The Diaper Bag

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Observations from the gym

I joined 24 Hour Fitness the beginning of February. I go 4 times a week. I wish that I would have lost more weight by now, but I did recently try on pre-pregnancy pants and they all fit! You know in the commercials for 24Hr. Fitness they have everyone wearing t-shirts for why they are there? I guess if you live in Houston you know, if you live elsewhere, you have no idea what I am talking about. I'll explain: you see random people working out...each wearing a white t-shirt with black lettering of why they are working out...examples: "Fit into new leather pants", "Lose baby weight", "Lose love handles", "Get a six pack", "My baby", "Look even sexier" (Shaq wears that one), etc... I really wish they sold those t-shirts...I would of course get the "Lose baby weight" one. Anyway, while I was on the leg adduction (inner thigh) machine, I started observing the many things going on in the gym. Here are some of my observations:
1. People make really strange noises while working out.
2. If you are a women, a thong is a must-wear undergarment.
3. It is a meat market (see #2).
4. Quite a few of the men (and some women) MUST take steroids. You can tell when they start talking.
5. Again, if you are a women, make-up is a must.
6. Everyone is checking everyone else out.
7. People make really funny faces when working out.
8. As soon as I walk out of the kids care, any big pumped up guy will goo-goo gaa-gaa over Elias.
9. Nobody smiles (unless you smile first).
10. 9:00 p.m. seems to be the busiest time that I have been to the gym.
11. Fake tans are a must.

It has been really fun to observe people. I really like it when the music, that is blaring throughout the building, for whatever reason, shuts off. You can hear the soft whooshing of the elliptical, treadmills, and bikes. You hear the loud clanging of free weights and lots of grunting. There are a few people who are like me...they are there to either lose weight, or just get toned up...not these fanatical pumped up dudes or "gals". But those are the most fun to watch...constantly watching each other. I go in loose work-out pants and a big t-shirt and NO make-up (I sweat like a mother). You will never see me in skin tight bike shorts and a sports bra. Maybe if I was single or looking for a big muscle man...I mean is a gym like a bar? I think it is. Anyway, I have fun and I go for ME. Elias has a lot of fun in the kids club and the ladies who watch him LOVE him. I have 2 more months before we move and I think I will really miss the gym. I got a great deal from the manager and I don't think I can find such a cheap deal in Lafayette. Lafayette has only one really big healthclub and it is local. It is called Red's. I actually saw a guy at my gym with a Red's t-shirt on. I asked him about it and he said (in a really deep voice), "Yeah, that is a GREAT gym." You have to have been there to know...it is THE place to work-out in Lafayette. If you are anybody in Lafayette, you go to Red's. There are a couple of other smaller places...Curves I think is the only chain there. Red's has a monopoly on the place. Anyway, I will have to work-out the old fashioned way...the pavement. Any friends in Lafayette want a work-out partner??