« Business casual in warm weather | Home | New items »
Gym confessions
By Meg | August 22, 2007
I have a confession to make. I’ve been a total slacker this summer. It’s been so hot and I’ve just been feeling blah in general. I’m scared to look at my gym sheet to see when was the last time I did the “line” (literally, a line of weight machines). However, I know it’s time to get back in gear if I am ever going to recover from this summer which has unfortunately resulted in the usual consequence… I’ve gained some weight.
In addition to the weight guilt, every month I feel the guilt of yet another membership payment. Membership is not cheap. In fact, my husband and I had finally gotten our butts to the gym and were both listening to a “reduce debt, retire a millionaire” type show the other night when one of the guests recommended cutting out gym memberships. But despite our current cost to time ratio and the fact that neither of us are athletic, my husband and I looked at each other like “No way! Is he joking?” I know that having a gym membership is a luxury. Sure, walking the neighborhood is free, but I know that I won’t do it in this heat. I could buy a treadmill and a total body weight machine, but then I have no where to put them unless I buy a larger house. Plus, exercise machines aren’t cheap, I know I’d get bored by one or two machines (as I have in the past), and I wouldn’t have access to other facilities (like the sauna, pool, hot tub, helpful stall, social pressure, etc.). So, I will continue to shell out for the membership regardless of how little I use it. And if I do use it, then the cost right now more than makes up for the long term benefits of living a happier, longer, healthier life with fewer medical bills.
Hopefully my habits are changing, though. I’m trying to go regularly and just get into the habit of going even if I just show up, turn around, and leave. Of course, the three times I’ve gone this week I’ve managed to overdo it - despite knowing that I really shouldn’t. That’s me. Maybe things will settle into a nice routine, though, if I keep at it. I am doing something differently. While I love going with my husband to the co-ed center, this week I’ve started going to the women-only center on my own, since I never seem to feel up to going when he’s done with work for the day. I was nervous about going there for the first time, and alone, but it’s really quite nice and I’m looking forward to getting to know people there.
I almost wish I had something to tell you about how awful or rude the people were at either gym, but to tell you the truth, there haven’t been any problems I’ve seen. Maybe some of you have some horror stories to share, but I’m fresh out. Everyone here just seems to wear the usual gym clothes, with everything covered that should be. There haven’t even been significant breaches of gym etiquette.
Still, there is one thing I dislike about the women’s center - the mirror right in front of the treadmills. I don’t need to be reminded that my face is flushed and that my bangs have turned into a sweaty mess (with the inevitable devil’s horns). Now, I’m not going to bother to do my hair and makeup just to go to the gym - no matter who I might see there. If I did, I might never get there. Fortunately, having a women only gym does make that a bit easier. At the very least, though, I do wear some small earrings and a bit of pink lip gloss to help me look presentable to myself. For some reason, those small feminine touches make staring at myself for an hour a lot easier.
Tags: Body, Health
Related Posts:
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:04 am
I normally stare up at the TV, and never really at myself.. I look too strange all sweaty and flushed.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:58 pm
I try to look at the t.v., too. In the women’s gym the televisions are right on the treadmills, so I see my head in the mirror right above the t.v. (the women are really spoiled at this gym, you should see the bathroom sinks!). Eventually I get into the show and forget about the ’strange’ version of Meg staring back at me. Glad to know I’m not the only one to feel that way, though.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to the gym today and I don’t know if I will tomorrow. I had good reason, though. Today I spent the day with a couple a great friends and tomorrow I might be going out clubbing with another couple of friends. It’s not quite as strenuous as going to the gym, but it does mean I’ll be pretty active.