Curves, FAQ

Apparently, I'm not the only one intrigued by thick sweats, over-sized t-shirts, and the company of 60 year olds while working out. I've received a few emails with questions, and here are my answers.

1. The workout is 20 minutes (2 circuits) long. If you do the stretching afterward, it's 30 minutes. Each station is 30 seconds long. So I work out on a machine for 30 seconds then jump to a recovery platform for 30 seconds.
   
2. I work out at 7am. Curves doesn't offer childcare, so I need to be back home early enough for the Mister to leave for work on time.
3. I pay $34 a month. I think this is expensive, since the Mister's full-package gym membership is only $22 a month, but worth it so far. I think the price discrepancy reflects the size difference in establishments. He works out with 50 or more people at a time, I work out with 5.
4. The workout is as strenuous as you make it, so in my case it's a good workout. You can burn up to 500 calories, depending on how hard you work. The older woman next to me can talk the entire time, and does. She doesn't really break a sweat, either. I, on the other hand, can't speak, can't stop sweating,--and at the end of the workout--can't move.
5. They do offer a way for you to see how effective your workout is if you belong to a club with Smart Equipment. On my 4th visit (tomorrow, for those of you counting) they will program with my height and weight a little card that looks very much like a supermarket key-ring club card. At each machine station I insert the card and based on my data and performance, the machine calculates my exertion and calories burned. At the end of the workout I'll insert my card in a computer near the changing rooms. The computer reads the card and gives me a breakdown of the calories burned, strong areas/muscles, and areas of improvement.
6. Do I love it? No. I hate working out, I hate sweating, I hate exercise. The most you will ever get out of me is that it's ok, as far as exercising goes. I'm only doing this because it's good for me and sets a good example for the boys. Also, if I have any hope of losing weight I need to burn more calories than I take in. With my sedentary lifestyle, I would have to eat perfectly all the time to maintain my weight--let alone lose any! Exercising gives me the wiggle room to be human when it comes to food.
   

I think those were the most common questions, and I hope I did a good job answering them. Ask away if you have any more!

p.s. Sorry for the boring post!