The long walk to the gym

You could describe us as "worker-outers" - we go to the gym, if for nothing else then to be able to maintain our food gorging habits (see Shake Shack). Every night it's our ritual: dinner, chat/read/watch tv for an hour or so and then begin the "I don't want to go to the gym" conversation. Inevitably, one of us will yell "come on get up, let's go." It then takes us about another half an hour to get dressed, pet the kitty some more, get a last minute sip of water and actually get out the door.

So the overpriced gym that we go to is only about a block away (maybe as far as a block and a half), but when you're walking so slow you're practically going backwards it always feels like it takes 15 minutes. Maybe because we have lead feet in anticipation of the torturous activity in which we are about to embark.

Last night the conversation on the walk to the gym was "when are they going to have a pill for this? I'll totally buy that shit." No, but seriously, it's so odd to me that people go to the gym (myself included). It's so hamster-like, run around on your little wheel for awhile; the only difference is that it's probably fun for hamsters. No one really likes working out, and if they do, they're lying. Or, they're not actually getting their heart rate up high enough for it to be a cardio work out (aka "torture").

FINE! Maybe I am a cynic. I really only work out so that I can eat more ice cream. No other reason; not to be "in shape" or "be healthy." Pshaw...give me more ice cream! In fact, nearly every night after we go to the gym we go to Tasti-D-Lite, which, I know, is not real ice cream, not even close, but sometimes it's the only thing that'll get me out to the gym. In fact, most of the time while I'm on the hamster wheel (aka treadmill) I'm thinking about my next meal. Maybe it's a little coo-coo, but hey whatever gets me through those 45 minutes.

We thought that maybe since we pay too much for a gym membership that it would make us want to go more. Free snacks, water with cucumber slices, fancy juice bar...unfortunately none of those things make me want to go to the gym more. However, Jeff figured out the per day cost of our gym membership, so what sometimes works in motivating us to go to the gym is reminding ourselves how much money it is if we don't use the gym that day. Guilt...works every time.

Maybe one day there will be a pill, but for now the best part of working out is still hitting the "Stop" button. Plus, it always means that ice cream is just around the corner.