Balancing Work, Life and the Gym ~ Lin Thomas

(Published  in Tharakam 2014, published as part of the 26th Annual Jimmy George Volleyball Tournament hosted by Baltimore Washington Kings)

  Constantly juggling your family, career, errands and kid’s activities? Ladies out there, does that sound like your day to day life?  Does the day just get by you? Have any of you been trying to get some exercise added into your busy schedules? I am sure there are some of you who are regulars at your local gym but not me. My best friend in high school was an avid regular at our local gym in Goa and she kept coaxing me to join her. I was amongst the vast majority of Indian girls, for whom “working out” at the gym isn’t exactly a top priority.

Flash forward to the present time, as a mom of two young kids, I decided to turn a new leaf.  Few months ago, I zeroed in on ‘Zumba’ classes at the local gym. I procrastinated for two days, and 7.40 PM class on Thursday was my last chance for the week.   After a busy day of meetings at work and juggling project schedules, I reached home. I dillydallied till 7.20 and suddenly realized I would be late. I raced to the gym and explained at the front desk why I was there. They asked me if I had been to that gym before, to which I said no. It suddenly dawned on me that this was the first time I was actually IN a gym. I felt odd, almost embarrassed; how could I have never visited a gym before. As I had constantly heard about the gym from my friend as I grew up and my hubby is a member of the same gym, it seemed like I knew forever what a gym was. It just struck me that I had never actually even been on a guest pass.  

Everybody at the gym seemed extremely fit and looked great. The next thought that came to my mind was how unprepared I was. I was wearing a regular T-shirt not a sports one. I was carrying my hand bag not a sports sac.  I did not even have a water bottle in hand. What was I thinking? One look at me and it would seem like I had come to buy groceries.  I hoped that no one who knew me would spot me. 

After the formalities the manager walked me over to the Zumba class. The class had already begun. I found a spot at the very back corner so almost no one could see me. In fact, my spot was not even visible in the gigantic mirror on the wall. I didn’t want to look at myself. The music was in full swing and I joined in with the steps. The first few minutes were extremely hard and it felt almost surreal. The few girls around me looked like models out of a sports magazine. Slowly, I surveyed the rest of the room and spotted plenty of women in all shapes and sizes. I heaved a sigh of relief and continued. Upbeat Latino music was playing and slowly I started getting a little comfortable.  After the first five minutes it started getting a little easier. My salsa dance steps from a community class five years ago started returning to my memory. In my mind, I thanked the Senorita dance moves from a prior KAGW program three years ago.  My steps seemed to be getting into the rhythm and my confidence levels began to rise. In ten minutes I dared to move slightly to the left and see myself in the mirror. I relaxed a little as I realized I was not THE most awkward in the class. This was far better than getting four stars in ‘Everybody Dance’ on the PS3 at home. The synergy of the folks around me encouraged me to keep going.  I wasn’t here to win a dance contest and the best part was it was a lot of fun.

After my initial hang-ups and embarrassment, I reached a point where I didn’t want the class to end. Folks were guzzling Gatorade and ice-water. I had to make do with occasional breaks to the water fountain, but it was still okay. I was still having fun. The entire workout lasted an hour. The adrenaline was flowing through me; I was feeling refreshed and energized. For the next class I decided I wouldn’t be a newbie. I would be more prepared.  I got a sleek looking water bottle and some brand sports gear for the next class. The classes were fun and I kept making it for a minimum of two classes per week for few months. I also kept adding to my gym wardrobe and life seemed great.

My hypothesis (illustrated below) is that in life, many of us have a determination cycle. We start off with a goal feeling determined, work hard and feel pride when we accomplish it. Then complacency sets in and then we spiral back at square one. 

(Disclaimer: The illustration has been created by the author and is not from any self-help or behavioral trainer’s book. It is purely the author’s perspective and is not scientifically proven in studies and is not patented yet. After creating this illustration, the author did google search it to check if this brainwave has occurred to others and it seems like it has not.  :-) )

So my determination cycle to go to the gym then began its downward stretch. New job responsibilities, some more chauffeuring to kid activities and Old Man Winter hits Virginia. Do you blame me if I decide to hibernate away from the gym during winter? How can one go for the 7.40 PM class when daylight is gone by 4 PM?   So I relinquished the desire to keep up with the classes and slowly got so lazy that I stopped going. But hey guess what… Spring is here.  According to the determination cycle, it is time for me to turn a new leaf. I just heard they started Bollywood Jam classes. It is time for me to put away those winter sweaters and get all the Puma and Nike stuff out. Neighborhood gym, watch out… here I come. No more excuses – at least for a few months.