Gym Membership + Weight Loss Questions

Hi Everyone

So I was talked into joining a gym by an amazing friend of mine from church. She sold me when she mentioned the hot tub and pool! Anyway, the price is $40 a month ( I had to sign a 12 month contract), and they informed me there is a yearly $37 (Taken out Jan 1) maintence fee, to update equipment, repair it etc. 

Overall I am satisfied with the facility. LOTS of cardio machines, weight machines, free weights- and tons of classes to join for free, not to mention the hot tub, pool, and sauna. I have several questions for any fitness buffs out there.

# 1- Is $40 too much a month? Oh BTW- I can bring a guest as much as I want, not just a guest pass- but a perm guest pass for anyone I want (does not have to be the same person)

For the $40 you get the guest, 24/7 access to the facility, pool, sauna, hot tub, and classes (They have about 30 different classes like Zumba, Yoga, Basketball, Pilates, etc...

The $37 yearly fee- is that normal??

# 2- I have lost 60 pounds, and then 5 pounds since going there (so now for a total weight loss of 65), I need to lose probably another 150 - 200. Sounds like A LOT but I know I can do it

Right now, I do 10 minutes of cardio (treadmill or elliptical) and then make rounds through the weight machines, working all muscle groups...... 3 rounds of 10 with a 1 minute break and then 15 minutes in sauna, 15 in hot tub- and then 30 minutes in the pool to swim & cool off.....

I need to know if I am doing OK or if there might be something else I need to do. BTW- I am 320 and 5'4", 27 years old

I might also mention my asthma has gotten better, seems I have started to expand my lung capacity. I have to be careful with any leg weights as I have bad weak knees and want to know how to strengthen them (osteoarthritis)? I know you don't rebuild cartlidge but they hurt when I try leg anything.

Thanks everyone!!!

Mel

Forty dollars a month is a lot of money.  It's not out of the realm of the normal, however.  My wife got a 2-year membership to 24-Hour Fitness for about $250, but it was a special from Costco.  Normally it's more than that.  And they don't have a pool everywhere.

She has had good luck with the water aerobics classes, not losing a lot of weight, but a little bit, steadily, and feeling a lot better.
 

mrblanche said:

Forty dollars a month is a lot of money.  It's not out of the realm of the normal, however.  My wife got a 2-year membership to 24-Hour Fitness for about $250, but it was a special from Costco.  Normally it's more than that.  And they don't have a pool everywhere.

She has had good luck with the water aerobics classes, not losing a lot of weight, but a little bit, steadily, and feeling a lot better.
 

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I plan on splitting it with a friend so it will end up being $20 a month

l think it's customary for gyms to ask for maintenance fees, join-up fees etc, but it's equally customary to talk your way out of them before signing.

l'm in Canada so we have different rules, but one of ours is that the longest a contract can be for is one year. 

Here's some handy, though probably irrelevant   info:  http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2011/01/what-you-need-to-know-about-gym-memberships.html

Outside of the membership stuff - you go girl!! Good job 

l quit smoking 5 years ago and went from being underweight-skinny to being overweight. l'm still shocked when l look in the mirror, lol. l don't look like ME. You're an inspiration, l'm going to start a weight-loss and exercise regimen TODAY.

Congratulations, and continued success 

I joined a gym a couple of years ago that was very similar to the one you are talking about, except a guest pass was $10 a day. I paid a little over $40 a month. I've never heard of maintenance fees though. 

At the gym I went to earlier this  year, I started out doing 5-20 minutes on the elliptical or bike (depending on my energy level) and usually 20-30 on the treadmill. Then I did the weight machines. This was what the owner of the gym recommended for me. I stopped going because I couldn't afford it and cancelled my membership after getting pregnant. When I went to my old gym that had a pool, I used to go in the pool for about 45-60 minutes after working out and then relax in the hot tub for about 10 minutes. I lost almost 20 pounds while working out and eating better. I've gained back 6 of them since (but also had a baby).

I go to a gym that is associated with a local hospital.  It costs DH and I $87 a month for a family membership.  They have a lot of fitness equipment, classess, pool, hot tub, sauna, locker room, showers, etc.  I know I could get cheaper memberships elsewhere, but I like it there.  They charge a fee to join, but not an annual maintenance fee. 

If I ever join a gym, it's going to be the one at our hospital. It's really nice and the people are wonderful to work with. That's where I went for PT after I had my knee operation a few years ago. Lots of equipment, they're open pretty much all the time, the hot tub, sauna, etc. The trial membership for there is $50 for the first three months or 12 visits, whichever comes first. I also know a lot of people who go there for spinning classes and such and they love the place. A Planet Fitness just opened close to us; they charge $10 to join with a $10 monthly membership......that place is always packed.

I can't justify a gym membership though. We have the treadmill and the Bowflex in the basement. The weight bench with 300 pounds of weights is in the basement.  The elliptical is in the bedroom. I have over 100 pounds of dumbbells, along with a myriad of resistance bands.

My problem is not that I don't have the equipment at home; my problem is that I've just gotten lazy!

Congrats on your weight loss!!!!!