Monday, January 12, 2009

A Concerned Member

Since a good part of my world for the last few days has been centered around poops - the whens, how often, how much - I am going to take a break from all things bowels for a moment and get to the important stuff.

Specifically, like how peoples are effing up my workouts.

To address this issue, I have constructed a friendly letter to my local YMCA.

Dear YMCA-

As a long-time member and someone who pretty much overnights in the corners of the cardio room, I have a little bone to pick.

See, since I frequent your facility for most of my fitness needs - at least twice daily, five days a week - I believe myself to be a committed member of this wild and crazy thing we call Health and Fitness. I go to several Spin classes, run the treadmill, spend time on the elliptical, etc. Needless to say, I spend a great deal of my life within your walls.

Thus, you can imagine my irritability when I show up for my Monday Spin class, only to find it FILLED.


Augh!

BUT - After accepting this situation, I decided to run the treadmill (given the seven inches of snow we got this weekend) and imagine my surprise when, at 930am on a Monday, the entirecardio room – treadmills and ellipticals alike – are filled.

I don’t think it takes a genius to know that this atrocity of a morning is the result of one thing, and one thing only – New Year’s Resolutions.

Now listen – I absolutely applaud fitness, and those striving to achieve it. I applaud people wanting to turn their health around, work up a sweat, knock off some of the pounds. Completely and totally support this.


But does EVERYONE have to do it in the month of January? I mean, really.

I honestly believe that people who show themselves to be a committed member of the cause, who show up – day after day, month after month – should get preferential treatment to the classes and facility. I mean, we have established a routine. We have proven ourselves to the long-term, and not just out of a guilt-ridden four-week binge eating marathon.

Yeah, yeah, we all pay the same dues – whatever. It’s just not fair.

It’s the gym equivalent of the high school slacker who never attended a class all semester, but shows up late for the final exam, makes a crapload of noise finding his seat, and disrupts all the good students who spent the last few weeks pulling all-nighters and giving themselves ulcers from coffee and stress. In the end, the slacker’s just going to fall asleep on his desk and get an F anyways, thus prompting his re-enrollment in the same class, only to inevitably engage in the same exact behavior at the end of the next semester.

Of course, I realize preferential treatment will never happen, as we as a society are not really in the business of rewarding those who actually demonstrate commitment and work-ethic, but rather cater to those who half-ass shit and then expect gimme’s, so I suppose I will have to resign myself to waiting out these people who will ultimately detour from the Road to Health.

So be it.

But know that, no matter what the date, what the month, what the season – I will always show up. And at least to me, that counts for something.

Sincerely,
M

Anyone else with this problemo?

P.S. BL tonight.

21 comments:

Joe said...

i talk to the lifeguards at the pool at my sister's building, and they said that for a month after the olympics, everyone wanted to be michael phelps, but then it stopped, and it's dead all the time there, even in the last two weeks.

MissAllycat said...

Speaking of Poo...you might want to invest in this: http://www.amazon.com/Poo-Log-M-D-Anish-Sheth/dp/0811863395

I? Hate those f'ing resolutioners. they're screwing with my spin classes and treadmills, too. I just have to keep telling myself that in a month, things will be back to normal...they'll be on their couches eating bon-bons and I'll still be in the gym, kicking ass and taking names...

Lauren Starks said...

BL = the only reason Tuesday is a totally awesome day cause otherwise it sucks like the other weekedays

LOL

Glad you're feeling better.

Tyger Lily said...

I am so with you M! Why wait till New Years to get healthy? Get with the program people!!

Spie said...

I have problems with New Years resolutioners in the pool. They steal the lane-lined lanes from the people who have been there like mailmen-- thru rain, sleet, snow, hail, brimstone, fire, and force the actual lap swimmers into the water aerobic/water jogger half of the pool. The resolutioners then kick 100, side stroke 50 and call it a day.

B.L. -- I sure hope my kids cooperate!

Unknown said...

I'm right there with ya. It's a pain at weight watchers too. The regulars have to get there super early to get their seats cause it's standing room only right now. I've noticed it at the gym too. Very frustrating. I don't want them to fail, but if they are not going to stick with it long term then they need to get off my treadmill. :-) Yeah for BL.

Anonymous said...

Parking at the gym has become a
b%$#h!!! We still can run/ride outside here in Houston, TX. So I guess I cannot complain, but wait the older generation taking 4 out of 5 lanes to walk in the lap pool at 5pm. They could at least combine into 2 lanes, but you dare not ask!!!
Wade The conservative social worker

Unknown said...

so right with you. it annoys me to no end that i have to plan for 30+ min "standing in line" in my workout because it's january. drives. me. crazy.

