by Serena Tan

Created on: October 14, 2008   Last Updated: October 20, 2008

Signing up for a gym membership has never been so attractive or easy. Recently, I saw a fitness club that had this special promotion on its website.

"Get started with 30 days and you could win $10,000!"

I was seriously tempted to fill up the contact form and click Send. But I remembered my last gym-related fiasco and clicked away in time.

If you are considering signing up for gym membership, here are a few helpful questions you should ask yourself before you sign on the dotted line:

<li>What is your real motive in joining?</li>

If it's to get fit, do you really need to go to the gym to do that? Australia is renowned for its abundance of open spaces, beaches and natural reserves. Your neighbourhood probably has parks and cycling tracks that are accessible to anyone. There are so many alternative ways to get fit, and they don't have to cost you money.

If it's for the social interaction, a gym is certainly a good place to have fun, meet people and get fit all at the same time.

It all comes down to understanding yourself and what truly motivates you.

<li>Are the exercise classes, facilities and environment at your gym a good match for your needs?</li>

Gyms offer all sorts of classes and environments to suit different personality types. You may enjoy aerobics or Pilates, or you may prefer one-to-one training with an instructor. You might prefer to work alone, or you might prefer a ladies-only environment. Visit the gym, talk to the staff and make sure you are happy that all or most of your requirements are met - before you sign up.

<li>Are you ready, able and willing to commit the time and financial cost of joining a gym?</li>

If gym membership is going to form a significant part of your household budget, make sure you have the funds set aside for it. Knowing that you have anticipated the expense makes it less likely that you will drop out because of financial pressure.

It is also a good idea to block out the time slot for your gym sessions in your planner. That way, you are constantly reminded that you have made a commitment to your fitness and you don't allow random events to be an excuse for not going.

Above all, you must be mentally and psychologically ready to join a gym. If you have fitness goals that you want to achieve (say to lose weight or build flexibility), create your own personal fitness plan with your goals, mini-goals, timelines and all the supporting actions that will help you achieve them. Then make a commitment to stick to your plan. If you're not mentally ready to commit yourself to making the most of your gym membership, it's easy to tell yourself you'll skip today's session because it's too cold, and make up for it next week. Gym membership is going to be a waste of your time and money if you end up going only once a month. There has to be that attitude of perseverance and wanting to make the effort worthwhile.

And remember, when in doubt (about joining a gym or about making any other decision that will cost money) - don't. There's always another day and another way.

Learn more about this author, Serena Tan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.