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Workout

Motivated by a desire to get in shape, I purchased memberships at the Jewish Community Center for Xy and myself. I’m more motivated than Xy, a bizarre twist considering that when we first got together, she was much more athletic than me. We’ve both changed.

When we lived uptown, right next to the Tulane campus, I had a membership at the Reily Center, which was ultra-convenient. Now that we live in Mid-City… hmmm, come to think of it, the Reily Center is closer than the JCC. Maybe I should have rejoined over there instead. Oh well, I think the JCC is ultimately more affordable and pretty nice too. I hear Delgado has a facility, which would have been much closer to home, but I don’t think they have a pool. Xy has some kind of fixation with swimming pools. Eventually there should be a fitness center at the new community center planned for Comiskey Park, which is about halfway between home and work. But in the meantime, it looks like I will be going uptown to work out.

So this morning was the first time I’ve hit a weight room almost five years. I tried to take it easy. It felt great.

I’m still trying to figure out the best way to fit a workout session into my schedule, especially considering Xy usually has the car. I took the car today, but I’m wondering if using the old bicycle isn’t feasible after all. The real puzzler is fitting breakfast into this routine.

In the locker room I took a moment to weigh myself. I’m at 196 lbs, which shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. That’s close to my all time high of 200 lbs, what I weighed after my first year in New Orleans, during which I gained 20 lbs. I lost much of that weight but not all. Of course, I don’t really care about my weight so much as my overall body fat percentage or, to be frank, waist circumference. (Most people would probably describe me as skinny, but my pants size has been steadily increasing over the years. It’s a far cry from the days that I was so skeletally thin I worried people.) Also I think getting back into an exercise routine will be good for my mental health, help me sleep better at night, and have more energy during the day.

Postscript: I can’t believe I didn’t realize the shower I had at the JCC this morning is the first shower I’ve had in almost seventeen months. Since we moved back home in November 2005, it’s been strictly baths. Our home shower was destroyed by the Federal Flood. I like baths, but that shower this morning was strangely enjoyable, and now I know why.

Published inBody

10 Comments

  1. Tony Tony

    That’s great Bart. Maybe if I stick around in this city I just might join the JCC. I recently cancelled my health club membership w/ WJMC. Been always looking for a spotter. You might be the ticket.

  2. Mom Mom

    I always enjoy the shower after my workouts. That’s the best part. Hope Christy finds time to get in some lap swims. Glad to hear your investing in your well-being. It’s money well spent.

  3. rickngentily rickngentily

    we belong to the n.o.a.c.

    wife takes full advantage of the club.

    i go for the shower, steam room , sauna , and pool.

    i don’t work out

    but that high powered shower head on my aging cook’s muscles

    on super hot with no time limit worries about entergy is the bomb.

    had to much to drink? sweat lodge and dry heat with high powered attorneys and judges. what a trip. (why are they allways reading usa today in there?)

    and the pool. i just float around like a big ol’ manatee doing ten min. each way laps

    i love it.

    the weird part is i still hit the scale every time im there.

    thanks to your post i will be going back into that routine.

    one more step to post k. being pre k. here in the eight ward.

    thanks.

  4. scott scott

    Congratulations. Though driving to workout would not suit me at all. I walk to the gym, but then, I settle for the French Riviera on Earhart. It doesn’t offer a pool, and the clientel is, as the potential slumlords in your neighborhood a few posts back would say “mixed”, it is clean and very affordable, and is in my neighborhood.

  5. Joe Joe

    Just wanted to write in solidarity, as a fellow member of the Skinny Guys Who Know Their Waist Size Keeps Expanding fraternity. (It’s weird to be the only one who notices my beer gut.) Have fun at the gym!

  6. I think it might be safe to say I haven’t taken a bath since the 6th grade, I am now 37 years of age, however I do shower on a daily basis.
    It would be very hard to live without a shower, I would have to rig something up.

  7. Why not just play badminton twice a week? There’s a badminton club that rents gym time at the Loyola Rec Plex every Wednesday and Sunday night. I’ve been playing religiously for the past 3 or 4 years. It’s the best kind of exercise because it doesn’t feel like work, instead it’s fun. Lots of fun! And the club members can use the whole recplex during our Wednesday and Sunday night times so Xy can use the pool while you hit around some birdies. Dave Cash just joined the club so you’d have the pleasure of hanging out with us and all the other friendly folks at the club.

    I started putting a simple website together for the club recently. It’s got more info:: http://neworleansbadminton.com

  8. uh, yeah she’s athletic! She did back-handsprings -LITERALLY- at her wedding, IN HER WEDDING DRESS, (probably under the influence-yet she didn’t stumble or twist anything). I remember that well. That & the vegan food.

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