Perspective

Last night I found myself in the middle (quite literally) of a rather interesting situation.

Was getting my fix of cardio and Sky News on the step machine at gym, the funny skiing one that supposedly gives you fantastic glutes ... although I secretly worry that what it's actually giving me is man calves. Can this happen? Does anyone know? It would be tragic really, to think I was slugging away at a perfect bum, and all the while I was putting myself in the running for Achilles Lookalike of the Year.

Sorry, let me continue...

So there I was, when two very different women got on to the machines on either side of me.

To my left, ladies and gentlemen ... short dark hair, a cute gym-bunny outfit and a body that looked like she'd been starving herself and/or throwing up her food since somebody called her fat in primary school. This woman was going for it, although what source of energy her body was burning is anyone's guess – it certainly wasn't food or body fat. On closer, side-eyeballing inspection, she looked old, but before her time, and tired, with sallow skin and sinewy Madonna arms. And yet there she was, still caught in a probably endless cycle of trying to get what she thinks is the perfect body.

And to my right ... well she wasn't skinny (let's say a few kilos above average, though certainly not a fatty). But she had shiny, bouncy hair, glowing (if somewhat flushed) skin and she looked like she didn't quite know how to operate the machine's fiddly minute-timing, calorie-counting, optimum-heart-rate-for-burning-off-vida-lattes touch screen – which leads me to believe she probably spends her time doing much more worthwhile things, like having a life.

And there I was, in the middle. As usual by the way. That's me – Jade, the ultimate average. But for once I was quite happy where I was. Perspective is a wonderful thing, especially when you find yourself smack-bang in the centre of it. I'm proud of myself for at least trying to maintain a healthy body by getting fit and losing weight, but I'm also sure as hell glad I'm not on the slippery slope to letting my appearance – or what I perceive it to be – become the sole concern that the rest of my life revolves around.

Having said that, I forgot to tell you yesterday what my change for this week is going to be:
Gym a minimum of three times a week, and like I said that's a non-negotiable until the end of the year. Thought it was a nice, healthy, non-obsessive, easy-to-do way to start things. Got it off to a good start last night...