Mind versus Mirror

Bonnie LarsonUncategorized 4 Comments

Will and I were gone several days last week ultrasounding cattle in eastern Iowa. And while on the road, I thought I would take advantage of our motel’s workout facility. I’ve been exercising for the last six weeks or so and I didn’t want to break my streak.

When I entered the fitness room, I was excited to see a treadmill and some weights. I was a little surprised, however, to see a mirror. And not just a little mirror, but the entire east wall of the facility was a mirror. This was new to me. Our little workout center at the school doesn’t have any mirrors.

But I thought it might be fun to watch myself jog on the treadmill, because, in my mind, I am like a gazelle. So I hopped on that sucker ready to admire my graceful style and form.

I noticed right away that it was one of those mirrors that added ten pounds. I just hate those things. You know, like the ones in the dressing rooms? But I decided the deceptive mirror was probably just used as an incentive to encourage people to workout more. You know…motivation.

So I upped the speed on the machine to a comfortable pace and began my graceful jog. I glanced up to see my gazelle-like reflection in the mirror and was horrified by the lumbering hippopotamus staring back at me. WHAT THE??? Is that what I really look like?!

Enough of that, I decided after a short stint on the machine. Onto some squats. Here again, in my mind, I look like the professional trainer who effortlessly preforms these maneuvers in textbook form. (I was tempted to turn away from the mirror after my initial encounter with it, but much like a car crash, I couldn’t turn away.)

I attempted my first squat.

Okay, there is no way that is really what I look like when I do a squat. There was obviously something defective with the mirror. So I tried a few more exercises. I even did some yoga poses, and I’ll be darned if I didn’t see the same thing—a middle-aged mom in too-tight yoga pants trying to look cool.

“But that can’t be! In my mind that’s not what I look like! I am a graceful gazelle!” I insisted. (Denial, it’s a powerful thing.)

I knew if I stayed much longer I would have to alter the image in my mind and who wants to do that?

So I hustled out of that House of Horrors and hightailed it back to the comfort of my room. I decided right then and there that I was not going to work out again until I was back in the comfort of my local workout facility which is devoid of any mirrors or reflective surfaces. I have to keep the image in my mind intact after all!

Hope you have a great day!

Comments 4

  1. All my line dancing classes are in rooms with full mirrors on at least one wall, sometimes two walls. I spend most of my time looking at the floor!

  2. That’s why I have given up exercising at my age. I am just going to enjoy growing old and out of shape and eating all the cookies and candy I can find!!

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