Advice re. joing a gym. Is it worth it?

[lydiane]

I am very overweight and unfit.
I have been dieting for 12 years. I am very much in a binge/starve cycle. I start a diet - loose loads of weight and then seem to put it all back on again.

I am sooooo fed up. I now think that maybe focusing on diet all of the time is not actually helping.

I am considering joining a gym and focus more on exercise instead. I feel like this might be a better approach.

The thing is my local gym has a 1 year tie in period.
Is there anybody out there who has joined a gym and is a success story? Do you use it alot and is it worth the money?

I am worried I will join and not use it.
advice appreciated x

Have you got the time/childcare to use it frequently? If you make sure that you use it religously then it would probably be worth it. They might also have people in there who could advise you about which machines to use and for how long etc so it could be great. I quite enjoy going to the gym, but can only go on the days when DS goes to nursery and my mum has DD (they are 3 and 1). I have been going 3 times a week and it does make a difference.

I'd say look at your diary and see if you actually have the ability to slot in at least two sessions at work. Exercise on its on won't get you thin but will get you toned and healthy.

Are there no council facilities near you ? I'm a member of a gym and would hate to give it up because can meet my friend there and take DS swimming, but am seriously considering cancelling because the local authority leisure centre has more classes and is a lot cheaper.

I have loads of time on my hands. DH and DS are off by 8.30am, and I dont have any comittments until i pick ds up from school.
So I have loads of time.

I will look into the council facilities as I am unsure. might be worth me looking into

Well, anything new is quite motivating for the first few weeks which is good but I can see why you are doubtful about being tied in to a gym for 1 year. I used to be a member of a David Lloyd gym but stopped going and probably wasted about 3 months of membership in the end. They keep sending me offers though and it looks as though there are offering a 3-month menbership, no ties, so if you have a David Lloyd near you, this might be worth investigating. Or see if your GP has any deals with local gyms. Although I exercise quite a lot, the only way I can keep weight off is by calorie counting - I can run off 600 calories in one long run but eat double that quite easily in about 10 minutes if in binge mode . I truly beieve there is no need to do any exercise at all in order to lose weight BUT it has many benefits so it's a good thing to do in conjunction with calorie consumption. Now that the nights are getting lighter, I would hold off the gym over the summer and try and walk for at least 30 minutes every day plus a few sit ups and weights at home. Save the gym money for clothes when you move down a size. I've not been a gym member for about 3 years now and in spite of the grotty weather, I can usually get out for a run or walk most days.

thanks for the advice guys. I went to the gym to have a look around today. Talk about the hard sell! she wouldnt let me leave! they must be on commission.
There is a local gym that is council run - it is a little cheaper and has no tie in period.