Posts by betsydiet2008

Yes, that is the book I was talking about.  Really has some excellent suggestions, as we all fall into a situation where we aren't in an organic market, healthy restaurant, or other, and at least we can make the better choice on what to order.  One of the more shocking things I learned from the book was when eating tacos at places like Taco Bell, Chipotle, Baja Fresh, QDoba is to always order the taco's, in the corn and crispy way versus the flour tortillas that aren't fried.  You would think frying them makes them the worst choice but in terms of calories the flour tortillas are the worst choice.  So now I have the crunchy ones.

Craving an ice cream treat, the book says don't choose haagen daz froxen yogurt (160) but the A&W root beer float ice cream at 130.  It's not like i'm suggesting to eat this everyday, but when you want the treat, why not save 30 calories whereever you can.  See cheating days can be a little better an not over the top!

Original Post by floggingsully:

1. People who drive around the parking lot for 10 minutes to find a space close to the door, then spend a half hour walking on the dreadmill.

 

That's super funny.  I've been guilty, but usually it's more to do with my children and all their gear for the gym's babysitting room (snack bags, stuffed animals).  So I look for a close spot.  Then of course you think what if it's raining when I exit the gym, so you want to be close.  But of course there are days when it's sunny, no kids, and I'm guilty of looking for the dream spot.  Next time, I'm going to park further away and get an additional 10 calories burned off!!

Original Post by msdemeanor70:

Oh my goodness -- your #2 is my biggest pet peeve.

I can't stand to see someone jump to the sides on the treadmill.

I know!  Not sure why this makes me mad, as it doesn't affect my cardio, my fat burning, my workout or anything and it's not invading my space, but well, it still makes me irritated!  I think it's because there is an embarrassment thing with treadmill, say if you can only run at 4.7 for 5 minutes and then have to go back down to 3.6 to catch your breath.  These people would rather have the "break" by not doing anything at all.  For me, I totally go up and down in speed during my cardio, and could care less if the guy next to me is laughing at my 3.2 speed (somedays after a busy weekend, I just want to do a nice slow paced walk!). 

I personally think it's dangerous too, to just jump back onto the belt when it's whizzing by at 4.7 from the strattle position.  I'm sure there have been injuries with this technique. 

Like I said, I've seen people jog for like 1/2 a mile on the thing, but their digital read out is like 3 miles and then you know they're bragging to their boyfriends that afternoon that they had a nice run earlier (because they go by what the computer says!!). 

Original Post by brazilian10:

Hi Betsy,

I guess I'd be one of those who bothers you. I do spend time working out but when I get to the change room I do like stripping down and just relaxing that way, even after I've had a shower. Usually I still feel warm from the work out after a shower and of course it's after a workout that I feel happiest with my body. So, yah I guess I take my time in the buff to cool off before I do my hair and makeup. I can say that I avoid doing any money shot poses, like bending over or legs up or stuff like that. I'm lasered clean down there so everyone is going to see most of it anyway. My guess is these ladies just enjoy their naked time.

Hugs,

Angela

I would do a cooler shower then.  The shower stalls sometimes even have benches in them to maybe linger there.  If you're just hanging out doing nothing in the buff it is quite odd.  You can get a very lightweight coverup or something, as no we don't want you to feel warm, although I can't imagine that being the case after showering?  That's my point about "enjoying naked time", the majority isn't into it, and it creates a weird situation in the locker room for others.  I doubt you'd do it in your home when you had women visitors over for a day of tanning in the backyard to "cool down" in the kitchen. 

Original Post by misspriss316:

Oh geez betsey they dont groom their privates??? ok thats gross

Yes, for some reason or another MOST of the Nudies at my gym are the Cavewoman types who have never heard of a Brazilian Wax and so you have this situation where you are not only seeing nakedness of flesh, but, well, you know... you see it all.

I love it when these people, the BushWomen as I call them, like to strike up a conversation. It's always doubly amusing if say they are your children's teachers, or neighbors, etc. I really don't care to talk about my child's report card with you Ms. BushWoman. Then I think, maybe I'll get this lady a nice present like the Ultra Gillette Womans Razor set for her Christmas present this year.

I've also seen the BushWomen use the hairdryer to.... well.....  dry their hair in all areas. Great, now we have bush hair flying in the makeup/hairdryer room.

