Should I join a gym?

[Sayyouwont]

Having used gyms in the past,I've come to learn that I am not somebody who has ever enjoyed working out on machines. I love the walking in the outdoors, swimming and dancing in my living room where nobody can see me.
I have 2 kids who are very young and I've piled on around 3 stone in weight, my stomach is very saggy, my face is fat and round and I feel rubbish.
I also don't have a lot of free time and work some evenings, a couple of days and have the kids at home with me the rest of the time.
I recently started making time for swimming once a week and I am loving it, however, the local leisure centre pool is freezing, changing rooms are dirty and I only like to go at set times for adults only which limits when I can go.
I feel like I have nothing for me and have recently used a members only fitness centre to see what it was like. The pool was so warm, there were aqua jets, a jacuzzi, exercise classes and a fully kitted gym, along with a cafè. It was pure luxury and I can just about afford it.
I'm feeling rubbish about myself, wanting to meet new people and wanting to treat myself to an escape a night or 2 a week. I'm also not getting along with my husband as I feel like I'm here to serve the family and that's it.
My worry is that I will pay this membership and then not have enough time to use it. I am craving something though and this could help me lose a bit of weight.
My issues also are that I don't like group dance classes as I get so anxious about getting it all wrong or passing out and not being able to go at my own pace and I am not sure I will ever enjoy exercising on a machine.
I can pay a monthly fee which will give me some scope to cancel with a month's notice, but I don't want to waste my money and not make use of all the opportunities on offer. I know so many people who have paid gym memberships only to waste them.
I have mulled it over for a week now and still haven't found an answer.
What should I do?

If you took the membership and went swimming once per week , how does it compare to the council costs ? In any event I think you should go for it - try it for a couple of months and see how you get on.

If I use it once a week, I will be paying double what I pay to use the local leisure centre.

Forget about the actual gym for the moment; would you use the pool enough to justify it? If so, crack on. I splashed out in membership to a hotel leisure club purely to use the pool (and the fancy changing rooms). It's worth it to me as I now swim 3 or 4 times a week (depending on childcare) and take my DS a couple of times a week. They have very restricted children's hours which suits us as it also means that I know it won't be too crowded if I go outside those hours, especially at the weekend when other pools I've been to are rammed.

Is there a minimum term? If not, I'd say sign up and see how you go for a month or two.

Go for it. You deserve it. Once you've paid you will find the motivation to go and utilise the membership. If you can cancel at a months notice you would not waste too much money if you couldn't go. But if you can find time to swim once a week you should be able to.
You feel rubbish about yourself and absolutely deserve a treat and some time for you. I do Zumba classes, the exercise is almost an afterthought, I enjoy the social aspect and the hour of being me, it does wonders for my mental health.
Even though you say you worry about group classes you should definitely give it a go. In my experience the classes are full of women of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities. There's no reason you wouldn't be able to go at your own pace but have more faith in yourself.
Have fun and enjoy yourself. It will do wonders for you.

Thank you for spurring me on everyone! I would be more than happy to use the membership for just swimming and of course, fancy changing rooms! But I am concerned about how often I would get there. Currently, I can swim until 9.30pm- 10pm at my local leisure centre, at the gym, I would only be able to swim until 6.30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which is very limiting as these are the main evenings that I could go.

Do it!

So if you go twice a week it costs the same to swim in luxury as it does in the council pool. You're overthinking this massively- I guess you're not used to putting yourself first. Go for it - keep a log about how often you go and review after 3 months. It's not just about the exercise, there's excellent mental health benefits in giving yourself a relaxing, rejeuvenating space to enjoy.

Go for it OP. And try some classes if you can - I can't tell you what a fool I have made of myself in classes, but I have made friends, learned stuff and got fitter. Honestly, no-one else cares and you might find something you love doing (I did). Enjoy yourself, relax and review after a couple of months. Good luck

Op. Are you more worried that you won’t go, rather than you can’t go?

A bit of both I think @bluntness100
I currently swim every Friday evening at my leisure Centre 8.30-9.30pm which works in brilliantly with DCs and jobs at home. The new pool closes at 7pm on Fridays so I know I wouldn't be able to go on a Friday evening anymore and it would seem silly to pay to use the leisure centre when I'm a member of a gym with a pool.