What constitutes a workout? Is it time related only? Is an increased heart rate a necessary part? Do you have to lift something or at least break a sweat? Just wondering because the hospital could not require a workout without specifying what one was. Perhaps we all have our own opinion of what one is.

As part of the employee health plan, I had to use the fitness center 10 times per month. Did not say had to exercise or workout. Employees and their families had to in order to keep the best discount for their health plans. There was a local facility just down the street from where I worked so it was very convenient to go after work and get my 30 minute workout in. At first we had to sign in on the daily sheet when we got there and later they updated it with a badge to swipe for access and then swipe into a computer inside the room to get credit for the workout which goes towards the plan. With no one sitting there that meant one could swipe and leave without working out, if you just wanted to get credit and not get any activity in.

One cold Saturday morning in the winter I went to the fitness center for a jog on the treadmill. It was my pleasant surprise that fitness director Julia was there to check us in as she was just making a weekly or monthly visit to our facility. Seemed we did not know when she would be there, but I enjoyed talking with her and updating my plans to participate in the National Senior games. About 10 minutes into my jog I heard the door unlock as it was loud, and nosily turned my head to see who was coming in. I saw a woman in a bathrobe wearing flip-flops come in, who showed a high degree of shock when she saw Julia sitting there. I chuckled when I quickly turned around to continue jogging before I had a treadmill mishap. A minute or so later the treadmill next to me started up, someone was walking. When I chanced a glance that way, because I never wanted to be obtrusive on someone’s exercise, I saw the sandals walking and bathrobe covering the legs. Oh my gosh I nearly lost it. She walked 5 minutes, then headed out. Somehow she felt she had to demonstrate that she was there to work out for the record.

Hope that you have a Happy Friday and a workout that meets your definition.

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