Gym etiquette

I spend a lot of time at the gym, about 4-6 days a week for 60-90 minutes, on average. I get to observe a lot of the different styles and habits of my fellow fitness enthusiasts. Some of them make me smile, some make me scratch my head, and others test my ability to not let things get to me. There is a new year around the corner, and coming around that corner will be an onslaught of new gym attendees. (There is nothing like the first week of January to test a fitness facility's floor plan for efficiency). With this in mind I thought now would be a good time to talk about a subject that is near and dear to my heart: gym etiquette. Or "How To Win Friends and Influence People While Sweating".

If I were going to sum up proper behavior on the gym floor and in the gym locker room in three words, it would be "leave no trace". (Actually, to the locker room I would add "Also, don't leave any horrific images in the psyches of your fellow gym members that will haunt them for years"). Gyms are shared, common spaces, and need to be treated with respect for the people and the equipment they are home to. Here are some good rules to live by.

In the facility:

• Wipe down. Once you have finished using a machine or a piece of equipment, please be sure to wipe it down with disinfectant spray and a rag or paper toweling. Besides being courteous, it is also just good public health protocol. Nobody wants to get a cough, cold, flu, or a rash in addition to their workout. 
• Put things back where you found them.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves at the gym. Free weights, Kettlebells, physio balls, foam rollers, BOSU balls, mats, medicine balls, jump ropes, resistance bands....there are a lot of aids that one can use in their workout. They all have a proper place in the gym, and it is not on the floor next to a bench. 
• Re-rack weight plates  A lot of machines, like Hammer Strength for example, use removable weight plates to modify resistance. These plates can be as small as 5 lbs, or as heavy as 45 lbs. A machine or bar (in the case of a bench press) should be naked when you find it, and naked when you leave it. This is especially an issue if you have 6' 2" 225 lb Mr. Universe working out in the same area as a 5' 4" 120 lb female triathlete (or me, as I am roughly as strong as a 4' 8" female. Who is 80). What I am getting at is that it is not fair to impose your workout requirements onto someone else. Just because Conan needs 6 x 45 lb plates for a machine doesn't mean the next person should have to move those 6 x 45 lb plates if they want to use it. It is not only about common courtesy, it is also a safety issue. 
• Don't watch the seasons change from the ab machine  Sometimes people will have a routine that requires they do 5 sets of 10 reps, with 27 minutes of rest in between sets. OK, an exaggeration, but you get my point. Do not monopolize a machine or workout station, especially during peak traffic times. If you have a special routine that requires more time on a machine, do it in off-peak hours, and be watchful of those around you. If someone looks like they're eyeing the machine you've been on for 10 minutes, they probably would like to use it before their 9 year old graduates college. Be polite and ask "You want to get on here?" Make sure they know you're talking about the machine, too. 
• Don't drop weights  Pretty simple.
• It's not the Zoo.... So don't grunt like you're in the primate house. I understand breathing can become labored at times, but Gronk-Nad the Destroyer yelps are not necessary.
• Keep your personal music, your personal music  Lots of people listen to music while they workout, and I think this is great. I have tracks that I absolutely love while running. However, just be sure that the entire building does not have to listen to your chosen play list as well. Some of the earphones on the market today have a bad habit of bleeding a lot of sound out to those on the other side of the ear bud. Oh, and I saw something the other day that I had never come across before. A fellow member was listening to music on her smart phone, without earphones- just playing the music through the phone's speaker. One, it sounded like crap. But two, this is just incredibly inconsiderate to anyone else in the area. I was shocked. I didn't say anything, and I probably should have. But I chose to use it as a test to see how calm I could stay in the presence of something that would normally send me into a homicidal rage. (I managed to stay calm. No death count ensued.)
• Let staff know of any issues  If you see something that needs attention- empty disinfectant spray container, machine that isn't functioning properly, etc, just bring it to the attention of the facility's staff so that it can be addressed. 

