I’m excited to announce that Fitarella has been given the honor to be one of Gold’s Gym Approved bloggers!  The purpose of the “Gold’s Gym Approved” program is to help the general public better navigate the web to find sites that have the most credible, reliable and accurate health and fitness information.  And since I am a HUGE Gold’s Gym fan, I happily accepted.

The first Gold’s Gym opened in 1965 in Venice Beach, California (aka Muscle Beach) and was dubbed “the Mecca of bodybuilding”.  It was frequented by Arnold Schwarzenegger and featured in the 1977 movie Pumping Iron. The movie brought attention not only to the gym itself, but also to the world of bodybuilding and physique in general. Today Gold’s Gym is an international chain that is frequented by ALL ages, shapes and sizes.

In their letter to me Gold’s stated”

Fitarella has been identified by global fitness leader, Gold’s Gym, as one of the top health and fitness sites in the blogosphere. Fitarella was selected by the Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute as a “Gold’s Gym Approved” site for achieving high marks in a number of areas. This includes:

•Encourages and energizes others to be fit and manage weight healthfully

•Promotes a lifestyle that’s balanced with healthful nutrition and habitual fitness that promotes quality of life

•Promotes the benefits of creating health and not solely the prevention of disease

And who am I to disgree?

Thank you Gold’s Gym for including me in your list, I am honored to be in such great company!

My hump day rant:  How hard is it to clean off the piece of equipment you just used at the gym for the next person? Not a trick question.  and not hard.  AT ALL!  Grossey McGrossgross went all about the gym this morning sweating all over the equipment and NOT cleaning it off afterward. BLECH!   I’m funky enough on my own, I don’t need/want someone else’s yuck.  And Grossey didn’t do it to just one machine (although one is far too many), but FIVE different ones!  Needless to say Fitarella had to have a little talk with Grossey McGrossgross about gym etiquette and cleanliness.  I used to teach & train clients at this gym so I feel especially comfortable with talking to members about such things.  But it made me wonder how many other times this person had done it before and how many people just watched and never said anything.  Or maybe they did tell the front desk, but no one followed up…People, if you see this stuff happening, speak up!  It’s your gym too and you pay good money to be there.  So don’t go letting these funkdafiers get away with it!  JUST SAY NO TO DA FUNK! 

So, the lesson is ALWAYS spray & wipe down machines BEFORE use (‘cuz ya never know what the funk is on there) and AFTER for the next person.  The end.

*Note*- What a coinkydink! Just saw this online article about gym etiquette in Experience Life Magazine.  Hadn’t heard about the mag until today – thanks MizFit!

*image courtesy of Lisa Tozzi