Persuade me to join the gym

[JenniferBarkley]

Tale as old as time. Pushing 40, small DC, full-time job in a sedentary role, sweet tooth. Now officially obese, much as I would like to deny it.

Always hated exercise bar walking and occasionally a spell of yoga. But there is no denying I need to be healthier, fitter and stronger.

Our leisure centre has an offer on for the summer, six weeks membership with no obligation to continue afterwards. I can probably even do it for free thanks to credit from a million cancelled swimming lessons for DC.

Please give me the push I need! Will I actually see benefit in six weeks? I really need to overhaul my diet but tbh I don't think I'm ready. But would going a few times a week make me feel fitter and stronger, if not thinner?

You will see a benefit in six weeks, so long as you go.

In six weeks if you follow any serious exercise programme, at a gym, at home, or elsewhere, you will see a benefit.

6 weeks is almost enough to the do couch to 5k - I went from jogging for 30 secs to 30mins by doing it. Also have young kids and suddenly found I was less tired, less grumpy, and generally walking with more of a bounce in my step. I've continued gym membership for another 6 months and force myself to go 3 times a week. It's become my happy place (hadn't previously done any real exercise for maybe 15 years)

Focus on your health, and being well and present for your kids . Good luck

Other than fitness, I find the gym one of the most relaxing places I go to. Earphones in and solitude for an hour, just concentrating on what I'm doing. It's lovely 😊

I definitely felt better long before I saw actual results from exercise. It's great for my mental and physical health. I now have muscles (yay!)

I would say find something you enjoy and will stick to, but you won't necessarily lose loads of weight without re-examining your diet. You may be more motivated to do that once you start working out, as you will want to fuel your body and replenish it properly.

Just make sure you have a fitness programme appropriate to your needs before you go and stick to it. If you can afford it book a session with a PT where you can spell out your goals and they should be able to pull a basic programme together. I see too many people do the hard bit of getting to the gym and then wander about aimlessly trying random bits of equipment here and there which will not result in any real positive gains. Don't worry about what other people think, I guarantee the vast majority could not give a shit and if they do it will be of the 'fair play to you' variety.

Does the membership include a pool as well?

I'm not much of a gym goer but I love walking, and swimming too. I bought myself some underwater earphones, my watch tracks my lengths so I don't have to, and like PP says it's become my happy place (the pool, not the gym 😅)

You'll feel the benefit if you go regularly, and it's worth it for the health benefits, but you may not see much benefit in the way of weight loss without tackling your diet. However, as PP said, taking up exercise may give you the motivation to do that. Good luck!

Whether or not it makes you fitter depends how hard you try. But it's certainly enough time to test out different things and see if you can find something you enjoy. I went from doing nothing much to training 4 days a week super hard and loving every single session because I found what I love. Totally life changing. I was hooked in much less than 6 weeks. But either do it or don't. Don't half arse it as that's not going to give you the proper try you deserve.

Thanks so much everyone.

The membership does include the pool, but I'm a terrible swimmer and don't particularly enjoy it so that won't be for me.

Should've said that I can't do couch to 5k due to some muscle issues I've had since childhood - every physio has warned against running unfortunately as it would be the easiest option and something I might actually enjoy!

I know the weight won't happen without changing my diet, but as you have all said the exercise may give me a boost and even if I stay fat I'll at least be a healthier fat! It used to be all about weight for me but as I get older I find the health aspects increasingly important.

Another thing OP - I thought I was someone who hated exercise too. I never really did team sports when I was younger, I hate running etc. just thought that I wasn't that type of person.

Until I found something I enjoy (reformer pilates), and now I look forward to going, even though some days are tough, I walk out of the there feeling amazing. And I have stuck to it for months now, and will continue to go, even on days where I'm tired etc.

So I would advise you to find an activity you enjoy, try a few different things if you need to. If you hate it, then it will be tough to motivate yourself to go or to keep it up.

@JenniferBarkley I wasn't much of a swimmer either but then I had some adult lessons and now I love it. If you don't enjoy it then there's not a lot of point though

If you don't have one already I'd also recommend getting some sort of fitness tracker watch if you can, I personally find it motivates me and keeps me motivated. Silly I know 😅

Haha @Pancakewaffle I'm the same, have just bought a new Fitbit. Slightly horrifying how much my resting heart rate has increased since I stopped wearing my old one when covid hit! 🙈

@JenniferBarkley it's funny you should say that. I noticed the same!

FWIW, I started slimming world 3 weeks ago, bought a new tracker, since I joined I've been going for an hour long walk every day without fail and a 30-45 minute swim every other day (basically whenever I need to wash my hair 😅). I've already seen a difference and I've had a couple of other people notice too. I feel so much better in myself already so in 6 weeks you really could see a huge change in yourself. You've got this! Go and get that membership 👊

Spending money on exercise is never wasted I don't think, even if you don't stick with it

You get to try something out, see if you like it

If you don't like it, then you've gone some way to building a good habit and you might see the benefits anyway - feel stronger, sleep better, see some improvement in your fitness etc

If you do like it then you'll keep going with it.