Oh, the things we do to look good.

I’m in pain. I’m in serious pain, my butt muscles are on fire, and when the instructor says, “Only 10 more of these!” I think I am going to die. I’m in the middle of my 4th class at Pilates ProWorks, and all of a sudden, I’m really regretting signing up for a 4-month contract package. After all, I hate working out.

But here’s a universal truth about Pilates that I’ve figured out rather quickly: hurts so bad during, hurts so good after. I’m only a few classes in, but I’m pretty much hooked. This from the girl who, very literally, had not seriously worked out in a full year.

Oh my god, that sounds so pathetic.

My issues with exercise are this. I grew up dancing, like hardcore. From the ages of 3 through 16, I was a dancer. During the last few years of it, I was at the studio 3 to 4 times a week for hours and hours on end. I grew up with my butt muscles completely concave, and didn’t realize that wasn’t normal (or the sign of a majorly in shape tush) until I stopped dancing.

For a long time, it’s been difficult for me to find a workout routine that I really enjoyed, because for me, dance had always been so fun. I have tried pretty much everything you can think of: a regular gym membership in which I do nothing but elliptical and lift weights (boring), yoga (boring…though I admit you sleep really well afterwards!), running (VERY boring),  kickboxing (fun for three classes, boring after), even rock climbing (FUN…but deep and dark in the Mission and totally inconvenient to get to).

So Victoria, why not go to adult dance classes? Well, I did. When we lived downtown, it was very easy to go to the SF Dance Center. But now that we live in the Inner Rich, it’s not as convenient to get down there, and it’s not in an area where a girl dressed in spandex should be walking around solo after dark.

Hence, the lack of  a workout regimen SINCE TWO THOUSAND AND NINE.

Okay, so why the sudden interest in joining a gym of any kind? I actually have my good high school friend Phil to thank for that.

Phil is getting married next summer to his longtime lady friend Kaiba. I was super stoked when I received their save-the-date about a month ago, and immediately took a gander at their wedding website.

(TANGENT: I am a total wedding website stalker. Those things go up on Facebook? I’m all over it. I love seeing what people register for — the good, the bad, the ugly. Once a co-worker of mine showed me a registry of a wedding she was attending in which the bride registered for light bulbs, laundry detergent and every single Yankee Candle available from Bed, Bath & Beyond. But that’s another story).

Phil and Kaiba’s wedding sounds like it’ll be super fun, a summer time fête in Austin, where we all grew up. A little non-traditional, the ceremony will take place at Barton Springs, and afterward, everyone is invited to jump into the Spring along with the happy couple. Cute, and so, so them. (PS, Phil, if you are reading this, no guarantees that I will partake. All of my wedding attire is dry clean only).

This all sounded well and good until I got to the part about the reception. It’s going to be fun and casual, with a pool party/swimming element included. Ehhhh….quoi?

In case you hadn’t heard, people who don’t work out for a year are generally not well suited to be prancing around in a bikini. I’m by no means overweight, but I’m not…oh, what’s the word….toned. The thought of a pool party with lots of high school friends — some I may not have seen in years — was enough to get my ass to the first class available at Pilates ProWorks.

So yes. Thus far, I’ve done 3 pilates reformer classes, and one TRX class, also known as You Won’t Be Able to Sit on the Toilet Without a Handrail for the Next Two Days class. In fact, I did the TRX class on Sunday, was still sore yesterday, went to Pilates anyway last night, and now I’m pretty sure I’m paralyzed for the rest of the week. Oy vey.

My first day at the studio I waited for class to start alongside a woman reading a bridal magazine. I wonder if it’s common for them to have clients who are working out to get ready for someone else’s wedding?

Okay, so enough about my new workout regimen. What do you guys like to do to workout? Is there any type of workout you particularly hate? Is there any type of workout you particularly hate during, but love after??

{All images courtesy of Pilates ProWorks. PS — If you’re in SF and interested in joining their studio or taking a class there, you can check out their extremely well designed site here, or their Facebook page}