Going to the gym

[Lois Lane]

I run on my treadmill at home in the morning before I go to work--I can watch TV while I do that and then shower at home; have some oatmeal and juice and then head out. When it's nice out, I like to take walks/hikes. I find that I exercise more regularly doing that than going to the gym (which I rarely went to for some reason). I used to take pilates and mat pilates classes -- which were a little pricey -- but it felt really good. I may sign up for something like that again.

[femme fatale]

I'm finally off to the gym today after a two week break, due to the busyness of the Holidays. It'll be great to get started again, but it won't be too regular until my thesis is done.

When it's warmer out I like to go running, in the summer it's usually three times a week, no in the winter, it hasn't been as often.

[geek the girl]

I am proud to say that I have never entered - or even walked within 100 feet - of a gym. I know, I know, don't badmouth it until you've tried it, but I'm almost 100% positive that me at a gym would be a recipe for disaster. I don't go very well with machines, and the idea of breaking a sweat in public and - the horror! - getting on treadmills and stationary bikes drenched with strangers' sweat? Not very appealing if you have a mild case of OCD. I do exercise, though: I try to walk to work every morning. Takes me almost an hour, and I have to get up earlier, but since I a) avoid having a bad start of my day by exposing myself to the nightmare that is rush hour traffic, b) get to listen to my i-pod, and c) stay reasonably fit, it's all good. Still, my early morning power walks only cover the cardio bit, which might explain why I have no muscle tone whatsoever. Maybe it's time I bit the bullet, swallowed my pride and headed for the gym? I've been thinking of picking up Pilates; it seems like the type of exercise I'd enjoy - not too fast-paced but still efficient.

Any other gym phobics out there?

[rt1ky]

My gym was towel dispensers and bottles of disinfectant posted at various corners so you can wipe clean the equipment before and after you use it. My problem is that as I realized my metabolism was increasing I used that as an excuse to eat anything. In college I could throw back a lot of food and still not gain weight.

This morning on the news I saw that the FTC is fining several diet pill companies for making false claims.

[Lois Lane]

This morning on the news I saw that the FTC is fining several diet pill companies for making false claims.

Good! I hate those ads that claim you can eat anything and lose weight if you take this pill...If that were the case, everyone would be a size 4!

[Lucy]

I'm almost 100% positive that me at a gym would be a recipe for disaster. I don't go very well with machines...

Having actually fallen off a treadmill, in a gym, to the amusement of the friend beside me and other utter strangers nearby, I can relate.


I'm a serial gym-joiner -- I'll join one in a spurt of good intentions, and then after a few weeks, I stop going. And then I keep paying the fees for months, until I finally admit I won't be back, or latch onto a different gym with different offerings. The longest I've ever really worked out was in college, when I was working AT a gym, and was dumped by a boyfriend, so it was easy to go every day after my shift ended and work off some bitterness.

I picked my last gym because it had a pool, and I hate to sweat, so I thought swimming would be the perfect workout. But it really wasn't in the path of anywhere I regularly go, and so it quickly became pretty easy for me not to drive out of my way to get there. Now I'm contemplating joining one (without a pool) near the local Target -- I figure hey, I'm at Target at least twice a week, so that should work, right?

[marybethp]

Now I'm contemplating joining one (without a pool) near the local Target -- I figure hey, I'm at Target at least twice a week, so that should work, right?

See, this is where I think Target is missing their mark. They should have a gym INSIDE the store. Now that, I would do My name is Mary Beth and I'm a gym-phobe, Target-aholic.

[Lucy]

See, this is where I think Target is missing their mark. They should have a gym INSIDE the store. Now that, I would do My name is Mary Beth and I'm a gym-phobe, Target-aholic.

They should make us climb a stairmaster to reach every item. I'd get a great workout.

[queenb]

I've been going to a 24 hour gym for about three years now (eexcept when I was in severe pain for a few months before surgery). I do pretty well about stopping on the way home from work three times most week, and in the past year I've built up to doing 30 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of weight lifting (3 sets). I do need to add more weight, and either another day per week or some other fairly strenuous activity for at least one more day per week, though, because I'd like to get some more weight off. Still, I'm feeling pretty damn good nowadays, and my statistics at the doctors office look better!

[Newfherder]

I just can't bring myself to pay to sweat. If I feel the need to lift weights, I have lots of firewood to move around; aerobics can be a walk around my property (the perimeter is about a mile); digging in the garden and moving gravel to patch my driveway can help me work on strength and flexibility. If I need to see scantily-clad young women to motivate me . . . OK, I haven't figured that part out yet, but otherwise it works out OK