Should you join a gym?

#Middlebury #Seniors

Did you sign up for a gym membership as a way to fulfill your New Year’s resolution to get fit? If so, good for you. If not, also good for you.

A gym membership is only as good as your determination to use it, and there are many reasons not to sign up. At the first of the year you’ll be one of many who joined, and the gym might be crowded. If you get on a schedule of going on certain days, something likely will come up to break your routine, possibly bad weather. If you’ve signed a contract, that money is coming out of your account every month no matter what. You’ll likely need to drive to the gym, and you might feel like you need to buy workout clothes or a gym bag.

On the other hand, if you’re determined to exercise and don’t want to spend money on a gym membership that you might not use, there are ways to work out at home.

Check YouTube on the Internet. Sample types of exercise you’ve never tried. Yoga comes in many varieties. Tai chi and qi gong are similar but not the same. Look for workouts with hand weights or seated exercises. Google “seniors exercising at home” for ideas.

Opt to have a few pieces of equipment at home and alternate days with walking, either outdoors or at an indoor facility like a mall on days when you need to run errands anyway. Ask your doctor to suggest a few pieces of equipment.

Working out at home is free, private, with no waiting for equipment and no driving to the gym. If you still want to join a gym, wait a few months. Most of the people who signed up as a resolution will be gone.

(c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.