I was at the gym today to spend some time in the pool and then the whirlpool. It was a quiet as I have ever seen it there, most likely because everyone is at home preparing for a weekend of debauchery. But they (the people at the gym) are preparing for an onslaught come Monday. That is when all the New Year's Resolution people will start showing up in droves.

I was talking to my acquaintance the trainer. I asked him how long it would take for most of them to fall by the wayside and give up. He gave it two months, maximum. I laughed at the expected lack of committment, and then commented that maybe I shouldn't, seeing as how I had only been there a month myself. I figure I will give it at least another two months before I start strutting around like I own the place.

I also ran into my next door neighbor there, who is a professional masseuse. She was standing at the check in counter and did not see me coming. I walked up and stood next to her for a moment, and then called her name. She turned like I had stuck her with a cattle prod. OMG!!! What are YOU doing here!?!?! It was almost like, "When did they start letting fat people in?" I knew better, as I have known her for 17 years. So I said, "Well I was going to ask YOU the same thing!" I already had a pretty good idea, since she was dressed in her massage clothes.

She confirmed my suspicions, and asked me if I wanted to schedule a massage. Now, she has given me massages before, so I am a little scared. She is... enthusiastic. One time I had a knot in my back, so she was working on it. She was pressing and pressing, and started to say, "I feel something! I feel something!" I was thinking, "Yeah, it's my STERNUM!" But she got the knot out.

I asked her how much they charged, so she handed me a sheet of paper with all the options listed out. When I saw the prices, I ALMOST asked if that included the happy ending. I knew that would do nothing but get me all sorts of trouble, so I just bit my tongue. I told her I would think about it. In the meantime, I will have to start saving money. And therein lies the rub.

I guess you're right about being the last quiet day...lol.

I'm happy going in and having a treadmill waiting for me.

Not sure what I will do if I have to wait...lol.

I guess we will have to ride the storm out.... 2 months you day...lol.

Have a Happy New Year Little Bill!!!!

@@jimmc77 Happy New Year to you too, Jim!

You are right on about the calm before the storm! I was at the gym today and brought my kids to the pool. I know it'll be really busy next week!

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Makes you hot. I know it does me because usually at the 3 week mark is when about 1/3 of those go by the wayside. Maybe they think its eating up what they did this week and weekend.

I'm absolutely dreading the influx of new people in the new year, yesterday there were three of us in the gym and it was lovely, but I know in the new year I will be back to being conscious of everyone around me and wary of all of the strangers - it's totally irrational, I almost look like I belong in a gym and everyone there knows me by name, but I guess some old habits die hard.

I'm proud of anyone who is out of shape for walking into a gym. It can be so intimidating. They'll make mistakes and don't know when they are committing a gym faux pas, which is embarrassing when it's called out. A little compassion and friendliness can make the difference between some of those people becoming regulars and those same people quitting because they feel judged, unwelcome and out of place.

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Edited December 31, 20169 yr by clc9

@@clc9 The problem is that they won't give classes on how to act and if you tell people now, they'll get in a huff, go off at you or just ignore you and do what they want.

The problem is that if they are going to do something NOW is not the time to do it. Come in in middle Feb. when you can get attention a lot more, more personalized, and those who know what the "code" of the gym is are going to be more able to help. You want to be around people who hang around the gym and go consistently. Being upset because of all the people there and weight loss is slow, you probably don't have worthwhile nutrition education, is just going to leave people in a worse bind than before.

If you want compassion, show it to the regulars. You can't come in 20 people and think you are going to get it when you don't separate yourself from the pack to demonstrate real change.

That's what you need whether or not you have surgery.

