Our march towards June continues. There is much
planning going on from all of those on both sides the aisle. The bride and groom are
selecting registries, deciding on photographers, music, menus and such. The
bridesmaids, I’m sure, are emailing and texting each other with secret planned
events. With my one son being the groom, my other son being the best man,
overheard conversations with other groomsmen regarding a party in April just scares
me.
Me? I’m
sticking to my plan to lose enough weight (or, when possible, redistribute it
to other places) to look good in a dress that my son insists I wear. I am proud
to say that I have been faithful to my personal pledge. Monday through Friday I
am at the gym at 7:00 a.m., doing a brisk one hour walk on the treadmill.
I am encouraged with the weight I have lost but will
not reveal the total amount till next spring. I have set levels of weight loss
that when achieved will then lead to the next level of difficulty. Example; lose
so many pounds on the treadmill, and then onto the elliptical, next level, the
stair climber (a piece of equipment that makes me want to go home and stick my
head in an oven just by passing it). I go early because I usually find that my
favorite treadmill is not being used. Don’t ask me how I found a “favorite”
when the 25 of them are exactly alike, but I have. And so far, this is what I
have learned:
- Treadmilling is boring. If you do not have good headphones to watch one of the 15 overhead TV’s or to listen to an iPod, forget it. There is no surviving walking in place for an hour without a distraction.
- If you want to slow down time, get on a treadmill. Trust me. I set it for 1 hour and it feels like three.
- On the other hand, I like when I get up to speed, walking briskly and safely (unlike outdoors where there is always the chance of getting attacked by a pit bull or hit by a car I didn’t hear coming because Adele was blasting in my ears). At this point, I can actually feel my legs strengthening. My breathing is controlled and my heart rate in check! I am mastering this!!
- …And then I hit the incline button and suddenly feel like I am pushing a Chevy that ran out of gas through the Lincoln Tunnel (something I actually did so I am familiar with the feeling – and by the way, people are not always as understanding as you might think).
- I've said this before, but never has there been such visible proof; I have short legs…long torso, but short legs. If someone next to me has the same pace setting on their treadmill as mine, my legs are moving twice as fast.
- Being on a treadmill allows you to people watch. There is a couple that I am guessing is around my age that comes in each morning and step on adjoining stair climbers. They are good at it. But a recent ladies room conversation informed me that they just bought into a 55 and older community designed for one-story living. Now they come here where they pay to simulate climbing stairs. Hmmm….
- Every morning there is a short, rather heavy set lady that comes into the gym about 15 minutes after me. God bless her, she is working that treadmill! But she is rather well endowed, probably in the double D range (I don’t have to go up that high on the bra rack so I don’t know what comes after that, could be higher) anyway; she does not seem to be aware that they sell sports bras to control the upper action. If she graduates from walking to jogging, she seriously could knock herself out.
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| Sadly only seen in pictures now... |
I must admit, I started this mission to look better
at my son’s wedding, but my motives have altered slightly. I like the way I am
feeling lately and recognize the need to exceed my goals passed a one day
event. There are many special days ahead and I want to be around to enjoy them
all.
Also altered since the last "Groom's Side" post, is the Jersey coastline from the
devastation heaped upon our shores by hurricane Sandy. Keeping in perspective
that thousands of people have lost their homes and all belongings, it is still
okay to be a little sad about losing the background of the wedding site, the
old 59th St. Pier, in Ocean City. Long a place for photo ops and
memories, the skeletal wooden columns held strong for many storms and
hurricanes, but not against Sandy.
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| The Bride...see what I mean? |
However, the rock jetty and beach have held
well against the storm and will still provide a beautiful wedding site. And
besides, judging by all the buzz and questions (and, no, I haven't found it yet), I’m betting that my first appearance in over 30 years wearing a dress will
provide much distraction for my family and friends...
...Right up until
the bride shows up, and then all bets are off.
Photos provided by ImageGoggle, Jo Ann Phelps, Trevor Phelps
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