To gym or not to gym?

[Jenn1214 120]

I have been debating for a while now about whether or not to join a gym. I have belonged to several gyms in the past and was never able to stick with it, so it was always a waste of money. Is a gym really the be all end all of exercise, or can I still lose weight without it? Now that winter is coming I won't be able to do my walks outside, although I do have a few exercise videos and some dumbbells for strength training. What do you think? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

[Corrigan 75]

You can lose weight without going to a gym, it just makes it easier.

I walk a couple miles in the morning, ride my bike 10-12 miles and

do every day farm work and I'm losing quite well, but you have to do

something. If you lose weight without any exercise, you'll lose muscle

tone as well, and muscle looks much better than flab ;>).

[Lalola 2]

Maybe you could get a complimentary three day pass from your local gym and see if you like the vibe!

I was never a gym person before, but i really like it! I like that there is variety. I have had to work on not worrying about anyone in there but me... but you know what it has worked out great for me. I do cardio three days a week and mix it up between the eliptical, treadmill and bike or stair machine. The other two or three days I do the machines. At the gym I go to they told me if I did the machines along a certain wall, I would be getting a full body workout!

On the flip side, in the past I was also able to lose weight from exercise at home. I bought dumbbells and a mat and and looked up exercises on line... if you have a smart phone there is an app called JEFIT, it is very handy.

Good Luck!!

[JScooney 0]

I miss going to the gym. When I worked out four days a week at Powerhouse I was able to stay between 250 and 275. Once I stopped working out I peaked at 315. It might have been the extra time on my hands and less calories burned. Once I got out of shape it was super hard to get back into the routine. I will seriously think about the gym once I get to 280. There is a Planet Fitness under construction by me so I am holding out until I can look at that. The YMCA did not appeal to me since the weights section was/is too small. Its good for bringing the whole family for a half day thing, but an hour work out four days a week is rough given the set up there. For now, its walking the dog and using a set of dumbbells and pushups. I do lots of lunges too. Don't want to lose muscle tone and strength. Gyms to me are great outlets. Make sure you check them out at several times of day. Look in all the corners to see if its clean. The manners of the other members and the presence of a janitor are so important. Price matters too. I like the one year paid in full type deals because your not tied in for a checkbook withdrawal or credit card. Once you join, I do believe the gym membership is cheaper than a Starbucks coffee habit.

[dk4k 15]

I have a treadmill and some weights at home that I've been using since January, with results. But now I'm starting to wish I had a little more variety in my exercise. Maybe it is possible to participate in a Zumba class or likewise, without actually joining a gym? I don't know.

[ctarantino 13]

I've been a member at a few gyms, always on/off. I joined Lucille Roberts when I started considering lap band. I love the classes and they push me and keep me in check. I have been to places like synergy and ballys, I don't feel intimidated at LR and have been making "gym friends" who keep me at the gym now. For me, I can't exercise at home my kids are 3 and 1 year old, I make a step and they are there lol I am going to the gym today and drop the kiddies at the babysitting in the gym good luck and I know some banders ( my cousin and neighbor) who don't gym and I say great and lucky for you but for me... It's a must to lose weight!

[katwomantexas 2]

I finally joined the Y this past month. The reason is I hate those machines. I have them in my home. When I get tired I stop. I joined the Y so I could take the cardio classes. I do 2 zumba classes and 1 step intervel. This is working for me because I am not going to leave in the middle of class. As long as I get there I get my excerise in. I am now on week 6 and am finding myself liking these classes. WHO KNEW?

Kat

[Jachut 487]

Depends entirely on your motives and what you want from your exercise. I like the gym for the variety of classes - I'm primarily a runner and I love it, but I like to go to a spin class or Body Pump Class.

Personally, I think the gym is a pretty inefficent and ineffective environment for inexperienced exercisers. I dont think walking on the treadmill for cardio and then working out on machines is the best use of your time. If you're unfit and just getting back into exercise, then you'll get results of course, but as you get fitter, you're much better off doing interval cardio and real functional fitness activities like you'll find at a good bootcamp or with a trainer. Kettlebells, sandbags, heavy free weights - you can do all that in a gym of course but you'll have to seek out the trainer or develop the knowledge to do it yourself - my experience of big chain gyms here as well as small ones is that they tend to have the cookie cutter approach.

Body Pump, for example - a great fun activity, will build muscle endurance. But it wont build you big muscles or greatly increase your lean body mass. However, does that really matter? I personally enjoy it, dont want big muscles and dont really like strength training. But I've never had the results from a gym workout that I got from Boot Camp! That was awesome, an adrenaline rush, skyrocketed my fitness, and was great fun as well. I'd always pick that over a boring old gym workout.

