Orange Theory Fitness

If you've read my blog for any period of time, you've probably read a post where I talked about trying to lose weight.  I don't like to exercise.  There, I've said it.  I don't like it.  I know it's good for me to exercise, but I spend the entire time thinking about other things I need to be doing.  Of course, I do that no matter what I'm doing.  At work, I think about the laundry at home that needs to be washed.  When I'm eating lunch away from the office, I'm thinking about all the meeting agendas I need to send, or the 2,000+ emails in my inbox I need to respond to.

In a shopping center near my office, I've watched a gym being built.  That gym is Orange Theory Fitness.  The hair salon I go to is next door, so I asked my hairdresser about the gym.  She peaked my curiosity, so I dragged Justin to OTF one Saturday about a month ago.

They explained OTF is a group personal training gym.  They have classes with a maximum of twenty-five people and a trainer.  Half of the group starts on the treadmills and the other half starts in the weight room.  The classes are an hour each and you spend thirty minutes on the treadmill and thirty minutes in the weight room.

I found these photos online.  They are not of the OTF I joined, but mine looks similar.

I need guidance in the gym.  I know how to run, but that's about it.  I don't know how to properly use the rowing machine or lift weights.  I probably don't even know how to do a push-up properly.  This is why person training is appealing to me.  I need someone telling me to run, slow down, walk, speed-up, use heavier weights, etc.

I joined the Saturday I visited with Justin.  I joined as an unlimited member, meaning I can go to as many classes each month as I want.  So far, I've visited 2-3 times per week.  I haven't seen a difference in my weight, but I haven't changed my eating habits.  I'm trying to get the hang of exercising and then will work on my diet.  I haven't gained weight, so that's good.

One way OTF helps you track your progress is to provide you with a report of your workout session.  When you arrive for your session, you are given a heart monitor to snap on a band that you wear under your shirt.  During the class, your heart rate is displayed on the two large TV screens near the treadmills.  A few minutes after class ends, your stats from the class are emailed to you.  My stats for some recent classes and my first class are below:

12/13/13

 

12/10/13

 

12/7/13
I don't know what happened those two times when I "died" in the middle of class.

 

11/23/13

 

 

You may be thinking, "Katherine, your first workout was only thirty minutes."  That's right and wrong.  The class was an hour, but Katherine only participated for about thirty minutes.  Katherine's heart monitor also wasn't tracking for the first thirty minutes of class.  I think I pushed myself too hard during the cardio portion of class.  For about ten minutes, I hung in there, but finally had to sit down for a little while.  I was about to throw-up.  I waited until the class switched and then I joined my group in the weight room.  That incident made me realize how out of shape I am.  I also realized I need to listen to my body and back off if necessary.  I know I won't get stronger if I don't push myself, but I don't think the goal is to see who can vomit on the treadmill first.

 

The goal of OTF is to spend about twenty-five minutes in the green zone and twelve to twenty minutes in the orange and red zones combined.  The rest of the time is spent in the white and blue zone.  I'm in the green zone just sitting on the bench waiting for class to start.  Everyone else is in the white zone.  You'll notice I spend way too much time in the orange and red zones.  My heart rate is higher than normal.  This has been checked by a cardiologist and I've been deemed ok.  My pulse is just high.  Exercise should help slow it down, though.  It's kind of embarrassing because the trainer always checks on the people in the red zone and they're constantly saying, "Katherine, are you ok?  Give me a thumbs up!"

 

I'm sticking with it.  Like I said, I haven't really noticed a difference in my weight, but I know I'll see results once I change my diet.  OTF has a challenge beginning in January.  You have to commit to working out at least three times per week.  The person who loses the most weight, wins.  I know I probably won't win, but I'm going to give it all I've got.  The prize is $2,500 and I could do a lot with that money.  I could use it to pay my gym fees!