In the locker Room

• Remember that locker rooms are shared areas, not  private  
• Clean up after yourself  Here again is the concept of "leave no trace". After using a sink, just take some paper towel and clean up the water, toothpaste, shaving cream, hair gel, any little piece of evidence that CSI Mayberry could come in and discern exactly what your morning routine is.
• Keep conversation appropriate  Other people can hear you. Just because you're in the locker room doesn't mean that off color "humor" and derogatory speech is now acceptable. And also, detailed explanations of a surgery are not welcomed either. Anywhere. 
• Aerosol  These are my nemesis in the locker room. I abhor them. I don't know about women (as I haven't spent any time in the female locker room, hence my clean criminal record), but guys who use aerosol deodorant feel like they need to unleash a toxic cloud the size of Rhode Island, to ensure they don't sweat at work that day. It is nauseating. I really do not want to be inhaling Right Guard. I bet it's not good for me either.
• If the number of showers is limited, be efficient  If your locker room has a finite number of showers available, don't get too caught up in the joys of a hot shower. Get in, get clean, get going. There are other people that need to get to work, too. 

What it all really comes down to is common courtesy. Be mindful of the fact that your gym is not YOUR gym, it is every one's. 

One last thought on the pending influx of newbies to fitness facilities across this great land. This message is to the workout veterans, the people that go to the gym multiple times a week, all year long. People like me and my wife. We regulars see it every year, the big spike in attendance in January and the gradual decline in numbers that by March, is pretty much back to business as usual. All I ask is this: be kind. I know sometimes the regulars get annoyed and put-out by the fact that "their" gym is now crowded, and they  maybe have to wait for a machine they didn't in the past. But treat the new members with a smile, kindness, an open mind, and an open heart. Yes, a lot of the New Year's resolution crowd does fall off the map after a while, which in my mind is sad. But don't create any sort of environment that might be discouraging or intimidating to someone who is just starting out on the road to better health. Encourage them with something just as simple as a smile. It can make a huge difference. And who knows, your smiling face and friendly hello might be the extra something that helps keep them coming back, until the next thing you know, they are a regular and making their wellness goals a reality. You can never go wrong by leading with love.

Got any pet peeves or good gym stories? I'd love to hear them.

Be well,

Seth

Some random thoughts on happiness

It seems to me that one of the primary goals that a person has in life is to “be happy”. Seems reasonable. Seems appropriate. Also seems a little ambiguous. What is “happy” after all? Believe it or not I am not the first person to address this philosophical conundrum. In fact lots of guys with Latin names wearing togas and olive branches for hats have pondered this ad nauseum.

I believe this is particularly pertinent in the United States. Why? Because one would think that we should be some of the happiest people on the face of the planet, as we have (arguably) the highest standard of living on said planet. We take things like turning on a water faucet and being able to drink the water out of it for granted. Don’t want water? How about a coffee? There is either a Dunkin’ Donuts or a Starbucks within 378 yards of 87% of the U.S. population at any given moment. (Ok, an exaggeration, but probably by only about 5 yards).

But even with all this potable water and ubiquitous coffee, we are, as a nation, not so ecstatic. In a survey where people were asked if they considered themselves “very happy, quite happy, not very happy, or not at all happy” , the United States ranked 13^th out of 50. You know who was #1? Iceland. Seriously. A country whose name begins with “ice” has way happier people than the U.S..

So being that this time of year is usually one of greater self-reflection, I thought I would spout off some of my thoughts on the subject of happiness. After all, what are a lot of people thinking of making right now? New Year’s resolutions. And what is generally the reason for making a resolution? In broad terms it is to make a change in our lives that will make us happier.

·         Stuff will not make you happy

This one might seem obvious or it might not. It is not an original idea by any means, and you may even disagree with it. But one thing that I have verified in my own life is that it is absolutely, undoubtedly true. And this is coming from a guy who likes stuff. I love my iPhone, iPad, GPS multi-sport watch, my little German car, my 46”LCD HDTV, my four bicycles….you get the idea. I have plenty of stuff. And I won’t lie, I do enjoy it. BUT, and this is a big but (hence the caps)- none of it is the source of my happiness. I am a very happy person. I feel like one of the luckiest people on the face of the earth. It has nothing to do with any physical possession. In the end they are only things, and ultimately they are meaningless. Things will not make you happy.

