Thinking about joining a gym...(posted in another group also)

So I am considering joining one of our gyms here but I am not sure if I am making the right choice. I joined curves in August of last year and went for the first few weeks and then never went back (just cancelled my membership a week ago) it was $34 a month and I never went. Their hours were very complicated so that might have played a part or it might just be another excuse.

This gym is $45 a month for everything (classes included) and the hours are WAY better. They are open later and open earlier. I'm very interested in it. I have a treadmill, weight bench and dvds at home but I can never seem to find the motivation to go downstairs and do them. I also am borrowing the zumba dvds from a coworker and I like them a lot. This gym has zumba classes you can take. I like riding my bike but I don't like feeling like people are staring at me driving down the road and the traffic here is dangerous. I don't feel safe riding bike (even though there is a bike trail which is on the other side of town unfortunately) and I have tried walking to and from work which is about a mile one way but I have to cross a very busy bypass where everyone runs the red lights so I don't feel safe walking either outside.

I guess I am just afraid that I will get this membership and then not go like I did with curves. But then I think that with the gym there are more options and I think it would be better for me. I can cancel the membership at anytime there is only a month to month contract.

SO do you guys have any advice/tips/words of wisdom or SOMETHING for someone like me? How do you get motivated to keep going to the gym? What exercises do you do? HELP! lol

Thank you and sorry this is so long!

Rachael.. what keeps most of us going here is having goal events we're training for. In that way, every workout at the gym has a purpose, its not just going to the gym to go to the gym. Whether its a 5k/10k marathon, triathlon, bike event, or a lifting goal (benchpress xx pounds) you really need to have that goal you're after.

Thank you! =)

I would LOVE to do a 5k walk or something but they rarely have them here. We only have like 3 months of nice weather and we have about 2 of the walks a year but it seems I always have something going on when they are in town and it's very hard for me to travel because of work unfortunately. But I definitely can think of one goal I would like to pursue and that would be to run again. I used to run cross country in middle school and I loved it but now I can't run at all without feeling like I am going to pass out lol.

Curves is okay but you quickly outgrow it. A regular gym has more options. The main thing is to find something you love to do. If you are social, then classes are great. If you are solitary, they have all those machines. So there should be something there for you.

You can also schedule sessions with a personal trainer and that will force you to go and help you get over any anxiety about "what should I do?"

Thank you for the advice! =)

I did find that I outgrew curves fast. I think I just got bored. I like that the gym has more options and the Zumba and spin classes and such. I think they would be fun to attend.

I eventually want to have a trainer when I can afford it lol but right now I think I have to wing it =)

I agree with the others...you have to find something you like, that challenges you so you'll keep wanting to do it. 

I've been a regular exerciser now for 3 years.  The only way I accomplished that was to find things I like.  I am so not a gym person....so I set up my own home gym in my basement.  I go down there and workout every other day (the other days I run outdoors....another exercise I found that I love).

Bottom line:  Find things you like and you'll keep doing them regardless of where you have to do them.

Kim

Thank you i will defiitely keep this in mind! =)