# Health Club Employee Misunderstands the Point of Exercise **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 21, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114 "2007-04-21T22:20:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/1 "2007-04-21T22:20:42Z")
My health club, the local YMCA, recently got all new weight machines. I LIKE lifting weights. I love the cool “punch in your number and it remembers you” Nautilus machines, and I like doing some free weights too. I’m not a body builder…and in fact, I’m 5’4" and a size 10, so I could probably lose 15 pounds or so. But, whatever. I go to the gym regularly and do my thing with varying degrees of progress, depending on how successful I am at staying out of the McVittie’s that week. So, I had to go have the new machines set up for me. I’d done this with the old ones, but the new system required that I make an appointment with the world’s stupidest health club employee. We had this conversation: WSHCE: So, what are your goals? Me: I want to lift weights. I’d like to continue to firm up some spots and…well, I just like to lift weights. WSHCE: Well, you really don’t want to lift weights a lot, because it will make you hungry and you’ll want to eat more. I just stared at him. What could I say. I suppose he’s just a $9.00 part time employee, but I expected a little more fitness knowledge than THIS. Don’t they train these guys? Don’t they get a standard “reasons for exercise” lecture or something? So, I guess if I take this guy’s advice, I should sit on the sofa and try to move as little as possible, lest I make myself hungry by expending calories and putting on lean muscle mass. Actually, that sounds kind of good. I think I’ll go spend a couple of hours knitting and eating McVittie’s. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/2 "2007-04-21T23:31:54Z")
Oy. That could go in that “really stupid things” thread. Wonder where he got that bright idea? ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/3 "2007-04-22T00:52:17Z")
I think that you’re missing the more important point in the story, where are you getting McVities in America? I fell in love with them when I went to England and have since eaten my stash that I brought back with me. Is there a store in the states (preferably a chain store that might be in Virginia too) that sells them? Oh…and that health club guy was dumb. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/4 "2007-04-22T01:25:11Z")
[QUOTE=MissMossie] I think that you’re missing the more important point in the story, where are you getting McVities in America? I fell in love with them when I went to England and have since eaten my stash that I brought back with me. Is there a store in the states (preferably a chain store that might be in Virginia too) that sells them? Oh…and that health club guy was dumb. [/QUOTE] Ditto this. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/5 "2007-04-22T01:27:20Z")
Ok, I’ll ask… What’s McVitties? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/6 "2007-04-22T02:11:18Z")
[QUOTE=Purplkid\_Caterer] Ok, I’ll ask… What’s McVitties? [/QUOTE] Perhaps **CeilingWacks** meant [_McVities?_](http://www.englishteastore.com/mcbi.html) ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/7 "2007-04-22T02:15:10Z")
[QUOTE=Czarcasm] [_McVities?_](http://www.englishteastore.com/mcbi.html) [/QUOTE] … mmmm … HobNobs … now I want some. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/8 "2007-04-22T02:52:58Z")
[QUOTE=MissMossie] I think that you’re missing the more important point in the story, where are you getting McVities in America? [/QUOTE] See [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=416914) recent thread for some suggestions for DC area British food stores. ---
**Author:** ![CeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/9 "2007-04-22T02:53:57Z")
[QUOTE=MissMossie] I think that you’re missing the more important point in the story, where are you getting McVities in America? I fell in love with them when I went to England and have since eaten my stash that I brought back with me. Is there a store in the states (preferably a chain store that might be in Virginia too) that sells them? Here’s how you get McVitie’s: First, marry a guy from Belfast who’s basically right off the boat. Second, live in Boston where Irish food is imported in mass quantities. Third, get a brother-in-law to come and visit with a suitcase full of McVittie’s and McCoy’s crisps. Yum! Oh, and last, but not least, don’t let stupid health club guys tell you not to work off the calories you consume. Have you tried ordering them on the web? I’m sure they’d be expensive that way, but if you don’t live near a large Irish immigrant population, I don’t know where you’d get them! ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/10 "2007-04-22T03:21:44Z")
All of our McVitie’s come from [The Fresh Market](http://www.freshmarket.com/) and virtually nothing else. You’d go broke doing your regular shopping in there. They appear to have a few locations in VA, it might be worth the drive. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/11 "2007-04-22T03:56:26Z")
