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Thursday Three

[ 20 ] 02/04/2010 |

This post is inspired by the oodles of time I have been spending at the gym this week, but it may or may not be based on my actual experiences. No feelings were hurt in this process.

Things I would rather you not do at the gym:

1.  Could you please refrain from heading to the gym in full make-up with your hair curled at 9 am? I mean, really. Who does that? And why, WHY do you not sweat? Could you please just wash your face, throw your hair in a ponytail, and go au naturale like the rest of us? I will give you bonus points if you wear something other than your cute little pink running skirt.

2. YOU. Yes, you. When you dismount your cardio machine, do you see those dispensers full of sanitary wipes? Those are meant to be used. Grab one or two. Return to your machine. Wipe down all surfaces that you have touched and/or where your sweat has fallen. Throw wipes in the garbage can under dispenser. Yay! Was that so bad? The person using the machine after you will be oh-so-grateful when their hands to not STICK it.

3. Capris + Crew Socks = So Not Hot. Please choose one or the other, do not mix. If you are worried about your legs getting cold, wear workout PANTS. If you are worried about being to warm, try wearing low socks. Now, those are tips straight out of Vogue.

Love,

The Girl in the ratty tee, no makeup, who forgot to shave her legs.

What are YOUR gym pet peeves?

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Category: Melissa, Thursday Three

About Lissa: Melissa is the Co-Founder of Shrinking Kitchen and the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans She has been married for a dozen years and is mother to four children (15,12, 8 and 8), with more soon coming her way through the foster care system. Melissa has a love/hate relationship with food (okay, mostly candy) and cooking. This isn't improved by the fact that her husband, the true family chef, works in another city half the year, leaving Melissa to figure out how to feed her growing family something other than Pop-Tarts. Melissa loves her camera, enjoys traveling, kickboxing, creating beautiful things she finds on Pinterest, and planning her dream home that will be built… someday. melissa@shrinkingjeans.net :: @lissajoy :: whereverimaywander.com :: pinning here View author profile.

  • babyboy3

    Love it. I don't workout at a gym as we don't have one in my town and I don't want to drive 40 minutes to workout. But your blog made me laugh. I think it is funny when people get all dolled up to workout. What is the point of that? Thanks for a laugh before I go and do my workout. I have my hair in a pony, yucky tshirt on and yoga pants. I am au naturale too. =)

  • http://christy.shrinkingjeans.net Christy_TheSistherhood

    I feel the same way! The closest gym to me is 70 miles away, but sometimes I LONG to go just for the people watching aspect of it! I recently discovered I can buy a 5 visit pass, so I might pick one up and hit the gym on my shopping days (since that's the town I grocery shop in!).

    Yoga pants, ponytail, and ratty shirt here, too :) It's the Sisterhood uniform, right?

  • http://www.whooosthatgirl.com Lissa_ShrinkingJeans

    I mean, I totally see putting a little cover-up on if you have a big pimple or something, but eyeliner? Eyeshaow? Come on people. ;p

  • http://www.whooosthatgirl.com Lissa_ShrinkingJeans

    Do it!! That would be fun! Do they have childwatch for Mia?

  • AmericanTribal

    LOVE this post!

    Before I moved up here (to NC), I lived in Ft. Lauderdale, FL… maybe we have 2% less of the population getting daily plastic surgery… 2% less than Miami (you can smell the silicone from Port St. Lucie lol).
    Going to the gym was TORTURE.
    On every other machine, there was a Heidi Montag or a Kim Kardashian or a Paris Hilton. And then there was me, Janeane freaking Garofalo.
    Stop being so damn pretty and work out, people! :P

  • http://www.theskinnyfight.com/ skinnyfighter

    oh yeah, the fashion plate girl. The one that's in the booty shorts, tight tee and stays on the treadmill for two minutes before doing a “look at me” lap around the gym.

    @christy
    I like to people watch too. especially the guys because one will lift 300lbs twice make the guy “ugh” sound as he does, drop the weights and puffs out his chest and stares at himself in the mirror checking out his muscles.

  • http://www.babytealeaves.blogspot.com christieo

    gosh i have a long list. ;p i hate it when people don’t wipe down their machines but i hate it even more when it’s a weight machine and you see the outline of someone’s sweaty back on there!! GAHHHHHHHH!

