Killing Myself Trying To Stay Alive!

Yes, that’s what I said, “I’m killing myself trying to stay alive”. My trainer was here this morning and I declare that young man is trying to kill me.

This morning he came in with an exercise where you stand on an elastic rope, holding both sides of the rope, and then you are supposed to be able to kick your feet to the side. It was hard enough trying to get my leg to move to the side let alone do a sidekick against the resistance of the elastic rope.

The torture I’ve put myself through lately demonstrates how desperate I am to keep looking young or, at least not to look any older.

There is no burning desire within me to reach the age of “no muscles”. If you do not exercise your muscles seem to retreat on you. In fact, I’d say retreating is what muscles are programmed to do. Otherwise why in the heck is it so difficult to get those buggers to move?

When my trainer, who is about 26, young, strong and handsome, demonstrates the moves they look so easy. During these demonstrations I’m all smiles and joking around. Then I attempt to do the same thing and my smiles turn into grimaces. If you were in the room you would hear me plead and beg for mercy, while my trainer calmly counts and tells me to breathe.

Who in the heck can breathe when muscles seems to be calling out, “Don’t do it girl; just don’t do it”! Sometimes it is as if my body is pleading with me for mercy. Have you ever experienced a time when your leg said to you, “You can try to move if you must, but I’m not going anywhere”? That is probably why they call it resistance training!

A couple weeks ago I mentioned to my trainer something about Pilates. What did I do that for?

You would think after training with him for several months that I’d learn to keep my mouth shut. Oh no! I have to act cute and ask him about this doggone Pilates. Naturally, because I asked him that question, he came in today with a Pilates move. My God! It was something else.

Just try this! Get on the floor face down and while on your elbows and toes lift your body up and hold it for 30 seconds. My first reacion was that it could not be too hard. He made it look so easy and besides how long is 30 seconds anyway? Well, let me tell you! When I first got down on the floor, stretched my legs out and raised my body, the joker had the nerve to ask me to breathe and hold the position!

My first attempt lasted about 5 seconds and during those 5 seconds I talked to the entire heavenly host and called on my Mama. My trainer, whose name is Diego (or at least it was until today), told me that I had to do this same exercise 6 times! While I was attempting the exercise Diego had the gall to ask me if I felt something.

Yeah! I felt like killing him.

That exercise made me feel like I weighed over 300 lbs. The power of gravity is something else. Every muscle in my body called out my name. The stress even affected my ears, mouth, eyes and the hair on my head. Talk about a total body work out!

I’ve discovered that your body goes to battle with you when you try to move in some directions.

My entire body seemed to lock up on me, while Diego on the other side of me, was commanding that I breathe. Doggone it! Who the heck can breathe when under attack? My liver was talking to my kidneys, my heart was talking to my arteries and my lungs were saying, “Are you talking to me?”

After finishing that exercise I told Diego that if I had young children and they misbehaved the punishment would no longer be standing in a corner. It would be getting down and staying in that position for a couple of minutes. You better believe the little buggers would mind!

The gyms here in Grecia may not be what you’d find in the USA; all the latest in equipment, saunas, swimming pools, steam baths and racquet ball courts. But we do have trainers. Diego, my trainer, is a certified physical therapist. He is excellent. We do have gyms but the fancy ones are in areas closer to San Jose and Escazu. Out here in the country we mostly have small gyms. One Grecia gym is pretty modern but it only has exercise equipment; no Jacuzzis, saunas or steam baths.

So, if you decide to come to Costa Rica to live, you WILL have the opportunity to keep in shape, or to get in shape.

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Written by Jeanetta Owens who owns the lovely La Terraza B&B in Grecia which is about one hour from San José, Costa Rica. For a taste of living the good life in Grecia, Costa Rica, may we suggest you to book yourself into Jeanetta’s B&B for a nice long vacation.

Jeanetta’s B&B has been rated the #1 B&B in Grecia, Costa Rica by Trip Advisor. You can find her blog here at La Terraza Blog

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.