I was going to join the Gym but........

gilly41

after much thought have decided it may be a waste of my hard earned cash. I used to go to a this gym several years ago

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I did go regularly for the year but then couldnt afford to renew my membership as I was deep in debt! I have managed, with the help of MSE, to get myself sorted this year and I can really see a huge difference. I really want to start exercising again and I know for me the only way to do it is if i "have" to go to the gym(cos i have paid for it LOL). It is £18 a month for the off peak membership---this is 11 til 4 Mon to Fri.This fits in well with my life but I am not sure I could make myself stick to it for the year and then it would be a waste

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I never gave it any thought the last time i joined!!!
What does everyone think? Does anyone else go to a gym that they have to take out a years contract for?
There is a council run gym near me---I could go there and PAYG ----i know this would probably make more sense!
Thanks for any advice
xx

KittyKate

I would PAYG. Exercise is exercise no matter the surroundings - but bear in mind walking instead of catching the bus, using the stairs instead of the lift etc are all good ways to exercise for free and not even notice you're doing it

nomoredebts

This is a tough one. I found myself in the same situtaion, having put on 3 stone since stopping exercise and getting a desk job.
I used to be on WTC which meant that my council run PAYG rates were cheaper at £2.30 per session. You get a card each year for £5 and then PAYG. If you are not in receipt of benefits the card is £20 and each session is £5.30. Ithink thats a lot for say one aerobics class as you are meant to go at least 3 times a week, that works out more expensive than many private gyms. On principle I would prefer a community/council run gym but my local private gym is on my way to/from work and has the classes I enjoy at the times I can attend. i have put if off for over 2 years becasue of the cost but finally bit the bullet and joined up on monday. I pay £35 a month which is a lot, but actually works out cheaper than the council run one as long as I go 4 times per week. With the body I have now,I certainly need to!
I did manage to haggle down the price of the membership as the deal I've got should cost me £48. No way would I pay that! I was a member of this gym before and so know what I am getting for my money. I am paying less now than I was 4 years ago. I think you need to weigh the benefits you get from exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle and if necessary cut back in other areas if going to a gym is your only option. Yes it is true you CAN exercise for free, but you have to decide what kind of exerciser you are. I work near to a park but rarely use it for jogging as I just can't motivate myself. As I am still building up my fitness I find I am more motivated by going to classes eg aerobics etc. I wasted a lot of time procrastinating over whether or not to join a gym but now that I have I am glad I did. Yes i will have £35 a month less to spend on debt busting but I feel more positive because I am working my way towards a healthier body. The best exercise is exercise you enjoy and will stick to. I walk to work but amstill overweight as my job is sedentary adn so obvioulsy I need to step up the exercise, and yes probably eat less too! (Working on that!)
Things have a way of working themselves out. I am tied into a mobile contract until November which costs £40 permonth. But my company has recently taken this bill as I use my mobile for work as well so I can expense it now annd have one less bill to worry about so this takes care of my gym membership with £5 left over to put against my debts. This is how I justified the cost, but even without this I would have cut back elewhere to accomodate the cost as being overweight and unfit is the pits! I also figured that if I do go consistently for a year I will lose that 3 stone so it will be money well spent. Yes I want to be debt free but I also want to be at a healthy weight when I get there. Maybe once I am fit I will have the discipline to go jogging in the park everyday but as I haven't until now I feel the cost is justified. Well done for getting your debts down!

gilly41

Hi
Thanks for the replies. I have just phoned the council run gym and with a 10 session saver card it would still work out at £3.40 a session so if i went twice a week that would be a lot more than the £18 a month contract one!!
I think i may bite the bullet and join up again----I used to love going and to be honest it is actually less than it was 9 years ago!(it was £29.99 a month then for the full membership

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anytime any day of the week) I rarely used this as i work most evenings anyway!
Thanks again for the advice
xx

loracan1

Try the PAYG membership for a month - see how you get on. If you end up going quite frequently it'll be worth forking out the membership fee. I found that PAYG limited me to how often I was prepared to go and ended up getting full membership - been worth it for me.

AMILLIONDOLLARS

Well I pay £20 per month and try to go at least three time a week. I too have a desk bound job and found that when I didn't go, the weight would pile on and I would suffer from really bad back ache. I have full use of all gym facilities and a sauna. Broken down under 12 visits per month it roughly works out at about 1.60 per visit, so for me this is value for money. And should I think of lapsing, I always think of how much money is being taken out of my account each month regardless and that put me back on the right track!!

GreyPilgrim

I know not everyone has the motiviation or equipment to do stuff at home (I don't - I need to actually to be in the gym to feel like working out), but there's a great site I found with loads of workout routines. Some with freeweights, some without. It's all free. Lots of stuff about diet, nutrition etc etc etc

http://www.shapefit.com/training.html

lady_fuschia

It doesn't work for everyone, but I tend to find attending a class (there may even be a class run in the gym) is easier to stick to than something where you exercise alone- as you have the added pressure of seeing other people from the class in the street and having them ask "where have you been?" Some classes still require an upfront payment, but you may find yourself less likely to waste it. Alternatively, could you find a friend to do things like jog in the park with, or go on bike rides- and perhaps just go to the gym once a week? That way you get to pressurise- I mean motivate!- each other into sticking with the regime.

Zabl

I'm far too lazy to do things on my own but find that going to gym the keeps me fit. I pay £35 a month too, and i know it could be used towards my debts, but i have been going solidly for 6mths and intend to go for next 2mths,even if its just for a swim.

If your sure you'll use it, Go for it!

TerminallyShortOfCash

Hello.
I signed up for my local gym when I was a full time student and paid £24 a month for off-peak membership (10-4). However, when I started my part time masters degree, I was working each day and had to upgrade to the anytime membership which was costing £40 a month. This included full use of the gym, pool, jacuzzi, sauna and as many classes as I wanted to go to. The major problem for me was that non of my friends were gym members and so I was going alone (swimming every morning and 3 evenings a week, plus a step and yoga class each week) and then spending money meeting up with people later. I sat down and looked at my finances about a month ago - OH gave up smoking and I gave up the gym. Have gained nearly half a stone since and have been going off my head with boredom! Last night I joined the local leisure centre - I get gym, swim and classes for £25 p/m and my best friend goes there too. To motivate ourselves we are taking it in turns to pick each other up (it isn't within walking distance) and then we will take it in turns to go back to each others houses for a brew afterwards. Am quite chuffed about it - cheap gym membership, bigger pool to swim in and can see my best mate so we don't have to go out twice a week instead! Bargain!!

themaccas

3 years ago I joined a gym and never ended up going. Just after I cancelled the membership I started a fitness and diet regime and lost loads of weight, mostly doing it by myself but using the council leisure centre too. Now I am in the fortunate position of having free unlimited use of a different gym 1/2 mile away from me and free use of the swimming pool too. In fact the swimming pool has free kids sessions all over the summer holiday. I haven't used it once! I think because it's there and it's free I am always thinking 'I'll use it next week' and next week never comes!! What a waste!