Gym, is it worth it?

[AllHailKingLouis]

I’m paying for a gym membership I don’t use. I hate the actual “gym” but don’t mind the classes and quite like swimming.

I’m 41, 5ft 10 and 11st 9lbs.

I want to be 10 stone and a size 12 (currently 14).

obviously I know diet changes need to happen to but will going to classes twice a week and swimming twice a week actually make a difference? Or am I wasting my time and money?

Depends I have free gym membership with work but never go. I do Cross Rope three times a week, walk, cycle and yoga. The gym has zero appeal. I'd rather be outside or exercise at home. I'm 5'9" and 64Kg and maintain weight with a healthy diet and a reasonably active lifestyle.

I go to a gym, again mainly for classes. I love the social aspect and have made lots of friends there (I live in a lovely friendly village, gym down the road).
In terms of weight loss, the gym helps a bit, but basically it's more about a person's diet (advice from a PT I know) that gets real results

You won't lose weight just from going to a couple of classes a week and a bit of swimming, so if that's why you're paying then save your money.

If you're prepared to change your diet appropriately to one that will result in weight loss, then exercise will greatly improve the appearance of what's left and also your general physical health. Replacing fat with muscle will also make you burn calories more efficiently, so you can eat more .

Well it will certainly help your fitness and overall sense of well-being. If it's weight loss only you need to cut back in the kitchen. Combo of both is winning formula! But if you really hate it just add some brisk walking to your day.

people say its a 20%/80% split with diet being 80%
but exercise is the magic key

Definitely worth keeping up with the gym along with managing what you eat and drink.
I’m a similar height to you and exercising regularly has certainly helped me maintain a happy weight for a number of years.
Stick with it would be my advice.

How much is it ?
I pay £20 a month and do a minimum of 3 zumba classes a week, so I think that's good value.
I don't use the gym itself as I get bored easily.
If I fancy zumba any other time, I walk to a local class where it's £2 a session. Again, great value.

If you only want to lose weight then no, spend that money on veg & lean protein instead.

If you want to improve your fitness, have better health, stay active into old age, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, sleep better, have more energy, improve your mood, maintain muscle and flexibility as you get older, reduce your risk of cardiovascular conditions, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes - then swimming and gym classes, or free activity like brisk walking/cycling, will help.

I signed up to a gym a couple of months ago. No weight loss (I'll think of it as not putting on weight!). Body a little more toned, but nothing I couldn't do in the house. I only go to get my money's worth. I don't think I will renew when the 12 months is up.

More sleep, drinking plenty of water and lots of vegetable soup seems to do the trick.

But surely going to the gym isn't just about weight loss - it's about heart, blood pressure, bone density too ie protecting against future health conditions.

You are probably not going to lose any weight by going to a few sessions a week but try and see it as an investment in your body for the future.

I go to at least 2 Zumba classes and 2 Body Pump/Body Balance classes a week at our local gym; for £30 a month, I think it's great value.

I don't weigh myself so don't know if I've lost any weight, and I only started to notice any visible difference in my body after about four months of Body Pump. I never thought I'd say this, but in my perimenopausal mid-forties, I'm actually as interested in the physical benefits (bone density, flexibility, heart health, better sleep, etc) as the impact on my thighs. So I'd carry on for that reason alone.

I don't enjoy the gym-gym but I do love Zumba and I never imagined I'd enjoy Body Pump as much as I do. So maybe it's about finding classes you can get genuinely enthusiastic about, rather than trudging there to slog through 30 lengths?