How to Avoid Being Hit On at the Gym

Are you tired off testosterone-fueled men always approaching you at the gym?  Are you tired of men constantly following you around, strategically choosing machines right behind yours, or staring at you every time you walk by when all you want is to get your workout and go home?  Following are some surefire tips to make sure you do not get hit on at the gym.


Step One:  Choosing your wardrobe
  It might be tempting to choose cute workout clothes, especially because there is such a great selection out there.  But if you want to avoid becoming eye candy to all those sweaty guys, look no further than your own wardrobe.  You know those old t-shirts that are covered in stains from cleaning, painting, gardening or whatever other activities you wouldn't wear nice clothes for?  Those sweat pants that are a few sizes too big, the ones that you would never wear out of the house because they make you look 3 sizes larger than you are but are oh-so comfortable?  Now is your chance to wear them in public.


Step Two: Making your entrance count
  I tend to go to the gym straight from work, so I'm often wearing non-gym clothes when I walk in.  I don't know why, but apparently there is something about a girl in jeans that makes every man stare at me when I walk by (it doesn't help that I have to walk by the free weights to get to the bathroom).  There are two ways to handle this.  You can pick and choose based on mood, or if your personality is more comfortable with one method then feel free to stay in your comfort zone.  The first option is to avoid eye contact at all costs.  This is more difficult than it sounds, because there are often men everywhere.  You can try to look down, but you also have to be aware of where you're going so you don't walk into one of them (which can often be misconstrued as flirting).  The second option is to stare them down.  You have to be very careful with this one, as intense eye contact is often perceived as a show of interest.  You might have practice in a mirror to get down the look - it's one part anger, one part indifference, one part coldness.  Like I said, this might take practice.


Step Three: Working out
  While working out, there are ways to make yourself very unapproachable.  First of all, don't worry about sweating, in fact, sweat as much as possible.  If over half of your shirt is dry, you're doing something wrong.  Wheezing, coughing and clearing your throat is definitely encouraged.  Don't be gross or rude to those around you, just do it enough that no one would want to be any closer to you than they have to.  When it comes to listening to music, do it as expressively as possible.  Lip syncing is encouraged, as well as the occasional air guitar (if you can do it without falling off your machine - you wouldn't want to be mistaken for a damsel in distress).


  Now if after all your efforts a man still approaches you...I got nothing.  




32 days to go.  Wait...what?