It looks like I’ve hit that age where high metabolism is just a distant memory, and I’ve found that my weight has been creeping upward over the years.
Yesterday, I decided to take matters in my own hands and hit the gym before the damage would be too big to be easily reversible. I visited this pretty trendy little gym not far from work. The girl at the counter (Shannon) was a little skinny, but had a great smile. She gave me a very enthusiastic tour of the facilities, and before I even had made a decision, she asked me if I was going to pay by credit card. (It was said as a joke, but I rolled with it and asked her if she came as part of the package deal. Not that it had any effect on her, she probably gets that a lot…)
And this morning, armed with some embarrassingly ugly gym clothes and a lot of misplaced enthusiasm, I started my training. Mostly, it was just cardio. I thought I’d go for a good 60 minutes on the treadmil, but soon found out my heart had other ideas. I stopped after 15 minutes and went to sit on a machine to take a breather. It also gave me an opportunity to observe people (especially the girls). I remember watching some movies where the underlying assumption was that people went to the gym hoping to score, but I was surprised to see how un-sexual the gym is to women. Most of them were completely uninterested in meeting anyone. They really didn’t seem to feel very sexy (well, not counting this rather thick-limbed, broad-shouldered girl in the free weights, but that’s probably due to excessive male hormones).
I’m curious, actually: for those of you who go to the gym, do you find yourself more or less sexy when you train? Also, when looking at members of the opposite sex (or same sex, if you swing that way), do you find it sexy to watch them train, or not really?
Just curious…
–Jaycee
Next update: Friday
8 thoughts on “My New Gym”
Ed
I have a rather private gym because of work there is usually no more thand 2 or 3 other people there. The few times when a sexy girl has shown up, it scared the crap out of me. Can’t look like I’m staring at her. Don’t want to make any weird grunting sounds. Just threw me off completely.
Jaycee
Man, I *so* hear you! Fortunately, I have bad eyes, and I deliberately train without my glasses, so it forces me to focus on my training, not on the hot chick nearby. Of course, if she’s close enough, I’ll still be tempted to glance, but otherwise, I can stay in my own bubble.
But you’re spot on when you talk about avoiding staring, or not grunting. The presence of a sexy girl kind of keeps us on our good behavior. 🙂
–Jaycee
AlaskaClose
<- Amusingly, Baby's powerful form is hinted at in the thumbnail right over there as of writing…
Kevin Toovey
There are many sexy lady that goes to my gym, they usually do cardio though, guess they’re afraid of bulking up… even though it’s really hard for them to do
Jaycee
Yeah, I hear that time and again, and that’s really a very misinformed opinion. Fat is about 4 times the volume of muscle (for the same mass), so it would take a LOT of muscle to compensate, volume-wise, for the fast that is loss. And building muscle isn’t that quick or easy for women, so this is one myth that just needs to go.
IMHO.
–Jaycee
anasazi
i use the gym to lose the winter weight and to stay healthy NOT to be used as a meat market and i have little use or politeness for those who do use it as a pickup point. so to introduce Faerie hijinx in one is not amusing to me and would be unwelcome.
Fereshte
I’m a Crossfitter, which is a type of elite, high intensity weight lifting/cardio workout, which I do about 5 times a week (and unlike the common myth, as a woman, no, I don’t “bulk up” due to weight lifting, we become more toned and slim down. I so hate that myth…). I always say that if you have enough time or energy to be looking at other people while working out, then you’re doing something desperately wrong with your routine. Although sometimes we do what’s called a “sports bra” workout, where women shed their shirts and do the workout in a sports bra, and men do it topless. I can never pay attention DURING the workout, but I’m not going to lie, after its done, it’s nice to cool down while staring as some amazing pecs and abs….
Jaycee
Crossfit training is CRAZY!!! I tried it once, for 30 minutes, and it was NUTS! Much respect to you for doing this 5 times a week!
And thanks for setting the record straight on the mythical bulking up thing. I keep running into women who use this as an excuse NOT to exercise, when it would in fact make them look leaner and healthier…
This said, speaking as a guy, there is ALWAYS time to check out hot bodies, no matter how crazy the exercise. We may not have time to ogle much, but we WILL find a way to do it, given a chance. (Now maybe I should give crossfit training a shot and see for myself… Sports bra workouts sound great… 😉 )
–Jaycee