Joining a Gym

Well Ive not got the motivation to exercise so I called around and found a program here at a local gym called the 60/60 program if your Dr refers you you pay 60.00 for 60 days to try there gym and see if there programs are what your looking for so my PCP refered me and I go next week to check them out, hope this will help me w/ my stall and the scales bouncing everywhere but where I want them to be. Ive had problems again bouncing 3-5 pounds up an down and I want the scale to go down not up. So wish me luck and if there are any programs your doing let me know, Im gonna try the water arobics for one, I have a bad back so have to be careful in what I choose. But hope it works out. I have another 100 pounds I wanna get off before next summer.

There's an article about that gym in "The Hook" last week. (one of c'ville's weekly newspapers). It says it's pretty cost prohibitive after your 60 days are up-so it might be a good boost but it may not work long term unless you have the money to pay. Just a little FYI. =)

Can you give me more details on this please.

Sure! I thought I might have left the paper at work but it wasn't there today so I found an online link to the article. http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2006/07/06/coverAmalg.doc.aspx This is the part I was talking about though....(below is copied from the above article) "Good health, customer service, diverse programming-- what's not to like? Well, for some, it's the high cost-- at about $80 per month, an individual membership at ACAC is nearly double the cost at Gold's Gym or New Fitness for Ladies. Tack on a $150 initiation fee, and ACAC soars out of the price range of many people-- even those who'd love to join. Jennifer Perkins is one. At 28, Perkins is participating in the 60/60 program, ordered by her doctor. But with her two-month temporary membership about to expire, Perkins says, she'll be unable to continue despite her desire to lose more weight. "It's been awesome," she says. "It helps you get into a routine and a habit of going to the gym. I've seen results, and I'm definitely feeling better. You can talk to the staff about anything; they teach you and have really good advice." But once her 60/60 program ends, Perkins-- a medical assistant-- won't be back. "I'm a single mom, I have four kids, I live in public housing," she says, wondering whether the club would ever offer a "fitness scholarship" or some other kind of financial aid for people like her. "It would be really nice if they did something like that," she says, acknowledging that other clubs would be no more affordable for her once she adds in the extra cost for childcare. Wendel says he's interested in making fitness accessible to people in all income levels, but he says the price reflects his desire to retain top employees and maintain state-of-the-art facilities. "As a business person, I have to cover those costs somehow," he says. Just giving people the basics of wellness, he says, can allow them to be more active even at home through things like walking and understanding proper nutrition-- things that don't cost any money."

If you have a public pool near you, maybe you could try swimming laps. My weight loss was at its highest when I was swimming laps for 45 minutes everyother day. Its easy exercise and fun. I've been told (I'm no nut.) that swimming burns more calories because A) You're basically using every muscle in your body. And B) Its anarobic, I'm not EXACTLY sure what that means, but it has something to do with the fact that you have to hold your breath. Also, if you decide to do it...switch your strokes up. Do a few laps freestyle, then a few breast stroke, some back stroke...and if you're up to it, butterfly is GREAT! It helps tone your muscles too, which can save you from saggy skin. OK, one more exercise suggestion...if you don't already have a bike, get one! Its low impact and very fun. On Saturdays, I'll bike down to the farmer's market, load my backpack w/ fresh veggies and fruit, then bike back home...about 20 miles. It sounds far, but really isn't bad at all on a bike. You end up seeing more of your surrouondings. Its just an alternative to the boring old gym. And once you pay for your bike, its free exericise! Good luck with your exercise...One more tip, (gosh, I'm annoying) I hate exercising, its the bane of my exisitence...so the more fun you make it, the easier it is to do. And if its not fun (ie: elypitical trainer for an hour) brainwash yourself into thinking it is fun. Just say over and over...I love the (insert boring exercise here) and it is the most fun I've ever had. Sounds dorky, but works temporarily. Ha! LB

I think that it is a GREAT idea, as long as it is something that you can commit to until you decide what you want to do. But, you know....exercise can be something as simple as cranking the radio in the house and just dancing your booty off or something as formal as working out at the gym. The point is to find something that you enjoy doing and look forward to doing. For me, the treadmill, walking a the beach and Turbo Jam (love*love*love) have been what motivates me. I truely enjoy doing them and look forward to doing them. Even on days when I get home and have no energy, I say, ok....20 minutes. next thing I know it's 1 hour and I feel great that I hung in there. So....think of things that you enjoy doing and see how you use it as part of your exercise program. Some go dancing, some dance in their home, some bike, etc. The key to find something that you like. And, if you like it, you willbe consistent with it. And over time, you will begin to crave it (at least I do). But, have fun at the gym. That's a pretty good deal. Jill 263/166/145

I don't know what is available in your area, but I live in Roanoke and we have a new YMCA downtown and a pretty new YMCA in Salem (both are about 10 -15 minutes from my house). Anyway, they offer lots of classes including cycling, water areobics, swimming, etc. They are pretty reasonable, have free child care, and the classes are included in your monthly payment ($66.00 for a family memebership - individual is less). Just something to think about if your other thing doesn't work out... Mo