Showing posts with label Gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gym. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Gym Talk: Common Mistakes

(Outfit of the Day:
Plaid Flannel Button-down from J.Crew
Lands' End Diamond-Quilted Down Vest
Tommy Hilfiger Corduroy Skinnys
Hunter Boots)

Just walked into the gym...for the third time today.  This time, to work.  One of "my usuals" as I so fondly call them, walks up to the desk I sit at in the fitness center and says: "what a slacker".  Then he smiles as he anticipates my explosion of a rebuttal.  

"Excuse me, but I worked out for two and a half hours already today.  If anyone's a slacker it's you."

Mind you, this usual is the chief police officer of my town.  Yeah, I have guts...and he finds my feisty opinions refreshing I think.  

He responds, "Oh Kalyn, I just like getting you fired up before your shift".  

Too bad I already was.  One thing I can't stand is laziness.  Sure, I have days where both ends of the candle were burnt to the point I must, for my health, take a lazy day.  That is completely different than what I am about to explain.  

As a fitness instructor, and personal trainer (in training)...I see a few common flaws in the people who make use of the gym.  Sure, I will give them credit for showing up and getting on that treadmill or elliptical.  However, if you are looking to get in shape...there is a lot more to it than just that.

Someone today said to me as I was leaving the gym, "Eat a cheeseburger".  Usually I find that funny, but today I didn't.  Guess what?  I eat cheeseburgers.  I am not saying I swing by McDonald's for a Big Mac daily, but I do on occasions eat poorly...but really? That comment was not necessary.  Why?  Because I work.  I work hard to stay in shape.

Last night in a class that I teach, a few members were being...lazy.  There, I said it.  They weren't staying on pace, and refused to do anything too hard.  Worse of all, they decided to talk during one of the hardest circuits that they opted not to do.  I snapped.  I looked over at them, as I was drenched in sweat and said:

"Look at me, I am soaked...THIS IS NOT PRETTY GIRL SWEAT!"

The whole class lost it.  They were dying with laughter.  Not funny, but okay my sarcasm got the best of them.  

So back to my rant, a lot of people want to know what I do to stay in shape.  So I am going to be blunt and say I work my butt off.  I am in the gym consistently 6 times a week.  I teach classes on top of that.  I don't just get on the treadmill and coast...no I am sprinting, doing intervals, sweating and pushing myself each day.  

There are days I don't want to run...I do it anyways.  I push myself, and I SWEAT.  One common mistake I see especially women doing is this:  they get on a cardio machine and they hardly even move.  They go so slow with no resistance or incline and they think they are getting a good workout in.  YOU'RE NOT.  To get the results you want, you have to work for it.  That means pain, sweat, and getting up and pushing yourself even when you want to stay in bed.

Listen, I feel your pain...I have 22 hours of school this semester, I work mornings, nights, and teach classes.  I am so busy.  Sleeping in on the weekends is the only way I make it through...trust me, I really don't like going to the gym sometimes, but I do it anyways.  So guess what?  I don't have sympathy for you if you don't feel like it either.  

Rome wasn't built in a day folks.

Okay so second common mistake I see...girls don't want to lift heavy.  Yes, you.  I see you lifting that dinky 3 or 5 lb. weight. Guess what? Your purse weighs more than that.  

"But I don't want to get big muscles"

Listen, you are not going to bulk up in one day.  The way you get rid of fat is by building muscle.  You don't build muscle if you are lifting something that is too easy for you.  The fastest way to have good results is to lift heavier than you are used to.  It is supposed to hurt the next day.  It is supposed to hurt when you are lifting...plus, muscle burns fat...so the more muscle you have...the better your metabolism is.  Just sayinnnn.

So there you have it...my rant about what people do wrong at the gym.  I feel much better now.  

Just remember, it's not ever going to be pretty girl sweat; but it has it's benefits.  Like looking killer in a dress when you aren't sweating?

Hope y'all are having a great week...working off all that stuffing and pumpkin pie!  
Thanks for reading this crazy feisty post!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Awkwardly Awesome Thursdays

Photobucket
Sir Maxwell Smart and I cuddled up to avoid the cold :)

The Awkward:
  • Talking to my new piano professor about Family Guy, and somehow having him relate it to Mozart
  • Cross country skiing with my Evolution and Systematics Lab, being the first one to fall flat on my face
  • Singing in the van on the way to ski, and being told not to
  • Sitting at a stop sign to exit a parking lot, and watching helplessly as a lady backs into my car in slow motion
  • Having my dad tell my mom that, "he wants to tie her up tonight" in front of me
  • Having a gym encounter with an old high school...ummm..."frenemy"
  • Running on the treadmill while she watched my every stride
  • Eating as if I was starved to death all night
The Awesome:
  • Only having two classes today, and one of them was play time
  • Waking up to the sweetest texts from my supadupa boyfriend
  • Playing the piano
  • Cross Country skiing instead of sitting in lab for four hours
  • Duquesne Club Macaroons
  • Knowing that tomorrow is Friday, and time with Patrick
  • Completing all necessary homework for tomorrow and Monday
  • Seeing how God works in the most unique ways in my life
  • Watching a movie with my whole family
No style for today, I'm sorry.  Currently putting together some polyvores, so be on the look.  Snow storm central here in Pittsburgh. Hope you all have a safe and warm Thursday evening!