Should I join a gym?

mccardey

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What do we think? I'm not overweight at all, but I'm kind of squashy.

On the other hand I'm pretty old, and squashy is fine for old people, isn't it? Or should I join a gym?

*sigh*

I'm exhausted just thinking about it.
 

Fruitbat

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I've never stuck with it when I joined a gym or even an exercise class. I hate it. I hate the ugly basement looking rooms and everything else about it.

But, I do pretty well at home with my hand weights, walking/jogging, dancing, and exercise tapes. In the time it would take me to drive somewhere, I've got it done. And I can do the kind of exercise I want, when I want. Plus, it's cheaper. But that's just me. So I don't mean to discourage, but only to point out the other options.
 
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mccardey

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I've never stuck with it when I joined a gym or even an exercise class. I hate it. I hate the ugly basement looking rooms and everything else about it.

But, I do pretty well at home with my hand weights, walking/jogging, dancing, and exercise tapes. In the time it would take me to drive somewhere, I've got it done. And I can do the kind of exercise I want, when I want. Plus, it's cheaper. But that's just me. So I don't mean to discourage, but only to point out the other options.

Oh god - I wasn't gonna go. I was just going to join.

Ugh.

Maybe not.
 

mccardey

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LOL! Well, walking is nice and so is dancing. :)

I know - that's what bugs me. We've just moved to the country and oddly enough - in the city I used to go for a 2 hour bushwalk five times a week. In the country - specifically, here - there's nowhere to bushwalk that's walkable. It's all cows and stuff. And there's no footpaths either. I'm not complaining, I'm just - ok, I'm complaining.

I love walking. I can walk forever. But I need bush, or footpaths. Or no cows.

I was wondering about treadmill walking. But if I join a gym just to treadmill, they're going to make me do weights or something, and then there'll be tears. Because - squashy. No muscles. Not one.
 

Fruitbat

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I have a treadmill at home. It was a few hundred dollars but gym membership adds up too. I think if you can just use what you want with a gym membership, though. But if you cry there might be a punishment! :p
 
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mccardey

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Do you use it? I thought I might use one if I could read while I used it...
 

Fruitbat

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Do you use it? I thought I might use one if I could read while I used it...

Yes, I use it when it's too hot or cold out but I like to walk and jog outside better. I don't think reading would work too well but I can watch tv if I turn it way up (my treadmill is loud).
 

mccardey

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Yes, I use it when it's too hot or cold out but I like to walk and jog outside better. I don't think reading would work too well but I can watch tv if I turn it way up (my treadmill is loud).

I hate TV. This isn't going to work. I knew it wouldn't work. Stupid squashiness. Stupid cows.
 

Fruitbat

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Oh yeah, squashiness is awful. It sneaks up on me so quick now, too. Exercise DVDs, maybe? They have some neat ones. Yoga, bellydancing, etc.
 

mccardey

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Oh yeah, squashiness is awful. It sneaks up on me so quick now, too. Exercise DVDs, maybe? .

That's a good idea. I like that. I'll get dvds. Thank you. And I'll start looking out for a cow-free zone in the neighbourhood for walking in.

I'm not scared of cows, ezackly - I just don't like to bother them.
 

Fruitbat

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Yikes, cows would scare me. I do my hand held weights and exercises throughout the day sometimes. Especially when I'm in a mood where I hate it, nice to break it up into little sections. There are lots of "how to do exercises" things online too. Good luck.
 

cornflake

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Oh god - I wasn't gonna go. I was just going to join.

Ugh.

Maybe not.

:ROFL:

If what you like is walking about, and being outside, is there stuff at the gym you'd like? If not, are there alternatives?

You might check the classes at the gym and see if there's stuff that interests you - and/or try it out. Most will offer a pass for a day or two if you tell them you're thinking of joining.

Otherwise, have you checked around for an informal thing you might like? If there isn't one, maybe you could start one - like a lunchtime walkabout or something. Some other people may have or know of footpaths, or want to meet closer to the city to go walk for an hour and have a coffee.

I mean if you go out and bring your leash and make sad, puppy eyes, someone will probably take you walkies!
 

Ken

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You should move back to the city is what your should do.

Shameful suggestion to be sure.

ps When I checked out your website some months ago you did not look "squashy."
More like a runway model in my estimation.
 
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mirandashell

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I bet, somewhere in the wonderful world of the internet, that someone has filmed their local walks and put them on You Tube. So you could be walking on your treadmill but looking at the Highlands of Scotland. Or Kilimanjaro. Or Hong Kong.
 

Chris P

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*raises little toothpick arm to vote in favor of the gym*
 

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The main problem with the gym, for me, is getting there. It's not far, it's just a mental thing. Once I get to the gym, working out is not a problem, but convincing myself to go is quite another thing.

When I joined this gym, I got a personal trainer. There was one day a week I *had* to go because I was paying for it specifically. The PT gave me a weights workout that I was to repeat two more times that week (with at least 48 hours in between each workout). On the other days I had many classes that I really liked and they were all included in my membership. So for the first 2 years, I was working out all the time because I do well in a class/teacher/homework environment.

But classes changed, my schedule changed, and I got switched to PTs that I didn't like as much so I eventually stopped PT, and over time I went less and less. Nowadays I go about once a week. Worth $30/month? I don't know, but since it costs a lot for that first joining and this is a much better price than their current ones (I got in before they opened and got an amazing deal), I will probably stick with it until I stop going altogether.

But getting to the gym (especially in this snow), that's the hardest part, trust me.
 

mccardey

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You should move back to the city is what your should do.

Shameful suggestion to be sure..

That's adorable. Extreme, but adorable. :Hug2:

SO, just to update you all, I went to the gym today (relax! I went to the gym: I didn't do any gymmery) and a perfectly nice young man with enormous shoulders said he thought I should take a brochure home and think about it. He gets points for clearly having the same kind of approach to gymmery as I do - ie: start by thinking about it. Slowly, mac, slowly. And also for having astounding shoulders.

Imma make me a cup of tea and think about joining a gym and that can be My Commitment to a Healthier Me for the day.

PS: He said it was okay to read on the treadmill, but not on the rowing machine. :ROFL: Like I'd be caught dead on a rowing machine! Still, I like his optimism.
 
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Helix

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How could you read on a rowing machine anyway?

*puts on Prof Branestawm's multiple pairs of specs*

You'd have to make a book stand fitted to a harness to keep the text a constant distance from your eyes. Plus something to turn the pages. Perhaps that could be attached to your head and operated by an ear wiggle? Can you wiggle your ears?
 

Sage

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a perfectly nice young man with enormous shoulders said he thought I should take a brochure home and think about it.

This gym would have my business in a second. Every gym I've ever been to has been high-pressure.
 

mccardey

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I gymmed.

It hurt.

One of you should have told me about the hurting. I thought we were friends. :cry: