shoestring

I love my job. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay that well. There have been times when I’ve considered looking for something else, but the costs far outweigh the benefits. I cannot put a price tag on my freedom (and the ability to ride my bike to work).

Life has become a series of compromises...learning new ways to get by with less...giving thoughtful consideration to the things I need vs the things I want.

A couple weeks ago my coffee grinder broke. I wanted to buy a fancy new one. Doing so wouldn’t afford me much wiggle room for the remainder of the month, but I went ahead and ordered it anyway. Then, I remembered my Father’s birthday and it was promptly returned. Thankfully, one of my clients at the gym had a used one she no longer needed. That will suit me just fine

I wish I could say that good coffee if overrated, but the truth is that it isn’t.

Maybe next month...

a difficult conversation

Since the beginning of the year I have made a concerted effort to provide better services to my training clients. Part of this involves bi-weekly weigh-ins and monthly body composition testing.

There was one evaluation that I was dreading. It was with a young woman who had gained thirteen pounds in the last ten months. This was mostly the result of a poor diet, but her exercise habits(only coming to the gym once a week for our thirty minute training session) did nothing to help the cause.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the scale. She knew she had gained weight, but didn’t realize how much. Initially, she tried to rationalize it, telling me that she ate a big breakfast. Unfortunately, the last weigh in we conducted was in the evening, after she had eaten all three meals. There was no excuse. 

She admitted that she needed to start eating better and coming to the gym more frequently...but in a way I felt like I had heard this before...so I spent a little extra time with her that day. I let her know that things had to change. It was a difficult conversation to have with someone you don’t know too well.

I saw her last night. She was there to take a group class. I realize that change has to come from within, but it feels good knowing that I might have provided a little spark.