At the beginning of the autumn, I started going to yoga classes at our local community center. I had selected the community center in the hopes that the clientele wouldn't be a whole bunch of beautiful super-skinny women, and in the hopes that the class itself wouldn't be above my capabilities. Nonetheless, I went into the first class very nervous. It was a challenge - and I learned that people twice my age can perform twice as well as I could! Despite being scared about continuing, I made myself return, and loved it. I continued going to class until my back injury. I resumed class yesterday, and had an excellent time.

Meanwhile, I got an email from my local The Dailey Method studio touting a New Year's Special. A couple years ago a school mom had sent us an invitation to a lululemon event there - we'd get a discount on highly-coveted lululemon attire and get to try a free class. I went so far as to create a login for the online reservation system, but then something stood in my way. I guess I just wasn't ready to take the plunge.

Part of that fear was definitely that I'd be the largest, most out-of-shape person in the room.

But every so often, an email from this studio would arrive, and I'd click over to the site to look around. I was impressed by how the program sounded, but would ultimately chicken out.

Naw, too hard!
This is for beautiful women
This is for people who are already in shape and need a challenge
I don't want to be criticized
I don't want to feel as though I don't belong

But when I got their New Year's email, I paused longer than usual. After all, I was initially nervous about the individualized attention I get at yoga, but overcame that fear. Surely I can jump into something new for the New Year and just see what happens. Plus, a section on the website talked about how although this type of exercise is very difficult, it is also rehabilitative. It is specifically made to not strain the back or tweak the knees. Given my recent back trouble, this claim made me think much more seriously about attempting the program than if I had imagined a high-impact-type gym workout.

And so I took the plunge. I was nervous last night, but also excited. I had many nightmares and had difficulty sleeping.

I nearly had a panic attack as I walked up to the studio because it is definitely one of those clean, expensive looking places. (And yeah, it is expensive, but I'm doing a "new client" thing that makes it affordable.) And of course I imagined that only slim gorgeous people would attend such an upscale gym.

But the front desk gal had a wide friendly smile. She showed me around the premises: all beautiful, fresh, and clean. There are showers that are much better than the ones I have at home, and water stations that spew out filtered water (despite the fact that we live in an area where the tap water is excellent.) The ambiance was definitely high-class, but I felt welcome. My tour guide let me peek into one of the rooms where a class was in session.

That's it! That class is where all the gorgeous, perfectly-toned people in my neighborhood come to maintain their shape! It was my biggest fear: everyone was perfect. But, I knew that class included those in the highest level, so it makes sense that they are already lean and flexible.

My tour guide smiled and took me to the smaller room where the "basics" class is held. My instructor introduced herself and laughed kindly when I admitted my nerves. "Don't worry at all!" she said. As three other students came in, they each introduced themselves and smiled. Two of them were veterans of the class, but one gal had done her very first class yesterday. Hooray!

Well, the class itself was brutal. I could tell that each exercise met its targeted area. The reps were set up such that there were about three more after the point where I would think I couldn't go on - which meant I was pushed, but for most of the exercises I was able to complete all the reps. During one calf exercise, my leg involuntarily shook violently, but I attempted to keep the rest of my body still. I had to stop a couple times for just a beat and then resume. Similarly, I lowered my leg briefly during one barre stretch because even if my will was there, the muscles weren't.

There are plenty of areas for me to improve; and of course, that is what I'd want after only one class. Thankfully, although I was challenged, I didn't feel too embarrassed, full-length mirrors that show in detail every bulge, be damned! Plus, now that dreaded "first time" is out of the way.

So, onward and upward in 2011!