Making friends at his gym

Dear Amy: Two years ago, I joined a gym in the next town so I could exercise and not socialize. Now, I am disappointed that I have not formed any friendships. Because I have established myself as a loner, I find it difficult to strike up conversations. Should I join the gym closer to my home and give it a new start? Maybe I should work on changing my loner status, but how?

Seeking an Ice-breaker

Dear Seeking: You could switch up your routine and give yourself a fresh start. Join a spinning class or start using the pool. Once you've made the change, concentrate on speaking to people. You could ask someone how to use a piece of equipment or say, "We've been running on the treadmill next to each other for two years, but I've never introduced myself. I'm John." If none of this works, then by all means start going to the gym closer to your home.

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