Gym membership or buy a treadmill?

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  • Bellyroll
    Bellyroll Posts: 316
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    I have had a bad experience with gyms also. I would not suggest a gym because of the bad experience I have had with them. I say that buy a treadmill. Its always there and there aren't PT that try to get you into contracting them, or the sales lady always running your credit card twice. Or giving excuses for the extra charges that are pretty lame. To all you guys that have good experiances with gyms way to go :) I wish I was one of you.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    do you like the treadmill. Are you sure youd use it? I thought id use mine all the time but i use it less than i thought, in favour of running outside, although itll probably come into its own over the winter.
    With the children situation, id probably say treadmill out of those two options, but i cant use mine when my kids are around anyway as my youngest is fascinated and keeps trying to get on at the same time, which is dangerous and its stressful, and if theyre not around, i always think i may as well run outside
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
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    I have spent thousands on gym equipment over the years............and i never use it, for me there is nothing like walking into a gym. Everyone is different though.........
    i suggest try the gym (the cheaper option)
    then if you dont like it, get a treadmill or something for home
  • twentysixpointtwo
    twentysixpointtwo Posts: 30
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    I've had both... While I loved having a treadmill, the cost for a decent one is usually more than membership at a gym. When you own, you really need to consider the cost of replacement or service and who will provide that service. Can they come to the house or do you have to take it somewhere?

    After my treadmill gave out I went with a gym membership. More options to choose from and I don't have to fix anything. It is actually the cheaper option for me.

    If all you want to do is walk or run, you can't beat going outside for free :)

    If the childcare is your main decision factor you may want to get a sitter for an hour a few times a week because kids rarely leave you alone when you are on a treadmill (or on the phone, or in the bathroom) and it is not safe for them to be near it when you are on it... Also if you have that time specifically carved out you will be more likely to work out--at least that's how it works for me :)

    Good luck!
  • ninpiggy
    ninpiggy Posts: 228 Member
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    If my significant other gave me this option, I would choose an elliptical. ;)
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    I'd have fun bonding with my family, playing and running outside, with the slower ones on bikes, or the infants in a buggy
  • MissMom3
    MissMom3 Posts: 101 Member
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    I love my gym!! It's an all ladies gym with free daycare, tanning, and any kind of class you can think of including Mommy and Me Zumba, which is fun and the kids love it. I have a treadmill at home too, and once I got my gym membership I think I've used it once in the last six months. It's a great place to meet people. I like that it's only ladies at my gym, I feel more comfortable talking to women, especially about losing weight. Also, most gyms have a 30 day free membership so you can try it out and decide before you sign that contract. Good luck to you!!!
  • catwrangler
    catwrangler Posts: 918 Member
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    I am 52 and weighed 230, so going to the gym was a traumatic experience....at first. Now I LOVE IT! I am into strength training as well as cardio, my favorite is the elliptical. Their machines have TVs. I paid for a year in advance with a check, no credit card for them to charge up. If they go out of business, there are 2 other franchises available to me. I feel no need for a trainer with all the books and youtubes out there.

    But then I don't have any kids to think about.
  • taytay2593
    taytay2593 Posts: 3
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    The gym keeps you accountable and you might make a few new friends who have the same workout/weight loss goals as you!
  • AlexandraR2011
    AlexandraR2011 Posts: 114 Member
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    I never went to my gym because it always seemed a hassle to get off work and drag myself over there, plus it was a small gym so it would be high volume time with all the machines taken up. I have a treadmill at home and i love it. I have learned to love to run because it's not hard anymore once you get into better shape. I run and use 30 day shred and it seems to be working. Plus I love to run in my pj's sometimes :) couldn't do that at the gym!
  • milehighcritic
    milehighcritic Posts: 199
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    Choose a gym with a trial membership before making the decision. I would choose the gym membership over the treadmill. Just a treadmill could lead to boredom in your workout routing. Besides depending on where you live there is always running outdoors.
  • JosieMomGramma
    JosieMomGramma Posts: 727 Member
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    Because you have little ones at home it probably makes sense to have equipment at home to work out on. As far as the gym I don't know if they have it where you live , but most of our gyms have a walk in fee where you do not have to have a membership. You could always work out once a week or so at the gym & the rest at home.
  • bbbbb33333
    bbbbb33333 Posts: 1,107 Member
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    If you buy a treadmill, at least it will make a good clothes hanger for ironing if you don't use it. Or at least that's what happend to ours. I work out better when I intentionally decide to go to a gym. You would think the treadmill is available whenever you want it, but that is the reason for procastinating too.
  • stc74
    stc74 Posts: 297 Member
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    Second hand sports stores have great prices on used treadmills.

    Can you get a good used one for less than half the cost of a new one and have the gym membership for classes? There are a lot of barely used pieces of equipment out there :)
  • crazynay96
    crazynay96 Posts: 99
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    If you are questioning it you should do the free trial. I knew, especially in this heat and humidity and with my asthma, I wasn't going to get out everyday to work out. So I elected to purchase a bike and a elliptical off craigslist. Not only was this more convenient for me it was more economical because the gym is a monthly fee and often you are locked into it and I paid $150 for both pieces of equipment (used) off craigslist but where both in like new condition.

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