by Bengal Hotdog

Created on: July 21, 2009

Thinking about joining the local fitness club?

Look before you leap! There are some serious pros and cons to keep in mind before "investing" in your health.

CONS...

"I wanna quit the gym!"

Remember that Friends episode where Ross got stuck with a gym membership that he couldn't get out of? When he tried to get Chandler to help him out, the man behind the desk (who looked like a sculpture of a Greek god) flexed his hulking muscles and guilted Ross into staying, and talked Chandler into joining too!

It may not be exactly like that at your gym, but they will suddenly care very sincerely about your health and well being if you ask to cancel your membership. They may even offer to join you in a class or two to keep you engaged and using the club.

If they're really bold they may even go as far as talking you into buying personal training to "keep you motivated"!

Some may see this as a con to keep you paying your dues, while some may see it as a genuine concern and in some cases, it very well may be! But more often than not, this is a scripted act trained into the staff for "member retention". (In case you are wondering, yes, I do work at a gym!)

Fitness club staff are usually paid commission for each membership they sell, and there are often revenue goals and cash incentives for the most sales made each month. This leads to an aggressive sales approach and the apparent desperation to get you to sign up.

Think you'll use it?

Think again. If you already work out regularly and have been able to keep up some kind of routine for six months or more, then your chances of actually using the gym are much higher.

Some advice: Get yourself into a walking, jogging, or some kind of at-home workout routine before even considering joining a gym. It takes twenty-one days to form a habit, and if you can stick with this habit for six months, then you may purchase a gym membership.

The reality is, most people who join the gym will use it diligently for about two or three weeks, then the novelty wears off, excuses come up, and the money goes down the drain. Try to cancel, and get hit with a harsh fee. Don't get caught in this mess!

A lot of people believe that having access to a gym will help them form a habit of regular exercise, or worse, that buying a gym membership will automatically make them slim and healthy...just like going to college will guarantee everyone a happy and successful life, right?

Reality check.

Walking into a gym for the first time is rarely pleasant. It's intimidating

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