Original Post by gary_dubois:

I accidentally walked into the gym partially naked out of the locker room 3 days ago, it wasn't until I had already performed 3 sets apiece of leg abduction/adduction machine, stiff-legged deadlifts, and hyperextensions that I realized I wasn't wearing any pants or drawers.....

LOL! I know you're joking, but if it were true, I'd actually not have much of a problem with it, as it would be funny. It's apples and oranges. The large weight room has adequate room for one to simply move away from any person that smells, isn't appropriatley dressed, or otherwise. In the close quarters of the locker room there's no escaping women who don't groom their privates and choose to be bouncing around the space.

Why is it that I always TRY and select a locker that seems to be quiet and nobody is using surrounding lockers, but the minute I'm done with my workout, there seems to be several people who have selected a locker around mine? I mean, come on, if you see 100's of available lockers and then ONE IN USE, wouldn't the "normal person" select a locker that's not next to the only one, that has the lock engaged?

It reminds me of the parking lot at a shopping center. You know you have a new car and choose to park very far away to avoid door dings and all the idiots who've parked their cars over the line, then when you return to your car where it was all by it's lonesome, there's one jerk who has decided to park right next to you and not give you any room to open your door, even though there are hundreds of open car spaces.

FYI, type in "locker room etiquette" in a Google search and the #1 link is from a Best Of Craig's List on this topic.

It's hysterical but at the same time disturbing as people act like that. I tried to link it in this post, but it gave me an error message, so you'll just have to do the search! I think it's from Portland, Oregon from last year.

Original Post by paularuck:

I find the variety of opinions on this topic interesting. I tend to take the view of the OP; I don't want to see naked women for extensive periods of time either. I also am not a prude, shower and change in the locker room without really worrying who may be looking, etc. However, I think what the OP is objecting to is the lack of respect for others more than the overt display of bare flesh. It's not the nudity per se, it's the flagrant disrespect for the shared space that's irritating. The make-up area is not the place to "pluck your pubic hair" for God's sake. Growing up in your house, did you go into the main hallway of your house to do something like this, or did you do it behind closed doors? Honestly

Thanks and yes, you totally see what I'm talking about. Like you said, if you grew up in a household that didn't even have males in it, I doubt "Mom" was putting on Body Lotion in nude, in the kitchen. I doubt "lil sis" was waxing her privates while talking on the living room phone. I doubt "big sis" was shaving her legs in the kitchen sink while Grandma came to visit for coffee.

I too, don't really care about the nudity when it's necessary as in the example of going into the showers and steam room. It's just the ladies who are letting it all hang out to air dry or just show you their stuff!

Also, I find it interesting that the women with the more in shape bodies, and have nothing to hide, are usually the ones who are more modest.

Finally, you know I have no problem with topless people at the beach when traveling. It's puzzling to me that I find that perfectly fine, but the locker room irritates me. Maybe because the topless girls at the beach aren't invading my space and I have a choice to move my chair, but in the locker room it's such a confined space and women are usually elbow to elbow.

At the gym today and here's what I saw on this visit to the ladies locker room:Ms. Nude Lady (about 55-60) was there as usual. She was going on and on with her other naked friend about where to go out for dinner with their husbands this weekend. Ms. Nude Lady #2 (about 40 yrs old) at the main entrance to lockers area basically taking up space with her gym bag, 4 towels, bending down and exposing all her womanhood, and seriously creating a backup of 4-5 women who were just trying to get into the lockerroom, and when I tried to go around her maze of bags, towels and other stuff to the BACK of the room, I nearly tripped over on another nudie. Why do the nudies take up the lockers that are nearest to the front entrance, while we others go to the very far corners? Again, it's like they want to be seen in all their nakedness. I never see these ladies in the quiet back section of the locker room where there are sofas, chairs and well it's just a nicer spot. No, these girls are at the main hallway entrance so everyone must go by them and see them! Seriously. They are practically visible when the door is open to the gym that's how Out There they are.....

Thought I was going to get slammed for my locker room vent, but I'm glad I'm not one of the minority! LOL

Why do women think it's perfectly ok to be hanging out all nude because its a locker room (it's fine for them, but personally I don't think 99 percent of the ladies want to see them! if you don't want to see it, don't look)

In response to your post regarding my post:

Believe me I try, but you're talking about a hairdrying/makeup space with counter-tops and mirrors every which way, that when I LOOK at my reflection in the mirror to do my makeup I am overwhelmed by naked bodies all around in the mirrors.... I don't look, I usually have my head down and go to my locker, but that means bumping into a naked person! Anyway, yes, it's a locker room, and as I said I'm not modest (I don't put my bra on while my towel is still on!!), but I find that I'm in the realm of being normal, having etiquette, etc.

