You can always ask questions about interests and go from there. What else do you do with your life, what are your interests? Besides going to the gym and your issues that you talk about here, you've never told us about what you enjoy.

For small talk: weather, politics (not always small talk that's for sure!), celebrity gossip, local happenings, news, movies, music, tv shows, sports... You don't even have to like them: I can talk about celebrity gossip even though it is not my thing. But I'm honest in my opinions and won't pretend to enjoy it, but it will often lead into something else such as why I don't like it, or about why the other person does.

For myself, if I'm lost I will talk about things I know stuff about - books, travel, teaching, movies, tv, the news, local happenings. Sharing my own interests can prompt them to share what we have in common or different contrasts.

There's also always the very simply questions such as how are you, what have you been up to lately, how are things going with X, what do you have planned for the weekend, etc