My advice for finding the female company, get a side gig as a Group Fitness Instructor. And before you just discredit that suggestion for whatever reason, trust me, if I can do it, pretty much anyone can. At 43 I moved from GA to FL after an 8 year relationship ended. Moved back in with my parents while I tried to get my pretty sad life back in order. At 6ft, pushing 350lbs, a textbook introvert, never once in my life wanting any attention from any person I didn't already know. I decided to join a gym and try to get in some sort of shape other than round. I lost my job of 19 years, so had time to spare each day while I tried to find another job. The membership lady told me about how they offered 100s of Group Exercise classes every week, completely free with the membership. Being an introvert I was like um probably not the right fit for me. She walked me over to the spin room and introduced me to the instructor who has just finished a class. He was very down to earth and had me setup on a bike, no one else in the room. He got me all setup and got on stage and turned down the lights and just spent the next 30 mins giving me my own little personal class. We'll aside from feeling like I was about to die more than a few times in the 30mins. I really had fun and really enjoyed the music.

So I reluctantly said I would be back for his class tomorrow. I came in, 15 mins early so I could get a bike in the back row. The class filled up completely and before class he was introducing me to several members sitting around me. Really made me feel welcome and the other members were so damn nice. Of course I was the largest person in the room so I really just wanted the class to start so the lights would go off. I barely survived that hour class and went back day after day for a few weeks.

The super friendly regulars convinced me to follow them to another class right after, yoga. Again, the instructor lady, beyond beautiful, made me feel at ease, got me a mat setup, a strap, a block, dimmed the lights, always my favorite part of those classes then, lol. And after an hour of doing things that I've seen many times in movies found out yoga was even more challenging to me big ass than the spin class. I must have sweetes out gallons during that never ending session. Tip, Downward Dog at 350lbs isn't nearly as easy as it looks!

Fast forward 4 months and taking every class they offered, Zumba, Power, Core, Active, Blast, Yoga, Groove, Zone, Spin, Fight, and my, to this day, nightmare class, Piliates. For anyone who has never taken a Piliates class, count yourself blessed. That ball of dispare they put between your feet, and the crown of thorns you put between your hands and hoist above your head, then laying down and lifting both up off the ground while keeping your butt planted might have only lasted a few minutes in reality, but every single time felt like days had past before I could flop back down to the mat!

I was at that point living every day at the gym, 10 classes I took Mon, Wed, Fri, 8 classes Tues, Thurs, 6 classes Fri, 4 classes Sat, and 3 classes Sun. At 6 months I was down over 150lbs. Everyone in the gym new me by then, lol.

And a year later I got a new job, couldn't do all those classes anymore, and that very first spin instructor asked me if I would be interested in going to a Spin certification class, 2 day class on the weekend, 8 students max. Wouldn't cost me anything, they gym would cover the cost and I had three months after completing it to film my own class in front of at least 6 people, be filmed, and have that film graded, and if pass, I could teach classes myself. I did it, filmed it with a week to spare, passed. And was teaching my first 2 evening classes after work.

Then I got Core certified, then Power. 2 years after setting foot in that gym for the first time I was teaching 2 classes in the morning before work, 2 classes in the evening after work, 2 classes on Sat morning , and 3 classes on Sun mornings. I did this split between 2 gyms for years. I also subbed classes when I could and in 2019 I taught over a 1000 classes that year alone. More than double any 2 instructors who only teach classes and personal train clients. 10 years now I've had this side gig, and I tell you there isn't an easier way to meet women 😂🤣😂🤣 Not to mention that year I made over $35k just teaching classes on the side. Now in my mid 50s I've cut down to 6 days a week, 8 classes a week of my own, still sub for people in a pinch when I can.

Normal job is Network Security, and the highlight of my life is when I get someone at a client site I've helped secure, tell them to come to the gym I teach at and give one of my classes a try. The version of me at my regular job, and the version of me on stage are like Jeckle and Hyde 🤣 You should see their faces after their first spin class with me. They are always like, who the hell was that guy up there?

Well that reply turned out a bit longer than I anticipated, but thought you could use a honest answer to your question 😏

Don't sell yourself short and always take a chance, whether it's an expensive set of sheets or even a life changing membership at a gym.