Broly

For those not familiar with the word of the day, the Urban Dictionary best defines it as "coming from the slang word "Bro", which is used often by cool males when speaking to their friends that are sometimes not related. "Broly" denotes a friend who is into hardcore iron pumping weight lifting, not penis pumping." Extreme emphasis on the lack of penis pumping here.

As time passes, the term broly pops up more and more, it's just slang for working out. It isn't just about a physical image, it's about your well being, both mentally, physically and emotionally. It helps relieve stress and helps your waistline at the same time when you go out for dinner.

I picked this word today because I'm down almost 3 more pounds this week. Nothing special but it shows me I'm on track for my goals. I still am not 100% strict with my meals all the time so it doesn't drive me insane but I still have something to focus on.

This isn't about being an elitist or a body builder or someone that is narcissistic – it's about taking care of the one body that has been given to you and making sure you are around to enjoy it.

Some things that are not broly:

• Going to the gym and walking on a treadmill at 2mph and talking to a friend as loud as you possibly can talk. Every. Single. Day. 
  
• Walking on a treadmill at 2mph and bringing a book or magazine to read. If you aren't breathing heavy, you aren't working out, you're just at the gym.
  
• Deciding to "get back into the gym" two weeks before the new year kicks off, to "get a head start" on your New Years Resolution. Come off it. You won't be in the gym 6 weeks into the year, why torture yourself?
  
• Not stepping foot in a gym in years and thinking that you "still have it" because you used to. Life doesn't work that way.
  
• Actually working out, putting the effort in, and then washing it all away with a 2000 calorie shake at the juice/shake bar after your workout. Do you really wonder why the scale is barely budging? |
  
• Putting out your cigarette right as you walk into the gym or lighting up as you exit. Seriously. That's worse than stepping out the door and taking a 20" pizza from a delivery man that's waiting for you. Why bother?
  
• Lifting on any type of universal machine and having the weights slam down after every rep. This just pisses me off.
  
• People that stare at your machine to see how fast you are running, what your incline is, and "secretly" compete against you. They think they are badass going 7mph, but you are only going 6. Oh wait, you have a 3% incline and have 50 lbs. on them. My bad.

Some things that are broly:

• Busting your ass so much in the gym that you are sweating out of every goddamned pore on your body. Everyone knows you are kicking your own ass. The posers are scared. The real brolys respect you.
  
• Expecting to go the gym after work and realizing your body is so exhausted from all your workouts throughout the week that you are so tapped that it would be counterproductive to attempt to work out. Rest days don't mean you are weak.
  
• Eating cleanly. I don't always adhere to this one, but I do pretty well through the week and allow myself a cheat meal or two during the weekend.
  
• Knowing what you are putting into your body. The Niff and I saw a Whoopie Pie the other day at the supermarket and I shit you not – 700 calories, 68 grams of fat, 20 grams of saturated fat, and 10 grams of trans fat. That's right – 10 grams of TRANS FAT…you know, the kind of fat the USDA recommends you get ZERO of on a daily basis? Sadly, it wasn't even a huge Whoopie Pie.
  
• Getting your rest. Highly underrated. Sleep is a good thing, not just for dreams either.
  
• Respecting others at the gym. This always starts with people not hogging machines. Don't be on the squat rack and using the hack squat machine and the smith machine all at the same time. That's not cool. Unless there are seriously 3 people in the gym and it's 2am.

Broly isn't an attitude, it's a way of life. It's wanting to improve yourself. Nothing wrong with that, right?