Everyone has his or her own time
zone when it comes to working out. Me? I’m a morning gym goer. I like to get
up, well I don't like to get up but I prefer to get up early to work out. A
morning workout means I’m less likely to go off the deep end. It keeps me sane,
well as sane as I can be working out in the morning but it works for me, and
I’m sure as birds flying in the sky that my children, husband and co-workers
appreciate it as well.
Believe it or not the gym is hopping at five o’early in the morning;
there’s all sorts of characters pumping iron, treading the mill and spinning
their lives away. The odd balls come out in the early morning hours, I know I’m
one of them, but seriously the place can be a casting call for Jerry Springer.
Maybe there’s a career change in my future?
Nevertheless, during my daily morning ritual I take advantage of
the showering at the gym two days a week, it saves time and my sanity. It’s
also a guarantee that no little people will pop in to use the bathroom, ask me
to tie their shoes, or tell me that their brother just called him a “poopie
head”. I relish those two mornings, yes it’s a pain in the ass to lug all my
toiletries to the gym, but it’s worth every ounce of my well being, I need that
small reprieve from “Mom, Mom, MOM can you wipe my butt” at some point in the
week.
Now while I've been doing my thing in the morning, like
my father before me, I realized all too quickly that I like to watch, people,
not doing anything illicit, but just in their natural habitat. Now getting
dressed in a gym locker room is tricky business. As I've been doing
my own little dance I’ve observed that there are three types of locker-room
users. “The Demure”, “The Exhibitionist” and “The In and Out.” Each has
their own locker-room ritual.
“The Demure” uses every fiber of her being to be discreet.
Much like a Russian Gymnast she will contort her body into any angle in order
to stay covered from head to toe. Her body is not a wonderland it’s a stealth
missile -you just never see it. If she trips, falls or God forbid her towel
comes undone she’s so ninja quick her Betty barely sees the light of day. She’s
also a germaphobe. She’ll have at least three towels, one to step on while she
shimmies in and out of her clothes, one to wrap around herself to walk to the
shower, and one for her hair. Her toiletries are in a neat little bag organized
in alphabetical order. Her clothes are hanging in the locker on an organic
hanger and she can undress, shower, get dressed, dry her hair and put on her make-up
in less than 30 minutes.
“The Exhibitionist” well the locker room is her playground.
You’ll see every mole, freckle and wrinkle that adorns her body. She hides
nothing. You’ll be so well acquainted with her Betty you can nail her mood in a
single glance at her temple of groom. The winter Betty means she had a tough
week and was too lazy to trim the hedges, a landing strip means she’s feeling
confident and ready to take on the world, and the wood floor well that means
she closed a big deal, has a hot date, or won an Oscar. She wears her nakedness
like a badge of honor. She naked walks to the shower, dries her body like a
porn star and blows dries her tresses in the buff, which frankly I find a
little dangerous and it takes her at least 90 minutes to get ready to start her
day.
“The In and Out” is not as organized as “The Demure” and
not as naked as “The Exhibitionist.” Basically she teeters between the two
depending on her mood. Her toiletries are toted around in a plastic Target bag,
she’s a little bit of a germaphobe and makes sure she has two towels; one for
the floor and one for the body, and if she forgets one she will resort to
standing on paper towels. Now this gal can shimmy out of her clothes quickly,
but not as fast as “The Demure.” She’s shy, but if the towel slips and her
Betty happens to peek out she’ll blush and laugh about it. “The In and Out”
forgets a lot of stuff; her underwear, shampoo, even her clothes, but she makes
due, and lets it all roll off her back, basically this gal just showers at the
gym and dresses at the gym and does the rest of her primping at home.
Now in case you wondering, I’m an “In and Out.” It took me awhile
to find the balance in my morning routine and in my body,
but I've found the comfort zone in my workout zone, the big question
is—have you?