I guess I see lots of people around me who are doing something because they feel obliged to because they have a new calendar, these folks don't all want to change they are responding to society, peer pressure or convention and in many cases this manifests itself in a negative way in terms of attitude to the whole experience and those around them. I have a smile or greeting for anyone I see in the gym, but sometimes the responses make me doubt human nature a little. I can't comment how many of the new year folk become regulars as I haven't had enough experience but anyone who attacks the gym and really wants to change their life should be applauded I'm pretty sure if you speak to anyone on this site they can remember vividly how they felt when they first ventured into a gym, I was about 240lb heavier and desperately conspicuous and self conscious so I do not have it within my make up to intentionally make others feel bad, it's just at this time of year I get closer to that feeling than I would like to. I recognise the problem is entirely mine but as @@swimbikerun suggests in the previous post maybe people should be offered a little polite guidance on their behaviour - the leg press is not the place to sit and chat on facebook having done 5 reps and may do 5 more in 10 minutes. It's also those who make inappropriate comments or snigger towards people who have the courage to face their fears and embrace the change with all that they possess that seem to surface around must get a gym membership times of the year that I struggle with. Maybe I'm just a grump and ranting a little

If I may wax serious for a moment. I am probably one of the most out of shape people there at the gym right now. I am working very hard at changing that. I started in a little over a month ago. I thought about waiting until the holidays were over, but I wanted to get started, and I did NOT want to be lumped in with the resolution crowd.

This is my first experience with a gym post high school. I got my muscles the old fashioned way - with hard physical labor. For many years I worked my fat off by working harder and converting flab to muscle. As I grew older though, it all caught up with me, passed me, and left me in the dust. So now I go to the gym.

I think it is a great solution for the long term. It is where people who are out of shape need to go. I also think that New Year's resolutions are a farce, an artificial construct foisted on us by calendar and culture. Today is the day to start making changes, regardless of what the date on the calendar is. I took that attitude when I started my WLS journey. I did not wait for a special date, or to be told by someone to start making changes. I started researching and started changing things in my life immediately.

I am not looking forward to the next few weeks for several reasons. I do not like crowds. In fact, I detest them. I do not care for self important people, and I expect to see a lot of them shortly. I do my best to be considerate and respectful of others, but I do not see a lot of that in my fellow man (or woman). Yeah, they are out there, but selfish, inconsiderate people outnumber the rest by a vast amount. And those who are going to show up and expect to reverse years of bad behavior in days or weeks are usually among the worst.

@@LittleBill My point exactly. That is why I don't want newbies in who really want to change in the first week. Work on getting some nutrition/gym/stretches/machine education, walk some around the neighborhood, do chores around the house and outside. Change that and your nutrition and six weeks later, mid Feb. come back to the gym.

You'll find more space, more time to work out, regular people (usually you can spot them easier) and the atmosphere is going to be more condusive to life long change than what you get now. You'll be more committed. Otherwise there is no sense in paying for a gym membership when you are going to be there 2 months and drop.

@@swimbikerun But...but... paying for a gym membership is DOING something! And then, there's a new bag to buy, and matching workout clothes, new sneakers, and of course, new ear buds, Water bottle, etc. why a person can lose substantial weight just by lightening their wallet! I look like some homeless person at the gym with my baggy old t shirts and cheap shorts and shoes.

I did it exactly as you describe. I started out walking around my neighborhood, doing more back and forth on the property, and working my way up from the first day after surgery. It was a month before I was cleared to join the gym and start heavier workouts. It was another month before they cleared me to resume my work. I am back to pre-op lifting capacity now, and increasing my endurance every day now.

Awesome!

...I asked her how much they charged, so she handed me a sheet of paper with all the options listed out. When I saw the prices, I ALMOST asked if that included the happy ending...

Bill,

You meant one of these from Friendly's, right?

@@LittleBill

Around February the gym will quiet down again. I'm trying hard not to get frustrated when I can't get to a machine or find equipment. This will be my 2nd year as a regular at my gym. When I was a newbie I remember being in awe of the committed regulars...It motivated me to keep at it.

...I asked her how much they charged, so she handed me a sheet of paper with all the options listed out. When I saw the prices, I ALMOST asked if that included the happy ending...

Bill,

You meant one of these from Friendly's, right?

Uhh, yeah, that's right.

@@LittleBill

Around February the gym will quiet down again. I'm trying hard not to get frustrated when I can't get to a machine or find equipment. This will be my 2nd year as a regular at my gym. When I was a newbie I remember being in awe of the committed regulars...It motivated me to keep at it.

Maybe I should go back in February then. When I joined, the membership guy told me if I injured myself I could "suspend" my membership until I was able to participate again. I could call in and tell them I injured my humerus and I'll be back when it gets better.