Gym Update

It's been a while since I commented on my workout experiences so I thought I'd waste a few minutes of your life talking about it.

When this whole thing started a few months ago I honestly didn't know how it was going to work out. I will say I'm surprised at how much I enjoy working out. I always thought "gym people" were a few cards shy of a full deck but after doing this I understand where they are coming from.

I've met all sorts of people since I started working out but most are only to nod my head at as we pass in the isle and say "hi". There are a couple of guy about my age that I actually talk to on a regular basis. We compare workouts and results, and share things that seem to work for us. This one guy, who is really a good guy, makes me laugh because every time I see him he keeps telling me how I'm shedding the weight. I don't have the heart to tell him I've been stuck at the same weight for seven weeks now.

I get a kick out of watching the "kids" work out. It's as much a show as it is for health benefits. There is this one guy who is about 28 that I end up near on the treadmill at least once a week and his routine never changes. Instead of starting slow, stretching or warming up gradually this kid takes off at about 6.5mph and runs for about 40 seconds gets a cramp, jumps to the side and stretches for a second, starts running again and the cycle repeats itself about a dozen times before he gives up and walks. I so want to turn to this guy and say "stretch first", but I keep it to myself. I don't want to be a lunk!

Gym etiquette takes a little getting used to. Gyms are a lot like men's rooms. For those of the gentler gender, unlike you women that go to the bathroom in herds, men at totally homophobic. You stand at a urinal, eyes straight ahead and you don't say a word to the guy next to you. God forbid you make eye contact with the dude wizzing in the urinal next to you. I think there is some rule that if that happens you go blind or something. Anyway Gyms are a lot like that. You leave gaps between you and the person next to you. if there are open machines and you get on one right next to a person you get a look that could kill. It's like you can hear them think; "fool I don't need to smell you or hear your burp or cough, so move your sorry ass over to another machine".

Cleaning the machines appears to be optional, for some. When I started it took about 30 seconds to figure out that most people wiped down their machine after use. I figured the reason we did this because belonging to this gym is dirt cheap and it helps keep the cost down. Then I noticed some, mostly princesses with good manicures and old guy, that felt it was beneath them to clean up. So now I clean before and after. By the way I am not "old guy". I am a veteran young guy, there is a difference.

Now the other thing that sort of makes me laugh is the fact they have pizza night and bagel Saturdays. Now here I am busting my backside trying to lose weight and they are waltzing in the door with 15 pizza's on the first day of the month. Have you ever tried working out while being assaulted by the smell of pepperoni? It's not easy, your stomach starts to growl really loud and then the girl two machines down looks at you like you just ripped one off. Another thing that gets me. They have about a dozen TV's set to different channels to watch while you work out and that's cool because it helps the time pass. But why in the world would they have one of those TV's set to the food network? I mean, isn't that a little like bringing a 12 pack of beer into an AA meeting? Also, am I just a perve or does it make anyone else snicker when watching a commercial for the food network and they say "party in your mouth". I can just go all sorts of different directions with that one.

Anyway, needless to say I am still working out, enjoying it, and I have yet to hurt myself! So I guess I'm doing good!!