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Dear Diary,

GODDAMN, I love the gym.

Got back tonight from our first ever session and OH MY GOD. I loved every last, breathless, sweaty, exhausting moment of it! I used to sneer at people who said they loved the gym, or look at them with contempt, I'm ashamed to say. But it's like sex - first you're afraid of it, then you try it, hate it, and then the endorphins kick in afterwards, making it wonderful (although that may have just been my experience! I'm sure no-one else was actually ever SCARED of sex)

The machines I enjoy the most are definitely the leg press, the arm-rasiser thing, the one where you spread your legs and work out your thighs, and the bikes. I think I'm best at the ones where you work the biceps, as I always had very good upper-body strength. As for the rest, well, first I need to actually remember the names and their functions before naming any on here - but suffice to say I had a wicked time.

For the first time EVER in any form of exercise, I well and truly realised what I was there for - and pushed myself harder than ever. For once I didn't care what Joel, or any of the other gym-goers thought. I sweated, I gasped, I avoided my reflection and played my music loud enough to block out any "Oh my god, I look so FAT!!!" thoughts. Actually, I found that playing music really focused my thoughts, and helped me keep in time with the machine rhythms I'd set myself, which definately helped!

The pool was absolutely heaven, too - definitely a chance to cool off, slow my heart rate and enjoy myself whilst leisurely drifting along to Smooth FM, which apparently, you can't turn off in that building. Was a little worried about my tattoo - but got told by another member (being that 95% of them are inked themselves) that a mere 2 hours a week's exposure to chlorine shouldn't harm it, as long as I shower afterwards. So that's good news!

Seriously though - afterwards I was practically floating home on a wave of natural endorphins. I felt incredible - I'd always thought that endorphins were something that the companies made up to encourage you to eat more chocolate, or use their gyms. But it would seem they're real! It felt amazing to get such a rush from something I once dreaded, and I felt tons better. The day's aches, pains and frustrations from work were all pounded and hammered and expelled through every last drop of sweat. For once, I didn't feel self-concious, but simply glorified in every single stinking, breathless, gross, sweaty moment.

Can't wait to go again and get more Body Magic under my belt! Who'd have thought I'd be looking forward to EXERCISING? Now I know Slimming World has me in their grip!