To Gym or Not to Gym

Technically, I'm unemployed right now and all year(I'm a substitute teachers aid, so I have work, but it's not regular 9-5 type of work). I manage to afford a gym membership, pay for a trainer, and pay my credit card/phone bill.. but I also live at home with my parents, so I have no rent/utilities bills, food bills or car bills.

The easiest thing I've found when wanting fitness type things, is saving.. Yes you may not get it right now, but you will get it in a month or two of saving.. and that makes it more rewarding to me. I always cut back on other areas in my life(like my obsession with clothes and shoes) and going out to eat, if it means that I get to see my trainer and go to the gym that month.

So after my long story, yes I think it's worth it.. but if at a time, you find that the bills are more important then the gym, then realize that and ditch the gym for a bit.

Gym is absolutely essential for me, it's cheaper than therapy!

LOVE THIS!

If you're concerned about the extra expense, why not sell a few things on Ebay or do some babysitting to get the extra money? You might get creative, start a little cleaning business, tutoring business, resume writing business (Depends on your skill sets!) You can always rebuy the things you sell after you get another job. Then it might not stress you out as much to pay the fee, assuming its something you really want. I did that to buy my paddleboard as I always wanted to learn to surf and it feels great!

My advice is to see if they have a 3 month plan or short term contract. Don't get pulled into something that may have hidden costs and hurt your financially. If you have the month for the 3 month investment in your bank account right now then pull it out and put it in an envelope. Then you have your money set aside and don't have to worry. If after 3 months you are stressing about the cash then don't do the gym anymore. That way you get out of the house a bit now which will help your "mental" stress and perhaps help move your job search along faster because you will feel more positive. I was laid off one week before I had my daughter (single mom) a number of years ago so I feel your pain. Remember you are a strong woman and can do this!!!

Looking for some feedback here.

In the last month or so I've skidded back in my weight loss journey. I've gone from breaking (finally) the 200 lb mark to weighing in at 199.6 to now weighing 207.8. I stopped doing what worked and then foolishly thought it wouldn't catch up with me. Well it did.

I'm really focused on getting back on track and want to see fast results to keep my motivation up.I've been considering getting a gym membership at a great club just up the street from me - literally I could walk there. I've had a membership there before and it was truly like a haven for me. I would go, work out, catch a Body Flow class (or yoga) and then hit the hot tub for a great post workout soak. I'd feel so great after. Should be an easy decision right?

Well....

I got laid off last week so I have to think about 'essential items' now when calculating my budget. I'm going to use the next few months of severance and unemployment benefits to pay the bills and just focus on my health and wellness goals. A gym membership could really get me far down that path- plus it will get me out of the house, keep me social and since I have loads of time, i can hit a lot of different classes and take advantage of so much there I never had time before.

What are thoughts? One side of me says "hey you're unemployed and you shouldn't be spending money on this kind of thing" but the other part of me says "hey, you're worth this. you can afford it and this IS an essential item in the budget".

thoughts?

Some people prefer to spend their money on home gym equipment (something they can keep long term). If you're a self-motivated person where exercise is concerned, this may be the more efficient way to go until you can find another job. However, if you're like me (and it sounds like you are), you are more likely to stay motivated by going to a gym because, while there, you are surrounded by other people with similar goals and seeing their hard work and dedication keeps you motivated and inspired. It also makes working out feel like a social activity rather than a chore. I would say, if you can work the membership into your monthly budget without making it difficult to pay your living costs, I say go for it. It's essential to your physical and mental well being, so I don't consider it to be a luxury. It's just as important as regular doctor visits, in my opinion.

Netflix instant watch has workout dvd's. There's walking and running, local pools and parks with basketball and tennis courts (depending where you live). pushups and situps are freeeeee as well! there are "no-equipment" workouts up the wazoo online. Personally, if you aren't 100% sure about a gym membership don't do it. You never know what other expenses may pop up that you'd need that money for

Hooters pays for their employees gym membership

I personally can never stick to working out when I try to do it at home. I need to get out and be motivated by the atmosphere and people. I just joined Planet Fitness, they are only 10 bucks a month for a basic membership, 20 for the upgraded one where you bring a guest. You could search around and see if they are in your area. I know they are not a hardcore gym, but they have what you need to stay healthy, tons of cardio equipment and all sorts of circuit training and weights. They only thing they don't cater to is really heavy olympic style bodybuilder weights. You could always upgrade to that once you are employed again if its something you need in a gym, for now though 10 bucks a month could at least keep you in the routine ; )

Best of luck to you and I know its tough. Don't think of the gym as a splurge if you know that you need it to stay on track. The Y is the most expensive gym in my area compared to Bally's, Urban active and planet fitness. I have no idea why this is in my area. Also they require a large joining fee which many people can't afford. They had no more scholarships available in my area when I checked but it might be because I live in what I call an 'eclectic urban area', people who visit me tend to call it the ghetto. : /

Good luck!


( Oops I just saw the other planet fitness people! So I guess this is another vote for PF!! They are also open 24 hours which is a plus because no matter what shift you get hired for, you are good to go! )

If it fits into your budget and you can afford it then I say do it. Like you said it'll keep you social and active. You never know who you might meet and what connections you could make in the gym that could lead to a new job. Also it will help you if you're feeling down about not landing something and it gets you out of the house.

But again it's dependent upon your budget and what you can afford. If the local Y does a sliding scale then talk to them and see if they can work something out with you.

Looking for some feedback here.

In the last month or so I've skidded back in my weight loss journey. I've gone from breaking (finally) the 200 lb mark to weighing in at 199.6 to now weighing 207.8. I stopped doing what worked and then foolishly thought it wouldn't catch up with me. Well it did.

I'm really focused on getting back on track and want to see fast results to keep my motivation up.I've been considering getting a gym membership at a great club just up the street from me - literally I could walk there. I've had a membership there before and it was truly like a haven for me. I would go, work out, catch a Body Flow class (or yoga) and then hit the hot tub for a great post workout soak. I'd feel so great after. Should be an easy decision right?

Well....

I got laid off last week so I have to think about 'essential items' now when calculating my budget. I'm going to use the next few months of severance and unemployment benefits to pay the bills and just focus on my health and wellness goals. A gym membership could really get me far down that path- plus it will get me out of the house, keep me social and since I have loads of time, i can hit a lot of different classes and take advantage of so much there I never had time before.

What are thoughts? One side of me says "hey you're unemployed and you shouldn't be spending money on this kind of thing" but the other part of me says "hey, you're worth this. you can afford it and this IS an essential item in the budget".

thoughts?

CAN you afford it? Only you can answer that, because only you know if your severance, combined with your unemployment, will be enough to keep you living indoors and eating until you get another job. If the prospect of getting a new job quickly are really good this is probably a good time to work on yourself.

OTOH, getting healthy should be something that is a part of your regular life, and unless you can afford to have loads of free time forever, it might be a good idea to focus on the job search and don't treat fitness as your "job" right now. When you get another job it could be too easy to not stay fit because you see it as something that is very time intensive.

Find a workout buddy who has a nice free apartment gym.

The biggest loss I had was working out at home, while I was on EI, to a $5 WATP Leslie Sansone DVD that I got at Zellers, LOL.

I just recently canceled my Goodlife membership because I DON'T USE IT and it was costing me $100 a month nearly for my boyfriend and I. I used it more when I lived 45 minutes outside of the city than I have in the last six months since I moved into town! I have a dog so I am usually walking 2.5KM minimum with him daily + I walk to work (and did even in March) which is another 2.5KM, so that definitely helps.

But it sounds like you would benefit from it, so you are the only one who knows what is right for you.