I do it because: 1) I'm the type of person who, if I paid for something, I will feel bad or feel crappy if I don't go. If I paid for the gym this month already, I will feel really guilty that I didn't use the money wisely. It's a big motivator for me to go and get the biggest bang out of my buck. 2) There are some workouts and weights that I use at the gym that I can't get if I was to workout at home or workout outdoors. 3) My gym is local and small so everyone knows everyone; which is nice because you get personal encouragements, check-up on how you and your workouts are going, etc. There's none of that big corporation feel like some other gyms do.
I prefer to just walk or jog outside or swim at my pool rather than exercise a gym, personally, and that way I get to save a lot of money by not having to pay for a monthly or annual membership. I like it that way since I prefer to get fresh air while I exercise. I see why people would prefer a gym over my method, though, since sometimes the equipment there is necessary for toning or maybe it's just a better environment for them to get motivated. I think whichever way is fine as long as the person is able to exercise regularly because otherwise they would just end up paying more on medical bills later on.
I always just walked, rode horseback, or went swimming, things that I could do on my own, and most of the time, that worked fine. However, sometimes the weather is not good, and especially in the winter it can be pretty hard to get out on a regular basis and do much of any kind of exercise. When my kids were growing up, we had a family membership at the local fitnes center for a while. We all really enjoyed that, and the kids and I would often just load up in the car and go down to the fitness center and swim in the evenings. When it was cold, we sure enjoyed the hot tub, too. So , there is a lot to be said for having a gym membership , providing that you enjoy it and can get down there regularly to use it.
Paying for a gym membership is only good if you like gyms. Some people get along really well with working out at home or outdoors. To me for example, those are not sustainable, I can never do it myself at home and even less go outdoors to do it. You become to dependent on the weather, and security. I have been looking for an affordable and good gym to become a member. I know that's the only way I can work out. But that is me personally.
The trick here if you must subscribe to a gym membership is to go to the cheapest and nearest gym in town, so that you can save money. I think most people who avail of gym memberships are fully committed to attending there in the 1st place, so that they can optimize what they paid for.
I think that actually going to the gym helps motivate people. Lots of people don't like working out at home, or they just can't be bothered since they have nothing to motivate them. However, if you are actually paying money for the gym membership, since you're paying for it, many people feel automatically a lot more motivated to start trying, and put in the effort to work out and make the most of the money. When it comes to how you'd pay for the gym membership, I'd rather pay in advance (sort of like bulk) and make the most of it. I think it saves money, if you make sure that you regularly visit the gym.
If it makes you more accountable then it's certainly a good thing. A lot of us only takes things seriously if there is a fee attached to it. And I can vouch for not using a free gym I once had in an apartment block I lived in, simply because there was no pressure for me to use it. But if you're not going to use the gym anyway, you may as well not bother signing up for one and doing any exercise in a local park.
It definitely seems more logical to pay as you go. Perhaps you feel lured into paying for an entire month of gym membership because it is cheaper, but in the end you are missing out if you can't go to the gym. Each time I had a need to go to the gym, I paid only ever for one week in advance when I knew that I would have the time to actually go there.
I will never really understand why people subscribe to gym memberships, except for the fact that many people thrive in different environments. I choose to do all of my working out in the privacy of my own home, and feel more motivated and confident doing it that way. Other thrive off of the atmosphere of a gym, and to them paying for a membership is worth it for that alone.
