Young women... How often do you work out?

I just moved to Manhattan from London, I'm in my early twenties, a vegetarian and work in fashion, so I've always been health / body concisous. In London, I walked around a lot, and took classes 2-3 times a week, nothing intense or major, but enough to keep me trim, and allow me to be social, and not one of those obsessive 'I can't have that' kind of girls.

Since moving to Manhattan, and discovering the gym in my building, I've been going daily, and today, drenched in sweat and coming up the elevator, i noticed that yes I am soo much 'tighter' but am I becoming one of those people... My main motivation behind this came with the american food stereotype/stigma, I assumed (correctly) that food will be different here, and my diet will change a lot, until I get into a new system, discover health friendly stores in my neighborhood... My first couple of weeks were a bloated hell (hence the gym), but I am slowly getting better and trying to suss where the lines are.

Major city dwellers, who exist in an image conscious enviroment, do you work out to keep up appearances? For your health? Both? Or just so you can actually eat...
The latter statement inspired by an article I read recently about manhattan being the thinnest city, and the profiles where somewhat shocking to me... I felt lame in comparison!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/nyregi&hell ip;

I work out daily, if I'm under the weather I decrease the time, the intesity or I leave out the strength training and just do the cardio. I would have to be really ill to skip the workout entirely, that only happens once or twice a year usually because of the common cold ;)

ahh great me too!

It's just you know.. people lie about this stuff.. say they don't work for their body etc.. i just thought i'd ask here, more likely to get the truth out etc. :)

I work out everyday because I have 2 problems. 1 being I'm a dance major and 2 being that I like food. I'd much rather do an hour or more of cardio every single day and be able to eat whatever I want and not have to worry about it. I used to do that without the workouts and gained a lot of weight. Well, I was also binging, now I stop myself when I'm full. But yeah, I do it because I like to eat and I like having a nice body too.

taylurrdancer

hehe babe, I sooo get what you mean with this!

As working in fashion pr I need to wear sample size, and last night at dinner I felt like a freak ordering paella and then like pudding, but then i also thought... 'yo cardio tomorrow morning'. And yeah, coming from a troubled family, the occasional emotional eating thing needs to be counteracted somehow you know.

Naturally I like fashion.. A LOT! And I like the way slim / skinny girls look in clothes a lot, I also like - apple pie ha.

I feel like your my forum ''person'' or maybe im just half boozy-dead tired right now, but good luck with your dancing!! If you ever / if you are into fashion and need major discounts at places you wont believe pm me! :)

Hahaha yes, you are my forum twin. And I completely get what you mean about ordering food other than salad at a restaurant. Sometimes I get wierd looks but then I just remind myself that they're not busting their butts at the gym everyday like I am.

Hey!  I live in Boston, where its definitely not quite as image-conscious as nyc or london, but I work out just about every day for several reasons.

1. I <3 food.  (truth be told, I love cocktails too!)

2. I like routines.  If I start skipping days I fall into a pattern where it begins to happen a lot.  and i feel good after a workout.  plus I am training for a marathon, ha, so I am screwing myself if I don't get in my scheduled workouts.

3. I love love love shopping/clothes too, and won't buy clothes if I gain weight.  this = major incentive.  right now I am trying to lose a few lbs by the end of the month to go down to nyc for a shopping spree!  Skinny jeans do no favors for the heavier set!

I workout everyday of the week, but my parents usually make me take off one day. I run cross country, so I have practice every morning except on Sundays. I sometimes take Sunday off. I run because I like to be in shape, I LOVE to eat (haha so I get more food lol), I'm traiining for a half marathon, and I want to go to State for cross this year, aka my freshman year! Woooo lol. I live in a small city about 20 mins from Cleveland. (:

This is so great... I love how honest everyone is being here!

