Fitness: No Gym Mebership Required
I’m about to let my gym membership lapse. On purpose. Technically, I can’t just let it lapse, because, if I do nothing, it won’t lapse at all. In fact, it will automatically renew (which is the exact opposite of what I want, and quite sneaky of the gym, is it not?).
Actually, I have to write a letter to a third-party billing entity and give them 30 days notice, clearly outlining my intentions to cancel the membership. Be forewarned: When you sign that gym contract, they mean BUSINESS, baby!
Why, oh WHY would Fitness Friday Girl stop working out at the gym?
Because I’ve learned that working out at home can be just as effective—and in many ways, more effective—than working out elsewhere.
Certainly, many people prefer going to the gym. I get that. I’ve joined and cancelled four gym memberships in 3 states since 1992. When it worked, it worked well for me. I liked the change of scenery, the group classes and the social aspect of the gym. But for the last year, I’ve had to drag myself there. Not because I didn’t want to work out, but because I didn’t want to work out AT THE GYM.
If you are considering a gym membership, here are the two biggest factors to consider:
1. Time. The closest gym to me is 15 minutes away. That’s 30 minutes in my car, just to get there and back home. Add to that the time it takes to get myself presentable, get Elliana ready and into the car, get Elliana out of the car, get Elliana checked into her class, get Elliana checked OUT of her class, and get Elliana smeared from head to toe with hand sanitizer to kill the germs from the snotty kids in the childcare room,—and it’s easily a 60-minute investment. And I haven’t even worked out yet.
If I work out at home, I can invest half that time, and be done with it.
2.Money. No one is going to let you work out for free. A gym membership will cost you something, and it’s usually more than you think. There’s the sign-up fee and the processing fee and the initiation fee, the monthly fee and the “we-just-want-to-charge-you-an additional- $50-for no-apparent-reason-fee.”
I got a pretty good deal on my monthly fees, but I also signed up to meet with a personal trainer. I love working out with a trainer (if by “love” you realize I mean “love to have someone push me so hard that I make ugly faces and have to take large doses of ibuprofen the following day”). But I’ve had a really hard time making it to the gym each week to use my sessions (see Factor #1 above).
It wouldn’t have been so bad had I only signed up for 6 sessions or even 10 sessions. But they sucked me into some sort of personal training vortex last year, and when I regained consciousness, I realized I committed to a full year of personal training. A FULL YEAR! And I couldn’t cancel them. Trust me, I tried. Unless I moved or seriously injured myself, I was stuck. Do a quick internet search on the cost of personal trainers and you will see I’ve laid down a huge chunk of change to have someone hurt me for 52 weeks. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking.
That said, I’m convinced you can have a gym-level workout with only the following equipment:
~A good pair of running/walking shoes (which you will need even if you get a gym membership)
~A park, a beach or a neighborhood to walk or run (free)
~A few sets of cheap dumbbells or resistance bands for strength training ($50-$100 for new, cheaper if you buy used)
~A workout DVD or two (you can get the complete P90X DVD set for the same price I’m paying for 4 sessions with my trainer. Just typing that makes me sick cuz I actually own P90X, too. )
If you are a beginner, you can even find personal trainers who will come to your house and show you how to properly perform certain moves for half the price it would cost you to join and maintain a gym membership.
I’ve often said, the best form of exercise is the one you will actually do. If you have a gym membership and it works well for you, I think that is awesome. Keep it up!
But don’t let your lack of ability to join a gym be a barrier to getting fit. I’m here to tell you, you can get a killer workout in your home for a fraction of the time and money.
So, talk to me. Do you have a gym membership? Do you like it? Do you use it? Do you recommend it? Why or why not?
I totally agree! The closest gym is 20-25 minutes for me and I just couldn't make myself do that. Between jogging, Biggest Loser on the Wii and keeping busy with 4 kids I can achieve pretty darn good results.
I belong to my local YMCA for the pool. But there are lots of non-members who buy occasional day passes or sign-up for certain fitness classes.
I love, love the gym. I heart the gym. My children may not be normal in that as I embark on a 30 minute jog on the treadmill, my son dismantled our alarm system by taking the batteries out of the window sensors. And that's just today. I like knowing the kids are relatively safe and I like the variety.
But, our gym here is about 30 minutes away. So most days I have to suck up the boring 30 min. treadmill run at my own risk and be done with it. My goal is to run early in the morning but I have to start before 6 AM and I'm not that prone to push myself at that hour.
I'm with you, I'm not at all a gym person. But if I didn't own a treadmill (it just had it's yearly check-up today:) I would have to break down and do something because the winters are LOOOOOOOONG here! I enjoy the fact that I can roll out of bed and downstairs as opposed to having to get into the car and be somewhat presentable. And I use that term loosely:)
I have belonged to both expensive and inexpensive and Gyms and after 8 years of that I decided to turn my basement into a gym. I was tired of spending 1 hour driving to and from the gym. I think the advantages of not belonging to a gym outweight the disadvantages. I love schlepping down into my basement looking like crap and working out. If I need to run upstairs to potty I am not drawing the stares of an exercise class for a disruption. I have an elliptical, treadmill and some stupid Tony Gazelle swing thing (my husband ordered that :)). I also have free weights and DVD's. I am motivated enough on my own to get my tushy down there at least 4 times a week and love schelpping back upstairs without worrying about germs from equipment or how I look. No need to make small talk and if I am hyperventilating after Jillian Michaels kicks my butt I simply pause the DVD for 1 minute and return to that torture. You can't do that at a gym because your too darn self concious…and whats up with all the mirrors everywhere? YIKES I know where the cellulite is…I don't need 600 mirrors screaming it back to me.
My all time favorite workout is walking behind the wooded park behind our house. Walking is how I lost 80lbs and a pair of good shoes is all you need for that. I also like to listen to music and many times I pray while I'm walking. When the weather turns cooler I am back in the basement but whenever its warm I am ALWAYS outside.
Excellent topics. I really like this. After long searching I found this online that, Fitness Concepts Personal Training GUARANTEE you'll reach your fitness and weight loss goals with their program or they will give you ALL your money back… cuz' if you don't reach your goals with them they don't want your money.
fitness chino hills
I do NOT like working out in a gym. I like to be outside and in Florida, I can do that all 365 days – unless there is a hurricane.
It's much easier for me to change my clothes, put my hair up and walk out the door. Sometimes I do drive 10 – 15 minutes for a change of scenery in a park, to run a bridge or run at the beach.
The only "in home" workout I do is the Shred.
I dont have a gym membership. I workout at home!
I do my yoga at home. I have my yoga mat (which you dont necessarily need but with tiles, it gives me the grip i was lacking before. Not so nice doing yoga on cold, hard tiles!!), 2 dvds that i swap and change to every now and then and i have 2 books. When yoga no longer is giving me what i need then i go through the books to ensure i am doing the postures correctly.
Works for me as i am alone at home so i choose my own times 🙂
Extraordinary Facts and information, kudos. Designed for adult men and women that will expect to trim off fat without delay, try our website for the most desirable process to lose weight quick.