I’ve almost always been an avid gym goer. In college, I went almost every day (which was good, considering that I ate hamburgers for breakfast almost every day as well thanks to Sonic).
Since entering the working world, however, gym memberships have always been somewhat of a dilemma. Spending eight to ten hours of your day chained to a desk leaves one with little energy for workouts before or after. Plus, the working world for me also usually translated into the broke world. No money, mo’ problems.
Still, I almost always eventually ponied up the cash for a gym membership. When I was running, I needed the gym so I could use the treadmills when the weather sucked (which in Oklahoma was like, always). When I wasn’t running, I enjoyed trying out different workout classes or using the weight room.
When I first moved to DC, I was all like “Oh cool I have no money, but howabout I pay $200 to sign up at Sport & Health and then $60 a month!”
Oh, I was so stupid.
For the first month when I had no friends and no life, I was all about going to the gym. Then, I made friends and starting doing things and staying out late (I blame Tom) and waking up feeling less than fresh more often than not.
Gym visits dwindled. Eventually, I cut my losses and just bought out my membership so I could cancel it and save a few hundred bucks. We won’t count how many hundreds I wasted by not going. It’s enough to turn your stomach, though, I assure you.
After that was all said and done, I decided gyms in DC were not for me. They’re too expensive, too crowded, and I was too cool and busy for such things anyway.
But that hasn’t worked out so well.
After I sold my car, I was all like “I’m going to walk ALL THE TIME and I’ll never have to workout again!!!!”
Not so much. Cabs. The metro. Begging Tom for rides. I take the easy route when I can. I do walk about 3 miles total on days that I metro to work, but still… that wasn’t quite enough.
So I bought an exercise bike for the apartment. And, to my credit, I actually use the shit out of it. I watch a LOT of TV. So if I’m watching TV, I’m almost always on the bike.
But I will not lie to you and say that I’m rocking it out at the top resistance level and sweating bullets. It’s basically just a way to negate that third beer I probably shouldn’t have had (and yes, biking and boozing is perfectly acceptable if it’s stationary).
The rest of my “workout routine” as of late has involved aforementioned walking and biking, plus some at home weights workouts (that have resulted in some gained muscle mass, but it doesn’t look spectacular atop the fat I’ve gained from being lazy) and the occasional yoga class.
If any of you have written a blog post recently talking about working out, I’ve probably commented somewhere along the lines of “that looks too hard, I don’t think I’ll do that, BUT GO YOU!”
Because, truly, my “workouts” these days rarely cause me to break a sweat. Like, ever.
It took awhile, but I eventually tired of this. Okay, not really. I love to be lazy.
But I do have to wear a bikini in less than two months, and then there’s that whole wedding thing.
So, the time has finally come for me to pay way too much for a gym I’ll hardly ever use, again.
I actually impressed myself this time by not signing up for a membership right away. I’m doing a week trial first. I’m usually such an easy sell. Last time it was some Jersey Shore guido knockoff who basically told me I was a candidate for Biggest Loser than talked me into signing up right away. Apparently if you insult me, I’m highly likely to give you all my money.
My impression so far? There are too many fucking mirrors in gyms. I do not need to see myself from that many angles, especially while doing yoga (they actually have a decent range of classes, if you can ignore the club music pumping in from the weight room).
And yes, I did Facebook about that last night, you know – so everyone would know I go to a gym now.
The major plus side of this particular gym is that it’s right across the street from me, so it’s much easier to access than any of the yoga studios I’ve been going to.
Plus, I can try out all the other classes – like the TRX-inspired one I took this morning that crushed my soul. Apparently TRX is some sort of navy seal training class that’s all the rage right now (you have to pay for the actual classes, but our instructor this morning decided to hook us up for free – I didn’t really appreciate it).
I don’t think I’ll be going back for round two of that (seriously guys, I’m so lazy). But there are a plethora of other options that will hopefully kick my lazy ass into gear while whittling away my gut.
Or I just won’t ever go, and I’ll feel really guilty about it, and then I’ll eat my feelings.
I’ll let you decide which scenario is more likely.
Do you belong to a gym? Do you actually go to it?
I’ve paid ridiculous amounts of money to work out and then…didn’t. The gym I belong to now, I pay $80 and it’s totally not worth it since I travel so much, but if I didn’t belong to a gym I would feel like the laziest piece of shit ever instead of just simply lazy when I pay but don’t go…because, you know, the intention is sort of there so I feel better about it. Twisted logic? Yep.
I like it!
I’ve been very seriously considering joining a gym. There’s a new one by me, that isn’t the one my entire high school goes to, so I’ve thought really hard about joining. I usually talk myself out of it because I do own a treadmill, and a stationary bike. But I feel like I’d workout harder if people could see me. And also, I bruised my lady parts on the bike on Sunday so I’m kind of mad at it right now. The problem that arises however, is that I just realized the name of the new gym, and I’m pretty sure it’s the one that stranger boy goes to. You know, Mr. “bring a friend.” So yah, I’d really rather not run into him. But at the same time, he’s hardly a valid reason NOT to join. Obviously my life is super complicated.