Especially in NYC as taylurrdancer mentioned, you feel like a freak being a girl who actually order food and not salad in resturants, and no one ever, EVER, admits to a workout routine... I don't know if it's cos they don't have one, or they think it makes them look bad, who knows.. I just know I need my hour a day, to not be obsessive.

dplatzer oh yeah hun... COCKTAILS! did you watch satc growing up, did anyone ever - ever- mention how many calories were in one of those drinks they downed daily?! lol.. nope! :)

You're so right about the work out routine being good for you too, good luck with your marathon... pm me about your ny days, ill send you info about any sample sales going on during that time.. reward yourself properly! :)

Kurhristen i know how you feel about your mom, my mom is the same way when I'm home, she thinks the workout culture is obsessive in itself, i guess its a generations thing, and also parents eat better, they cook meals, being a young person in college / early twenties, we don't have time, and you ave no idea how many calories gets underestimated especially in resutarants! It's unbelievable.

Running is the most amazing work out, you must have amazing legs!! Good luck on your cross country race :)

Thanks for that article! I've lived down her for 5 years now, and the absolute hardest thing to get used to was the body image obsession of New Yorkers!

I get to the gym 3-5 times/week, depending on my work schedule, which changes a lot. I'm trying to loose 65lbs total, partially because I have some other health issues that will benefit a whole lot, and partially because I'd just rather look better. I don't so much think of specific foods I let myself eat, but I do think that overall there's nothing more stereotypically gross to a New Yorker as a fat girl eating (what a sick culture!), and I'm sick of feeling like people see me that way. The one thing that I do specificly work out so that I can have though is beer. I'm a bit of a beer snob, and I'm finding the tastier the beer, the more calories, lol.

I usually try and exercise 4-5 day/week. 2 days of strength training and 2-3 days of cardio. I try and get at least 30 minutes for each session.

Since school is about to start, I'm afraid I'll have to cut back and start worrying more about what I eat.

I go to the gym (as in gymnastics) three days a week. Averaged out, that's 1.7 hrs a day...so, I don't go every day but when I do, I work hard and long. I like doing it this way because my muscles need a day off in-between to recover or I won't gain much strength. And I need my muscle strength.

I exercise because it is fun and success feels good, not becase I want to get ripped. Although that is a nice benefit.

sortoflikeagirl

From a cultural point of view.. well this will be a whole different thread! But I do see where you're coming from, and it must be harder feeling like you have more to loose, and feeling like you are in an environment where you are judged. Though working in fashion, I want to say.. wow, imagine that everywhere, every city your whole life, but then I choose my job, so its not the same thing. I love that you are doing what's best for you and still enjoying life, allowing yourself the treats you like. Best of luck with everything, your work out schedule seems straight up there with the best of them, so i'm sure you'll win in the end. x

nassigkn

I can imagine how you feel, i think it's pretty clear that most of us here, don't cut back to not have that worry. However, I'm sure you'll be fine... Good luck! :)

bundt_royale

That's amazing, intense! I wish I had the energy, just an hour a day.. I guess maybe it's the boredom factor too, if you're having fun you can go soo much longer and all that, right?

I work out about 3 times a week normally - a day or two more or less depending on:

- other committments
- Illness/over tiredness

At the minute my routine is 20 mins running, followed by heavy strength training and ab work

I like to go to classes as well to change things up - spinning and 'Total core workout' are my favourites so far!

Haha I feel so lame compared to all of you guys!

I try to make it to the gym about 3 times a week...sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how I'm feeling.  BUT I also do random activities throughout the week...my job is fairly active (who knew working in a bakery could burn calories?) and if I'm ever going out somewhere at night and don't have time to hit the gym, I'll do the stregnth excercises on wii fit mixed with some of my own.

My main problem with the workout every day thing is that I just can't handle the idea of missing out on time with my friends for the gym, so I'll skip the workout.  Seems to be working for me, though...I'm more ripped than a lot of guys I know, which was not my original plan, but is a nice bonus :)

from september through june i swim on a national swim team for 2 or more hours. i do it because i enjoy the feeling of being strong and muscular, but when i swim i don't seem to ever lose any weight, maybe because my body is so used to it?