MIL watched me workout this AM...OMG

[bzar]

in-laws are in town for a family party tomw and they're staying w/us for the weekend. knowing they'd be here, i made an extra effort to give them the guest room that has a solid door (another room has a folding door) so that it could be closed while they sleep and while i workout at 4 AM.

well, they were awake before i got up and i proceeded to pick out a workout (i was gonna do cathe, but i felt tired). MIL comes over to the TV and it didn't appear like she was just passing by, that she was gonna either participate or watch. so i was thinking "which tape/instructor would not be too embarrassing to do in front of her?" so i decided to do Yoga Zone Strengthen & Tone.

i set out an extra puzzle mat for her and for me and started the workout. she asked me what kinds of exercises do i do, and i said 'practically everything.' she has been going to curves and does leslie at home sometimes. after the first minute, she stopped. they had to leave to go pick up something, but i think she was blown away by the intensity of the stretching. she even said she was stiff, so i was trying to show her how to modify, but she left, so i continued with the workout. i mentioned to her that my mom took a yoga class last year.

anyway, it's the first time that someone other than my kids and DH has watched me start a workout. initially, it almost felt like someone was watching you do something very personal, like.....using the bathroom!!!!!!!

[RachelleS]

- I had this happen to me too and my MIL stopped over when she was staying wtih my BIL and SIL and I had already started working out to one of the FIRM's - I was so hoping she wouldn't come down the stairs to where I was working out but she did and she watched me workout. She was amazed especially at the part where you step onto the Firm Box with weights - in a way it's a good thing because now she knows I really do workout even though my body doesn't look like I do. That is so funny though about the bathroom part - and it is so true! LOL

[Libby]

I don't like anyone but my husband and kids watching me workout either. It feels like a real invasion of privacy. I don't know why but it does. I'm sure it's because watching me workout is not a pretty sight with all the sweat dripping off.

Libby

[Leela]

You are focused, and not paying attention to others around you (unless your little kids are in the room), and it feels weird to be on display.

Good for you for doing it, and trying to draw her in.

[Laura S.]

My MIL watches me exercise when we are at their house. But, it's a small house and it's her house, so that's fine. Recently, I got her a Leslie tape and she does it on her own. The last time I was there, we did it together. She's always so supportive and sweet in her comments I don't mind it.... too much. Actually, I've gotten used to it. And, we are pretty close, so that helps.

[LeslieM]

She lived 4 hours away and would come for 2 week visits every 2 months (we had the only baby\small grandchildren-all the others were grown). She would sit on the couch and watch me and tell me I looked just like the gals on tv It was weird at first and hard to get used to but the alternative was to not work out (we had a very small house). She was a wonderful lady and I loved her like my own mother. She passed away 6 years ago and I wish she could still be here watching me.

Leslie

[FitBoop]

bzar, it does feel strange to have an "outsider" watch you. To us, it's normal and routine to work out at home, but it isn't that way for most people. My college roommate came to visit, and she's a very close friend of mine, but in the morning, I went on my treadmill and then did the Firm More 5 Day Abs. She watched me do the Firm DVD, and it felt like I was on stage doing something that the audience doesn't or can't do. When I was finished, she said, "you are very strong." It made me realize that I shouldn't take things (like having strength) for granted; it does take work to get strong, and most people either don't or can't do it for various reasons.

[*pet*art*girl*]

Wow, good for you for being so well-adjusted at that hour! I might have thrown something.

Actually, my sister visited me months ago. I was doing Tae Bo in the morning and she opened the door and just stared at me for awhile. It really bothered me and I made her shut the door and leave. I felt very uncomfortable about it. I apologised later. But honsestly I think my feelings and reaction did not have so much to do with anyone watching me exercise, as much as it had to do with my relationship and history with my sister, which at times has been unsatisfactory (she gave me a lot of trouble when I was a kid). Later, after we talked some, I did some Sharon Mann step while she did the treadmill. In the same room. And things were better. Sorry for that little mental spill!

[Joanna]

I did a workout once with my ex-BF who is a personal trainer. I was worried he'd thinkt he workout was too easy and then tease me forever about it, or that he'd make fun of how stupid I looked. I picked a band workout because my weights are all too light for him and because a band was the only fitness toy I had an extra one of. He had never used bands before and was concentrating so hard on what he was doing that he barely noticed me. We also did about ten minutes of tae bo and he could not get the hang of it at all (boy is less coordinated than even me). And he was terribly distracted by Billy's outfit. Weeks later, he was still asking me if I had done any further workouts with "the nipple guy."

Joanna

[shamrockquinn]

Bzar,
I think that was so nice of you to set her up to join you - that's really cool.

My exercise time has recently turned into the Family Hour or something. All summer long, my three kids and two cats have been joining me down in my basement everytime I exercise. I really don't understand what's the attraction! They actually start to ask me when we're going to go down and exercise (well, not the cats. ) And these aren't little kids - they are aged 14, 11 and 8. And they don't actually join me, either. They just like to provide running commentary....like "boy are you sweatin'" and "man, that's gotta hurt!" My kids are nuts.