community talks
MORNING
PEOPLE
& Non
by Jean Youkers
There are two kinds of people afoot at HAC in the early morning hours – those who are morning people and those who are not .
Some morning workout-ers practically break the doors down as they wait for the arrival of 5:30 am when the doors open . These folks are eager to mount treadmills and other equipment , taking off at a pace that matches their energy . We morning people are already planning what ' s next on our agenda for this exciting new day before dawn even breaks ! Some are sprinting downstairs to the locker rooms , gym bags swinging merrily , to change into swim suits and jump into the pool or perhaps depart for a run . Some vault outside to swim laps in the outdoor pool , even on freezing winter days . I ' m told by some that they feel invigorated as they dart back and forth , splashing or not splashing , contentedly .
Meanwhile , some of the non-morning people are still at home , bracing themselves with additional coffee before they can dress and remember what to pack in their gym bags . Once at HAC , they will , of course , rally and have a great workout , just like the morning people . One group wakes up to get to the gym while the other heads to the gym to wake up . There is no right or wrong , as people are different in many ways , with different body rhythms and different schedules that require different workout hours .
Jeannie Versagli , HAC ’ s registered dietitian , explained that body rhythm dictates whether one is a morning person or a night owl . The two groups operate on different cycles . As Jeannie says , we must " nourish to flourish ." Carbs adequately nourish a morning person in the morning , whereas protein is the fuel needed to " jump start " a night owl person whose schedule forces early morning functioning . The morning person hits a low energy point in the afternoon , when they should incorporate protein into their afternoon snack .
One group wakes up to get to the gym while the other heads to the gym to wake up .
Other than the morning , HAC members arrive at various times throughout the day . About half come during the day and half come in the evening , according to Assistant Customer Service Director , Jordan Biscoe , who delights HAC members by greeting each of us by name at the front desk . The daytime visits are heavier before noon , while the night visits peak between 4:00 and 7:00 pm . With more than 12,000 total members , Jordan said , there may be as many as 2,600 visits on any given day . On New Year ' s Day , when the club opened at noon , Jordan said 300 people checked in within the first 15 minutes !
Asked if he sees a difference between day and evening
members , Jordan said that the people arriving after work are tired and hungry , so they are in more of a hurry , while the morning people , who come in before work or may be retired , often seem more relaxed .
Yet another group undoubtedly views an evening workout as the perfect way to chill out after a busy day . I wouldn ' t know , morning person that I am .
HAC accommodates the varied schedules and body rhythms of morning people , night owls , and everybody in between by offering a wide array of activity choices for morning , afternoon , and evening . And it ' s a good thing we have all these choices and that we are all so different . If all 12,000 of us showed up simultaneously , nobody would ever get a parking place . Vive la différence !
enhance magazine | MARCH 2018 19