It's after New Years -- hibernation season is over. You look at yourself in the mirror and you think "I need to go to the gym." You pull out your handy dandy smart phone and you start looking at gym memberships. Shopping at different places, looking at different prices whether it's $20 pizza every Friday Planet Fitness, or Go Hard $50 Defined.
There are a ton of options, all varying towards how you are with people, how hard you work out, and your availability. Maybe you're someone who likes to workout at 6 a.m., getting it in, preparing yourself for the day to come. Maybe you're of the Zen variety, looking for some peace of mind and some relaxation while trying to move your muscles around.
Yoga is honestly one of the best options for people who are trying to get a workout in, but don't have time to travel. It's cheap, every vlogger has some form of yoga video on YouTube that you can watch daily, and a yoga mat is the only thing you need. One issue I have with Yoga is that the mat itself runs from 12 to 40 bucks. Honestly, if you're not trying to spend money, use a towel (or maybe I'm just super cheap) but hey it's a suggestion.
By the way, did I mention that losing weight via the gym can be cheaper than buying that Calzone that you like?
Anyway, here's three A's to consider when trying to pick the right gym for you.
1. Availability
Always understand your schedule. If you know that you have six classes during the day running from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Then after, you either have a job that works you till midnight five times a week, or you have a say in multiple organizations that meet at varying times. I can guarantee that you are going to be exhausted. I would suggest fixing your diet before you consider diving into a gym membership and end up not using it.
Dieting and working out go hand in hand, but sometimes the best way to work around a schedule is to improve the foods that you eat first. Notice how the foods impact your daily routine. It's an easy way to see how being healthy in general puts a lot of positivity in your daily life.
Though, if you are a busy bee and you want to hit the weights then I suggest Anytime Fitness. Why Anytime Fitness? Well because you can workout at, you guessed it, Anytime! No matter if it's Christmas, New Years, Halloween, or National Clown Day (seriously I would hate to be outside on that day) they are open 24/7. Making it convenient for you if you're a night owl, or if you just like to workout at night because you're afraid of judgment. I'd recommend this gym because it's really an all-around gym. Tons of equipment, showers, and the availability, what more could you ask for?
2. Affordability
If you already don't have enough money, I can guarantee that a gym membership is probably not in your budget. Bills, daily occurrences, Starbucks coffee, all things you have to consider before you can think about side projects. If you're a college student like I currently am, and your school happens to have a gym, well you're one of the luckiest people in the fitness community.
Go to your college gym, you're paying for it out of your tuition. Even if you have to go through the drama of seeing someone you really like; watch you grunt and make awkward faces. I can guarantee they are doing the same thing.
Make the most out of your college term; because once you graduate, you're going to have to buy a gym membership like the rest of the world, and what's point of being a novice at a random gym; when you can be a novice with other novices. The gym at your college is your best option. Learn the equipment and make mistakes; because if you make mistakes out in the real world of fitness, you might not have the option to make the mistake twice.
3. Actuality
Let's say you've been going to a gym for a while. You know what works best for your body, but the gym just doesn't have the equipment for you. Honestly, it happens a lot; most gyms tend to cover the basics, and people work around it. If you're paying for a gym membership, and you want to upgrade then what's paying an extra 10 dollars? That's a burger and some fries (or a Calzone) a month; or a way better gym with a pool, different yoga rooms, and saunas.
Can I just say, any gym with a sauna is a proper gym; because there's nothing like a hot bath after an intense workout. Aficionados will say "Skyler, you're supposed to take a cold shower after you workout, blah, blah, blah." Please, lets be real, I'm going to do what I enjoy: working out hard, then taking a hot shower right after to soothe my gains.
If you are realistic with yourself, then getting fit for 2017 will be a breeze. Honestly, a top reason why people fail is because they think about it too much and then end up not going, or they aren't realistic about themselves. Don't talk yourself out of it, just go, and if you want to eat ice cream after, then that's fine. It's better to go the gym, work your butt off and sweat a pool's worth all to eat some ice cream. Rather than, just eating ice cream. You'll feel better about eating that mint chocolate scoop from Cold Stone once you've worked your heart out for it.
These are my three A's to consider when trying to pick the right gym. Sometimes a gym just isn't for people; maybe working out at home is the best option for you. My only problem with that is laziness. I'm lazier than a sloth when I'm at home, so why would I want to add strenuous work to something that I'm so accustomed too? Separate the two, be lazy at home and work hard at the gym.
Let's make 2017 worth something to ourselves.