    And then I hate it when the burly muscley men don’t take their multiple 100 pound weights off the leg press and make me have to do it. There is one machine at my old gym where it was actually impossible for me to do because the weight was ON TOP of the machine and not only was I not tall enough to get it, I wasn’t strong enough.

     There was this guy who used to run at my old gym (different one) and he sweat sooo much that he sweated (poured!) onto the treadmills on both sides of him! IT WAS SO DISGUSTING!! i felt bad for the guy a little but not when i’d get sprayed two treadmills away! Before I left that gym, I saw him wearing a dri-fit shirt which seemed to contain his grody sweatflow, so I’m glad that he found something that works.

    I hate when people go to the gym sick and hack on the equipment and don’t wipe it down afterward.

    And I hate it when there are random lounging bathers in the pool swim lanes frolicking and making out and I have to sit there on the side and wait for them so I can actually swim my workout in a normal workout bathing suit and not my two piece bikini. which i don’t have anyway.

    The end! That felt pretty good!

  • http://www.whooosthatgirl.com Lissa_ShrinkingJeans

    Laughing my ass off at these comments. I am going to go to the gym this morning and bust out laughing and people are going to think I'm CRAZY!

  • http://www.whooosthatgirl.com Lissa_ShrinkingJeans

    Yeah, and the guys heads all turning while she does her “look at me” lap. HAHAHA!

  • BrookeF

    the smoker next to me. seriously. you reek of smoke and its more than my tiny little lungs can handle. how do you expect me to go 6.5 on the treadmill with you next to me? cologne man is almost as bad, but not quite.

    Men giving me unsolicited lifting advice. i know proper deadlift form – i don't need your help thanks.

    the hover-er who tries to be sneaky about looking over my shoulder to see how long i've been on. if you want my treadmill – just ask! the more you hover the longer my run will become!!

    PS – just bought face wipes so i can remove work makeup before working out. its gonna sweat off any way. better to take it off before hand and not get it all over my shirt sleeve when i wipe my brow.

  • http://thesassymama.blogspot.com Heather

    Besides the social gym girls, my two biggest pet peeves are the guys who sit in front of the mirror lifting a weight that I could probably lift, and grunting like they're trying to pass a kidney stone. Okay, if you're maxing out doing squats, you can grunt. But bicep curls with a 15 pounder? Please.
    Secondly, the elliptical/treadmill/stairstepper farter. Do you think I don't notice? Do you not see me turning green, gagging and holding my breath next to you? Gassy? Run outside. Take some beano. Cut down on the fiber. I consider your bodily functions assault (on my nose). For real.
    I don't go to a gym right now, though there are a zillion around here. Though I've been considering one for weight workouts. (and the people watching).

  • knitsalotjenn

    http://offhook.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/rethink… People watching is the best part of going to the gym – it's my entertainment!

  • http://www.livinginagirlsworld.com/ Kirsten

    Okay, just because you admitted to not shaving your legs, I ALMOST want to not wear my stinky, sweaty, sports bra for 2 days in a row without washing it. But I figure the hair on my legs will divert any attention from my stinkiness.

  • anng

    I live in the 'burgs of Big D!! Let me tell you about all these socialites that come to the gym all dolled up! They come with full makeup, enough jewelry to set off the metal detectors and in skimpy workout bras and super short, shorts!! Not to mention the fact that if they had any body fat whatsoever it might make them convulse!! And here I am trying to workout in my ratty t-shirt that has more holes than swiss cheese and have more body fat on me than they weigh!!
    Thanks for the laugh!! I need it!!

  • http://dalewis.blogspot.com/ thelewis4

    See I'd actually have to GO to the gym to have gym pet peeves. ;o)

  • babyboy3

    Love it. I agree with you about the guys going commando. Yuck.

  • weightlossmama

    I don't work out at a gym (can't afford it) but for me I am thinking my pet peeve would be the people that have to wear the most expensive workout gear imaginable. I am lucky if my clothes aren't stained from the kids LOL It is workout gear after all. Its only going to end up wet and smelly anyhow! Who cares if I only paid pennies for it. Heck, at this point, most of my workout gear is miles too big! Thank goodness for string waists! LOL

  • TheaDramaMama

    Oh my goodness, this is spot on. For me, I can't STAND it when guys tie stuff around their biceps. Why? WHY?

  • SJs_April

    I hate people who think it's social hour. We're here to work out dammit!

  • SJs_April

    I hate people who think it's social hour. We're here to work out dammit!