Saturday, August 27, 2011

To Gym or NOT to Gym?


That is the question.  I have been going to the gym for almost a year now.  I checked my account and I have gone 97 times!  I have received so many benefits from getting in shape, even I am surprised I am thinking of dropping it.
  • My hips don't hurt after a busy shift at work anymore.  
  • I am actually happier and not nearly as moody.  I even feel like I have more patience.  
  • I feel great and my pants are all too big. 
  • My kids are frequently the ones dragging me to the gym - they have made lots of friends there.  
  • I have been able to do things there is no way I could have done without going including shoveling 5 yards of dirt and biking 40 miles and still trying to break a sweat. 

So the disadvantages have to be pretty high to make me think of dropping it.
  • First, I am paying over $600 a year for me and my children to go to the gym. 
Even more than money, are the time and energy factors.
  • Time wise, it takes me 15 min. to get there so that's 30 min. round trip I am losing as opposed to exercising at home.
  • I also go first thing in the morning, which makes me feel like I am not getting to use my most productive time of the day to get things done.  
  • At the gym feel like I have to kill myself exercising since my time there is so valuable to me (having to have my kids in the kids club). Then I come home all worn out and a nap is usually in order with the kids afternoon naps. (not to mention no energy to clean!)
  • I love to plan adventures with my kids, but going to the gym has definitely cut out lots of these adventures. (we have used our zoo season pass once!) 
I guess the question is, is can I actually get myself to exercise at home? Is it better for my kids to find something to do at home, or play and watch tv at the gym? (The ideal would be to wake up early...dream). Will I actually use the time I am saving productively? I am sick of walking into the gym and smelling the sweat.  I adore Brenda, who teaches some of my classes, but other than that, I usually do my own thing anyway.

I am still mulling it around in my head, but I am definitely pointing more towards the 'quitting' direction. What do you think?


(As an end thought, this is a hilarious post in regards to my last 3 posts. They are all about exercising and eating healthy, and the one before those is about my role as homemaker.  Well, there you have it, my two arched nemeses.)