Cara Kempf is a certified personal trainer with the Fitness Zone in Carmel and a group fitness instructor with NIFS in downtown Indianapolis. She can be contacted at fitnessblog@theindychannel.com.

Ever wonder why lots of new gyms consist of an all-women or all-men concept?

Ladies Only, Curves, Sircuits ... each of these advertises to only one sex. Did you ever hear someone say they disliked going to the gym because, well, because it's a meat market? Sad, but true, and unfortunately it isn't just the women that are complaining. Sure, women tend to get hit on a lot more than men when visiting the gym, but it does happen to men, too. Ever see the occasional woman with perfect makeup and perfect outfit -- really not working out, but kind of just hanging around, trying to look like she's doing something? Men, watch out!

Let me share a story. One day I was at the gym -- one of those big gyms with lots of people -- and I was on the treadmill. My treadmill routine usually consists of an interval training routine of jogging and sprints. Well, I had finished my three minutes of jogging and started to sprint for two minutes before returning to the jog. About mid-sprint, I felt a tap on my shoulder -- *mid-sprint*. I quickly slowed my speed and turned to see if maybe I had dropped something important. Nope, just a guy waiting to talk to me, then ask me out. Now, even if I hadn't been engaged at the time, the answer would have been NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS. He stopped me mid-sprint. Not mid-jog, not mid-walk, which still would have been bad because I was in the middle of a workout. I could have been hurt!

So, guys and girls who may think about trying this in the future, DON'T. You will most likely get a big fat NO.

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Anyway, my advice to anyone who hates going to the gym for "meat market" reasons: Don't let that stop you. Get into your element at the gym and ignore those who may try to stare. If someone speaks to you, speak back, but kindly let them know that you are in the middle of a workout and would like to continue concentrating. Anyone there for the right reasons will not be offended and will understand.

If you are one of those people who likes to find a date at the gym, you might want to ease up a little. Most people are actually there for the workout.

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