I love it (not) when I get Facebook messages saying So-and-So is at the gym. My first thought is who cares? My second thought is why is So-and-So posting selfies of himself (herself) at the gym instead of actually working out? I don’t know about you, but when I go to the gym—which takes a tremendous amount of willpower just to force my contented body off the sofa, into exercise clothes, and out the door—I want to get in, do what I have to do, and get out so I can get back to the sofa as soon as possible. I don’t want to spend time texting or posting selfies. Besides, who wants to receive pictures of sweaty, out-of-shape people in skimpy work-out clothes?
Yes, I have ventured back to the gym after my disastrous run-in with the stair stepper from a few months ago. It seems I need to work on strengthening my back and my quads, along with every other pitiful flabby part of my body. I just avoid the stair stepper. But just because I have gone back to the gym doesn’t mean I have to like it. Yes, I admit I always feel better after working out (unless I fall down the steps of the stair stepper). However, I don’t particularly want to spend any more time there than I absolutely have to. As I leave the gym and see people coming in, I always think to myself, ha ha, I’m done and you’re not!
So it boggles my mind when I see people sitting around on the Nautilus equipment wasting time texting instead of working out. Especially if I want to use that particular piece of equipment. Seriously, what is so important that must be posted right at that particular minute? Then I receive messages that So-and-So is at the gym. Obviously So-and-So is just sitting around on the Nautilus machine sending texts or selfies rather than exercising.
This morning I went through the entire Nautilus room full of equipment while I waited for one dude to get off the one machine I wanted to use in order to finish up and get the heck back to my sofa. He was just sitting there with his phone. If I was less of a pacifist introvert, I might have been tempted to march over and say something snarky to him. As it is, I resort to venting my frustrations by writing about them. Because of that guy my hamstrings and gluteals didn’t get their turn to cry out, “Enough already! Have mercy on us!” So now I am walking around with unbalanced muscles. My quads got a great work-out, but my hamstrings, zilch. Can you just see my legs? I probably look like that guy in the Liberty Mutual commercial with the bulging calves, except my bulges are above my knees. All because some nig-nog was hogging the hamstrings/gluteal machine by not actually working out, but sitting there posting he was at the gym.
There has been a huge push to stop people from texting and driving, which should really be a no-brainer, but apparently isn’t to some folks. I say we take that one step further. No texting while working out (or pretending to be working out). Thumb exercises don’t count.
Ellen, As usual, your humor shines. As one who goes to the gym sans makeup and hair styling, the LAST thing I want is a picture of myself while there. I don’t even want someone to recognize me. So I’d never take a selfie there. I prefer to let the results speak for themselves – someday, I hope.
Me, too!