The Joys of a Military Gym

So as I've mentioned a couple times I've been going to the gym regularly trying to loose not only the baby weight I never lost but all those extra pounds I gained over the summer due to not having a full length mirror. (Don't look at me like that!! It's really the fault of the mirror!)

I however, always have hated to run! I just can't stand it!! If I'm running on a soccer field for a purpose, it's one thing. But to run for no reason - hate it!

I figured this time 'round at the gym I would skip the treadmill and work on the elliptical machines instead. And while I still don't get any enjoyment out of it, I have realized that if I can make it through the first 1.5 miles then I'm fine. I can continue on up to 5 miles and not have a problem.

But damn getting past that 1.5 miles is a bitch some days! At least I have the entertainment of some others in the gym to keep me going. What am I talking about you ask?

Well let me first explain, that being military I go to the military gym - because it's free. Not because I really like it there but because it's FREE! I am lucky enough that when I get in there most of them are hitting the showers so it's really not crowded.

However there are those that straggle behind.

Like the one guy who is always on the stair stepper machine. Every day for 20-30 minutes. He reads his magazine and up until the other day, I had never heard him say a word to anyone. And still I haven't heard him say anything to another person. Just the fan that he cursed out! Seriously, he told this fan off like there was no tomorrow. Maybe he was practicing - who knows! All I know, is I now think he's really weird and I'm kind of glad he's never said anything to me.

And then there's the girl - the channel changer as I've named her - and can't stand. There will be several of us on the cardio equipment watching TV as we go. And here comes the channel changer girl and she just changes the channel. She doesn't say anything to anyone just up and changes it. The rest of us look around like uhhhh...we're here and we were watching that.

Of course, I'm not the one to create confrontation so I leave it alone. But the other day she comes and and changes it to Saved by the Bell!! Are you kidding me? And turns it up really loud!! We're at the gym for crying out loud. How am I suppose to work out to that? And then to make matters worse she then proceeds to put ear phones in!!

Well I had, had it! What did I do you ask? Nothing of course. I'm a wimp, remember. Someone else apprently did say something to management though because there were signs up within 20 minutes telling people (HER) not to change channels. It was kind of funny and she hasn't touched them since then.

And then you have the people who finish working out on a piece of equipment and then just get up and leave. What are they suppose to do you ask if you're a non-gym goer? You're suppose to clean it off with one of the gazillion bottles of sanitizer and rags sitting around the room. I don't want to work out on something that is covered in someone else's sweat!

And in case your wondering and in case you missed it in my post the other day - I've lost 9 pounds so far!! Yay Me!!

So, do you have any opinions about the gym, any funny stories, any words of encouragement to keep me going? They're all welcome.