My groove

I go to the gym 5 days a week. It was very difficult to get into the groove when I moved to Pittsburgh. I felt like drinking scotch and watching TV, not going to the gym, or even going to work for that matter. But, two things got me out the door. The first was the realization that the scotch and TV cycle could repeat endlessly leading to what could only be called a pathetic life. The second was an entire wardrobe that I bought which was one size larger than my last one.

Step one: find a gym. This doesn't seem to be an exercising sort of town. In fact, when I go out at night there are lots of people around who make me feel delightfully skinny--something not likely to happen in NYC. Finally I found the spot, the Shady X 24 Hour Gym, or something like that. It wasn't very big. It smelled sort of funny. The woman's locker room needed a coat of paint. But, it was cheap, close to home and close to a very fine coffee shop. I signed up.

Step two: get in a groove. Signing up may have been a leap for my cheque book, but it was a small step for me. If I went first thing in the morning I had to wait for cardio machines. If I went after dinner I had to compete with the no neck boys for the free weights. Now, I can elbow my way into lots of situations. But with guys this big there are basic limitations imposed by the laws of physics. I tried to go around dinner time one Sunday and was told by the attendant that on weekends they closed at 6. I know, I know the name of the gym is 24 hour something or other. But I was informed that just because it said 24 hours in the name it didn't mean that it was actually always open. I asked him why they didn't call it 'the 18 hour gym'. I asked him if the word 'gym' in the name implied that there were actually workout machines and classes inside. Actually, I didn't ask him any of this stuff. I just went home and had a martini. Afterall, a woman has to get points for trying to workout.

But, I am digressing from my groove. I found out that the perfect time to go was in the mid-morning. Very few people there and the ones that are there are mostly women who have recently given birth. I am in better shape than most of them and since I actually get to sleep at night I look better too. It is crazy just how much of feeling good about yourself has to do with who is out there to compare yourself with. Sometimes noticing other people is a purely selfish sort of thing.