Where was I? Oh yes, my doctor. So you know what, I have gone to gyms in the past. It doesn't do fuck-all for me, no matter how long I go or how hard I work out. At this point, my health is such that I don't need the added strain of dealing with a gym. Joining a gym means:
- spending money I either don't have or could better spend elsewhere
- feeling uncomfortable in the presence of yet more strangers or, what would be worse, people who know me
- having to either go at a time when nobody's around or competing/waiting around for a place on equipment I want to use
- feeling embarrassed if I don't know how to use something
- having to carry around gym clothes plus makeup if it's a morning session, plus at a minimum moisturizer/body lotion if I'm showering, oh and
- having to shower someplace that's not my home
And before you ask, no, I don't swim. Never learned, although I've tried multiple times. So basically, the gym is completely lost on me, and I refuse to even discuss it anymore. However, I should be doing SOMETHING. Walking, every once in a while, if nothing else.
This last time I saw my doctor, in June, he suggested I get a Fitbit. Now, I have actually been tracking my steps on my phone. But I don't always want to bring my phone with me when I run to the bathroom or whatever (which DOES count, every little movement counts). I had been a little concerned since changing jobs, because I'm actually walking fewer steps per day now when I'm in the office (although I'm going to the office more often), and I really wanted to be walking more over time. My doctor said that people who get Fitbits tend to get a little "competitive" with them by walking more and so on.
Well, I'm not really competitive like that, and I apparently don't know a whole lot of other people who are currently using Fitbit (trust me to be late on the bandwagon), but it turned out that my company has a "wellness benefit" that reimburses employees for buying certain items, and a Fitbit is covered. So I bought one.
Honestly? No, I'm not "competing" or whatever. But I've been wearing my little rubber bracelet religiously so I guess that's not bad. I'm not bothering to track my meals or water because, honestly, I hate doing that. I mean, I don't mind writing down what I ate, but I have zero interest in researching exactly how many calories are in something that I didn't get at a restaurant or whatever, which is what I would have to do. And I'm already very careful to drink between 3 quarts and a gallon of water a day, because if I don't, I get really horrible charley horses at night. So, really, I'm paying attention only to steps, and I am doing a bit better.
But you're going to laugh when you found out what's actually helped quite a lot more than buying a Fitbit. I downloaded Pokemon Go last week along with everyone else, and while I'm sure I'm already pretty much the furthest behind of everybody I know in the game, I've actually made excuses to go on short walks, despite the fact it's the middle of the summer and I HATE summer in DC. So it looks like Pokemon Go is going to do for me here what getting a large dog did for me in Juneau, and get me walking once more. No complaints there because I used to walk all the time, and I miss it.
So, looks like I'll be going to the gym after all...the Pokemon Gym. That's the only kind of workout I need, and it's free.