Ha! I like the thought of him having to sweat over watching you work out and knowing he has no chance with you. I vote you go for the gym membership.
“and yes, biking and boozing is perfectly acceptable if it’s stationary”- WORD.
I stopped getting gym memberships b/c I never went. However, when my last job paid for my gym membership, my ass was there 5 days a week. Go figure.
I work out A LOT at home since our workout room rocks…well, it rocks to me anyway.
Your home gym is awesome. I have an okay set up with the bike and the weights. The problem is just that I don’t push myself hard enough to see any results. Normally, I wouldn’t care about that but now that I have weddings and beaches to look hot at/on I suppose I had better do something about it. After that? I’ll probably never go back. The membership goes month to month after a year anyway.
I signed up to a fancy gym once because I was offered a deal through work… it was still $300 just to sign up. And then I didn’t go once. A few years later I started using the local community center gym because it was cheap and you could pay month to month. But I stopped going to that gym too, and the whole reason is that I felt like the commute there and back was taking as long as the workout… so now I just work out at home. I can wear whatever I want, have makeup smeared across my face, and it fits perfectly into my schedule considering I spend 11 hours of my day either at work or commuting to and from. I know I’m probably not pushing myself as hard as I would be in a class setting, but I try to do what I can. I just keep telling myself, you get out what you put in… that’s the mantra that usually motivates me to work out hard at home even though no one’s watching.
It really never is worth it if it’s a long commute. I can almost always talk myself out of going somewhere if it will take me more than 5 minutes to get there.
Had a gym membership. actually went. lost job. cancelled it. got new job. going again. Need to absolutely lose 50 pounds!!!!!!!! determined.
that dos equis spoof was pretty darn funny.
At least you weren’t attacked by some annoying black trainer who was smacking and licking with giant gold teeth while talking to you about potentially using his employee discount for training AND calling potential trainers for job interviews. HOT, HOT MESSS!!!!!
Yes, that does sound like a hot mess. Yay for being determined!
We are going to walk EVERYWHERE in Boston. That’s my workout this weekend. Yay us!
YES!
I get a free pass at the University gym with my tuition, and it is a really good gym … but I haven’t been in about a year. I really need to get my butt in gear!
I actually go to the gym 5 days a week. I’m not sure how I got into the habit and made it stuck, but it has.
That’s awesome! Good for you!
I do belong to a gym and I actually really like it, they have awesome classes, but I’ve been a HUGE slacker lately. After our trip I’m getting back on the ball though, and I think I might actually try that TRX class even if just to humble myself.
It will definitely do that. Or maybe it was just my incredibly out of shape ass that was humbled. Either or.
I actually belong to sport & health but mine is $25/month with my company discount, you should ask if they offer anything for your work. My first year in DC i didn’t join a gym because I didn’t know how long i’d stay and i traveled a lot so workout DVDs worked great for me. and my definition of a good workout video is not too intense because if I’m not going outside to run and want to work out, I’m clearly not that motivated. As long as you keep it on mute cuz she’s annoying, Denise Austin videos are perfect. they are 10-12 minute segments you choose (you can obv do more than one if you get into it after convincing yourself to just do a 10 min one). They are quick (one move a minute), and full body so I’m always surprisingly sore the next day. I also love Bethenny Frankel’s yoga dvd, i feel like I’m just laying around but it burns for days! I wish I was intense enough to do Jillian Michaels DVDs at home but I’m not. If I’m in the mood to torture myself I’ll actually go to the gym and take a class.
That’s a great rate! I did Jillian before vacation once and it actually worked really well, but it got boring fast. I used to love Denise Austin!
I don’t have a gym membership. I am far, far too cheap for it. I’d rather spend my money on alcohol. Plus, I don’t really need someone pinching my fat and telling me that I could lose half my body weight if I’d do 4 bootcamps a day.
I work out at home to DVD’s 90% of the time in the winter and I LIKE IT. Guess how much you can get a good DVD for?..SIX DOLLARS. Sorry for shouting.
Haha, I used to get them on Netflix too, which was even cheaper. I don’t have a great space in my apartment for that anymore though. It’s a bummer.
biking and boozing hahahaha love. i actually quit my gym 2 or 3 years ago bc it wasnt that close to my house and i just wasnt getting enough use out of it with the workouts i was also doing at home. i found that i like mixing up and going to the barre studio for core/pilates barre classes and doing diff cardio/strength sets and routines at home w the occassional yoga session too (yogadownload.com <– adore) lately i've been thinkin about joining the work gym now that im back downtown though bc apparently the classes are great – and with classes being what i miss most about my gym and what i always did if i went towards the end – feel like the $25 a month would be worth it haha. we'll see though, not sure i can part with p90x and jillian just yet…
I really want to try out barre! They have a version of it at the gym I’m signing up at, but I worry my lack of flexibility will make it hard for me.