Gym mirrors make you vain.
I know it’s a profound statement. Believe me I make the statement after years of observation. As someone who has used assorted gyms at different cities, I now consider it a right to make observations such as these. Don’t mean to brag, but it is no easy feat to be at it for over 8 years , in spite of no obvious results “showing” that you been at it, and still have the motivation to continue going.
If you are a “regular”, like how you are tagged when you have been at it as long as I have, then I bet you have made similar observations but never deemed it fit (no pun) to write about it. It is just your bad luck that I did, while you were still wondering if you should. What a moron. Anyway.
When I watch people who look at themselves at the mirror at the gym, I label them in my mind as vain. I don’t wonder about the sun sign of the mirror peeking fitness freak. I guess then what they say about your sign really isn’t right in the gym context. At the gym you don’t have to be born under the sign of Virgo to stop at every mirror to peek at how you look. Everyone does, irrespective.
Like the other day, I was walking on the treadmill, minding my business, listening to my iPod, when I caught someone in the mirror next to me. A twenty something on the treadmill next to mine, who tilted her head to check if her hair looked bouncy, permed, straight, in place or whatever that she was checking. To my left was a young man, who was pumping iron till the last time I looked, who took a break from his routine to ripple and flex his biceps and caught me looking at him in the mirror.
Then there are people who like to stop after every repetition and walk a bit along the mirror. And every step they take , their eyes move along their body.. evaluating the fitness quotient of the torso, abs, quadriceps, hamstring…. back to abs. Maybe if I tuck those stomach muscles in.. there… that looks a few inches trimmer. But is it safe to hold your breath this way and dot turd ( Remember can’t do the nasal sounds when you hold your breath?) blue? Hmmmmmfffff.. bloated back like a balloon didn’t that.. that midriff.
People look at the mirrors for various reasons. Most of them look at their hair or skin. The blemishes of the skin look magnified in the gym mirror. And the grey in the hair looks obvious. Then there are some who like to look at the others in the mirror going green with the positives and secretly feeling good about their lack.
When I walk the treadmill, like I said before, I like to mind my business. But my eyes do wander around , scan the scenery, taking in the morphology of my co-gymmers and making little mental notes, for my blog post. Else I really don’t care.
Wait a minute is it the mirror or is it me?!
Utterly Miscellaneous 