By nutritionist and fitness expert J.J. Virgin, Ph.D., C.N.S.
Allow me to be the Jeff Foxworthy of Fitness for a moment here and share some of the craziest things I have (really!) seen at the gym.
You know you aren’t working out hard enough when you are reading a NOVEL on the bike…. You know you aren’t working out hard enough when you can carry on a conversation on your cellphone on the treadmill(and your listener has no clue!)… You know you aren’t working out hard enough when you don’t even break a sweat.
And finally you know you aren’t working out hard enough if you are doing a Sudoko puzzle on the Elliptical trainer (saw that one at the Four Seasons Sports Club in Irving, Texas).
I call this lazy cardio. To me, it is probably even worse than doing nothing because you trick yourself into thinking that you have worked out so you "deserve" that treat. If you can talk while you are pushing it at the gym, you need to push harder. If you aren’t breaking a sweat, crank it up. And as far as your cellphone goes, put it away, far away!