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So I am a regular at my gym, minimum of 5 days a week, 3 in the pool, 2 on the elliptical and weight training. That’s how I have been rolling and will continue to roll for many years to come. I am 65 years young and refuse to get “old”. Old means sitting around watching things happen instead of participating actively in life. I did enough of that at 424 pounds so I still have lots of ground to make up for. I plan to be fit and active for the foreseeable future and to do that I will continue with my habit of getting in my fitness, no matter where I am, eating protein first at a minimum of 80 grams per day, and drinking between 64 and 100 ounces of water daily. If this is what it takes to feel this good, who am I to mess with it, right?
That all being said, it is the first full week in January and everyone is joining the gym in a frenzy to lose weight, get fit, or meet their new year’s resolution, whatever that might be related to the gym. And I get to share the equipment and the locker room with all of them. Ugh…..It’s not that I don’t want everyone using the gym and getting fit, well, to be honest, it would be fun if I had the ability to just have it be me and a trainer but that’s not happening unless I win the lottery and build my own gym…I just want folks to be kind and courteous regarding the equipment and the locker room. Please don’t sweat all over the machines for 30 minutes and then just walk away as if your sweat didn’t matter. There’s towels and spray to clean up to make it sanitary for others. Also, don’t stand with your hand on a machine doing nothing but either chatting with your workout partner who is also standing and tying up a machine doing nothing, while folks are waiting. Not nice…. Cell phones get me too..talking loudly on the phone while on the treadmill, stair stepper or elliptical is annoying to say the least when it goes beyond “I’m in the gym and will call you back when I’m done.” Some of us come here for our ME time, our down time and don’t want to hear your latest romantic venture or what time you will have dinner ready…Get the picture… if you have to have a phone conversation please text…at least that’s quiet…
Two other places that cell phones make me want to scream - the locker room, folks talking on cell phones in the locker room think they are the only ones there, and nobody else can hear them. NOT…I have already put away my MP3 player because I’m headed into the shower so please... again, try saying you are in the gym, and will call back later, or text. I don’t even bring my phone into the gym with me because then someone is sure to bother me during MY time. If it is a true emergency (family or friends) they know where I am and can call the desk and have me paged or located. Please be courteous of folks who like quiet time at the gym. The final place that I have just experienced a cell phone is in the hot tub…Really? YES!!! I rarely use the hot tub; I’d rather spend my available time out by the pool swimming which I do. One recent morning my knee was bugging me more than usual, so I thought I’d let a hot jet of water run over it and see if that would help increase circulation and reduce pain. Silly me! The entire time I was in the hot tub someone was on the phone with their aunt talking about their upcoming plans and how each family member was doing well. In addition to this conversation which was loud enough for me to hear it clearly over the noise of the hot tub, it was in a foreign language… one that I understand so I got to share all the family details. This is rude… Tia, I am in the hot tub and will call you back later, or just leave that darn electronic leash in your locker dude!
Okay, rant over.
Now as I plan for the next few weeks of sharing the gym with lots of folks who will be gone by March 1st at the latest, how are you doing with your New Year’s goals? I personally do not make resolutions other than being kinder, nicer, more aware, and generalities of that nature. Resolutions are the beginning. Goals and plans are what make it happen. My fitness goal for this year is to be doing a 5k twice weekly on the elliptical. I am up to about 2.25 miles/day now. What’s my plan for getting there - Increasing my time on the elliptical as well as testing to see if my knee can handle an increase in speed. If it can, go faster I will go faster, if not I will add time. All of it goes toward my vision of ME as a healthy, fit and active individual regardless of my age.