GYM classmates are of all ages. Students. Fresh college graduates. Some couples and families go there together. From teenagers, to infinity and beyond. In other words, generation gap is expected.
But the gym has become our happy place where we can coexist peacefully without that gap hovering above our Zumba classes, group exercises, and workouts.
On Monday, however, a 22-year-old gym friend was busy going online for tickets to Niki’s concert. I said, Nicki Minaj? Another gym friend said, Nikki Gil? Wrong.
So, who’s Niki? Spotify to the rescue. Oh, so, that’s Niki. And we now like her, too.
A 28-year-old gym friend suggested for us to listen also to Clairo and The 1975. And when I said I like The 1975, he said I’d probably like Cigarettes After Sex—that’s the band’s name.
These artists had me commenting that they could be the younger generation’s Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones.
And something else happened along the way—based on the 28-year-old’s music choices which are almost the same as that of the 22-year-old, we were able to confirm that he’s indeed still in his 20s. Because there was a time when I thought he’s 30-something already.
Age does matter to the young ones. They want to grow up fast when they’re still in school. But once they’re working and are about to reach 30, they want to hold on to their 20s.
Age also matters to the young once. 50 is when each year begins to happen like it’s on fast-forward. And then, 50 morphs into 60 which morphs into 70 which morphs into 80…
The 60-year-old or older gym rat is considered as a phenomenon at the gym. He’s a retiree, he’s expected to adopt walking as his only exercise, preferably done early in the morning when everyone else is still asleep, since older people are supposed to be wide awake already at 3 am. After the daily walk, he will have his breakfast of oatmeal with low-fat milk and Stevia.
A friend even messaged me this: Just when you’re old, you’re gym-ing. Oh. But I’ve been exercising since 1990. On and off—with more off than on. Haha.
Been there, done that. Aerobics, which has evolved to Zumba and the group exercises for circuit training. Step aerobics, which is now the Stepperton. Taekwondo aerobics which could be the current Fit Punch at the gym.
And because of all the trial-and-error in the exercise department, my left knee was injured at a circuit exercise class in 2016. And that knee always reacts to coffee and carbs now. Aside from the hypertension, the left knee is my other deep why for adopting the carnivore diet.
Yeah, good luck na lang to the diet as halo-halo, yogurt, and baked goodies continue to tempt the palate with delusions of grandeur. The sugar rush may improve the mood for a while, but an hour or so later, it’s back to reality again.
This month is seemingly bent on preparing me for the high-carb noche buena, media noche, and Christmas parties but I have to stop while I can still control my sugar cravings. If ever I’ll eat a high-carb goodie, should it be worth the carbs? Hmmm.
