I don't know if anyone else has ever come across people in the gym like this, but it annoyed me enough to post and see what others thought!

I went down to the YMCA today to go in the Life Circuit Room (basically the smaller fitness room with air conditioning that you pay extra for) and I hopped on the elliptical like I usually do. About 10 minutes into my workout, two women walked in IN STREET CLOTHES, jeans, etc. One was a little smaller than me and one was a little larger. At first, I just thought "Oh, okay, they might just be in here testing the waters or they might be waiting for their next paycheck to get some workout clothes, etc." I personally don't see how someone couldn't rub their inner thighs RAW like that with the jeans, but whatever. They hopped on the ellipticals next to me and started talking... a lot. Not really pedaling so much as chatting... Fine...

After they spent 2 or 3 minutes on the elliptical, they hopped off and went down at the other end of the room and I didn't see them again until I went to do my upper body weight lifting routine where I saw one of them sitting there on an exercise bike, bored, slouched over like a bored high school kid in math/history class, pulling her phone out of her pocket and calling people! While exercising! Is this normal? Do people actually do this?

The only reason this annoyed me was because I figure that if you're going to go to the gym and spend your time there, you might as well actually be somewhat serious about it and not wear jeans and start calling your best gal-pals while you half-attempt to pedal an exercise bike.

I'm probably over-reacting and someone's probably going to come over and put me in my place, but I just thought I'd send this out there anyway to see if anyone else has ever had this experience.

Didn't you know...those will be the ones whining in a couple months can't they can't seem to lose weight.But I exercise everyday whine whine why can't I lose weight whine whine.

It drives me absolutely NUTS when people talk while working out. I understand a word or two, but I've never understood chatting or worse, talking on your cell phone while working out. I posted a few weeks ago on my blog about someone doing just that, and a lot of others concurred that they hated it, so know that you're not alone!

I go to the gym with a friend and we chat a little bit if we are on machines next to each other. But I still work out REALLY hard. I sweat and huff and puff. So I'm not really losing out on the workout. I admit it's irritating when people are using the machines and such and not actuallt doing anything when there are other people waiting...

I go to the Y as well, and I'm constantly being annoyed by people like this. It's extra annoying when they're taking up machines during "busy" times (which is pretty much all evening at my Y). From what I can gather, there are 3 or 4 women who drop their kids off for Y swimming lessons and then spend that time "exercising." Even more obnoxious is when their kids are done and come upstairs. Then the whole posse is just loitering and taking up space!

I think it happens at every gym. Some more than others. Its not just people wearing jeans, some people are wearing their obvious (uninformed) work clothes and scrubs.

i don't really get annoyed...i just get a chuckle out of them. I chuckle because these people obviously think they are going to loose weight that way. So it just makes me laugh. But most of the time when i'm working out..i have may ipod blasting away...drowing out everything going on

I've seen both women and men do this....but I'm like gatorgal - got my tunes going and in my own little world. The only person I really will talk to at the gym is one of the trainers....he's a cutie - but way too young for me. He's incouraging and sometimes flirting a little . All in fun!

I always have music on when I'm working out, but I refuse to blow out my eardrums just to avoid hearing screeching and shrieking from the girl next to me on the cell phone.

I wish we had cute trainers at my gym though - they could talk to me as much as they wanted

So true! When I see people like this at the gym I try to think charitable thoughts (I didn't have the right clothes the first time I worked out; it's better than them sitting on the sofa and talking...) but you are absolutely right! The only thing you are wrong about is that it won't take a couple of months for the whining to start. In a week, they will be whining about why they can't lose weight!

I agree that would drive me nuts. The cell phone thing makes me laugh. My gym is in a downtown office building. There are several people who conduct buisness calls while working out. These guys are working out hard core. It just makes me giggle uncontrolably. I always wonder what the caller thinks when s/he hear their stock broker going "Yeah, we pant, pant, pant should, big deep breath definately gulp air, sell" I don't know abut you, but if I heard some one on the other end of the phone souning like that; my first thought would not be: "Oh I bet they're at the gym!"

This is totally against everything I said above but... that's kind of a good idea. At least, working while you're working out - not necessarily being on a call. I'm on a travel project right now, working kind of long hours, and I generally take work back to my hotel room. Tonight I have a TON to do and will probably not get to bed until 1 AM, which means I really don't have time to go to the gym. However, not working out is NOT an option for me! Maybe I can bring my laptop down and at least do some research while I'm on the bike? I may look stupid but it's more calories than I would burn sitting at the desk!

Next week I'm staying at the Westin, which has options to put fitness equipment in your hotel room. That will be ideal, because no one can see how stupid I look

Great story! You're totally right!

This is exactly why my gym has a policy of NO CELL PHONES on the workout floor.