drop the membership without penalty.

Next, I joined Bally's.  Worst decision I ever made and I suffered with it for 2 years.  I was never happy with Bally's.  Main reason I hated it was because I could not go to other Bally gyms without paying extra and to make matters worse, that particular location was a meat market for the single people.  Women wearing skimpy workout clothes and the others looking down at the who were not in the same great shape.  It was daunting to go work out there.

In Fort Worth, I joined Fitness Connection.  I did their weight loss and personal trainer programs, but with my new job, I just did not have the time to go.  Luckily, my membership there was month to month, so when I quit paying, that membership was done.

I joined 24 Hour Fitness when I moved to Plano in 2001.  I got a company discount, but it was $40 a month.  I was able to go to other branches, but only certain ones based on my membership level - similar to Ballys.  Another situation where I never seemed to have time to go to the gym to work out.

Once that contract was done, I canceled it and in 2005, I joined Curves.  I used it a few times as well.  When I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, I got a bit better with going to exercise there.  Curves is based upon circuit training.  I remember this when I was taking P.E. courses at TCJC in the '80s.  If I was not going to Curves every other day, I was doing the Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home videos.  Those videos actually can make you sweat.

Soon, I started running out of time to devote to exercise.  In the end, that Curves location closed as did my membership.  If you wanted to go to another Curves location, you could go to the ones that the owner had with no issues, but others, you had to go in and get a pass for that many days.

Financially, it makes no sense for me to invest in a gym membership ANYWHERE at this time.  I have a bad track record.  That is why I am trying to take advantage of those things that I have easy access. 

In other news, I was invited to be substitute at my friend, Laurie's, monthly bunco game.  I can never keep up with score keeping, but the rules are easy to remember.  Ever since I moved to my current apartment, Laurie would invite me to sub whenever someone could not make it to the monthly game.  It is $5 to enter.  Last night, I was lucky enough to have the most wins, so I won $20.  Another person got the most "buncos", which is getting the number you are supposed to roll on all three dice, so they get a certain amount of money.  Next, the person with the most losses gets the original $5 back.  I am not sure if someone with the most junior "buncos" gets anything - that is when you get the same number on all three dice that is not the number you are trying to roll for in that round.  I always have fun attending those parties.

I took my winnings and added that to my gambling money.  I figured that is the best policy.

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