Be honest with your time commitments too - I've got a gym membership but I've gone one because I can afford to run one that I dont use a lot. I use it to do a spin class on a day I want to exercise but dont want to run - I might go once or twice a week. I am NEVER going to have the time to make five scheduled classes a week and I am NEVER going to have the time spending two hours doing cardio and a weights machine program. I run at 5pm one day, 10.30 pm the next, whenever I can fit it in and that suits me. Are you self motivated? I am, so I dont need the gym to guilt me into doing the work because I've spent the money. I know I will get on my treadmill at home, or go out for a run. But if you're not like that, a gym can be a good motivator.

So there's lots of factors to consider.

[rdk211 1]

I've been working out from home for 3 years. I had the luxury of being able to buy some really great equipment - free weights, dumbbells, DVDs, a TRX system, and a good elliptical. I hired a trainer who helped me come up with a variety of routines for all of that equipment. BUT, lately I've been losing motivation, so I joined a gym (it helps that now my baby is older and needs the stimulation of the babysitting group there!) I LOVE being at the gym. I especially love Cardio Kickboxing and Boot Camp classes - I find the experience of being yelled at to JUMP HIGHER! RUN FASTER! is such an adrenaline booster that it keeps me motivated. I think it's a matter of mixing it up - there are times in my life that I just can't get out, but there are times that I just NEED the stimulation of the gym to keep myself going! Right now I'm in gym mode, but I'm prepared for that to change.

RDK

[readytogoforit 172]

I joined curves in August and love it. I was worried about the flab after weight loss. it is fun and no "sexy outfits" are there. they have a great system called cruves smart that keeps me working harder each time.

I just had my surgery on 10/28 but had already lost 28 lbs before the surgery. Calorie counting and exercising really helped![quote name='Corrigan' timestamp='1319637950' post='1678396']

You can lose weight without going to a gym, it just makes it easier.

I walk a couple miles in the morning, ride my bike 10-12 miles and

do every day farm work and I'm losing quite well, but you have to do

something. If you lose weight without any exercise, you'll lose muscle

tone as well, and muscle looks much better than flab ;>).

[kcf101008 1]

I am almost 2 wks out from having my surgery and I am super excited about starting Zumba!! When did any of y'all start exercise where it was comfortable? I was told to take 2 wks for my port site to heal, does that sound about right?? Thanks in advance for any helpful hints!!!

[rdk211 1]

I am almost 2 wks out from having my surgery and I am super excited about starting Zumba!! When did any of y'all start exercise where it was comfortable? I was told to take 2 wks for my port site to heal, does that sound about right?? Thanks in advance for any helpful hints!!!

Congrats on the surgery. Good luck! I do Zumba three times a week now, and I love it. I used to be a bit more restrained, but now I go ALL OUT and I love it. I think that Zumba is a little bit more tough on the port, because moves like body rolls and side bends are going to stretch your port site. I would wait till my port site was COMPLETELY healed and got an OK from the surgeon. Zumba is so fun and high energy, you might overstrain yourself or strain healing tissue without realizing it. Better to make sure your surgeon has pronounced you 100% ready to excercise before doing it. Or you can try a Zumba Gold class, which is for seniors and is a bit less intense. Don't worry - you'll heal in no time and have TONS of time to Zumba, and as the weight comes off, you'll look cuter and cuter as you do it!

[kcf101008 1]

Congrats on the surgery. Good luck! I do Zumba three times a week now, and I love it. I used to be a bit more restrained, but now I go ALL OUT and I love it. I think that Zumba is a little bit more tough on the port, because moves like body rolls and side bends are going to stretch your port site. I would wait till my port site was COMPLETELY healed and got an OK from the surgeon. Zumba is so fun and high energy, you might overstrain yourself or strain healing tissue without realizing it. Better to make sure your surgeon has pronounced you 100% ready to excercise before doing it. Or you can try a Zumba Gold class, which is for seniors and is a bit less intense. Don't worry - you'll heal in no time and have TONS of time to Zumba, and as the weight comes off, you'll look cuter and cuter as you do it!

[kcf101008 1]

Thank you!! BTW how do you put the ticker tape on here??? I really want to be able to track my progress!

[rdk211 1]

Thank you!! BTW how do you put the ticker tape on here??? I really want to be able to track my progress!

I don't remember how I did it anymore, my surgery was four years ago. There is a file in the archives section that describes exactly how to do it. Just search the topic and it walks you through it. I'm not very computer savvyy and I was able to do it.

BTW, look at my ticker - I am FINALLY in the 150's!!!!! It definitely was the Zumba....and the Cardio Kickboxing....and the Boot Camp... and the Power Lifting....... and (sadly) the nutritionist!

RDK