I signed my life away to Spa Lady

I just joined Spa Lady gym, although I think it's technically called a fitness club. I've been thinking about taking some sort of fitness class for quite some time, and lately I'm really starting to feel in my muscles and joints that I'm getting older. I have scoliosis and some other muscle and joint problems which I've always been told can be greatly eased by strengthening certain muscle groups, and I went to physiotherapy for a few years but I found it fairly limited in advice and exercise plans and thus it was generally unhelpful.

I ended up setting up a tour and information meeting at a nearby Spa Lady one day when I happened to be walking past on my way to Orange Julius. I went today and sat down with a fitness consultant to talk about some of my health issues and how they may be able to help. After and hour and a half and some texts and phone calls to David, I ended up signing on for a two year contract at a good monthly price that includes unlimited use of the facilities and as many of the group classes I want to make time for (such as yoga, Pilates, and Zumba). Even if I just go to one yoga class a month, I will be getting a value far better than going to a yoga studio. I also signed on for 12 sessions with a personal trainer with a background in physiotherapy who has worked with scoliosis patients. A trainer pushes the cost up, but I have zero clue what I'm doing and it's important to have some guidance so I don't hurt myself. Everyone I spoke with was very nice, the facilities are clean, and they have smaller machines that are scaled to be comfortably sized for women.

I had to stress to them that this is not at all about weight loss. I am tiny. I need more weight, not less. As soon as I mentioned having a fiancé, of course, they asked when the big day is and if my dress fits. I expect that they see a great deal of event and seasonal weight loss in women who are there just to fit into an outfit or swimsuit. Honestly, I'd just go buy a new outfit were that the case.

The one mistake the consultant made in her pitch was a cajoling "C'mon, you sound like a busy working mom. When was the last time you did something for yourself?"

"Well, I get my nails done every few weeks, one or two pedicures a year, a salon visit for my hair every two or three months, I'm able to find time to play video games for a few hours a week, and I just bought a bag of nice yarn for a lace scarf and some amethyst for a bracelet that I'm making for myself."

"...Oh."

"Joining a gym isn't a treat to myself, it's something I need to do for the good of my health and well-being."

I got the feeling that she doesn't usually have her "you poor busy downtrodden woman with no time for herself!" schtick shut down so efficiently. But really, having a personal trainer kick my behind into shape isn't something I expect to be anything more than a chore. She might as well have said "C'mon, when was the last time you mopped so you didn't have to step on a sticky floor?"

I just hope this isn't like the cult of Columbia House.