·         Don’t be the picture in the dictionary next to the entry for “Insanity”

Ok, I know you’re thinking, “Wow Seth, this is great advice. Don’t be insane. Why didn’t I ever think of that?” Genius, I know, and, you’re welcome. What I am referring to here is the old saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Seems straight forward enough, but for some reason humans tend to like to do this. We are, as a species, a little self-destructive, no? I mean look how many of our inventions give us the capability of annihilating ourselves. Nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, firearms, bacon double cheeseburgers. And if you watch cable news you will see that some people use the opportunity somewhere every day. It is sad. But on an individual level we do this, too. Take our health for example. How many people want to lose weight and improve their health in an effort to be happier? A lot, that is how many. How many of those people though still eat the same unhealthy foods and lead the same sedentary lifestyle that got them to that point in the first place? Also a lot. (I know I’m using really scientific terminology here, sorry). If something is causing dissonance in a person’s life, they cannot continue the same behavior that is causing the dissonance, the problem, and expect the situation to get any better.  Bottom line, if something is broke, the only way to fix it is to fix it. Profound, eh?

·         Positive results start with positive thoughts

I am a firm believer that we get back in life what we put out. Some call it karma. We ultimately are responsible for our happiness and our misery. We are the architects of our own fate. So if you are the architect of your own fate ask yourself, what are you using as the building materials? If a person lies in bed at night and focuses on the negative in life, the things that they don’t want, guess what they get? Yep, those exact things. If on the other hand the person were to focus on the positive, the things that they do want, guess what they get? They still get the crap. HA! Just kidding! They get the good! Why do I believe in this? Am I very religious? No. Do I have very strong faith? Yes. Have I seen this manifestation in my own life? Absolutely.  Many, many times. If a person believes that their cup is half-full, it will be half-full. If they believe their cup runneth over, it will be spilling all over the place. One thing I do every night before I go to sleep is I give thanks. I give thanks and gratitude for all of the people, events, and love in my life that bring me immeasurable happiness. If you focus on love, gratitude, and abundance, and recognize it in your life, you will get love, gratitude and abundance back into your life in spades.

·         The path does not lead to happiness. Happiness is the path.

This is one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Wayne Dyer. Rather than me pontificate on this quote, I would suggest this: meditate on it. Say it over and over in your mind, and see where it leads you.

These thoughts have been a bit random and off the cuff. (It is a blog though, so incoherency is to be somewhat expected). When I read them over I feel like a lot of it should be followed by “Well, DUH!” as they feel so obvious. But in life the answers are right in front of us, we just tend to forget or ignore them. So here is one last “well duh” for you, and it is probably the most important “well duh” of them all.

Ultimately there is only one person in the universe who can control whether or not you are happy.

Be well,

Seth 

Holiday Eating

It's that glorious time of year again- the Holidays. A time when we gather hearth side with friends and loved ones, hold hands, and cast our heads back with song and laughter, as the spirit of love and giving fills our hearts. Aahhhh.

Well, maybe at the end of a Charles Dickens' story. For most of us the holidays mean varying degrees of chaos. End of year tasks and last ditch goal pushes at the office. Kids that are (understandably) turned up to 11. Logistical nightmares as you try and attend 12 holiday parties in the course of 8 days. And every time you turn around over the next month, it seems somebody has put out another plate of homemade gooeyness that has about 3,478 calories per teaspoon.

It's a fun time, no?

It is a fun time, but it can also be a time of increased stress and anxiety. For someone who is trying to lose weight this can be an especially difficult time of year. For one, a lot of weight loss comes down to behavioral changes, and most of us have programmed a lot of bad eating behaviors into ourselves around the holidays. Secondly, for a lot of people stress is a trigger to turn to food for comfort. And lastly, there is an over emphasis on food this time of year, and I'm not talking about kale chips here, people. Not unless of course they've been dipped in chocolate, rolled in peanuts, and served on a bed of fudge. You can see how the holidays can easily become a personal Waterloo for someone trying to lose weight, or even just maintain healthy eating habits.

