That's 90 degrees OUTSIDE, inside it was at least 140

You know you’re at the gym in August in France because it’s just you and a handful of gay men--the only people who are demented enough to break sweat on PURPOSE during a month that has been consecrated to feasting on apricot-filled beignets in the countryside.  (Watch the annoying Salon entry ad!  It’s worth it!)  When I arrived at the gym yesterday afternoon in the 90 degree Fahrenheit heat, the girl at the front desk handed me a towel with a look that I recognized, the same look that I used to get when I’d occasionally set foot on Paris streets in J.Crew yoga pants and sneakers IN PUBLIC, OH THE HORROR.  A look that seemed to say, make no sudden movements; she comes from the same country that produced The Jerry Springer Show and Tom Cruise--she ees pairaps a leettle crazy, no?

Comments

[nathan]

For zee europeans :
90°F : 32.2°C
140°F : 60°C

It's gettin' hot in here...

[Michele]

And then you wanted to go sweat more on purpose. Mental.

I go to the gym in the summer time, too. But at least my club is air conditioned. Sorry you have to suffer through that!

[Africankelli]

I live in Arizona and am a distance runner. Half the time any weight loss associated with my workouts is really just massive dehydration.
But, really, is there any other cure to a brutal hangover? Or a bad breakup? Or a oh, so plentiful meal the night before?
And at least you don't have to worry about the guys at your gym trying to pick you up. They are too busy looking at each other's asses.

[elle]

I work out in a gym in the summer--in the 90-degree-90%-humidity-the-air-is-actually-adding-to-your-resistance weather, also without air conditioning. But we have a fan!! Which, unfortunately, only works intermittently. But it definitely beats working out at a certain ubiquitous national chain’s Loop location…which had to shut down its men’s steam room and hot tub due to some members’ licentious activities…

[Kathleen]

My gym is air-conditioned. And the machines have little tvs in them with 75+ channels. Nyah nyah nyah nyah NYAH nyah!

But the heat index outside is 110.

[Dagny]

I applaud all who chose to go to the gym. My preferred exercise is walking to the grocery store or to the bar.

[DDJ]

Hmmm...let's see. We have Jerry Springer on one hand, and a nation-wide lack of air conditioning on the other. Nope - the French are crazier.

[Amy Alkon]

Well, it's cool here on the west coast, but your ears should be burning back there in France, because Eric W. and I were just on the phone, saying all sorts of nice things about you and your blog!

[Mathieu]

Je confirme, it's much cooler here on the West Coat, et le vin est bon ;-)

How are you, Coquette?

[Sammy]

The French can gawk at Jerry Springer, but have you seen C'est Mon Choix?? It's the same stinking thing.

AND they're too crazy to install an air conditioner at the Gym.

[Sammy]

OK, so C'est Mon Choix is more like a French Ricki Lake, but you know what I mean...

[Carrie]

Too funny! Actually though, Jerry Springer is more popular in Europe than it is in the states. They love it in the UK. While I was living in Sweden they temporarily banned Oprah , yet Jerry S. and Ricky Lake were on twice a day(abnormal, Not typical American guests .Don't know too many Americans-or anyone for that matter- that walk around in nappies or have vomit fetishes.)

[Coquette]

Africankelli, you're so right, there's no better cure for those things than the gym. I go to the gym primarily to preserve my mental sanity.

Mathieu, hi! *waves*

Sammy, OMG, LURVE c'est mon choix

Carrie, man, if I had a nickel for all the American vomit fetishists I've run across... ;)

[Emily]

There may be few Parisians in Paris, but that's because they're all vacationing in DC. I apparently moved from Paris just in time to run into family after family chatting in French on the Metro here...

[nathan]

Sammy, you forgot : Ca va se savoir ! on RTL9. Jerry Springer equivalent with belgian people. But the production admitted that they're using actors sometimes. So the game is to gamble if whether or not those you're watchin are real freaks or not.

[Miss P]

No,no,no, the probleme is YOU SHOULD CHANGE YOUR GYM IMMEDIATELY, what decent gym would not have air conditioning even in France ??? I can't imagine that...

[schuey]

When asked what he did to be in such good shape Winston Churchill used to say : No Sports.

Sitting in the humid heat of Thailand, this sentence makes more and more sense...

[Gabby]

I personally like working out when my surroundings are hot. I feel like my muscles get all warm and 'lubricated'.. I know it doesn't make any sense. Anyway... it definitely feels better for me to do ashtanga/bikhram yoga in a hot place... tho we gotta watch it... coz if we do too much.. we might pass out! Yikes.. a yoga-pant&sneaker-wearing American fainting in a French gym... I wonder what the they'll do then?!

[Asian Lep]

Alternate hangover cure: crush Ritalin, snort through nose.

Beats endorphins!