Do you sometimes find it hard to fit in because you're fit?

[Candiceena]

I just read this entire thread from page 1 to page 9...it really resonates with me!

I live on the west coast, in Washington state, about an hour and a half south of Seattle. There are a LOT of people here into health/fitness but they all are more into whatever the flavor of the week is. Or, they are extroverted exercisers who do mud runs & bike to work & run races.

Nobody I know is into home workouts unless its Beachbody. I have tried and failed to get some girlfriends hooked, but they all want to go to classes (like zumba or barre). I did get 1 friend to borrow & try a Cathe step workout and she said no way, way to hard. And she had just run a 10k like a month prior.

Part of it is that I am at a weird age, I'll be 28 this month. I've been on the forums here for 4 years. I discovered home workouts at 19 w/ The FIRM and have been hooked ever since. Like I alluded to in my sobriety post recently, I've had my fair share of set backs but I have always loved home workouts. I have always thought of the east cost as being a better place to be, and am actually hoping to make it over there eventually. The Cathe trips are there, plus I know that Sandra Koulurides, Jessica Smith, KCM - are all east coast based. And there are VF getogethers in NYC. This is non-fitness, but one of my favorite artists does watercolor classes in NYC & New Orleans. One of my favorite hair bloggers (kate from Small Things Blog) does curling and hair classes in the Carolinas.

There are lots of health/fitness stuff here on the west coast (TIU retreat is one I can think of) but none are really my style. For now I'll just have to make do with my VF fix and keep my fingers crossed that mayeb I'll make it to one of the "east coast outings" I am always seeing, haha.

[kalliope999]

I think for me I'm only unusual because I work out at home with videos. Here in the Boston area people are much more into fitness than where I grew up in NE Ohio. People walk (or bike) as a part of their commutes and daily life here, which is such a wonderful advantage. I might notice it more because I moved here from somewhere else. I think it gives people a head start, and makes them feel better and more able to tackle something more intense or focused. I also see a lot of people running, or walking to yoga classes with their mats, and there are Crossfit and gym locations all over.

Other than my husband, and my best friend who lives an hour away, I don't know anyone else here who works out at home. The people I know who do some sort of focused fitness pursuit go to group classes, a gym, or they run. Most of them say they wouldn't make themselves do it on their own, which I think is funny because I always say I'd never make myself do it if I had to trudge to a gym!

But it's not like people really have conversations about fitness, for the most part. It's just sort of a given around here. Sometimes someone might mention a class they like, or their yoga studio, etc, though. I come to VFF to find out about new workouts that I (or my husband) might enjoy.

In Ohio, I heard more complaining about not being fit, but also complaining about not wanting to exercise. Most cities aren't walkable, and people out for walks are sometimes viewed as suspicious! But I totally understand people who aren't fitness junkies. I myself am not one of those people who just works out for the love of it. I do feel much better once I'm exercising regularly. I have more energy, feel more limber, stronger, quicker and more lithe, and enjoy the benefits of being leaner (being more comfortable curling up in a chair which I love to do; admiring lines of muscle in my thighs while I'm shaving my legs ; having better menstrual cycles maybe from less hormonally-active adipose tissue, whatever). But I really have to force myself to start and to get into the habit, and need to give myself pep talks about the long term benefits (which by nature most humans have a hard time caring about more than short term pleasures). Don't get me wrong, I'm really pleased to notice fitness gains and improvements, and I do get an endorphin boost from intense enough workouts, and can feel great afterwards. I just have so many interests in life, and I have way more enticing things to do with my time that win out if left to my natural inclinations for too long.

So I'm sympathetic to those who feel put-upon by the time and effort required for exercise. When it comes up and people are interested, I try to tell them that I can feel the same way and say the secret is that once you're exercising it becomes much more rewarding than they might expect. But, I get where the attitude comes from. I'm much less sympathetic if they do the thing some of you have experienced, where they go on the defensive and deride someone who exercises (or takes other healthful steps like paying attention to food choices.)

