
One of the positive sides about the economy being so uneasy right now is that
good deals are everywhere. In an attempt to save money, many folks have ditched their gym members and started
working out at home and outside. Combine that with the fact that gyms see a decline in membership at this time of the year anyway and many are offering great deals on memberships.

We've heard that it
doesn't pay to be macho when lifting weights. So why do so many people — sorry to say, it's primarily men — insist on slamming down their weights? More often than not, my gym workouts are rattled by the clanging of weight plates or the sound of someone dropping a giant barbell onto the floor.
Equinox, one of my favorite national gyms, has more to it than a pricey monthly fee.
Equinox has gotten a lot of flack for its
unusual choice of advertisements, but the brand is actually highly committed to being a green company. Currently
here is what has been going on behind the scenes that you may not have known (I know I didn't):
- All the tiles, paint, wood products used to make the gyms include low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), as well as recycled and rapidly renewable materials.
- It has switched to using low-toxic and natural cleaning products during workout hours, which improve indoor air quality while still maintaining a high level of cleanliness.

Many times a bad mood can put us off from going to the gym. But for me, it's my good moods that often keep me from doing my workout.
If I've had a great day at work then I want to go out and have a drink with a pal, or go home and spend time with my husband, not go to the gym.

I often love the way I look after a nice hard workout. The problem is that when I am working out at lunch, the "I've just sweat buckets" look doesn't always mesh with a post workout meeting with my boss.
Fitness Magazine consulted with workout diva Denise Austin on her own personal
locker room beauty tips that make going from sweaty to sweet in minutes.

A lot of us have major issues with
folks talking on their phones at the gym — it can be distracting during an otherwise peaceful time. Checking your BlackBerry or text messaging, on the other hand, is not nearly as distracting for the other gym goers, but it could spoil the relaxing part out of going to the gym for you.
It's not abnormal,
Medical News Today reported that one in 10 people who head to the gym check their phones and email and text while working out.

The idea of harnessing the energy output of exercisers to create usable power from burnt calories fascinates me, like using
an indoor bike trainer to charge a battery. When I saw images of the
River Gym, a human-powered commuter ferry powered by gym users, I was mesmerized.
Architect Mitchell Joachim teamed up with personal trainer Douglas Joachim to create the Human Powered Floating Gym.

If your outdoor routine is getting cut short due to weather and air quality, or if you're just ready to take your fitness to a new level then you may want to think about joining a gym.
I know it sounds daunting, but there are a lot of gyms out there just dying to give you a free guest pass so you can try out their facilities.
Gymticket.com has done the preliminary work for you so all you have to do is search for a nearby gym and show up.

Full-on slap for the treadmill or just a touch of blush, at your pilates class?
Do you prefer to keep your skin bare when working out, or would you rather die than go without makeup – even at the gym. Do tell...

Thank goodness it's Friday! Why? Because in my opinion, Friday is a great day to head to the gym.