My Gym Awakening at 35

By Noel Galon de Leon  

Today is June 5 and it officially marks Day One of my gym journey. I honestly just planned to walk in and maybe inquire about prices. You know, the usual Tingin-tingin lang po strategy. But nope. Coach Dawn must have majored in Motivational Speech because in five minutes, she had me signing up for a one-month membership like I was joining a fitness cult. A wholesome one, don’t worry.

Apparently, there’s more to exercise than just trying to shrink my belly so I can fit into my old jeans. Yes, the same ones that have been giving me the silent treatment in my closet for weeks now. According to Coach Dawn, the workout plan she prepared isn’t just about looking good. It’s also about boosting strength, energy, and mental health. I didn’t even know I needed all of that until she explained it like my life depended on it. Which, now that I think about it, maybe it kind of does?

For almost a month, I’ve been gym-hopping all around Iloilo trying to find a place that didn’t intimidate me. Then I stumbled upon Metal Core Fitness, a humble little gym right across a big mall in Jaro. It’s small, not flashy, but feels just right. Honestly, I wanted to gatekeep this place like a secret beach, but I’d rather encourage my friends who say they want to “start working out this summer” but haven’t moved past downloading a fitness app. This is your sign. The gym is open from 6 AM to 9 PM, so no excuses.

Enter Coach Dawn, my assigned fitness guru from June 5 to July 5. Not only will she be guiding my daily workouts, she’s also helping me with a beginner-friendly diet plan. And before you ask, no, it’s not just air and tears. She’s making sure I eat real food that actually supports my goal of not just looking better but feeling better too.

You see, I’m 35 now. And my body has been giving me subtle and not-so-subtle reminders that I’m not 22 anymore. I’ve noticed I’ve been getting winded just walking to the fridge, and my favorite activities lately involve lying down, reading, or writing. All of which require zero calories burned. So yes, I need this.

Also, my closest friends already know. I’ve been feeling like I’m constantly running out of breath even when I’m not doing anything remotely cardio-related. I suspect it’s because I sit a lot. My job demands it, and unfortunately, sitting doesn’t qualify as a sport yet. Time to fix that.

This gym diary is my way of staying accountable and maybe inspiring a few people along the way. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll read one of these entries and feel motivated enough to start your own journey. Or maybe we’ll even bump into each other at Metal Core, mid-squat, exchanging knowing looks as we both wonder why lunges exist.

Coach Dawn kept things relaxed for my first day. She did a quick weigh-in, took a photo of my current body composition for tracking, not for Instagram, don’t worry, and then walked me through my starter routine. Nothing crazy, just enough to make me feel like I did something without dying on the spot. Here’s what we did: Jumping Jacks, Bodyweight Squats, Push-Ups or Knee Push-Ups, Lunges, 30-second Plank, Arm Circles, Wall Sit, High Knees, Leg Raises, and Cool-down Stretching.

And you know what? I actually enjoyed it. The 3 reps per set didn’t feel overwhelming, and the gym’s fourth-floor location means there’s a nice breeze while you’re sweating buckets. The gym crowd was also surprisingly diverse, a nice mix of guys and girls. And with Pride Month in full swing, I felt like my rainbow-filled soul found its fitness tribe.

For me, exercise isn’t just about slimming down or chasing the ever-elusive “summer body.” It’s also about mental clarity. With everything going on in the world, from the chaos of the news to the quiet stress we carry daily, sometimes moving your body is the best way to quiet your mind.

So here’s to one month of sweating, learning, unlearning bad habits, and hopefully, fitting into those stubborn jeans. And if not? At least I’ll be strong enough to throw them out dramatically. Let’s do this.

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Noel Galon de Leon is a writer and educator at University of the Philippines Visayas, where he teaches in both the Division of Professional Education and U.P. High School in Iloilo. He serves as an Executive Council Member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Literary Arts.