make good use of my gym subscription

since my last post. That’s almost 2 months now.
On the one hand I’m angry at myself, on the other hand I can’t handle it.

I’ve adjusted my morning routine to include a walk at the track early in the morning. _{Maybe I’ll skip the gym altogether.}

The main advantage of this gym (the fact that it’s open 24/7) vanishes in August.
I checked out their schedule for the month:
weekdays: 8 am – midnight
Saturday: 8 am – 6 pm
Sunday: closed

How did I allow this to happen?
Within a week, I went from feeling energized and refreshed after a morning walk to totally exhausted.

I know the heat (consistently over 35oC) is also a contributing factor, but the main thing is I overdid it.
I used the cardio program on the TM, which adjusts the incline according to the HR reading. It went as high as 6.8% (which sent my HR into the non-aerobic zone and made me feel bad), only to dip and form a zig-zag.
I’m guessing this is a defective treadmill, and this is why it’s usually available.

Walking at the treadmill regularly is helping me figure out what my next fitness goal needs to be:
To keep doing it until I get faster without exceeding my maximum allowed heart rate.
For the first time in my life, my age is making me feel uncomfortable.

One of the good things about the gym is that cardio machines allow me to track my heart rate. I know that these readings are not accurate and I’d be better off with my own heart rate monitor (and eventually I WILL buy myself one), but this is a good place to start.
I’m getting a clear picture of what it’s like to exercise at the top of my “cardio” zone (and it’s much less intense that I thought).
This allows me to feel good about exercising at a much more relaxed level than most people around me, because it’s becoming clear that this is what my body needs.

My subscription started on April 8.
It was a special offer: a year of 24/7 gym access for 129 euros – which is the cheapest price they ever charged.
But there was a catch – it had to start on that date. Which was not convenient for me, as I was still recovering from surgery, and then I had a big business trip.
I wanted to start going at the beginning of May, but then life happened… and I kept postponing it.

Finally, I went for the first time on May 31st.
And for the second time this morning.

My goal for this week (May 31-June 6) is to go there (at least) 5 times – early in the morning – limit myself to the treadmill (no weight machines yet; no classes yet) – tweak the speed and incline buttons, so that I can stay at the top of my target heart rate range.
I think this makes a good start.

Update: Yes! I did it! I went to the gym 5 times, always first thing (or early) in the morning. And yes, I stayed on the TM. I was tempted to join the classes, but I remembered my commitment to not do it.

Notice that I don’t set out to “make optimum use of” or “get the most out of” my gym subscription.
I’ve been trying these goals in vain for 17 years now – and it just doesn’t work for me!

I just want to go there, regularly if posiible, and make progress.
I want to make exercise a habit that sticks with me..