[FitBoop]

Originally Posted by Jeanne Marie

Very interesting thread. I am sure all of us can relate.

It's better for me now that I'm a regular gym member, but before that when home workouts were all I did, I felt like the Lone Ranger! I have an awesome "fitness family" now, consisting of all the members of my bootcamp and strength training classes.

However, that only covers my gym buddies. Other than those people, I am definitely not the norm with my working out and eating. It seems that a lot of people want to toss excuses my way about why they are out of shape and unhealthy. I had someone the other day try to tell me they were "too old" to do strenuous exercise. The funny thing about that particular excuse is that I am 10 years older than the person who said it. What can you do other than shake your head?

I have to tell a story just because I'm old and I'm proud of what I did because I am so old! At the end of bootcamp the other night our instructor decided he would throw in some "ab work", and at the same time make it a contest. So he had us lie on our backs, legs extended and hold them straight out, 6 inches above the ground for as long as we could. I went 4:55. The entire class was 20 up to 40 years younger than I am. I beat them all. Next contest was a plank contest. He had us start out on our elbows and plank for a minute, then up to our hands for a minute, then on our hands with one leg lifted for a minute, then on our hands with the other leg lifted for a minute, then back down to elbows for a minute. I made it. Nobody else did. See what old chicks who have been doing "those exercise videos" at home for decades can do?

First, you are not old, Jeanne Marie! When you turn 95, then we can talk about getting old, OK?

Yes, people love to find excuses! Congrats on winning the ab contest !

[Lorelai]

Originally Posted by Candiceena

I just read this entire thread from page 1 to page 9...it really resonates with me!

I live on the west coast, in Washington state, about an hour and a half south of Seattle. There are a LOT of people here into health/fitness but they all are more into whatever the flavor of the week is. Or, they are extroverted exercisers who do mud runs & bike to work & run races.

Nobody I know is into home workouts unless its Beachbody. I have tried and failed to get some girlfriends hooked, but they all want to go to classes (like zumba or barre). I did get 1 friend to borrow & try a Cathe step workout and she said no way, way to hard. And she had just run a 10k like a month prior.

YES, that, totally! I'm a couple of hours north of Seattle, and this describes the fitness culture perfecly IMO. People are super into Shakeology (which I think comes with PiYo), go to classes, or are super into outdoor things like biking, hiking, climbing, skiiing, snowboarding etc. Or they bike everywhere and run races. lol Which I'm not knocking, don't get me wrong. It's just too extroverted for my personality. I'm the kind of person who really dislikes others watching me exert myself (even outdoor walks make me uncomfortable, all those potential eyes), even DH, who sometimes enjoys watching me do exercise videos.

As regards the average age on this forum, I'm right there with you (that is, younger than the general VF population) as I'll be turning 28 in August. I discovered home exercising early (and seriously, why is not having to get dressed up and drive to do exercise not more of a thing?) too. I'm honestly not sure why exercise videos aren't more popular?

[Terry]

Originally Posted by cherimac

From what I've read, Laura, people are, in general, more fit and active out west. Here in the southern US the obesity rate is outrageous.

That might apply to people on parts of the East Coast as well. I was visiting in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Main, and Vermont about 10 years ago and noticed there were no overweight people anywhere. I must have seen a few, but none that I recall.

Locally, I attended a High School Marching Band Competition south of Dallas Tx and it looked like 80 or 85% of the crowd was overweight, kids included. I was in North Dallas the next day shopping and it looked like about 95% of everybody looked very fit.

My workplace is a medical facility/educational university campus in the Downtown Dallas area. The 14,000 employees and 4000 students come from every place on the planet. I get around all over the campus and know about the various job positions due to my job. I'd say the obesity rate looks to be <1% for students and employees in degree-required positions, 10% for the employees in non-degreed positions that require them to be on their feet all day, and 60 or so % for non-degreed employees who sit all day.

