| Confessions of a Gym Junkie |
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| Rosie Peters | |||
| Wednesday, 16 January 2008 | |||
  It seems whatever fitness article or fast weight loss programs you peruse, you are confronted with the gym option, like it or not. And while gymnasiums have been popular since ancient Roman times, they have tended to be the tribal gathering place for men who want to 6 pack abs, rather than women focused on fat fighting, but that has been changing for some years now. Nowadays, I love going to the gym. I would rather get my aerobic exercise by walking, mind you. But to tone up my muscles, though I've flirted with yoga, I much prefer to lift weights.I find this pleasurable and easy to maintain, but best of all it is an exercise routine that keeps me fit and lean. What turned my attitude around? I guess I just got tired of being negative and envious and started to try to find the door rather than keep beating my head against the wall. Using gym equipment can work wonders for your weight loss program, so before you discard it out of hand, consider these 3 tips for a more positive attitude towards your local gym. 1. Weight machines are not tricky. Don't be put off by the chunky complex look of them. They are just about idiot proof. When you have learnt to adjust them once, you will not forget how to use them. Even the most experienced gym users often ask others to check their form. You may need to have a gym employee keep an eye on how you do your exercises for awhile to make sure you gain maximum benefit, but there is no shame in that. Remember it is their job to assist you - you have paid for this support and they are happy to help you or they wouldn't get a job in the service industry. Even the most experienced gym users often ask others to check their form. Now don't you start drifting off daydreaming about checking out anyone's form, pay attention. 2. On this very subject, why is it that we can admire well sculpted bodies from a distance, like in a wall calendar of hunks or hotties or a glamorous movie, but when we see people in the flesh who have worked hard to get a great body, we feel obliged to run them down? We dismiss them as "muscle heads" or unintelligent or obsessive. We really need to ditch the fitness envy Hey, how about considering that these people have worked hard and long to reach and maintain their goals? How about that they could well have been fat and unfit like you at some point in their lives? We really need to ditch the fitness envy, realise that we really just want what they're having, applaud their successes and get on with our own fat fighting journeys. 3. The best mantra I could share with you about enjoying and getting the most out of your exercise routine is "be here now". I can't begin to think how often these 3 little words have saved me from spitting the dummy and giving up. You have to recognise the saboteur and fight it by focusing on the present moment If you find your cunning lazy brain is whispering stuff like "how much longer?", "what, I've only done 5 minutes!", "I feel so tired" and "I'm going to stop right here" you have to recognise the saboteur and fight it by focusing on the present moment. Just "be here now". Just do this repetition, just complete this set. Don't fret about how much more you have to do or which machine will be free next. Really be in the moment and you will enjoy it. You may find yourself becoming an obsessive gym junkie or even a muscle head. And you have to admit there is really nothing wrong with that.
Disclaimer: Harmonious Living is written for and read by a community of individuals with strong and independent opinions. While the publishers of Harmonious Living are dedicated to providing a forum in which views can be openly expressed, those views do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.
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