Motivation and encouragement can come in the strangest of forms. On a recent unplanned--right now all of mine are unplanned since I have no real schedule--gym session I experienced such. After a mild argument with with my significant other I needed some time away from him, the kids, the house. Most importantly, I needed to exercise because I was seriously lacking and feeling every bit of it! It was about eight o'clock in the evening, which was pretty late for me but what the heck--it's summer time. The days are longer and if I'd stayed home I wasn't going to do anything but lay across my bed for about two to three hours watching T.V. before going to bed. I need to stop placing limitations on when I can and cannot go to the gym. In my current condition, I need to be at somebody's gym whenever I can get there!
Anyway, I arrived at the gym all pumped up to power walk away the frustrations of life with my favorite workout music playing through my iPod. I ended up choosing a treadmill next to one that was occupied by an Indian gentleman who didn't, I couldn't help noticing, have any music player with him. Why does this matter? Because when I listen to my music during my powerwalks, I'm prone to sing along with my music and I'm somewhat inhibited when the people next to me don't have their own music to listen to. It's not my intent to aggravate folks during their workout. Before I could put my earbuds in my ear, the gentleman commented on my armband that held my iPod.
"You know, those really aren't good for you to wear while you're working out."
Oh boy, I thought. Not only was this guy a "talker", he clearly was a "smartypants" talker." I just had no idea how much Mr. Smartypants Talker had to say! From the armband comment he went on to give his seemingly educated--or highly researched based--opinion on a variety of aspects regarding the tricks of the health & fitness industry to keep us unhealthy and unfit! Of everything he had to say, my most important takeways were:
1. "Swipe your gym card as much as you can," he said. Set a high gym goal, like -7 days a week--so you'll fall comfortably around 3-4 days.
2. "Throw all your Splenda out." Of course, I've heard the naysaying about Splenda and other sugar substitutes but within the context of his conversation, I made a absolute decision to stop using Splenda for good!
3. "Eat chicken, beef, & pork only 3 times or less per week." Again, nothing new but he just made it sound like the most senseable thing to do.
In the five years that I've had a gym membership, I've always avoided personal interactions, preferring to use the time for a little quiet time. However, after this experience I'll be a little open to random conversations with the "talkers". Like my new Indian friend, they may actually have something worthwhile and life changing to say.
