In whatever sports I've been involved in since early youth - assuming I played, I got sweaty. I don't remember ever NOT getting sweaty when active. Embarrassed in my younger years - I attributed it to getting my dads' genetics. I don't know if my dad is that much of a perspirer <?> but I remembered having seen him down right sweaty. So - there it was. My excuse.
Once you have kids and more people than you care to count have been involved in the birth of the kids - some things aren't as big of a deal. A lot of things aren't as big of a deal. Sweating while working out or playing pickleball was one of them for me. It's natural. Okay, it can be gross, offensive even... but it's just sweat.
The Dad and I didn't work out - like ever - until I tore my achilles tendon for the second time in 2001. When the cast came off but I was forced to live with that sexy gray walking boot for 8 weeks, the physical therapists told me I could ride the stationary bikes to help slowly stretch and exercise the muscles and tendons until I was out of the glorious boot.
While not fitness active - I was busy running to and fro chasing around a 12. 10 and 8 year old to all sorts of school and sporting activities. I was "active" enough that I wasn't overweight and I didn't really have to think about what I was eating. I didn't think about my intake - at all.
A laparoscopy for this, a laparoscopy for that, an ablation, a partial hysterectomy and then... a year after the last one... the rest. Hormone shots did not agree with me, nor did the lotion that was made specifically for me. All of these things attributed to me now having to watch what I eat... which is depressing, to say the least, as well as keep up my workouts. That aside, about 3 months ago - I noticed I didn't start sweating within the "normal" amount of time I usually do when I start my workout. I know myself well enough to know that this had probably been the case for upwards of 3-4 weeks because I just don't pay very good attention to my body and if I had noticed it, would have shrugged it off until I "noticed" it.
And so I did. I'd been having mysterious, unexplained back pain, was tested for everything under the sun, prescribed massage, physical therapy, stretches and told to keep doing what I do. And I did. Still - mostly "unsweaty". I began to know what it feels like to be one of the women to leave the gym without a red, sweaty face or top. You know, the ones that go to the gym with full done hair and makeup and they leave looking just the same as they looked when they walked in? I didn't like it. Seriously. I had always attributed how hard I had worked out by my "sweat factor" and now I wasn't sweating. I remember thinking I should embrace this, but I couldn't. I thought maybe, just maybe, I'm not going to be the sweaty me anymore. But it still didn't feel like the usual "me".
Okay, so now the reason behind the mysterious back pain is gone. Check. Still working out. Check. Switched gyms. Check. Revamped, revised my workout. Check. Still watching what I/we eat. Check. Realized that at my age and as I get older - those workouts perhaps need to be longer. Check. Implemented that. Check.
I said I wanted to get back to "me" a few posts back. Well - I'm one step closer. The past four days (likely longer - remember I don't pay very good attention until I have to) the sweat is back. I mean... good and back. The poor souls working out at Golds Gym, or even those that plain work there - had no clue what hit them when I moved over. Actually, I'm pretty sure my first week there was mostly sweat-free, that much I remember. But now - I'm back. Or at least one step closer.
Who would have thought they'd ever hear a girl be thankful she's sweating again? Once upon a time someone told me that sweating is a sign of good health. I choose to believe that in part, this is why I sweat the way I do when I work out. I still also believe that genetics play a part of this. Either way - I wasn't sweating for a few months, while I was experiencing unexplained pain/illness and as soon as the very thing behind that was removed - I believe I began to "heal".
I always knew I was meant to live a life of luxury - at home, eating bon bons, washing and ironing clothes and things of that nature. Who knew that would be my saving grace back to the "Sweat Factory"?
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