To Gym, Or Not To Gym?

When you’re looking to start up an exercise routine, it’s usually one of the first questions to ask. Is it worth it to spend monthly fees and include a commute to your workout, or is it better to walk/run/bike around your neighborhood and create makeshift weights at home?

The benefits for creating a home-based workout routine are numerous, including everything from saving money to avoiding public showers. There is also a lot more privacy for those who might be just starting out and may be feeling self-conscious. There are a variety of home weight training options available if you don’t want to buy personal weights – you can use everything from milk jugs to bags of rocks, shampoo bottles, cats, dogs – whatever you can grab! Plus, if you don’t drive, walking or biking to a far-away gym can be a workout in itself. There are also tons of free resources available online, from youtube pilates videos to workout routines developed entirely around someone’s living room.

The cons for using a home-based workout routine are part of the allure of staying at home in the first place. Sure, you’re surrounded by the comforts of the house, with your own television, computer, ringing phone, demanding pets, fussy kids, piles of housework…it can be very easy to get bogged down in all the day-to-day and forget to focus on yourself and your workout, and it’s going to be a lot easier to get distracted and pulled away from your routine.

If you have easy access to a gym and its facilities, the advantages can be endless.  It can be easy to get in the routine of getting up early for a workout before classes or work, or going for a swim in the pool before heading home for the evening. It’s a lot easier to keep track of your progress when you can watch the clock ticking down, and making sure that you’re maintaining a consistent speed. And don’t underestimate the advantages of surrounding yourself with like-minded people: finding a gym buddy has been proven over and over to increase the likelihood keeping up with your gym visits, as well as making the whole experience that much more enjoyable.

The cons of gym workouts are pretty much self explanatory. If you’re on a tight budget, anything close to another monthly bill is going to send you running (and not on a treadmill). Not to mention that the majority of gym memberships are based on an annual basis, and especially if you’re just starting out, that kind of commitment can be overwhelming. And of course, if you have kids, you can’t exactly let them tag along on the elliptical.

Everyone has workout preferences based on their lifestyles. Some people work better in private and others prefer a fun-run with friends around the neighborhood. In the end, it’s about finding the routine that works best for you – do you know the 100% proven fitness routine is? The one that you’re willing to keep up! So get out there, in whatever way you can, and work up a good sweat!