Carrie said...

log on to netflix and do one of jillian's workouts...that's like killing two birds with one stone on a tuesday night, right?

The Fire said...

Easy on the slacker comments..and for the record, there were no "F's" here!!! It is official, you have become a workout snob!!! Apparently not the only one either. You didn't think all the feedback would be positive did you. You see, all of you in shape folks could use this as your motivation for your workouts, not that you need any. This is the reason you can't hit snooze again, this is the reason you have to get there at the hours you do!!! If you don't well, you become a spectator! Rather than whine about someone who is going to spend a year's membership for less than ten workouts, how bout thanking them for their donation, beating them to spin class, and shaming them with the ease at which you pull on the pedals!!! I'm out, heading to hog the treadmill at the firehouse, then the weight bench, and finally the steam..hopefully I don't impose on anyone's time...adios

M said...

Fire - Point missed. It's not about me being a snob - that would mean I think I am better then everyone else just because I work out. In fact, I don't think that at all. As I said, I completely support and applaud ANYONE who is out there trying to change, and I would lying if I said some of my extra spin classes werent because of a little overindulgence myself.

And for the record, the 530am Spin classes are also filled.

But that's just my point. If I am the one showing up, day in an out, why does my schedule need to be altered or dirupted? I know that sounds selfish, but whatever.

I likened it this - take Time Out's, the bar. Now, as long as I have know you, you have been going there. Hole in the wall, dump - whatever. You and your friends have made that place a second home.

Now suppose "Check Please" did a review on them, and one night you show up, and the place is wall-to-wall people. And you actually have to wait in a line outside - to get in the bar you go to four nights a week! For years! Trust me - you would be pissed off.

But in that situation, you would just have to do what I am doing - wait it out. And beleive me, as someone whose fitness is a massive part of her life and beleive it should be for everyone, I really hope all these people stick with it, and don't jsut quit in February. At least by that time some of this snow will have melted and I can take my training outdoors.

prin said...

Maybe they're catering to the newbies hoping even a small percentage of them stick?

When you think about it, the quitters are better for business. They pay the whole year's worth, but only go like twice.

And really, you go twice a day? Crap. That's just nutty! I think my work out time is spent in traffic.

Ellen said...

back in the day when i was into the world of fitness, jan was my most hated month. i was just thinking about all the dedicated high performance endurance athletes and their blood pressure when jan 1 rolled around. god bless good health, but it sure does suck when the half assers take your machine or spot in class. hang in there. they will all go back to their old bad habits before you know it.

Ellen said...

oh megan, you've know him for more than half your life and you still dont get it? he just likes to get you all wound up and watch you spin (no pun intended)

Fave said...

Our Y has a major problem with PARKING! The first week of january I told a friend that there needs to be "resolution parking" - parking WAY in the back for those who only coem to the gym during January and are lucky if they last into February. I mean if they want to get ins hape they may as well start by walking a little further to the gym anyways, right!

ps - I love BL. I cried last night. As I ate. and drank my hot chocolate.

:) said...

"half-ass shit and then expect gimme’s"

Have you been reading my diary??

The Fire said...

I hear your point..but I guess mine was missed as well...why does it have to be about slackers!!!! ???? Maybe the constructive approach is to suggest that more classes be added? or they increase the sizes..being that they have a surge in capital....just a thought...glad you pointed to you over indulgence as to extra spin classes....I know that you would foreit your seat to a late arrival knowing that you had already had a spin class and that you could find a different work out for that period of time.....As for ellen's comments...ya know sometimes she should zip it...Leave me getting a rise out of people alone!! obviously your poop chute is feeling better!!! will check in later...mrs hammer was asking about you!!!

Erin said...

Happened to me last week. I showed up at the gym at my usual time to just fit in a measly 3 miles. Not one treadmill open. "No problemo," says I. "I'll just do the elliptical, or the stairmaster." but not one of them was open. It was ridiculous.

Yesterday, I went back at the same time, and it looked like a ghost town. Apparently those resolutions don't have a whole lot of staying power. But, you won't hear me complaining!

Anonymous said...

... or maybe they didn't give up but instead were just as annoyed as you were that the gym was overcrowded at that time and decided to go at a different time or try a different class. That or they were embarrassed by all the hairy eyeballs they received from the workout snobs and decided to go at a different time.

Brent Buckner said...

I really do look at those new folks and think: "two thirds of you are going to be subsidizing me"!

As for the other third, I try to be cheerful about people living healthy active lives. Not saying I succeed in the attempt....

Anonymous said...

As a spin instructor and fellow Ironman, I totally agree there should be preferential treatment for those who show up day after day, week after week with their routine, working out for their cause. Those who take up the machines because of stupid resolution made Jan. 1 should get to the end of the line and figure out like the rest of his had to do.