Dalai Mama
Drama Llama
La Pea Boheme
Posts: 6,985
Jun 26, 2014 0:31:31 GMT
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Post by Dalai Mama on Jan 25, 2016 15:51:55 GMT
I'm an introvert too and I say join a gym. I need the variety and one machine at home just wouldn't do it for me.
Oh and, if you are going to join a gym, unless your DH is planning on joining too, choose the one that you want.
ETA* I don't do classes, I rarely talk to the people who are there, I just put my earbuds in, crank my music and work out.
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Post by STBC on Jan 25, 2016 15:57:36 GMT
Oh and, if you are going to join a gym, unless your DH is planning on joining too, choose the one that you want. I totally agree with this! You're the one going to the gym, so it should be a place you like.
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,895
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Jan 25, 2016 16:01:20 GMT
I don't have a gym membership, the one near my house doesn't have a pool which is what I would want to use, but for me having the exercise equipment in the house (we have a treadmill, bike, rowing machine and hand weights) means I can work out randomly through the day (5 minutes here, 10 minutes there) which is better than nothing...
Driving to the gym (which means going a roundabout way because you can't turn left into the parking lot), dealing with parking, having to get dressed, change clothes, find keys etc would cut into my exercise time. Also I have a 2 year old so I'd have to deal with childcare or wait until DH is home.
That's just me though...
I would also suggest trying the equipment for a length of time before you buy it. Turns out DH can't use the treadmill it makes him dizzy and won't use the bike because the seat is too hard.
Good luck!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 25, 2016 16:20:16 GMT
Well, we've done both and neither scenario worked out all that great for us. In the past when DH and I were much younger, we both joined a gym thinking we would go together. Then life got busy with work and school, and months went by where we just didn't have the time to go. It gets expensive paying for a gym membership when you don't use it. I didn't like working out in front of others even when I was fit, and now much less so since I'm overweight and floppy.
Then some years down the road, DH was able to buy a commercial grade treadmill from a local college that was upgrading their equipment. $10 in parts, and we were off! We parked it right in the middle of the livingroom so we could watch tv and we both used it pretty regularly. He stopped when he had plantar fasciitis and couldn't walk for several months in a row and got out of the habit. I stopped when I was getting severe back pain when I was pregnant. Now there's something wrong with it again. The belt slips and he hasn't had time to take it apart to diagnose what the problem is. It was great when we could watch TV or Netflix while walking. If he ever fixes it, I'm going to rig up a Gorillapod on it so I can attach my iPad to it.
About a year before our DD was born, DH was totally sold on getting a Bowflex. I was parked pretty solidly in the "are you ACTUALLY going to USE it?" camp, because the thing was probably in the $2500 range. He swore up and down he would. Yes, well, he didn't. It was a very expensive clothes rack at our old house, and he hasn't used it once since he set it up here at this house in 2012. We also have Wii Fit, a balance board and several exercise games for our Wii that none of us really use.
Now that I've been going to PT for my arthritis in my back, I have also been doing stretching and exercises at home daily. I will probably dig out the Bowflex video and watch it so I can do some core strengthening exercises on it that I have to do anyway and to strengthen my upper body if I end up having to be on crutches for three months after having upcoming foot surgery. Yay.
I think in hindsight, my vote would be to get in the habit of doing SOMETHING daily on your own, whether it's a video, walking around your neighborhood, a Wii Fit game if you have that, an inexpensive exercise ball and some fitness bands or small hand weights, whatever. Get yourself in the habit of doing something inexpensive FIRST every day for several months running before you spend a bunch of money on either the gym membership or a piece of home equipment. Set a goal for yourself of doing your thing daily for at least 3-6 months (the longer, the better). If you can successfully do that, THEN reward yourself with the more expensive thing that appeals to you more at that time. I will say that changing one's habits is HARD. If you can't commit to the cheap thing, then you probably wouldn't commit to the more expensive thing either. Experience is an expensive teacher, IMHO!
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Post by moveablefeast on Jan 25, 2016 16:32:34 GMT
I have a nice but small gym two blocks from my house and prefer to go there. I walk outside when the weather is good but I need strength equipment so the gym membership is very helpful. For days when I can't do either I have a variety of workout videos. It's mostly good enough. But I would prefer the gym membership - of my own choice - to the equipment at home if I had to choose between the two.
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Jan 25, 2016 16:40:42 GMT
This is my answer before reading any of the thread:
I would join a gym, weather or no weather, because I will NOT exercise if I don't have to-- if I'm at home, I'm doing anything BUT exercising. We have an elliptical machine that my BF bought a few years ago (some lady down the block was selling it) and he thought 'brilliant! we can just exercise whenever we want!' Yeah, no. I've NEVER used it, and it just sits in our dining room, taking up space.
I was intimidated by the gym at first, so I just did the treadmill till I got more comfortable going. I set up appointments with a personal trainer so I would HAVE to go, and go on my way home from work-- I don't get home, then go back out, for anything. Both of these are reasons that make it easier for me to get my workout done- even though I usually don't want to, lol- and I always feel better after I've worked out. I set the time on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then when I've done 15-20 minutes, I feel good enough about it that I want to keep going, so I'll inch up the time incrementally until it's at 40-45 minutes. (it's a mind trick, yes, but it works on me.)
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Jan 25, 2016 17:06:49 GMT
I have had a gym membership for years but honestly haven't gone for over a year. Keep thinking I need to cancel and dont... We have a treadmill and nobody has used it for a long time, either (until now). DH brought up getting an elliptical so we did (pooled Christmas money). Right before we got it, he started going to the gym with a friend and has gone most days since. It is working for him. At this point I just don't see when I could get to the gym, and what I'd do there is what I can do at home. So, I am cancelling. I have started to do dvd's workouts and use the machines we have at home. I think whatever is going to work best for you is what you should do. .
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Post by epeanymous on Jan 25, 2016 17:21:08 GMT
I prefer a gym. However, I don't have the time to get to and from the gym, so I have a home elliptical (and use it at least six days a week). For me, it is a lifestyle question. When my kids are older and don't need constant supervision, I plan to go back to the gym -- I like variety, and I like the weight machines.
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Post by flanz on Jan 26, 2016 0:52:40 GMT
Like you, I love the idea of working out at home. Get up, get it done, get on with my day. However, I joined a gym on Jan 1 (like a big 'ole cliche!) and am loving it. What I am loving is that I am truly committed to it and am doing it!
I go to classes on M, W and F mornings - two are 90 minutes, one is 60. They are called Forever Fit, meant for the over 50 crowd. 3 different instructors, all really fun. The reason I'm thrilled i joined the gym is that I remember thinking a few times during the first two weeks that if I were at home, I would have called it good about 15 m inutes in. Being in class just kept me there till I got "over the hump" so to speak. so being in aclass with an instructor and others motivates me to keep going. Worth the price of admission. Good luck whatever you decide!
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Post by Zee on Jan 26, 2016 1:14:08 GMT
I much prefer working out at home. I do DVDs and I also go running/walking outside when the weather is good. I hate the extra time it takes me to get to the gym and I don't really want to work out with or next to anyone. I don't like waiting for equipment, I don't like taking classes with others, I don't like changing in front of others, I do best on my own.
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Post by Dixie Lou on Feb 6, 2016 0:00:00 GMT
I think I am going to join a gym. My DD2 has a membership and we can go together on the weekends. I got into the habit of walking my dog for up to four miles a few years ago so I know I can get into the habit. Tomorrow is the day...
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