I am not an active person. For as long as I can remember, sports and gym classes and just overall exercise were my least favorite things to do. When I was little, my brother would run off to his championship soccer games and I would either sit happily in the bleachers to watch or stay home even happier with a good book.

My mom never forced me into any kind of sports teams either. I know some parents require their kids to do this, and maybe that’s not the worst thing ever, but my mom just wasn’t one of those people. She preferred to let me do the things I love, so she fueled my love for books and writing instead.

I don’t know which situation I would have preferred had I been given the chance, but the point is that it made me grow up to love the things that I pursued when I was younger, and hate the things that I avoided (exercise).

Now that I’m old enough to make my own decisions and figure these life things out for myself, I realize that I can make exercise a part of my life in a way that I enjoy, and not in a way that is forced upon me like in elementary school and high school when I was forced to take gym class.

In an effort to find what my “exercise thing” is, I joined a fitness gym called Cielo Studios with one of my best friends two weeks ago. So far I’ve taken four different classes, basically the four main ones that they offer. The one I’m avoiding is pole dancing (because realistically, no.) but I thought I’d just share my opinions of these classes, from the perspective of someone who would vacuum and do dishes before any kind of physical activity on a normal basis. Okay that might not be true, but still. You get the point.

1. Zumba 

The first class I took was a Zumba class, and I think it nearly killed me. I’m exaggerating obviously, but it was quite a bit harder than I had expected. I kept up pretty well, but the one thing I wasn’t expecting was to not actually be able to follow the dances. The teacher was lots of fun however her choices for dance moves were a bit tough, especially for an uncoordinated person like myself. There were a few moves that I just had to wait out because I genuinely had no idea what she was doing, but the ones that I did gave me a really great work out. The hour FLEW BY and before I knew it she was ending the class and I was like wait, what? Already? I would definitely do that again. I think what I need is to do the same class over and over again until I can follow all the dancing, and then it would be the perfect work out.

2. Boot camp 

The morning after Zumba, I hauled my sore butt back to the fitness center for the class I was most scared about. I honestly, genuinely without any exaggeration here, nearly passed out halfway through this class. I took a good 5 minute break because the work out was just too much for me. I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to finish, but I knew that if I could just get back into it I would feel so amazing after. I was 100% right. I think I was in an easier boot camp class, but thank God for that because I felt like she worked us really hard. Some of the moves were actually so amazing and while I was doing them and slowly dying from the inside out, I was thinking to myself that this is going to hurt a whole lot tomorrow. But in a good way. And was I right or WHAT.

3. Yoga & Meditation

I took this class 15 minutes after I finished boot camp. My friend and I thought it would be a good idea to relax our muscles a little bit and give yoga a shot. I actually really enjoyed it, although it was really hard on my muscles. They already felt super overworked and some of the poses in yoga you have to hold for a couple minutes and I had a lot of trouble. I never realized just how strenuous yoga can be if you’re not flexible enough for it. What I did learn from yoga though is that I really want to be more flexible and I want to take more time out of my schedule to do these kinds of work outs. I left there feeling really great about myself after 2 hours of pushing myself really hard, but I was tired as hell.

The next day I could hardly walk, but that’s besides the point. It’s my own fault for denying myself exercise for so long.

4. Hot Yoga 

I think this may have been my favorite class. I was expecting to like it the least out of them all, but it was the greatest experience ever and I’m just looking for another day to go back. It’s been two days since I took this class and I’m still feeling the burn through my abdomen and the backs of my legs. I felt SO amazing after leaving and I knew it was a much better work out than I realized, without all the unnecessary feelings of wanting to throw up/pass out/curl up in a ball. I mean yeah, you sweat a whole lot, but leaving there I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt better.

Final verdict on fitness classes so far: I’m loving them! I’m always pumped to get there and see what it’ll be about, and the time ALWAYS flies by. I feel amazing afterwards and it boosts my motivation to eat healthier. Plus after a good work out all I want to eat is something really good, so that helps.

I also think that it’s important to choose a good studio. I really lucked out with this one I think. I don’t know much about fitness studios but I know that the teachers at mine are really amazing and they take the time to talk to you, get to know your name and they’re just overall super friendly. The atmosphere is also incredibly inviting. It’s so calm and peaceful, plus they serve this amazingly delicious tea in a gorgeous room before and after all classes. If it wasn’t so expensive I think I’d get a membership there for good, instead of this one month unlimited thing!

What are your fitness class experiences? Any favorites?