【杉田】Recently, we`ve been talking about fitness clubs and the challenges of making time for exercise during a week.
【Susan】Yes, this is definitely an important topic, and something I struggle with quite a lot. I`m definitely an on-again and off-again exerciser. I like to exercise, but after a log day work, sometimes all I wanna do is fall into a couch with a good book. How about you, Sugita-san? Are you an avid exerciser?
【杉田】Well, I would`t call myself an avid exerciser, but I try to exercise every morning at a downtown fitness clube before I get to work. Most of the time, I ride an stationery bike for half an hour to an hour. It`s so refleshing at the start of the day.
【Susan】I know what you mean. I belong to a gym, too. But I`m going spurt. Sometimes I`m a regular, sometimes I feel I`m just pouring money down a hall.
【杉田】Shiga Hiroshi mentioned that challenges of finding a good fitness clubs, and Tony Hughes and Rosa Cortez gave him some good advice about shopping around for quality fitness clubs with solid contracts. What`s important for you in a fitness club, Susan?
【Susan】Well, everyone has their own priorities, but for me, the location and the hours of operation are crucial. My current gym is about a 7-minute-walk from my apartment, and frankly, I have hardly enough time getting myself there. If I had to travel any farther, I probably wouldn`t to at all. I like to workout at night, I love the fact that my gym is open until midnight. I sometimes wish that it would be open earlier in the morning, so I could squeeze and workout before I head into the office. I`ve noticed that many more gyms in the US than in Japan do just that. There seems to be many more 24hour gyms in the US. Though, I can`t imagine there`re people on the treadmills at 3am.
【杉田】Hiroshi mentioned that the economic downturn is having an effect on gym memberships. Do you find that to be the case?
【Susan】Yes, definately. People are looking for the way to trim their budgets as well as their waistline, and looking for inexpensive alternative to fitness clubs. Some employers offer gym memberships as part of job employee benefitss packages, but many people have to pay out of their own pockets for the gym. I have quite a few friends and relatives in the states who quit their gyms in favor of weekend hikes, biking to work or going for a morning jog. And that includes peeople who are eligible for gym discounts to work. Even with discounts, it`s still expensive and easily be cut.
【杉田】Have you had gym memberships through your emplyers in the past?
【Susan】Well, one of my former employers was a large corporation and we had a company gyms in (penises?) It was free for all employees to to use, and it had ewxcellent facilities. The same employer also offer discount tickes for private fitness clubs for employees to workout at their own neighborhoods.
【杉田】Many cities and towns in Japan also have public gyms that are very inexpensive.
【Susan】Yes, I think it`s wonderful. It`s a nice altenative for people who would like to participate in aerobics classes or go swimming. But who dont` wanna shell out over 10000yen in a month for a gym membership. One of my frineds in Tokyo lives near a wondrful public gym with the facilities that are just as nice as a private fitness club nearby. But the fraction of cost.
【杉田】Sue Kim mentioned that the dangers of a sedentary life stlye. And this is particulary important since people are getting older.
【Susan】Yes, hard but true. For many people, myself included, once they hit their 30s,they realize that it takes a lot more efforts to maintain a healthy weight. Sitting around all day in front of a computer certainly doesn`t help. Exercising at least 3 times per week is recommended by most experts. As is in corporating exercise is settling during a day. For example, taking the stairs in stead of escalators or elevators, and walking in stead of driving.
【杉田】This is something that has been giving a lot of attention in Japan, too. Particulally, with all of the recent focus on metabolic syndrome.
【Susan】True, I`ve noticed a huge increase in number of diet products available in Japan in the last 10 years or so. When I lived in Japan, after I graduating from college, it was difficult to find things like low-fat milk or sugar-free yogurt. But now there`re shelves full of products, gears toward dieters, and diet craze seems to be becoming common place here, too. Just a few month ago, bannanas were selling out at supermarkets all over Japan because of some celebrity diet. I wonder what`s next.
〜Word Watching〜
・gym = gymnasium, health club, fitness center
go to the gym = hit the gym
・I`m all ears = I`m listening.
thumb, forefinger(index finger), middlefinger, ring fin
er, little finger
・Quality remains after the price is forgotten.
= You get what you pay for.
