Is the gym a social outlet for you?

I must have a sign plastered across my forehead when I'm at the gym that says, "Please interrupt me during my training session and let's chat about nothing!"

I am consistently told over and over by those that know me that I am extremely approachable and that I'm too nice to, well, pretty much everyone.  So, instead of trying to dig deep to find that b*tch factor, I decided to analyze my own behavior when I'm at the gym.  In doing so, I also noticed many similarities while scoping out the behavior of many others at my local gym.

If we aren't pressed for time, others know it.  We walk slow to the next machine and we take longer breaks in between sets, allowing extra time to recover.  On those breaks, some of us will get on our phones to either a) enter our workouts into our Tracker on myFit5, b) text someone, c) read through the news feeds on Facebook or check out the latest pictures on Instagram, or for some guys/girls, d) take selfies to remember just how hot we are when we sweat.

In my opinion:

• we all want to look good.  If we already look good, we're okay with everyone looking at us.
• if we are "just getting back into working out" from a vacation or stint away from our routine (and we don't feel so great), we simply want you to look away.
• if we want to meet someone, we will make eye contact with that person lasting more than one second (think one-one thousand, and that's it).
• if we stare, it's because you are extremely hot, you have butt implants and we are mesmerized by how weird it looks, or we are wondering where you learned your form for a particular exercise.
• if we need a spot, we will ask for it.
• if we don't take our headphones off when someone makes eye contact, that's a good indication that we aren't interested in talking.
• it isn't necessary to ask if I "workout here often." If you see me again, you'll know the answer.
• if we see a friend or recognize someone and we smile, that means we have the time to socialize.
• if we see a friend or recognize someone and we wave and walk the other direction, we don't have time to socialize.
• if we don't know you and we are working out (clearly focusing on our own goals), we probably aren't shopping for friends.
• if we wear a shirt to the gym that says "Leave Me Alone", along with big, chunky headphones that are a nuisance to remove past the enormous bun in our hair, then we are pressed for time.

Disclaimer: This post is not intended to come off as rude, just comical.

Lift To Burn

There is a great article in the July/August 2011 Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine that just hit newsstands over the past few days and it's all about lifting to burn fat.  I'm sure a very high percentage of women that subscribe to and read Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine are very active or extremely interested in becoming active.  Then a high percentage of those women already know all of this about lifting.  I'm adding this to my blog for those that read it that have no clue what lifting does for you.  Without going into all of the details of this article, here are my Cliff Notes (that are quite possibly longer than the article itself), in my words and In My Opinion, of course!

Forget about nutrition for a minute and let's talk about burning fat.  If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times, "If you want to lean out, just do cardio!"  If only I had two volunteers that have the same body fat percentage and weigh the same amount to prove to you that strength training along with cardio will get you to your goal faster than you can imagine!  If you start a cardio routine, you are burning calories, so of course you are going to lose weight.  What type of weight do you want to lose though?  If you prefer to lose any muscle tone that you currently have first and then lose fat, feel free to spend hours doing nothing but cardio, but don't be surprised when you plateau.  Don't come crying to me that your metabolism has not increased and your body actually requires more cardio to lose weight than when you first started.  Is it realistic to assume you are going to be able to keep up with your 2-hour per day cardio session just to maintain your weight once you reach your goal, especially if you aren't shocking your body by changing up your cardio routine every 6 weeks?

PEOPLE!  You have to strength train to rev up your metabolism and to burn fat!  It's as simple as that.  Combine a strength training program with your cardio and you won't believe how fast you achieve results.  As with any exercise program, your body can get accustomed to the same workouts over and over, so you have to shock your body.  Challenge yourself.  If you walk on the treadmill at a 3-inch incline on Monday and Wednesday of this week, increase the incline next week.  If the weather is beautiful outside, do some walking lunges up and down your street for 15 minutes with jump squats at the end of the street in between sets.  Carry weights with you on some days and lunge until you can't lunge anymore.  Change it up!

Not sure where to start?  First, check with your doctor and make sure that it is safe to start an exercise program.  Then get to work with some of these no-brainer ideas:

• The absolute easiest solution is to go to www.TheWellnessTracker.com, sign up and dive in.  Start searching for others just like you that have been successful (on any program) and decide who you want to start tracking.  Mirror their nutrition and workouts if they have had success and you will have success, too!  (Fine print - this website is under construction and will be launched shortly.  To be included in beta testing and to remain a FREE member forever, send an email with your name and email address to info@thewellnesstracker.com.)
• Decide whether you will join a gym or invest in equipment for your home.  You must decide where your activities will take place before you can make a plan.
• Start planning your week now.  Don't wait.  Determine when you can make time for your cardio and strength training.  Without a plan, you will be lost and will not be successful.
• Go to YouTube and search for "AJTWT10".  Check out all of our TWT exercise videos to see the correct form and get ideas for your next strength workout.

Don't forget, you must lift to burn!

What's your favorite time of day to lift?