Oh. My. God.  I got back from my first ever trip to the gym a couple of hours ago and it seems I may have been a little over enthusiastic.  1.5 hours of treadmills, cross trainers and some weird leg weighty things and I am starting to seize up.  Which is almost a good thing as then I won’t be able to move at all.  And right now even typing is making me consider downing a few ibuprofen.

Sisters 1 and 2 kindly took me on this expedition.  I would like to say that it was to support me in the un-fatness plan, but in reality, they just wanted a laugh (this is confirmed by Sister 1’s Facebook status posted yesterday which says: ‘so excited about tomorrow morning I almost want to go to bed now!!!!!!!’  This is later clarified with ‘I am going to the gym with Pog and Sal!!!!hilarious!!!!!x’  Thanks for that Sister 1.)

So, a few top tips incase any of you are also planning on popping your gym cherry any time soon:

• Although it is possible to go backwards on a cross trainer you apparently aren’t supposed to.  A Sister 2 is required to point out the correct direction (I still can’t work out that one).
• Don’t try moving your feet / sorting your i-pod while on the cross trainer.  It results in a rather ungainly slump to one side while your legs try to catch up with themselves (and a slightly hysterical Sister 2)
• There is a reason people take a towel to the gym with them.  You pour with sweat.  I know this shouldn’t be a surprise but as I usually exercise in water or outside I’d not realised how bad the sweating situation could get.  It is bad.
• Not everyone feels the need to have a shower before the gym.  Or possibly even apply deodorant.  Or maybe even clean their teeth.  A gas mask would have been useful while next to a couple of people there. (Note to Sister 2:  There is a possibility of going too far the other way.  In my view, you don’t actually need to body butter your legs or put foundation on…)
• Remember to keep running on the treadmill or you really will do that cartoon thing where you end up falling off the back (It didn’t quite happen, but it was close enough to receive a few smirks)
• When you get off the treadmill you may feel like you are on a boat.  You may also feel sea sick.  (No, I don’t know why either but it happened.  I was actually swaying.)
• Don’t tell Sister 1 that you think one of the men weight training may have a dumbbell down his trousers.  Well, you can, but just not when you both have your ipods on as you’ll be talking far louder than you think you are and will get strange looks…

And now I need to go and lie down on the sofa.  Where I may be for the next few days… :o)

I think I'll probably be as stiff as this lot in the morning...