To take my iPad to the gym?

[NotJustACigar]

There's a gym at my work where I go from time to time to use the cross trainer but its incredibly boring and I like to read and listen to music to distract myself.

Books are difficult because the type is usually quite small. Magazines are expensive, I don't actually find many of them very note resting, and some of the article like "How to Have a Screaming 5 Minute Orgasm" have really large embarrassing headlines that I would be embarrassed to be seen reading by my colleagues who also use the gym!

I have an old iPad and can download Kindle books, articles, etc onto it. I'm thinking about starting to use it at the gym as a book/magazine substitute to read what I like on in the ideal font size .

If you saw someone at the gym with an iPad would you think they were crazy, a show off or some other type of idiot? Normally I wouldn't care that much but my boss, her boss and a lot of company bigwigs use the gym. And if you've ever used an iPad at the gym any advice on apps, etc would be great. It won't be connected to the Internet at the gym so any content would need to be downloaded beforehand. This I think makes apps like Flipboard unsuitable but would be happy to be told I'm wrong about that.

Given that do many people go all virtuous about exercise and then give up because it's either too hard or they don't enjoy it, I think the key thing is to enjoy it and then you've got more chance of continuing longer term.

Being active, even if it's light exercise rather than moderate intensity, is better than no exercise at all

I'd totally ignore anyone who lacks empathy and is critical of what you are doing. Do what makes you happy. An all or nothing attitude in life isn't for everyone. We don't all want to push ourselves and see things as a sport or competitive (even with just ourselves) and some if us just like to be happy doing something.

joy you are right of course
I do classes and now find just the gym DEADLY.
As I am banned from dancing in public I do pump

Pump is good and tbh probably better than reading on machines due to boredom, resistance training good for body and brain

and fun

I candy if your lucky.....

"Given that do many people go all virtuous about exercise"

It's nothing to do with being virtuous - it's about making the time count. You've gone to the trouble of turning up at the gym for your allotted hour or whatever, presumably you pay a membership fee: squeeze every last bit of use out of it! There is no point exercising if you're not engaging with what you're doing; you'll make minimal improvements at best.

I like to read - I read in bed, where it's warm and nice and comfortable. The gym is the least relaxing reading environment imaginable (apart from, say, the M6 central reservation).