What's your biggest waste of money related to fitness?

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  • grapaj
    grapaj Posts: 136 Member
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    canadianlbs wrote: »

    and, for me . . . signing up for classes. any classes, any venue, any activity. i just freckin' hate them. they suck every vestige of joy out of me.

    This. Including crossfit, even. I am so antisocial when I work out - group anything makes me breakout in hives. My neighbour got the hint when I put my headphones on when she tagged along to the gym with me.

    #sorry-ish


  • aliem
    aliem Posts: 326 Member
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    ladyteapot wrote: »
    This is disappointing..I wanted a Fitbit :/ reviews seem to be bad
    @Spencerport I'm with you on the graze thing ..awful!

    I really love my fitbit (Flex purchased 2 years ago). I have even spent money on some of the fancy Tori Burch bands that are crazy expensive and do not regret the purchase at all. I have purchased them for other people and they like them too (probably not to the extent that I do). For some people it works, others it doesn't. You could always get a cheap version and upgrade if you like it.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    AmberSpamber wrote: »
    ladyteapot wrote: »
    This is disappointing..I wanted a Fitbit :/ reviews seem to be bad
    @Spencerport I'm with you on the graze thing ..awful!

    I am on my second and love it. Not all reviews are bad.

    I have a One and I love it...when it works. I've had a lot of syncing issues at different times.
  • Grey_1
    Grey_1 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I'm counting myself pretty fortunate after reading this thread. I've dropped about $80US on supplements that just were not worth it, and have a decent home gym that's used often, so not much waste really.

    I look at some gym memberships, but here it seems everyone wants access to my bank account for a membership. Just.....no.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Rachel0778 wrote: »
    The Wii Fit was the biggest waste of money ever. I got a better workout from the sports games that came with the Wii (not that they were stellar workouts either).

    Ha! I love my Wii Fit. I've used it for years. And the grandkids love to play with it too when they come up.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    grapaj wrote: »
    This. Including crossfit, even.

    it's funny how women especially seem to like being 'pushed' and encouraged by others, but it's all just harassment to me. it makes me want to bite everybody in sight. i do keep it under control, but i think i've quietly rage-quit every class that i've ever signed up for.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited November 2016
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Step trackers only claim to give you a ballpark idea.[/i]

    exactly; as they should. when your inputs are fuzzy, so are your outputs so really it's just all about knowing how much credence to actually put on the things.

    i guess i'm a precision/minimalist kind of person and if that's all it's giving me i feel like my own brain could provide that easy enough anyway. the thing i tested was a heart rate monitor, btw. with a couple of very-early onboard bells and whistles built in. ain't no way i'd be trying to walk and think at the same time, so testing a step tracker would have been miles out of my range.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    Three years ago I started using an app called Lose It, then came here after MFP began supporting Garmin. In those three years I have honestly only made useful purchases because the forums are so full of good advice.

    Before that however I wasted money on weight loss and fitness. I used to own a bunch of workout videos I rarely used. I had a dumbbell set that only went up to ten pounds and just did random exercises with no program. An exercise ball. Did Weight Watchers twice, but didn't lose much or stick with it. The only good purchases I made were a bike that I commuted 20 miles a day on in college, a six week introductory yoga class, and belly dance lessons that were actually fun enough to show up for.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Buying a few dumbbells and workout clothes at retail prices before I realized I could find all I needed at Goodwill!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    canadianlbs wrote: »
    i guess i'm a precision/minimalist kind of person and if that's all it's giving me i feel like my own brain could provide that easy enough anyway.

    I used to feel the same way. Now, people ask me questions about code I wrote five years ago, and I tell them I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning.

    Our brains are absolutely amazing. But not perfect, and really good of letting go of information that isn't immediately relevant. Did I go for a walk today? Was that yesterday? When I lift, if I'm interrupted it will be very hard for me to remember which set I'm on, how many I've already done.

