Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Working out at work

Our offices just moved to a new location, and we now have a gym. Normally, I go home at lunch to let the dog out, but today I didn't have to. So, I decided to try out the gym.

Back in 7th-grade gym class was the first time I remember having to change clothes in public. I hated it, probably because I felt fat and inadequate compared to the other girls. After a few days of humiliation, I opted to change in a bathroom stall for the foreseeable future.

Not much has changed. Today I entered the locker room with my workout clothes. I eyeballed the area; I was alone. Still, I gravitated toward a stall and changed in there. I'm not sure why, exactly. I'm not exactly pleased with my physique, but I'm much more confident than I was at age 13. Perhaps I just didn't want to cross that boundary of letting my co-workers see me naked (or me seeing them naked, for that matter).

Anyway, I jumped on a treadmill and did a 5 mile jog. At one point, I looked out the window and a window washer dude was swaying in the breeze, sitting in his little harness. He smoked a cigarette as he wiped each window down. I wondered where he'd flick the butt when he was done.

Doing my workout in a different setting was a pleasant change. It reminded me that it's good to switch things up when I get bored. It also left me with a Zen-like calm which has carried over into the rest of my work day.

Now, if I can just work up the courage to change clothes in the locker room...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think I'd want to see naked coworkers either. Good call on that!

Anonymous said...

yeah I wouldnt either...and had never thought about that all the times I was coveting friends' gyms at work.

ick :)

BOSSick.

Anonymous said...

Morgan! So funny you write about that. At the gym, I change in the bathroom stall too. But I think my "phobia" of public changing is more cultural. When I first moved to this country, I was horrified by all the naked women in the locker rooms!! Tee hee...

Kelly said...

I could have a fitness model bod and still not undress fully in front of a gaggle of women. It's sad but too many girls out there are ruthless.

Diana Swallow said...

Don't stress over where you'll change clothes, cheer the fact that you got on the treadmill for five miles!!

I'm with MizFit on this one...I don't need to see coworkers naked and they don't need to see me :-)

Linden said...

I don't think I'd ever be comfortable changing at work! There need to be lines with co-workers, and this is a definite one for me. Don't worry about it too much. :)

And I think it' really cool that you have a gym at work! How convenient!

Anonymous said...

I get that zen-like calm you're talking when I ride my bicycle to work (admittedly it's been a while).... It's great; nothing fazes me when I get to the office those days. Well, almost nothing!