Cry with me if this sounds familiar. You are ready for a new body. You have your new workout clothes, a new pair of running shoes, and even a new iPod to accompany you in your endeavors. You walk into the gym, ready for action. You scan your surroundings. Basketball courts—too aggressive. Stretch mats—too light. Weight room—too heavy. Cardio machines—just what you were looking for.

So you hop onto an elliptical machine and coat yourself in your own blood, sweat and tears for the next hour. And at the end of the hour, you’re tired, fatigued, and in dire need of a gallon of water. You think to yourself, I have to endure this everyday? Your body protests, but you maintain your workout regime in hopes of achieving that new body. You’re a student, so you may nonchalantly assume that your low cost student health insurance will cover any potential over-exertion.

Now after two, four, six months, you step on the scale. And you’ve gained two pounds. You throw out your torn work-out clothes, you toss your worn pair of running shoes, and you sell your iPod on Craigslist. You vow to never visit the gym again.

But what exactly happened here?

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Tags: articles, Cardio, cardio machines, elliptical machine, food choices, gym, weight training, workout, workout clothes