CrossFit

I love it and am obviously bias because it has been something I have fallen in love with. Only way to get in shape? No. There are other ways that accomplish the same thing (intense, varied workouts, compound lifts, strength training etc.) - but this is what works for me. Rather than gush about all the reasons why I think it's fantastic (which I'm happy to do - msg me if you have questions!) I thought it would be more useful to throw out some "cautious" suggestions:

If you are going to join a crossfit box:

Not all boxes are created equal. Here are some things I would recommend to look for

- An OnRamp program, or some sort of introduction for beginners. I would not recommend going into this in a gym that doesn't have this sort of class. Mine was a 3 week class where they taught us the basics before we started going to the regular work outs

-Coach's credentials. Ideally you want one of them to have more background in fitness and lifting than ONLY a crossfit certification

-Coaches in general. You should be able to attend a free session. Watch how the class is run. If coaches aren't working on members with form and making corrections, something is wrong. You can seriously injure yourself on these heavy lifts without proper form

-Atmosphere of gym. I wouldn't recommend somewhere that has an overly competitive vibe. I think friendly competition is great, but by overly competitive I mean somewhere that people are just going to be yelling times at you, going for weight and speed over form.

See if you can get a free intro class or trial before you commit. Crossfit can be the most wonderful thing, but you gotta pick a good box!

I know a few people on MFP that didn't join a box but still do the WODs. The main site posts them for free, and nearly all affiliates post what they do if they aren't following the main site.

It certainly is pricey compared to other gyms. It's sort of a pro con thing for individuals.

For ME, it's the best money spend every month. Hands down. (And I'm only nannying while I go to grad school; not exactly rolling in the cash.) But that's just me, and may not be the same for all. Here are the main reasons why I spend the money.

-Not something I could do by myself. I have 0 previous experience with lifting. I'd just get hurt.
-My gym has an unlimited membership. I go so often (5 days a week, sometimes 6!) that it ends up being $7 a session. $7 an hour for personal training in a group setting? I'll take it! Way cheaper than sessions cost at a typical gym.
-The community. Even IF I knew what I was doing lifting wise, there's no way I would do this on my own. I really need that accountability and atmosphere.

Nonetheless, it still is a lot of money. I'd say check out the free class though - it just depends on your wants/needs.

That's really the way to do it. Go see for yourself What I did, financially speaking, was looked for room in my budget. I found about $80/month which really helped. (I switched cell phone and internet service providers. Where I live Sprint won for phone and AT&T U-Verse won for internet).