Planet Fitness?

Planet Fitness is an okay gym with options. If you don't have kids it is very convenient. I used that gym for a good two years before signing up with a bigger gym for more options and daycare. When the weather is crummy I prefer to lift weights and cardio indoors. Best wishes with your new workout regime.

I just started going back to the gym so I joined a new PF near my house, since then I have often hit a couple other PF in my area and have had a great time at all of them. I do cardio for 30-45 min then switch over to some weight machines for 30 min and finish off with a water massage before heading home. Certain times it can be crowded but other times it is dead empty. Well worth the 20 bucks a month I spend. Dropped 19 lbs so far too. Love MFP, C25K and PF.

I like PF. Was a member a few years back, and got another one this past December.

I guess the "No deadlifts" thing is gym specific, because the two "home" locations I've had memberships at, there was no problem doing deadlifts, and I've seen people doing them.

Dumb bells at my current location go up to 80lbs. Free weights are plentiful, and I believe I've seen some bars racked up to 300lbs.

The cardio machines out-number the weight equipment by 2:1. PF is definitely a gym that leans towards cardio.

Is it worth it if you're just walking? I'd say yes, at $10/month. Having a membership allows you to still walk/run/cycle even if the weather is crappy out (Like here in Western NY in December). And, being big into cycling (I love cycling), and since it's my primary exercise, I tend to put on lots o'weight during the cold months.

A PF membership gets you 24 hour a day access to the gym, so it's easy to fit into your schedule.

However, apparently, people really into strength training feel it's inadequate after getting past the "beginner stage", so a PF membership might be worthwhile until you grow out of it, or just pick a gym better suited to strength training from the get go so you get used to it. If you're really into running/walking/cycling, any gym membership is great, but PF is probably the better choice (Unless you can locate a closer gym, or one costing the same).

llUndecidedll wrote: »

I only joined the gym to do cardio. When talking specifically about walking for cardio, I feel like it's better to do it on a treadmill than do it outside because you can boost up the incline and burn way more calories than you would walking outside. Boosting that incline up to 9% or 10% for 30 minutes will burn way more calories than walking outside.... unless you have a decent hill nearby that will take you about 30 minutes to walk up.


I have lost 75 lbs from mostly doing inclined walking and keeping up with my calorie intake. I just made sure my net calories were where they needed to be by counting calories eaten and burning calories through walking.

I lost 90 pounds before I even began to walk more, no exercise at all, just eating at a calorie deficit. (I have bad knees, getting off some of the excess weight made walking more of an option). I live in the country on 10 acres, most of which is steep, rolling hills. As I got more conditioned to walking, I began walking the trails through our woods. An hour walk gives me 3.5 miles and the equivalent of 33-35 staircases on my fit bit. I take my walks mostly on weekends during the winter, as it is dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home. I live in Minnesota, so there is snow to contend with in the winter, but DH keeps the trails open for me to walk by driving the four wheeler on the trails. I used the gym at work M-F until about a week ago when I joined a gym.

I have to say that losing the weight for me, was definitely eating less calories than I burned, but I have to admit, that since I have been exercising, I feel much better.

I wouldn't work out at planet fitness even if they payed me to. Just my .02

PF is great ror the $. I love high end gyms, but I don't go often enough to get the value out of a $100/month membership. Where I live it's about -20 (I guess that's around 20F) right now, so unless you are super hardcore you're not going to get outside for much walking or running. I save that 'outdoor' time for doing things with my son like sledding (awesome workout, btw!). I generally workout at home (check out the Nike Training Club app, Yoga Today, and Pop Sugar for great free fitness videos) but I like to be able to run once or twice a week so I go to PF to use the treadmill or elliptical and that's it. I like to do weights but the weight area is... well I'll keep my comments to myself, but I'll just say that I really do not feel comfortable there. I do my cardio and get out totally worth the $10/month and I will probably cancel once the weather warms up and I can get outside, or I may keep it for just the rainy weather. The gym in my area is really busy during peak times so if you are planning to go at 6 p.m. on a weekday, be prepared to wait for lockers and popular cardio machines like treadmills. good luck!!

I should add my fiance who is an avid and experienced lifter did not find the gym met his needs AT ALL/

llUndecidedll wrote: »

I only joined the gym to do cardio. When talking specifically about walking for cardio, I feel like it's better to do it on a treadmill than do it outside because you can boost up the incline and burn way more calories than you would walking outside. Boosting that incline up to 9% or 10% for 30 minutes will burn way more calories than walking outside.... unless you have a decent hill nearby that will take you about 30 minutes to walk up.

I disagree. I burn more calories when I walk outside rather than on a treadmill. It helps that I live in a very hilly neighborhood, so the incline is built in, and I feel like I can go longer when it's a little bit of uphill and then a little bit of downhill, instead of constant uphill for 30 min. For me, it's also about boredom. If I have walked a certain distance from my house, I have to walk back; I can't quit. On the treadmill, I can quit anytime (and I do...). I also enjoy taking different routes from my house and not staring at the same TV screen above the treadmill the whole time (sadly, I get sick if I try to read a book).

All that being said, I did just buy a treadmill for when the weather is lousy and I can't go outside.

Everyone will find their own personal preference; for me it's the increased endurance that I get from varying the incline/decline and the forced completion...I have to keep going until I get home.

I have been there for over a year. It's nice, but it gets very crowded. For your goals, it should work out well. You can also do the elliptical or bike, to mix things up.

Planet Fitness is great. It gets a bad rap, but I love it there.