FINDING MY INNER ENDORPHIN

29 March 2003

I took the shopping cart and entered the supermarket. You know the one--the one with the killer brownies.

Right in front of me was a bin of Odwalla power bars. Picked up two of those (Jeri says they're the best). There was a clerk putting lettuce in a bin. I gave him a big smile and said "HI!" enthusiastically.

There was a display of grapes and I realized I hadn't had enough fruit lately, so I dropped a big bunch in the cart. Then on to the green stuff. They had edamame, the ready-to-eat soy pods. Great protein source. Let me get some of those.

The butcher was putting out some fresh cracked crab. Yumm....we chatted about the otrageous price. I bought 1/4 lb after he gave me a taste. Just couldn't pass that up. Besides--seafood...it's good for you!  I marveled at how I was enjoying talking to total strangers...something I almost never do. 

On to the tortilla rack. Definitely need some more of those whole wheat things. None of that pasty white flour tortilla stuff that I used to live on. I needed more vitamins and fiber.

I continued through the store, throwing healthy stuff into the basket happily and when I got to the end...you know...that end...with the yummy sandwiches and the killer brownies?...I wasn't even tempted. Sailed right on through to the checkout stand, loaded the groceries into my car, gnoshed on my Odwalla bar (yum!...Jeri was right)...and drove home to put away the groceries.

What a change in my attitude. I was on such an amazing high.

Why?

Curves!!

I had my first session at Curves this morning and when it ended 30 minutes later, I think I finally discovered what all this "endorphin rush" stuff is all about.

The session started with taking body measurements (see below)...OK, that wasn't the best part (but I wasn't embarrassed because I know where I've come from and I know where I'm headed). Then the weight (I was right--just about what it was at WW last week).  Apparently they weigh and measure once a month, so it will be interesting to see how things change.

...And then into the circle.

For those unfamiliar with Curves (which I was a week ago), it consists of, I think, 8 hydraulic machines placed in a circle with walking pads between them. You start at one place, use the machine for 35 seconds while relentless disco music plays in the background, then at the end of 35 seconds the recording says "change stations" and you move to the next place in the circle. You are always either on a machine or marching in place. Every 8 minutes you move off the machines and check your pulse rate and compare it with a chart--if it's too fast, you slow down.

You make the circle three times and then do some stretching exercises and then you're done.

It's easy, easy, easy. I mean--anybody can last 35 seconds at something -- and this wasn't even difficult. It's fun -- I was laughing with the woman I was exercising with -- and, as I said earlier, I don't easily talk to strangers. None of the machines was difficult (though I have had a year of weight machines at the club, so maybe that helped -- but even if I'd just been starting out, I think it still would have been relatively effortless), the marching in place was just that -- marching in place -- nobody was doing difficult aerobics or anything.

When I came to the end, I was amazed that I'd done it. And that I really wanted to do MORE. Especially the leg press, which is still my favorite weight machine.

This may have opened up a whole new world for me. I have exercised, and I have not only "done all right," not only "kinda liked it," I actually loved it.

They recommend exercising at least three times a week (though say you get better results if you exercise every day). I'm going to go back tomorrow and see how I feel on day #2 and, since it's right there in the complex where I work, it would be possible for me to go every weekday, at least, if I decide I want to. The way I feel right now, I'm ready to go back and do it again right now.

Is it endorphins or is it Odwalla?

Who knows?

Who cares?