Gym or exercise at home?

gingerbabyy

I definitely prefer the gym, I just can't bring myself to work out at home. The gym offers a lot more options too... the main thing for me being weight machines. I like to switch it up of course and go outside every once in a while but other than that I do all of my exercising at the gym.

gingerbabyy

We have a FULL gym at my house. My hubby was a weight lifter before he had a serious shoulder injury. I have a $1400 elliptical as well. WE DON'T USE IT!!!! My elliptical has 4 miles on it and I've had it for 5 years. The gym is part of my daily routine. It's in my daily schedule. It's habit. I want to lose approx 100lbs, (I know I SHOULD'VE been using the elliptical) and I can tell you that everyone at the gym is amazing! They have been encouraging me, having me go to classes that I NEVER would've went to. The gym I go to has a Cardio Cinema. It's essentially a movie theater with ellipticals, treadmills and stationary bikes. I went in there today and ended up staying the WHOLE movie working out just so that I could see the ending.

It's definitely a personal decision. Make a list of pros vs. cons. I'm a mom with 3 kids so for me to take time out to exercise at home would NEVER happen. Best of luck and congrats on the upcoming wedding!

Wow... the cardio cinema sounds amazing!! I wish my gym had one... I'd be on the stairmaster all day!! haha

whitetiger011680

Gym. Can't seem to make myself work out at home. Too many distractions.

gymshoe42

As you can see.... it's really your own personal preference and knowing yourself and your ability to self motivate.

I like the gym cause it's convenient, ..it's near day care so I drop kids off and go straight to the gym.
I swim, so the gym is my only option there.
There are people to talk to at the gym, ..get advice, get ideas, etc.
The gym provides a lot of variety... you shouldn't be doing the same exercise routine (changing lbs does not count in my book as changing your routine) for weeks on end. For instance, on cardio days, I could do elliptical, treadmill, bike, swim, or jump into an aerobics class. It would be cost prohibitive to buy my own stuff to provide that kind of variety. I would lose interest real fast if all i did was elliptical every day.

There's also eye candy at the gym.

justle

I like a bit of both, i like to squeeze in a workout dvd at home when the kids are asleep, i do the "heavy" stuff there because noones watching, but i love going to the gym too, love using the classes and machines and heavy weights and being able to get out of the house and sign out from being "mum" for a while :happy:

but i also like to workout in the fresh air too, i bung the kids on the buggy and go tramping around norfolk :laugh:

kimi233

I agree, depends on the person/situation. You have to know what you are willing to do, and how committed you are. Me personally work out more at home, because I have 4 young kids, and two that are not in any school yet. By the time the hubby gets home, its making dinner, doing homework and winding down for the night, I don't want to haul my butt to the gym. So I do it during the day. I bought Turbo Fire, Insanity and Chalean Extreme last year and I love them all. However I will say, it is very easy to make excuses to not do it while you are at home, because you look at the house and see the dishes sitting there, or the laundry piling up and think, I should do those first... but you have to get in the mind set to take the time for you, SCHEDULE your work outs and stick to it, no matter what!! Hope you find out works the best for you!

_Ben

I do basic circuit training right now, so my living room works great. I do have a gym membership through my school, and next week I will begin weight lifting, so I will be going there. Really it depends on what works best fo ryou

kak2m4

I work out at home...I'm just way to embarrassed to go to a gym & see girls in sports bras a spandex running on treadmills [that's especially going to happen since im in college & get free gym membership to the Rec Center on campus]. I do the 30DS at home, locked in our bedroom so my fiance can't see me flailing around like an idiot...Im also the kind of shy type who doesn't want others to judge, which probably explains my main reason for not going to the gym.

It's exactly the same way for me!

SaSSyhasCurls

I do all cardio outside of my home, but strength train at home. If I went to a better gym I would do everything there. I prefer the gym due to the motivation, and it forces me to stay accountable.

angieleighbyrd

I just joined a gym this week. I was worried I wouldn't go, but I've gone everyday since I've joined. I don't like to work out at home, because of the kids. I can't always get everything I want done. Plus i'm so busy with the kids all day, I look at my time at the gym as a break too.

angieleighbyrd

Also the gym I go to, is a very non judgmental environment. There are all sorts of people there. I don't feel like the only out of shape one. Which helps me go.

elgo1819

I live in the middle of nowhere, the gym is 25 minutes one way, to the closest one. I have a heavy bag, speed bag, jump rope, and mirror in the old barn out behind our house. And all the miles of dirt road I can run.

Never felt more motivated by a gym. My best friend is a pair of earphones, and my favorite songs. Music does it for me.

schizaphis

Outdoors running, pounding the pavement around the neighborhood or on a track nearby, is probably the cheapest and one of the best workouts you can do, and it's easy, almost everybody can run, even some people without their own legs do it!!! all you need is some good running shoes (less than $100 or so) shorts and a tee!! doesn't get much cheaper than than, and if you throw in an iPod with some tunes it makes the time seem to pass faster, but running really clears my head and gets rid of the stress. you just have to watch out for cars if you run in the streets because they won't look out for you mostly. i love it

theginnyray

If I were you, I'd keep the gym membership. $15 a month is a great deal. Do you have any friends who also go there? I would also borrow a couple of DVDs from a friend to try out in your house.

For me, the thing that made DVD's doable in my own house was setting up an exercise area. We have our a TV/DVD player in the basement, and I bought a puzzle mat for like $20 for the floor. We keep the weights there too, and our indoor bike trainers nearby. I'm not tempted to stop the DVD and watch TV because it's not really a cozy area (that and no box in the basement). When the weather is nicer, we move the workout area to our garage for more space.