・It`s a steal 安い掘り出し物
・Better safe tha sorry. = Err on the side of caution.
【Susan】Yes, this is definitely an important topic, and something I struggle with quite a lot. I`m definitely an on-again and off-again exerciser. I like to exercise, but after a log day work, sometimes all I wanna do is fall into a couch with a good book. How about you, Sugita-san? Are you an avid exerciser?
【杉田】Well, I would`t call myself an avid exerciser, but I try to exercise every morning at a downtown fitness clube before I get to work. Most of the time, I ride an stationery bike for half an hour to an hour. It`s so refleshing at the start of the day.
【Susan】I know what you mean. I belong to a gym, too. But I`m going spurt. Sometimes I`m a regular, sometimes I feel I`m just pouring money down a hall.
【杉田】Shiga Hiroshi mentioned that challenges of finding a good fitness clubs, and Tony Hughes and Rosa Cortez gave him some good advice about shopping around for quality fitness clubs with solid contracts. What`s important for you in a fitness club, Susan?
【Susan】Well, everyone has their own priorities, but for me, the location and the hours of operation are crucial. My current gym is about a 7-minute-walk from my apartment, and frankly, I have hardly enough time getting myself there. If I had to travel any farther, I probably wouldn`t to at all. I like to workout at night, I love the fact that my gym is open until midnight. I sometimes wish that it would be open earlier in the morning, so I could squeeze and workout before I head into the office. I`ve noticed that many more gyms in the US than in Japan do just that. There seems to be many more 24hour gyms in the US. Though, I can`t imagine there`re people on the treadmills at 3am.
【杉田】Hiroshi mentioned that the economic downturn is having an effect on gym memberships. Do you find that to be the case?
【Susan】Yes, definately. People are looking for the way to trim their budgets as well as their waistline, and looking for inexpensive alternative to fitness clubs. Some employers offer gym memberships as part of job employee benefitss packages, but many people have to pay out of their own pockets for the gym. I have quite a few friends and relatives in the states who quit their gyms in favor of weekend hikes, biking to work or going for a morning jog. And that includes peeople who are eligible for gym discounts to work. Even with discounts, it`s still expensive and easily be cut.
【杉田】Have you had gym memberships through your emplyers in the past?
【Susan】Well, one of my former employers was a large corporation and we had a company gyms in (penises?) It was free for all employees to to use, and it had ewxcellent facilities. The same employer also offer discount tickes for private fitness clubs for employees to workout at their own neighborhoods.
【杉田】Many cities and towns in Japan also have public gyms that are very inexpensive.
【Susan】Yes, I think it`s wonderful. It`s a nice altenative for people who would like to participate in aerobics classes or go swimming. But who dont` wanna shell out over 10000yen in a month for a gym membership. One of my frineds in Tokyo lives near a wondrful public gym with the facilities that are just as nice as a private fitness club nearby. But the fraction of cost.
【杉田】Sue Kim mentioned that the dangers of a sedentary life stlye. And this is particulary important since people are getting older.
【Susan】Yes, hard but true. For many people, myself included, once they hit their 30s,they realize that it takes a lot more efforts to maintain a healthy weight. Sitting around all day in front of a computer certainly doesn`t help. Exercising at least 3 times per week is recommended by most experts. As is in corporating exercise is settling during a day. For example, taking the stairs in stead of escalators or elevators, and walking in stead of driving.
【杉田】This is something that has been giving a lot of attention in Japan, too. Particulally, with all of the recent focus on metabolic syndrome.
【Susan】True, I`ve noticed a huge increase in number of diet products available in Japan in the last 10 years or so. When I lived in Japan, after I graduating from college, it was difficult to find things like low-fat milk or sugar-free yogurt. But now there`re shelves full of products, gears toward dieters, and diet craze seems to be becoming common place here, too. Just a few month ago, bannanas were selling out at supermarkets all over Japan because of some celebrity diet. I wonder what`s next.
〜Word Watching〜
・gym = gymnasium, health club, fitness center
go to the gym = hit the gym
・I`m all ears = I`m listening.
thumb, forefinger(index finger), middlefinger, ring fin
er, little finger
・Quality remains after the price is forgotten.
= You get what you pay for.
・It`s a steal 安い掘り出し物
・Better safe tha sorry. = Err on the side of caution.
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