Ah. Amour.

It is a wild and wonderful force that compels us to make grand gestures. Some noble. Some foolish. And some… exhausting.

I’m talking about gym crushes. Those guys or girls at your gym that motivate you to run a little faster on the treadmill or do an extra set of squats just so you can stay in the area where they’re working out a little longer. You also secretly hope they’re watching you and appreciating your hard work and dedication.

For me, a good gym crush is an important part of the recipe for fitness success. I’ve been around a while and tried several gyms in my day but no membership ever really stuck and I came to think that I just don’t like gyms. (When I said I was a reluctant gym rat I meant it with all my heart.) I just wasn’t one of “those” people. I preferred the freedom of exercising outside (emphasis on free). I also thought running and riding my bike on real pavement made me more hard core and legit.

Then I got a great deal on a fancy gym across the street from my office and signed up when all my work buddies did. It was a cool gym with even cooler people inside so to say I was intimidated when I started is a huge understatement. But then I saw “him.” Dreamy in an artsy way with black-rimmed glasses and an intellectual look about him, this guy was not your typical gym bro and I was immediately at ease (and a little bit in love).

As fate would have it, and much to my delight, we ended up on the same workout schedule. My heart soared every time I saw him and I knew I was going to have a great workout. Why? Because I was out to impress him – subtly, of course. On the treadmill, my form was graceful and my speed matched his, and I could hold planks forever if he was lifting nearby. It was the perfect set up and I got into wicked shape in just a few short months.

Now, you might be wondering, “Did you ever talk to him??” And the answer is, “God no.” I could never. First of all, I’m way too shy for that sort of thing. Second, it’s a little cliche to hit on people at the gym if you ask me. And third, I couldn’t risk bursting the bubble I’d created around him. If it turned out he had a really high pitched voice or said “uh” after every third word, my gym crush dreams would have been shattered. No way I was gonna let that happen.

And, turns out, fate wasn’t going to let that happen either. I got a job offer across town (closer to home) and I left the gym without ever saying a single word to him. Au revoir, mi amour. *sigh

Cut to a year later when my best friend/neighbor talked me into joining an even fancier gym because it was half a mile from where we lived and she was on a health kick. What’s funny is that as much as I’d scoffed at gyms in the past, I secretly coveted belonging to this one. It was the gem of gyms and membership carried an air of prestige. So, naturally, I was nervous to start, but having my best girls by my side helped me tackle my fears and enjoy the spoils of this magical place. And for about the first year I was there, the gym itself was my actual gym crush.

But of course it eventually began to lose its luster and I started to stall fitness-wise. I was going less frequently and had almost decided to quit it outright because it was ridiculous to spend that kind of money on something I wasn’t using.

Then I saw another “him.” A new gym crush! He was adorable! And for a month we were on the same schedule and it kicked me right back into gear. I got serious again and that’s when I started working with Trainer. But then gym crush disappeared. But I found a new one! Then he disappeared too. What was happening? Where were they going? Oh. Right. It was February. Silly girl. I should have known better. I’d fallen victim to the short-timers, the resolutioners. Damn it.

So I drifted along for a few weeks, lost in a sea of equipment without a gym crush, but managed to stay on track and do well with my training thanks to trusty Trainer.  And my dedication paid off because I eventually noticed someone who I think had been there all along. Distracted by the short-timers, I had somehow missed him. A quiet, gorgeous ginger who lifted near my favorite treadmill. He must have walked by me a million times before the day we made eye contact and I gotta say, for me, it was electric. How had I not seen him before?

Fortunately, he’s no short-timer. And we’re on the same schedule. But this one’s different. This is the gym crush to end all gym crushes. While he motivates me to go every day and give my workouts my all, he also makes me blush and makes my heart race every time I see him. And he has no idea. (Thank God.) I’m like a damn teenager now. It’s both thrilling and a little nauseating. You know, like love.

But I keep reminding myself it’s just a gym crush and to chill the F out. I’m the one who made these gym crush rules anyway. I just happened to find someone who fit the requirements to a T. He’s beautiful. He’s super fit. He’s quiet and keeps to himself so I have no way of knowing what his personality is like. And he’s way out of my league. Which is crucial to following my “no talking to gym crush ever” rule. The bubble shall remain intact.

The good news is that I am killing it at the gym these days. It is exhausting but I am going to destroy my fitness goals because I have never been so motivated in my life. And before anyone gets up in arms about me getting fit to impress a man, cool your jets because of course this isn’t about him. I am definitely doing all of this for me. But it never hurts to have some extra motivation to get yourself to the gym and put more effort into your workouts – and to do it all with a smile. Every little bit helps. Just sayin.