How is a Home Gym Like a Magazine?

How is a Home Gym Like a Magazine?

By Jamie Bussin

Oh-My-Cron! Here we go again. Can we just skip ahead to Omega? If we run out of Greek are we switching to Yiddish? I guess (for a little while?) we’ll be hunkering down once more. It should be easier this time around, as we all know the drill and we’re better prepared. Like many others who spent more time at home during the pandemic, we turned our attention to home improvements. Our focus was creating a home gym.

In what used to be our kids’ playroom…and then the Tonic office…we carved out some space in one of the rooms in the basement for yoga and exercise. We already had a treadmill, a bench and some weights. When Covid hit and it became clear that the gyms and studios would be shut down, we scrambled to get some more equipment so that we could maintain our fitness. More weights, and a rowing machine were purchased early on and a few months ago we got a Peloton. 

So my family could do resistance training, aerobic training, yoga, stretching etc. all in the comfort of our home. But it was just a space – an area to do those things as opposed to a dedicated gym. The desks, computers, filing cabinets, back issues, promotional materials from the magazine also shared that space. Light fixtures hung down from the ceiling – which hampered clearance for overhead presses. The floor was carpeted – which is not “optimal” if you’re getting your sweat on. There are only so many mats and towels you can lay out, and I am somewhat of a “heavy sweater” (I know, TMI). 

So these past few weeks we tore out the carpet and replaced it with rubber flooring. The desks, cabinets, computers etc. were all cleared out. The lighting was replaced with LED pot lights. The walls were given a fresh coat of paint and we installed a big mirror so that we can check our form while we exercise. And despite the ridiculous Covid premium for just about everything, it was totally worth it.

I can’t speak for the rest of my family, but I’m really enjoying the improved gym. I’m not working out any differently, or more, …but the overall experience has greatly improved. Which brings me to the question in the headline – how is a home gym like a magazine? …I don’t know that you’ll read the magazine differently, or more now that it is “The Tonic” or that we have a new Art Director (nice work Sherry, BTW), but I do think that we’ve improved the overall experience. I hope you agree.

So please enjoy this first issue of the newly rebranded “The Tonic” magazine. Joel Thuna will tell you the natural lifestyle choices you can make to help control your blood sugar levels. Dr. Stacy Irvine DC explains how our instincts can improve our health and happiness and Carlyle Jansen describes a new kind of resolution for your consideration. As always, if you’d like to discuss this note or anything you’ve read in this issue, feel free to reach out to me.