Favorite Thing of the Week ~ The Gym

Okay so the gym isn’t my favorite thing. But I am trying my hardest to convince myself that it is! And I do really enjoy working out ~ not only do I like how good I feel after a great workout and how rewarding it is to see results after a few weeks of consistent trips to the gym, but I actually like the process of working out. Don’t get me wrong ~ I can protest and whine about having to work out with the best of them, but whenever I really don’t want to go, I remind myself that I will never regret the workout after it’s over. I will however regret NOT working out. This little mind game doesn’t always work, but it has gotten my tush off the couch on more than one occasion!

I’ve done 3x a week workouts for years now (I bought an elliptical machine after I started graduate school and had to drastically reduce how often I could go ballroom and country dancing) but only recently joined a gym. And while it can be a pain to get myself somewhat presentable and drive to the gym rather than just throwing on scrubby clothes and hopping on the elliptical in the comfort of my living room, I really enjoy the atmosphere of the gym. I just think it’s really neat to be in a huge space with people of all different ages and shapes and sizes who share a common goal ~ to get in (or stay in) shape.

Two items that are must-haves for my workout: my Ipod and my Camelback water bottle.

I usually listen to an audiobook on my Ipod while doing cardio ~ I’ve listened to music in the past, but found that audiobooks do a better job at keeping my brain occupied and making the time go by quickly. I cannot imagine working out without my Ipod ~ if something happened to it, I don’t know what I would do! And my Camelback water bottle is the best invention ever ~ you just bite on the straw and the water comes right up! No more tilting your water bottle up in order to take a drink and spilling water all over your chin! It’s the best!

I did the cardio~only route for months (supplemented with occasional Pilates and yoga at home) with moderate results, and have only recently ventured over to the free-weight section of the gym with Dear Boyfriend. We’ve discovered that lifting together provides us with a great way to spend time together doing something we both enjoy. And hopefully I’ll soon have awesome results to show for my hard work! Maybe then, the gym really will be my favorite thing of the week! :o)