Ladies, your gyms may soon be overrun...

[makedah]

Oprah's been touting the benefits of lifting weights. Check out her (Bob Greene's) routine.

Go here: http://www.oprah.com/health/omag/health_omag_200301_fit.jhtml

and click on the "Learn the Moves" link.

Are they trying to sell that multi-cable machine she's using? It's in dang near every shot! My gym just got one - with much fanfare. Is it the hottest new thing?

Click on the "Get the Details" link to see the training split/cardio recommendations.

 

[JJFigure]

That's an interesting contract she signed.

Funny part is I've been mentally evaluating the food I've been eating before I eat, asking myself 'what's the real reason I'm craving that cookie', and if the answer isn't to feed my muscle, I've been trying to eat something else. Or, if I take a bite of that cookie, and it doesn't taste as good as I thought it would, I try to quit eating it. If you're eating for pleasure, might as well really be getting a pleasurable taste out of it.

Doesn't always work, but at least I'm getting better at acknowledging my real reasons for giving in to cravings. It's so much easier to do when you're not cutting for contest, but I really need to focus on feeding the muscle.

Maybe we should draw up our own contract - just for the Elite!

 

[CrystalChick]

I was reading her poundadges on legs not bad.

 

[2Shy]

Oh dear. Combine that with the New Year and that study that states obesity puts 15 years on your life and things are going to get mighty crowded!

I suppose if only 1% of the zillions of women who start to lift because of her continue it's a good thing.

That is some weird torture contraption she is on. I don't like what her trainer says about squats:

"Oprah is using a Smith press, a contraption that supports the weight if you lose your grip. Tips from Greene: Don't sit too low; that puts pressure on the knees. Keeping the toes pointed outward also helps protect the knees"

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

UGH my gym is already overrun with the New Year Resolutes......

I growl quietly every time I walk in.

 

[SteelWeaver]

lol@newgirl!

Yup, my gym's pretty crowded too, but I've found folks clear a wide berth when you stroll over to the big(ish) dumbbells and heft them effortlessly I don't even have to growl - I just step over and do a 100 rep drop set on dumbbell shrugs and the area clears like magic!

As for Oprah - LMFAO! Great! It's GOOD that people are being introduced to the benefits of weight training (I can't wait to see herds of new hot lean bods strutting the streets) and wow!, I respect her for doing it, but I'm sorry - if you have to sign a contract to yourself ..... I mean, what is that? I sincerely doubt a piece of paper is going to stop cookie foraging unless the commitment is THERE, mentally, completely.

Nonetheless, whatever helps. Props to her and good luck!

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

Agreed Steel about the contract...and yes whatever gets you to a better lifestyle then great.

But after I posted about growling quietly ... my husband gave me a big shame on you. He said, I should be happy that my fellow average American wants to get fit.

He has a point...yes....I would love to see everyone jump on the bandwagon and stick to it. While I am rarely terrotorial, I am more inclined to wish they had some sort of gym etiquette -- and I guess that is what it is about.

You would not walk infront of someone searching down the cereal aisle .... you would not cut someone in line whilst they wait at the theater...the gym should be no different. But I think that some people just feel that the gym is no place for manners. That is where my resentment lies.

Okay -- I will gently step off my soap box and really not be proud of myself that I have little patience and acceptance in this regard. My husband has echoed shame on you. Okay, I have exhibited a less softer side.

 

[2Shy]

I know I sound like an old fogey, but I think general lack of manners plagues our society as it is.

Now, after I said that I must confess that ~I~ growled at someone today, too. I wasn't going to, but when she walked off waving her hand behind her as in "Talk to the Hand" I lost my temper. Quite annoying since I try extra hard to be a considerate gym goer. I keep one eye out when I'm on anything where someone can work in (I've found that most people will hover but never ask), strip the plates and replace them, etc., etc., etc.

But today, some old lady (she even had the old lady perm) came up behind the hack squat sled (yes, I know, but until I can handle that O-bar, it's those and EZ-bar squats for me) just as I was fixing to complete my last set. I heard a sound behind me and noticed some sort of movement to the side, turned my head (I had just released the catches) to see this lady removing my puny 2.5 plate (I'd just added 5 more on). "Um, I'm using those," said I. "There's a bunch over there you can use."

"I know that. I just wanted to see something."

"Yeah, but I am about to do a set and you don't want to get hurt." Okay, she probably wouldn't have, but I figured the fear factor was a good ploy. Didn't want her doing the same thing to one of the rude high school kids that frequent the place or go around sticking her fingers between the weight stacks on the machines.

"Never MIND! Some people are so rude!" stomp stomp stomp, hand waving behind her as I was in mid sentence.

"Yes, YOU!" I called after her, proving my own level of immaturity. Oh well. Can't be Pollyanna all the time, I guess.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Gee, don't beat yourself up about it! I totally agree with you - when some jerk can SEE you waiting for whatever equipment, and still insists on hogging it without even a "would you like to work in", or "I just have one more set", or whatever, that IS annoying. Yes, indeed it is lovely that more people are trying to get fit, but it would be nice if they could a) be polite and considerate in the gym, and b) EDUCATE themselves, since everything would be much more efficient in a crowded gym if everyone knew what they were doing.

Anyway, soft is for nappies

 

[makedah]

"old-lady perm" tee hee. You did her just right, 2Shy.

I have mixed feelings about the Oprah thing. I'm glad that she's put her "stamp of approval" on free weights, but I do wish she'd steer her loyal fans toward the likes of Krista (of www.stumptuous.weights.html ) or Spatts instead of that namby pamby Bob Greene! Come on, gimme some deadlifts!!!! Deadlifts for the masses!!!