We keep gym memberships for winter months. Gives us something to do since it's too cold to bike or run outside.

kiters

I prefer the gym....ipod on, no distractions! But I'm a single mom so the gym doesn't fit into my Full time Mommy Job! Good luck on whichever you choose.

Marig0ld

Decent home equipment is expensive. $15 a month for a gym membership seems like a real bargain to me.

I agree! If you can get a gym at that price, just stick with it!

SARRY562

I like going to the gym.. gets me out of the house and a chance to meet new people..

SithZombie

I love doing both =\ I just got a weight set for the house (just a small one that goes from 2.5-12.5), and have Six Week Six Pack (30DS is on it's way!), along with several workout games on the Xbox. However, I do like going to the gym for cardio =D

NeuroticVirgo

I work out at home. I got a 6 month membership to a gym and went maybe 10 times... I'm a lot more likely to do a work out video, or just go walk/jog outside. Plus its free to walk around the block

renata_fharris

Home...even though I do take martial arts and teach kickboxing my biggest workouts are at home. When you find the workout that you love you will make time to do it. Today for example is raining and cold but I finished over an hour of workouts without leaving the house, I already shower, ate my snack and getting ready for lunch, And I was a gym rat!!!!!

JustMichelleB

No realistic choice for me, I have to workout at home (or i"d miss a lot of evenings with my kids and husband, plus just motivating myself to go there after feeding them dinner after a long work day).

So, I work out at home. Have been doing so for 8y now (since oldest was born essentially). I use exercise DVDs and bought a treadmill (i run outside when it's nice out, but inside fo rmuch of winter). I am very committed to exercising (drives me crazy to miss a day), a nd I'm good at pushing myself (doing several Beachbody workouts).

It really depends on what you need to motivate yourself and stick with an exercise routine.

schmidtka70

Take a look at your own post...sounds like you enjoy the gym and didn't really use the treadmill. Personally...if I worked in my home 12 hours a day...going to the gym would be a nice incentive to work out and get out of the house...even if for your own sanity!

Debbe2

I do both but I prefer the gym. I workout longer and harder at the gym because I think seeing everyone else working motivates me plus I am there to accomplish something and think "let's get this done!" Also I often wind up distracted at home but I still try to get in those workouts as well. It's really a personal preference and you will need to decide what works best for you

roadtripper8

Maybe I am too self-conscious, but I still don't feel comfortable doing intense cardio at the gym. I know everyone is focused on their own workouts and most are listening to Ipods but I get embarrassed easily and just can't push myself as hard as I do at home. I like home for the more intense workouts. I go to the gym when for Spinning class and Saturday workouts with a friend.

coachbeav

I vote for exercising at home. I have 3 boys and it's hard for me to go with them and I feel bad leaving them with my husband to go work out when I don't have enough time with hubby as it is. We work out together at home to P90X, Insanity, or right now, P90X2 after the boys go to bed.

I agree with her! P90X and P90X2 have changed my life! I started in October of 2011 at 190 lbs and well over 20% body fat and now am 168lbs and around 13% body fat. I haven't done any of the other Beachbody programs but P90X and P90X2 rock! I used to go to the gym a lot but always came up with excuses not to go (especially the one about time!) Now that I workout at 5:30am every morning and don't have to worry about driving anywhere and wasting time, I am in a routine and nothing keeps me away from pushing play. Trust me...P90X will change your life forever : )

garnet1483

I think the important thing is to do *something*, whichever way leads you to it. I belonged to a gym for about a year, and I went, but I didn't see a whole lot of improvement. It was a pain to go, it was a little embarrassing, and eventually I got frustrated and quit. I've been working out at home quite successfully, and taking a dance class once a week, which I enjoy. I'm thinking when I get closer to my goal weight, I'll re-join the gym to get some added variety and access to the weight machines. But even then, my cardio is going to continue happening at home. For me, it was a matter of figuring out what motivated me to get moving, and what environment facilitated it best.

KaeChelle

Between me and my husband, we threw away over $600 bucks this year on a gym membership we rarely used. I just cancelled it. I work out at home with DVDs and the Wii. My husband wants to get some equipment, but I don't want to waste anymore money if it's not going to be used. You have to do what works for you!

mrh1227

I personally workout at home AND at the gym. When my programs call for me to do something similar to Yoga or Recovery, I make do with the tools at home and save a trip to the gym. When I need pull up bars and dumbbells, thats when I shoot over to the gym.

blazergrad

I work out at home but my reasons for doing so are probably somewhat different than most others. It's just easier for me ... I have my own equipment that I can easily get too (i.e. no issues maneuvering between tightly packed machines) and I don't feel like I'm holding other people up.

There's only one fully accessible gym in my area and it's no where near my route to and from work, so it'd be considerably out of my way to go there. Now, I just go home straight after work, change clothes and hit the weights and then when I'm done, I'm already home.

Of course, there are benefits of going to a gym, too ... i.e. having someone nearby to spot you in the event you drop that 100+ lb. barbell on your chest because you couldn't quite get in that last rep.

BeesKnees181

Some exercise activities I can do at home more comfortably, but I love the atmosphere of my gym- a lot of support and great instructors to really push me on my lazy days. I pay the same amount as you, but my gym is open until 10 p.m. I feel more accountable at the gym, and I push myself harder knowing others are doing the same.