The Gym - To quit or not to quit.

Has anyone lost any serious inches and toned up without the gym? I’m thinking about cancelling my membership and saving myself £50 a month, but I’m scared that although I don’t go much now, if I didn’t have the option then I will end up doing nothing at all.

Now, the evenings are getting a little lighter, I have a wii fit, a fiancée that likes to play badminton and a mom that goes swimming once a week at a local pool, a house to myself at least once a week and a DVD player.  In theory there is no reason that I can’t get my ass moving – I guess I’m looking for some advice here……

Targets are to tone up, to stop weighing in so regularly but to lose a dress size within the next couple of months.

Well, I don't belong to a gym, I've been exercising at home by doing exercises like lunges, squats etc.  And I've been doing a bit of running around the local park.  At work I have an inflatable punchbag that I keep in the basement and go down there to exercise in my lunch hour.  Since January, when I started all this stuff properly, I've lost half a stone (7lbs) so I figure it's doing the business!

Sounds like you have the support and options around you to go for it without the need for a gym so I say make yourself £50 richer each month!

Of course the gym works for some people...I am not one of those people and prefer exercising at home / out and about.

I would say if you don't really enjoy going to the gym, then you're never really going to take advantage of the membership.  You need to find something you enjoy and will continue doing (after all - this healthy lifestyle is hopefully for the long run!)

I say ditch the gym, save yourself £50 a month and also save yourself a lot of needless guilt for when you don't go! but be sure to replace it with something you actually enjoy...or at the very least, don't dread! ;-)

Personally I love the gym. I've stuck with it for about six months now and I don't see myself giving it up any time soon. I think the best thing about the gym is that is makes it so exercise is a part of your routine. I pack my gym bag in the morning and head straight there after work so that I'm working out while rush hour traffic is clearing up. I also like being around the other people. It keeps me motivated to see familiar faces regularly exercising around me. To each his own though. If you don't like it, you won't be able to keep going. Find something you enjoy :)

I must say I'm part of the gym rat crew. I belonged to a gym that was discounted by my job, but all they really had to offer were cardio machines, free weights and personal trainers. I went consistently for a month or two but it just didn't do it for me.

In November I went to a different gym with my family after Thanksgiving to try a group fitness class (Body Pump) and I freakin' love it. I did a 2 week trial at this new gym, quit the old one and now go to the gym 6-7 days a week doing a mix of group fitness -- pump, Attack, spinning -- and running either outside or on a treadmill. I absolutely love it and it has totally re-energized my love for working out, something I thought I had lost after I quit swimming competitively.

I've found that what does it for me is training/working out with a group of people or a team. There's no way I could ever get the same intensity workout at home, by myself as I could at the gym. A lot of that is just knowing myself and what motivates me. My first gym was just not the right place for me, and once I switched it made all the difference. Are you taking advantages of everything that your gym has to offer? If so and it's still not motivating you, it may be time to try something else.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to find a type of workout that you look forward to doing everday, rather than dreading it.

Original Post by wildnine00:

Personally I love the gym. ...........

I also like being around the other people. It keeps me motivated to see familiar faces regularly exercising around me. To each his own though. If you don't like it, you won't be able to keep going. Find something you enjoy :)

Yep.... that's how I feel about the gym.  After two years of regular attendance, there are people there who inspire and motivate me.  They are now a big part of my journey to better health and help provide moral support.

But, with the economy like it is, and now facing layoff, I have the dilemma of deciding if I can keep going or if I need to give it up to save the $50 monthly fee.  My health is very important to me, and I'm willing to make $$$ sacrifices in other areas, but the gym is one I can't bring myself to discontinue.  Sadly, if it comes to buying healthy groceries or paying for a gym membership, I'm afraid the gym will have to go and I'll have to do what I can with home workouts.

Anyone else in this situation?

I love my gym. Granted, I also work there, which probably helps. I personally lost 20 lbs since I've joined mine, and they keep things so interesting. I do lots of kickboxing classes, yoga classes, rock climbing, and a bunch of other fun cardio classes becuase I generally have an aversion to the machines.

I started off training at home when i first got into lifting and fitness, just some dumbells, a mat and a skipping rope, it was the best time of my gym life, no waiting for machines, no posers, just lifting when i wanted.  Problem was i started needing bigger weights and more variety so now i have to go, i still love it and the variety the gym offers and the odd workout with a training buddy to push me through those gruelling sessions but you can do the same at home quite easilly and get results.  I went down from 20 stone of fat to 11 with a 10% bf then up to 14 with a 12% body fat in 7 years and 3 of those were at home and when i saw my biggest fat losses.  It takes time and good diet but you can get good results.

I cant afford a gym.  I work at home only.  But between walking (fast), my wii fit, mini stairstepper and dumbells, I have lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks and an inch each off my hips and waist. 

Besides saving money I love being absolutely free to just be me. I can be really self concious.

I've tried both, but feel much more motivated at the  gym... fewer distractions, i am there anyway so why not do a good job, i go with a friend, so the social aspect is nice too... at home is is too easy to start and then get distracted by dishes or vaccuming or laundry... plus my dog and cats are way to interested in participating and they really get in the way :)

I liked it when I belonged to a gym, but I often made excuses not to go.  I work out at home now, and it's much harder to make excuses...  I bought a treadmill a few years back, and recently added weights and a weight bench. 

I love getting done and walking into the kitchen to make my post-workout shake.  Then I walk into my bathroom and take a private shower.  I can also get right into my pajamas when I'm done showering and not have to drive home. 

I won't be spending any more money on gym memberships.  My money will go towards more weights until I max out.  Then eventually I might need another treadmill. 

The only thing I miss about the gym is the sauna.  I certainly don't miss the crowds, or having to sign up for cardio machines, sweaty benches, naked people roaming around the locker rooms, etc.