[Jeanne Marie]

Originally Posted by FitBoop

First, you are not old, Jeanne Marie! When you turn 95, then we can talk about getting old, OK?

Yes, people love to find excuses! Congrats on winning the ab contest !

Thank you, you are so sweet! Since 95 is 35 years away, I guess I'm not old after all!

And thanks for the congrats. It was fun winning, but fun most of all because I am so much older than every single one of them. What really would have been fun would be to have a line up of a bunch of us fit VFers showing those younger whippersnappers who's boss!

Another thing that resonates with me, my trainer(s), a husband and wife team, still get this glazed look in their eyes when they hear me tell anybody that I got fit from years of doing home exercise videos. Some of the best trainers still have no idea of the caliber of the home video market. And it frustrates me because they are missing a huge benefit to their clients. Just think if a client can't make it to class one day, they could pop in a Cathe video at home and get just as good of a workout. Heaven forbid they acknowledge this is actually possible.

[Daphne M]

A little bit of the "hard to fit in" rings true for me, because I don't feel comfortable talking about fitness stuff unless I'm with others who are into fitness. With most people, I'll just say, "oh I'm really into fitness" and then change the subject.

BUT it's a non-issue for me because I have a lot of outlets where I *can* talk about fitness:
(1) VF
(2) my gym;
(3) my running groups; and
(4) SURPRISE - my college-aged kids!

My kids have surprised and delighted me because I never pushed fitness on them, and they could just as easily have used their non-active dad as a role model. But for both, fitness is an essential part of their daily lives and has been for many years. We all like different workout styles, but we all get it done. It's .

[Daphne M]

Originally Posted by Jeanne Marie

Some of the best trainers still have no idea of the caliber of the home video market. And it frustrates me because they are missing a huge benefit to their clients. Just think if a client can't make it to class one day, they could pop in a Cathe video at home and get just as good of a workout. Heaven forbid they acknowledge this is actually possible.

Jeanne Marie -- I actually gave my trainer my entire STS set! She'd been curious about my fitness DVDs for years and she actually works out at home more than the gym. She was very impressed. One of her sons and his girlfriend have been using them in their home gym. My trainer doesn't use them herself (she's too inventive and self-directed for that) but she feels very comfortable using them as a proxy for personal training. Congrats on winning the ab contest -- you are STRONG!!!!!!

[Hazel Porter]

Originally Posted by laurajhawk

I'm sure I've said this on this thread before, but ... Colorado!

I don't really know a lot of vidiots here (and the ones I do, I met at VF), so I don't spend lunch hours talking about the new KCMs or anything like that, but I can talk to people. I have yoga buddies at work and at the studio (and sometimes they do DVDs); I have a friend who always means to do DVDs but ends up at the gym because she's just sociable; I have a coworker who can't really make it through P90X but his wife does (and he trains for marathons and climbs mountains, so he's not actually slacking). And my workplace is aging ... I'm near the average at 52 years old; these are mostly people my age that I'm talking about. It's kind of awesome.

This is so true! It seems like most people here in Colorado are active in some ways. Actually, I sometimes feel like an outsider because I'm more of a gym rat and so many here are passionate about outdoor sports and activities, but that's more about me than about anyone being unkind about my preferences

[Hazel Porter]

Originally Posted by Jeanne Marie

Another thing that resonates with me, my trainer(s), a husband and wife team, still get this glazed look in their eyes when they hear me tell anybody that I got fit from years of doing home exercise videos. Some of the best trainers still have no idea of the caliber of the home video market. And it frustrates me because they are missing a huge benefit to their clients. Just think if a client can't make it to class one day, they could pop in a Cathe video at home and get just as good of a workout. Heaven forbid they acknowledge this is actually possible.

Well, I think they might be worried about the competition if clients were to find out what a great workout you could get for a fraction of the cost and without having to leave the house!