Why Join A Gym?

One of the questions that I've had a lot recently was why did you join a gym to lose weight? Why didn't you just carry on doing it at home? Yes, I have videos and TV channels that I could work out with and I have basic equipment at home and I even have access to a free outdoor gym at any time of the day or night (although at night it's a bit dark and scary and dangerous really!) so why pay out for a gym membership that is something that we can't really afford?

Well, over at A Mothers Ramblings a little over X Years ago I started trying to lose weight. I tried exercising more, I tried using computer games to help, I tried eating less, I tried drinking health shakes and it didn't really work. Sure, I lost a few lbs but nothing near as many as I needed to lose or even enough that would give me encouragement to push myself harder.

Joining the Gym was the step that I had to take to take control of my life, my weight and my fitness. I think of it as a line in the sand that I had to mark so I could show myself that I have moved forward from the old me, shed my old skin, personality and habits.

I knew that by joining the gym I would have to go and exercise, for if I didn't then the money we were paying out for the membership each month was just wasted and when like for so many others money is a very precious resource I can't afford to do that.

At the gym I have all the equipment I could possibly need and it is all maintained and top of the range. I don't have to worry about it breaking, about it not taking my weight, about where I am going to store it or even about the cost because someone else has taken care of all of that for me. At the same time I knew that joining the gym would give me access to people to help me train. Not necessarily personal trainers, but people who know how to use the equipment and can show me how to use them too. This isn't something that I would get at home or in the outdoor gym.

I really excited that I can take classes as part of my membership. If it hadn't been for the insistence of the poor chap who talked me through the membership and showed me round the building I would never have signed up to a class and that would be a shame as I absolutely love going to Aquafit and as soon as I'm feeling a bit more confident in my ability not to pass out from exhaustion I'll be taking a spin class.

At the gym I'm set up for success. There are no distractions, no dishes that need to be done, no washing that needs to be hung out and nobody that needs my attention. I'm there for one reason and one reason only and that's to work out.

So that's why I've joined a gym.

Don't forget to check out what I'm doing over at A Mothers Ramblings too!