Making new friends

Recently I have joined the local gym that is near one of our home train stations. In fact, it is so close to the station that you can see people running on the tread mills from the train platform.

I have been going on and off for about 3 months now, but I have been putting in a minimum of 5 days a week since I started my new job. My gym is right on my ride home, so I have no excuse not to go (except on Mondays because that is when the gym is closed). I would like to go workout before work, but gyms in Japan are just like supermarkets and department stores... they don't open until 10am.

In the beginning, I only was working out on the machines, but about 4 weeks ago I finally got up the courage to take some of the classes. I love it! Step, aerobics, cycling, body shape and some weird reflexology class. However, my all over favorite is the Zumba class (Latin dancing/aerobics). Unfortunately, there are only 2 of these classes a week and I have to be at work during one of them.

The cool thing is that I have been making gym friends. Retired old guys, house wives, trainers, instructors... just lots of people. Only a few of them speak English, but everyone seems to say hi to me. I guess I am becoming a fixture at the gym. It's probably because I stick out like a sore thumb. LOL. There are these cute Japanese girls who seem not to even sweat a drop after 30 mins on the bicycle. I, on the other hand, have been considering changing my t-shirts in between my aerobics and cycling classes. Some one, please send some decent gym pants/shorts my way... size 18(hopefully in smaller sizes in the future).