So what is one to do to avoid Nutritional Armageddon? The old saying "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail" tells the story. To be successful around holiday eating it is imperative that one create a thoughtful plan on how they are going to manage it. Here are some ideas on what to consider, and how to make your own plan.

Let loose (but not too loose)

Let’s be realistic here. It is the holidays and there is going to be a lot more food-based celebrating than normal, and we should allow ourselves to partake in some of it. Look at the events you will be attending, and pick two to three that you will allow yourself more indulgence than you would on a typical day.

When you do indulge, don’t go crazy

Once you’ve picked a couple of events that you are going to allow yourself  less restricted eating, it is still important to have some guidelines in place so as to not go totally overboard. Some ideas:

·        Don’t eat anything larger than your head. (Ok, I’m just kidding. Actually, this is good advice for any time of year.)

·        Prioritize what it is you want to eat. We all have favorite dishes and foods. Pick the ones you like the most and stick with those. Do not just eat something because it happens to be staring you down. I did this over Thanksgiving for example, and had just one plate of food that was only turkey, mashed potatoes, and squash. I didn’t eat any bread or other sides that weren’t on my “All-Star” list.

·        Avoid drinking your calories. Nothing racks up calories faster with no sense of satiety than high caloric drinks. Especially those really yummy mixed drinks that taste more like elfin magic than alcohol. Same goes for sodas and non-alcoholic punch. There is no nutritional value whatsoever in these sugary drinks. Save the calories for the good stuff- food and desserts.

·        Try the Rule of One. Allow yourself one appetizer, one plate of food, and one dessert (or one alcoholic drink if you’d rather have that than dessert).

·        If the food happens to be in a buffet setting, use a smaller plate. Instead of going through the buffet line with a standard sized dinner plate, use a smaller appetizer plate. The plate fills up much faster with fewer calories. This way if you do go up for seconds, you’re doing so in a healthier fashion. The other advantage of this technique is that it takes our brains a while to register that we’re eating and our bodies to send out the “I’m full” message. If we sit down and have a small plate of food versus a large plate of food, we can achieve the same sense of satisfaction with less food.

Keep healthy alternatives handy

This is particularly important for those of us who find ourselves in an office setting during the holidays. It seems that the definition of “thoughtful” from December 1^st to December 25^th is to provide people with candy, cookies, and other baked goods that generally consist of butter, sugar, and flour. To help in resisting all of these artery-hardening goodies, keep some healthy snacks handy to have instead. Carrot sticks and hummus are one of my favorites. Greek yogurt is another.

Have a mantra

There are going to be some times during the holidays when not giving in and eating the ten pounds of chocolate sitting on the receptionist’s desk is going to be downright difficult. Come up with a saying or tactic to remind yourself of your big picture health goals. It might be the classic “A second on the lips, forever on the hips.” For me, when I find myself tempted to eat something that I know doesn’t fit the bill, I stop and ask myself, “Why do I want to eat this right now? Does it align with my goals and my wellbeing?” Sometimes just stopping and reflecting on the moment is all we need. I have often found the answer is, “I’m thinking about eating out of boredom, not out of hunger.” So I will occupy my mind with something else, and before I know it, the thought of food is gone and I haven’t eaten for the sake of eating.

I am very empathetic to the fact that making healthy eating choices around the holidays is a challenge. I hope there are some ideas in here that help in getting through the holidays. Here is one last thing to consider. Most of us know what it’s like to over indulge and then feel a sense of regret and disappointment about it later. The alternative to that is to get to the other side of the holidays, look back at them, and feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment in ourselves for proactively taking charge and staying true to our goals and beliefs.

May you all have a blessed and healthy holiday season.

Seth