Is a Gym Membership Worth It?

OK. I can’t even believe I’m asking this question. But I have to. Do I really need my gym membership?

I’ve now been a mom for a year and in a year’s time a LOT in my life has changed. One of those big changes? I barely EVER get to the gym.

Why?

1.       I’m dying to see Jackson as soon as work is over. By the time I see him, it’s 4:30. We get home around 5. And he starts getting ready for bed at 7 p.m. I can’t imagine even less time with him than the little two hours I do get during the week. Ugh.

2.       The weekends haven’t totally allowed me to go to the gym whenever I want just yet. Karl was working most weekends or family was up or we had stuff going on. And now Karl’s going on call. Boo.

Excuses? Perhaps.

For one, there is a childcare provided. But I never use it because I feel incredibly guilty passing Jackson off AGAIN to another person, which I’ve already done all week long. Also, in the three years I’ve been a member, I have yet to use the gorgeous pool. So why am I paying nearly $60 a month? I don’t know. I can’t even get the 12 workouts in a month so my insurance will pay half.

However, when I DO get a chance to go to the gym, it feels like I’ve stepped away to some resort. Yes, it feels THAT good to me. The steam room. The stair climber. All the weights. All there.  In one place. All shiny. The smell of sweat. Ahh. And feeling that way is worth it to me…

I think.

Here’s the deal. I no longer have a trainer. He moved away on me and I can’t afford one now anyway. I only have a membership that allows me to workout at ONE location, so it’s hard to go after work since it’s slightly out of the way. I haven’t been to a class since almost a year before I got pregnant. I never use the showers, though I tell myself I will every time.

On the flip side, we have some light weights at home and I could purchase a couple kettle balls. We have an elliptical in our basement. I have a bosu ball and an exercise ball. The weather is getting nicer (I can work out outside). I’ve been ripping out pages of workouts in my magazines. It seems like a no brainer. I could save almost $700 a YEAR. Helllloooooooo.  

Our downstairs is SUPER crammed though. It doesn’t feel the same. And will I make time?? I force myself to work out when I get in the car and drive to the gym. For some reason, I feel like I’ll choose the couch over walking downstairs to hop on the elliptical. I told myself months ago I would get up at 5:00 every morning and run outside, but it’s been raining pretty much every morning or else I’m STILL trying to catch up on the sleep I lost this past year. I keep choosing sleep!

It’s just since college, I’ve never NOT had a gym membership… It feels weird. It feels like I’m allowing myself to stop taking care of myself or something. I’m not holding myself accountable anymore. Weird, I know.

What would you do? Gym membership or no?

Just remember, once winter comes it gets DARK and cold here making most outdoor activities tough.