    Sometimes I forget to start a timer when I put my laundry in the wash. Because our machines are on another floor, the data my Garmin records in the background can always tell me when I need to go put it in the dryer. :smile:

    I'm all for using tools to help me fill in my blind spots. Like the mirrors in my car, reminders on my calendar, and even a step tracker.
  • Grey_1
    Grey_1 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Buying a few dumbbells and workout clothes at retail prices before I realized I could find all I needed at Goodwill!
    Thanks! :D

    I've been getting discouraged by all the high prices for dumbbells everywhere - Goodwill here I come lol.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Polar HRM. Never worked right after changing the battery.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    peter2100 wrote: »
    Technically fitness is free. You can do bodyweight exercises and go for a run. A person could get a hell of a lot fitter than most people by simply doing that.

    I go to the gym for the convenience. And I consider it worth it, because I got 3 times a week, and I can go at any time, morning or night, it's always open. If I want to go to the gym at 5am, I can.

    Anything other than a gym membership is not required in my opinion. Even protein shakes are not necessary. Have you heard of chicken breasts? 80g in one breast. People were getting fit hundreds of years ago with nothing. It's funny to me when people spend money and do everything other than the two things that actually matter: diet and exercise.

    Random fun fact: per gram of protein, protein powder is always cheaper than even chicken breast (unless you buy overpriced "sucker powder"). Who's the sucker now?...well me, because I eat the hell out of both.

    We had a nutritionist come in and give a talk for the company. She was very much against supplements. Told us peanut butter had more protein per dollar than powder. I don't know if that's true or not (we go for quality peanut butter) but I know the stuff has a lot more calories per gram of protein than the powder. Not like I can hit my goal every day by eating a jar of PB with a spoon.

    Loads of people claim pb is an amazing protein source... I have no idea why!

    Marketing. Same reason most people here think they need suppliments when they are new to lifting.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
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    Years ago I bought a Step machine, which is still in my Mom's garage. Insanity videos which I used maybe three times but they were Craigslist bootleg so not out the retail price and put down money for training sessions at 24 that never used. I also still regret my Polar Loop.
  • idioblast
    idioblast Posts: 114 Member
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    I love my fitbit and my gym membership. My money is generally wasted on clothing/shoes that seem okay in the store, but end up not being suitable once actually worn working out.
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
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    I love this piece of advice!
    peter2100 wrote: »
    Technically fitness is free. You can do bodyweight exercises and go for a run. A person could get a hell of a lot fitter than most people by simply doing that.

    I go to the gym for the convenience. And I consider it worth it, because I got 3 times a week, and I can go at any time, morning or night, it's always open. If I want to go to the gym at 5am, I can.

    Anything other than a gym membership is not required in my opinion. Even protein shakes are not necessary. Have you heard of chicken breasts? 80g in one breast. People were getting fit hundreds of years ago with nothing. It's funny to me when people spend money and do everything other than the two things that actually matter: diet and exercise.

    But to answer OP - nothing. I regret nothing I have paid for in regards to my healthy living journey. Like many other things in life, you may have failures along the path to success. I still continue to struggle, but the weight didn't happen overnight, and neither will it come off overnight.

  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    One or two gym memberships over the years that I didn't make proper use of, but other than that, I don't think any of the money I've spent on fitness was waste. I love my Fitbit, I'm one of those odd people who love my treadmill and learning to love the elliptical, I love working with my kettle bells, my workout gear inspires me to move my butt more/longer....All Win/Win!!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I used to feel the same way. Now, people ask me questions about code I wrote five years ago, and I tell them I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning.

    heh. i guess it just comes down to which information is important enough to you that it's worthwhile having something around to offload the job to.

    for me, i feel like i'm already about as narcissistic as i want to get about all of it, but i think that's a conversation that's already been had in a different space.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    edited November 2016
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    P90X
    Insanity
    Zumba
    Shakeology
    A primitive polar HRM
    Fitbit Charge HR (I love my One, though)
    Vibram 5 finger shoes (turned them into my yard work shoes)
    Several books

    I'm sure there's more; if it said I'd lose weight, rest assured I bought it.
  • Theamad73
    Theamad73 Posts: 3 Member
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    Before I got really serious about fitness, I would have to say any popular "get fit quick gadget" on the market at the time. One in particular, a vibrating toning belt that you wear around your waist that you use their special "toning gel" with. Really stupid, lost some bucks with that one.

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