I quit the gym today. It just seems like a waste to me. I joined in September for 3 months and went diligently to try to relieve my back pain. It didn’t work. And I didn’t lose any weight. It just made me hungry like it always has. Ugh.
Then I found a couple of yoga classes that I liked and went to for a month so I joined for a year because it was cheaper than paying for 2 yoga classes per week. Then I was sick for the past month and haven’t done anything. And I think I’ve lost a pound or two (I don’t know for sure because I gave up weighing myself for lent) but in any caseI feel better.
Going to the gym requires gathering “gym” clothes, driving to the gym, gym time, then time to shower and get dressed and ready all over again. Who has this kind of time? I don’t know how I used to do this on a regular basis for HOURS. Who was that person? She obviously had no other life.
The icing on the cake for me was that I like to use the rowing machine. Pretty much to the exclusion of all other machines. The rower is like the master machine of all because it involves all of your body parts (or at least most of them…) simultaneously working in harmony to a. make the wheel turn and b. not look like an idiot. It’s a full body workout! But every time I have gone to the gym recently the rower has been in use and there is only ONE rowing machine at my gym. Today was no exception. After a month long absence, I go to work out finally and, of course the machine is taken.
Disgruntled gym goer that I am, I murmured to myself and went in search of an exercise ball to sit on and do some hand weights. About 5 minutes into this I realize that I have all of this at home and that no one else would be sweating in my general vicinity if I were to work out at home. I wouldn’t have to waste time driving to the gym and I wouldn’t have to wonder if the towels were really clean. So I stood up, got my coat and cancelled my membership on the way out. $39 a month is not worth the rare use of a rowing machine and I can also do yoga at home with the DVDs I already own. I went for a walk with my family instead.
Unfortunately they don’t cancel your membership immediately. I have to wait 2 moths because mine was a “convenience pay” membership. Well, isn’t that a racket? I’ll just call it my $78 stupid tax and I will make sure to hit up a few yoga classes before my cancellation is official so I get my money’s worth.
Perhaps I should change the name of this blog to better reflect how cheap I am becoming. I think reading Mr Money Mustache is starting to wear off on me …