We get McVitie’s at Rodman’s Drug Store in Rockville, MD, of all places. They have a lovely selection of international foods at incredibly reasonable prices. I see, however, by perusing that link, that there’s a British shop not ten minutes from my house. I foresee a visit in the very, very near future! ---
**Author:** ![stucco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@stucco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stucco)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/12 "2007-04-22T08:50:09Z")
Just chiming in to say: yummm chocolate covered hobnobs… ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/13 "2007-04-22T19:09:53Z")
Gee… That’s funny… You _seemed_ to want to lift weights… I must not have followed it right! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/14 "2007-04-22T19:17:23Z")
This thread is making me hungry. Better go lift some weights! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/15 "2007-04-22T19:23:32Z")
McVities is a baked goods manufacturer. It’s not the name of a product. Amongst other things they make Digestives and the sublime HobNobs. But those things have their own brand names. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/16 "2007-04-22T20:52:47Z")
Now, I read the word as McVittles, and assumed that it was a kind of nick-name for either McDonald’s or fast food in general. So I was baffled by this discussion of snackfoods. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/17 "2007-04-22T21:07:59Z")
Back to the OP here…the two Ys that I go to in the Boston area have made it a point to hire only trainers who have a background in fitness and real degrees which require practicum and all that, so I’m chagrined that they have a WSHCE there. I will say, when I was being trained on the weight machines at my local Y, the guy was pretty nice and fairly knowledgeable. He did, however, piss me off when we were discussing what other exercise I do and how often. I mentioned that I run and he later said, “You’re not a competitive runner, are you?” I actually am, and I have no idea why he couldn’t have phrased the question as “Are you a competitive runner?” Nitpicky, sure, but I was insulted. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/18 "2007-04-22T22:50:44Z")
[QUOTE=lorene] ..snip.. “You’re not a competitive runner, are you?” I actually am, and I have no idea why he couldn’t have phrased the question as “Are you a competitive runner?” Nitpicky, sure, but I was insulted. [/QUOTE] Did his tone of voice suggest that he didn’t think you were? Or was it just the question itself? The reason I ask is because I often phrase questions that way too. I mean them in exactly the same way as the “other way”. For instance asking my coworkers “you don’t have any extra sharpies do you”? With me at least it’s just a speech pattern, one I hear frequently from others around me. That’s not to mean that this guy WASN’T just being a snot, but he could just have a habit of phrasing questions “backward”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Obsidian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/51bf81/32.png) [@Obsidian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obsidian)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/19 "2007-04-22T22:53:11Z")
I remember signing up with a gym that required us to meet with a physical trainer who was very off-putting. I was out of shape and had put on some weight and had been putting off doing something about it because I just didn’t have the time/energy to address the whole problem. So I decided to try baby steps, adding changes one at a time. Working out is far less of a lifestyle-upheaval than changing ones diet, and I figured any excersize I did (even if not enough) would be better for my health than no excersize. The trainer insisted (because it was policy) to record my height/weight/fat percentage. He then made up a diet I was to follow and suplements I was supposed to take. There was no middle ground. He told me I needed to make weight loss my immediate and serious goal (note: I was overweight, not obese), to a target weight he asigned for me that I knew (from back when I _was_ in shape) was too low a number. If I didn’t follow his diet and suplement plan than any excersize I did would be a complete waste of time. If I wasn’t going to take this seriously, why bother? Gee, thanks dude. I remember thinking this is why fat people are afraid to go to the gym. All I wanted to do was start slowly and do some laps in their 'friggin pool 3 days a week. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114/20 "2007-04-22T22:58:10Z")
Your membership required you to meet with a trainer? Bizarre. I would’ve told him where to stick his program and then gone and done whatever the hell I pleased. Why pay membership fees for the privilige of being bossed around? Yeesh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-club-employee-misunderstands-the-point-of-exercise/401114.md?page=2)