It's like these woman can't wait to get nude and walk around. I can even say there's a few of them that don't even workout, but just go in for a steam and massage, then walk around nude for an hour.

I have no problem when they're naked say getting out of a shower and getting dressed or even in the steam room. It's the Makeup Area that really gets me outraged. It's the only place to do your hair and makeup, so I don't have a choice (where am I supposed to go, the toilet stall with a compact mirror?). The makeup area is where these ladies will place one foot/leg high on the counter-top exposing their privates, while applying lotion, plucking a pubic hair, etc. While I have to stand 10 inches away at the next counter-top area blowdrying my hair. Our gym is set up with about 12 stations in this makeup area, 6 on each side with the plugs and curling irons, so if there are 11 people taking them up, you have no choice but to go to the one remaining station. It's not like I can find a NON naked person and say can I borrow your space so I don't have to stand next to Matilda who's got the Jergens out all over her hips.

I just wish the nudies would understand that they are not the only ones in the room & sometimes what they're doing affects others and they should try to be more considerate. Just like anything else in the world....an analogy would be if you are out to dinner at Chili's for family night with a 6 year old and 3 year old and were seated next to a bunch of people celebrating something and they were cussing and hollering, I'd think if they saw a family being sat next to them, they'd clean up the language a bit to be considerate (obviously some wouldn't, but it's just an example).

I don't think I'm alone in this pet peeve of mine, and am curious why gyms don't consider building more private spaces for their guests in the locker rooms. Many golf clubs and swim clubs have private stalls where you literally have a toilet, shower, sink all in one small room and they'll have about 15 of them. You grab your bag/clothing from your locker and simply go inside and do your thing. It cuts down on the people lingering for hours in the locker room.

I know some will say that they enjoy their locker room time to see their friends (albeit nude friends!), but it's just not the place. You overhear gossip from many people, or people trying to put on airs and talk about this fabulous vacation they're doing or their kid got into Harvard, etc. Again, I can't really escape it, unless I go to the toilet area to change. I have no problem with conversations that are gym specific ("did you enjoy the yoga class this morning?"), but let's be honest, that most of these private workout centers are where the ladies tend to treat it like a henhouse with the gossip.

Maybe it's my area, as I've been to clubs with my friends and it's the same there too. But I think anywhere from Orange County California to Chicago, IL that there are many locker rooms with similar aggravated gym clients like myself.

Thanks for letting me vent about it.... Packing my gym bag for my morning's workout, hopefully it won't be a nudie day, as it's not too warm out.

Thanks again for all the help.  Went to an ethnic foodmart and scores 2 packages of berries for $5.00 (versus one for $5.99). 

I also did the Subway footlong turkey sub ($5) today and ate 1/2 for lunch and will eat 1/2 for lunch tomorrow.  It seems pretty low cal (no cheese or mayo, just lots of veggies and o/v).  But what's the deal with the bread on a subway sub?  It's wheat, but it's not the heavy duty whole wheat variety.  Am I cheating when I eat there? as the bread has the consistancy of white bread. 

Has anyone done the Jared diet at Subway?  I felt like it was a better choice than Wendy's when out and about for a quick lunch, but wanting to know if I'm just fooling myself with eating at that restaurant.

Maiden,

Thanks.  I think I'm going to keep it in the 1200 range, but just not feel guilty if once and a while I want a yogurt and a box of raisins which would bring me up to the 1400 range.  As it's hard to really know how many calories every portion size is (I don't measure), say I just throw a "bunch" of blueberries into my cereal, that's approximately a cup with a 1/2 cup of milk (it could be 230 in calories, or it could be 250 in calories!), I'm not too worried about going over 1200 a day, I feel like if I hover in the 1200-1500 range for the most part, the pounds will continue to come off.

I'm only a week into it, but it's a different diet, as I'm not looking to shed mass amounts of weight, but just to lose those 10 pounds like most people, so I know I shouldn't be too obsessed, but I want to maintain that magical number once I get there, so I'm trying to find what calorie intake is best for my body type.

As for metabolism, I have always had a high one (goes back to being one of those people who could inhale a whole pizza in my 30's and never see the pounds show!), but I know with age that decreases, but thinking that if it was high then, it's probably normal/average now.

Thanks again, and I'm glad i discovered this board today!