pink_sugar Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 How many of you think joining a GYM is the best way to lose weight? How many of you prefer traditional ways of exercise? Ex: Walking or running around the block, joining activities, hiking etc? I recently cancelled my GYM membership. It was a hard choice, but we kept getting slapped and slapped with fees each month and are having financial difficulties preventing us from paying. Actually we only joined a few months back and prior to then, hadn't held a membership for 3 years (have equipment at home and had a gym at our apartment). I miss being able to tone up, but other than that, I get plenty of exercise in other ways and wanted to save $. Sometimes I don't think memberships are worth it due to hidden fees, binding contracts and so forth. Link to post Share on other sites
EasyHeart Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 The best (and really, the ONLY) way to lose weight is by controlling your diet. Running/walking/biking is for strengthening your heart. Weight training is for strengthening your other muscles. Some people like going to the gym, other people don't. There is no one best way to exercise. Pick the one that works for you. 5 Link to post Share on other sites
Author pink_sugar Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Very good point. I've noticed my husband and I have lost a lot of weight when we've hardly exercised and it was because of lack of food and eating habit changes. Sometimes I've gone to the gym and hardly lost any weight. You're right, it is mostly diet. Link to post Share on other sites
tman666 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 A person can get a very decent and functional (yes, I know that term is thrown around too much, but sue me) body with nothing more than a pull up bar and their own bodyweight. Sprints, push ups, pull ups, push ups, squats, lunges, jumping, etc. are all great options. Now if a person is looking to maximize their peak strength on a particular lift, heavy resistance training on that lift is a must, since much of the success of the lift is skill related. For most people, a gym is the most practical and cost effective way to do this. But if one doesn't care about maximizing their squat/deadlift/bench numbers, training for the Olympics, or perfecting the symmetry of their physique (such as a bodybuilder), then no, a gym is not necessary. If all one is looking for is a lean physique with a modest amount of muscle mass, mastering one's own bodyweight and diet can accomplish this. Check out some of the videos posted by Calisthenics Kingz. Link to post Share on other sites
todreaminblue Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 i kamikaze myself with exercise actually enjoy it one, thing my personal trainer tells me is that she has to hold me back because i over do it i have ocd tendencies ....i started by walking first ...long walks the repetition and road work started to cause injuries i joined a lifestyle gym and now have three hourly sessions a week two personal training and one circuit still getting injured but that comes with the territory of being or gaining fitness as i become more mobile i am being monitored and workouts are adjusted to deal with injury,they are like bossy mates to me....thats what in need to succeed someone to control my ocd tendencies and i will succeed she is highly motivating and an inspiring woman...she accepts my mental illness we work on natural remedies instead of traditional zombieville she also knows when i need to beat the crap out of a punching bag or focus pad....she looks after my hands..when i get injured they dont fuss they allow me to get up unassisted..they are cluey..lovethem to bits.deb...... Link to post Share on other sites
liquid_amber Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 to me, a gym is a waste of money. i prefer to get my exercise by walking, hiking, swimming, etc. much more fun, too. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
StandingO Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Eating proper, no processed foods etc has greatest impact. Interval training is better then steady paced cardio. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Imported Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) My work has a very nice gym right on sight and also pays for my membership at the best gym in the area.....and there are a **** ton of gyms around me. Also, I keep a 24 Hour fitness membership since it only cost me $49 a year and this allows me to use any of their gyms, including their super sport gyms. The gym my work pays for also has multiple locations and not only are they all nice, but they are priced so high that it excludes a lot of people...so rarely crowded and very few rude people. My home also has a community gym that is fairly nice and I also have a set of ironmaster dumbbells and super bench at home with dip and pull-up attachments Ironmaster - Strength Multiplied I am very influenced by how nice of a gym and if they have a pool i can lap swim in when i choose a hotel i stay at for business ....as well as clubs and bars near the hotel. I like working out at gyms. Its like a playground for me and I am one of the big kids on the playground I guess...in that my body is where I want it to be. And not that I go hounding after girls at the gym, but I do tend to meet women at the gym that just want to have sex and are not confused about it. Edited January 4, 2013 by Imported Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Sometimes I don't think memberships are worth it due to hidden fees, binding contracts and so forth. It's about motivation. You can train hard enough outside it but most people find it hard to keep going. If you go hiking regularly with a backpack and do some push ups/lunges/squats on the side, you will be kept fit enough. It's whether you have the drive for it though. Link to post Share on other sites
rys Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 losing weight -traditional exercise. as long as it is consistent. clean eating would help a lot. (building strength,toning - gym) Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I've never set foot in a gym. I would never go if I joined so it would be money wasted. I work out at home with about forty DVDs, mostly weights, some pilates, cardio. Love to walk outside. I have my own dumbbells -- 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 lbs. plus 5 lb ankle weights, and Perfect Pushups. That's all I've ever needed. I usually workout naked too! Except not when I'm walking outside. Since my workouts are fairly consistent, my weight only changes based on what I am eating -- eat more, get fat. Eat less, lose weight. Link to post Share on other sites
SpiralOut Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Whenever I sign up for a gym membership I end up not going, so it's a waste of money for me. However, I just found a gym nearby that allows you to drop in OR sign up for membership. I dropped in last week and liked it. I was going to go back today, but ended up going snowshoeing instead which was a good workout. So I'll probably try to mix up the gym with other activities. Normally I just do yoga and ride my bike, but the gym is much more useful now that winter is here and I can't bike outside anymore. Link to post Share on other sites
xxoo Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 The best exercise is the kind that you enjoy enough to make it a regular part of your life. That way, you'll be active for a lifetime. For me, that's running or hiking outside. I love it, and feel antsy when I've gone more than a day or two without getting onto the trails--rain or shine, hot or cold, I'm out there. My 70 year old father is just like me, still hitting the trails! 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Author pink_sugar Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 I love hiking myself, but find it hard to do so when the trails are so muddy as heck! Link to post Share on other sites
Author pink_sugar Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Whenever I sign up for a gym membership I end up not going, so it's a waste of money for me. However, I just found a gym nearby that allows you to drop in OR sign up for membership. I dropped in last week and liked it. I was going to go back today, but ended up going snowshoeing instead which was a good workout. So I'll probably try to mix up the gym with other activities. Normally I just do yoga and ride my bike, but the gym is much more useful now that winter is here and I can't bike outside anymore. That is great! I've really been discouraged by gym contracts and hidden fees. I liked the use of equipment for toning, but I have my own elliptical at home and hike when it's weather permitting. Link to post Share on other sites
PogoStick Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 FYI $50-$100 for some quality resistance tubes will let you do nearly all the resistance training you need. The rest you can do fine on your own too, walking, running, cycling, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
AlexDP Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 A person can get a very decent and functional (yes, I know that term is thrown around too much, but sue me) body with nothing more than a pull up bar and their own bodyweight. Sprints, push ups, pull ups, push ups, squats, lunges, jumping, etc. are all great options. Now if a person is looking to maximize their peak strength on a particular lift, heavy resistance training on that lift is a must, since much of the success of the lift is skill related. For most people, a gym is the most practical and cost effective way to do this. But if one doesn't care about maximizing their squat/deadlift/bench numbers, training for the Olympics, or perfecting the symmetry of their physique (such as a bodybuilder), then no, a gym is not necessary. If all one is looking for is a lean physique with a modest amount of muscle mass, mastering one's own bodyweight and diet can accomplish this. Check out some of the videos posted by Calisthenics Kingz. If you've got the room, you can also buy a barbell and weights yourself. For me the cost was about a one year membership fee at my gym. Link to post Share on other sites
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