Argentine Exercise

There are 2 prevailing physical traits of most Argentines ..... well put together and skinny.  People are very concerned about weight here, and overweight people aren't given much sympathy at all.  So following this, you would expect a city of runners and exercisers, but that is actually almost the opposite!  To go running outside is really pretty rare - some people definitely do it, but for such a big city, you never see people running on the streets.  Maybe a couple in big parks on weekend afternoons, but that's about it.  So then you think, well, if they don't run outside, they must all be intense gym members. I mean, there are exceptions, but for the most part the gym seems to be more a place to show off your latest Nike exercise outfit then to actually sweat.  No one wears shorts, everyone always has a matching exercise ensemble, and is likely walking on the treadmill or lightly using the ellipticals.  Girls wear makeup to the gym, and their hair always looks nice.  So I don't know how they keep up their skinniness, because this definitely isn't a culture of hard exercise and fitness!  So for a girl to go running outside on the regular streets, wearing shorts and a tee-shirt (never seen anyone wear a regular cotton t-shirt, actually) definitely draws some stares! 

International students got a pretty good discount at the big chain of gyms here, Megatlon.  They're pretty nice inside, last Friday afternoon they had a live DJ, which was actually kind of strange but at least something different.  Sometimes they have little snacks out for you too.  I want to go to their spinning classes to see how they are, and learn how to spin in Spanish too!  Oh, another thing about the gyms - the city requires an EKG before you join.  I had no idea what they were doing until she printed out the little chart of heart beats; my resting heart rate was in the 50s, so that made me feel good about my in-shape-ness!