I have had a gym membership from the time I was 16 and could have my own. Canceling my gym membership felt like the natural thing to do as going to the gym felt more like a chore than bettering myself and my health. Here are the 8 reasons why I decided to cancel my gym membership (and maybe you should too)!
There are some gyms that are pretty cheap compared to others but yearly and monthly fees can start to add up over time. I started to weigh my options with equipment that I would need to work out at home and the cost of that compared to my monthly membership with the annual fees.
I first made a list of all of the equipment I would use at the gym during my training and went over to the good ol’ internet to see how accessible all of it was. Investing in the equipment was also investing in myself!
A large reason that a lot of people are deciding to cancel their gym memberships is because of the pandemic! For me personally, in Texas, my gym was closed for several months, they cut down on hours, and limited use of the equipment. Even after the gym was reopened in my area, I still wanted to wear my mask, but I was not sure how I would be doing cardio-based workouts.
I was not getting my full money’s worth for what I originally signed up for and I wanted to continue to keep myself and my family safe but still go and work out. I could easily work out at home and cut down my risk of getting COVID significantly.
Once my gym closed, I had to figure something out to keep myself active and from going crazy while being home! A few virtual and online workout options that I tried and loved are YouTube and the Peloton digital app.
I have found so many great instructors and diverse workouts on YouTube that give me just as good of a workout as going to the gym. There are so many options from no equipment to the inclusion of dumbells, resistance bands, and jump ropes.
I tried a Peloton at a hotel a few years ago just to see what the hype was. I downloaded the digital app from Peloton during quarantine and that has been what has the reason that solidified my decision to cancel my gym membership. There are so many options for moving your body on this app, it had changed my life!
My journey in working out and getting stronger has been a long one. I started at the gym just walking on the treadmill and left with just barely going over to the dumbbell section. After I decided to cancel my gym membership, I started learning more about lifting with dumbbells and building my general strength.
I have always been insecure at the gym and afraid of being judged. At home, not only is it my safe space just in general, it is a place where I can try new things and test my limits without any restraint. Or I can have my own dance party to my workout playlist without any confused looks from those at the gym!
I think that if you have stepped even one foot into a gym, you know exactly what I mean. There are rules that should just be common sense like: if I have my earbuds in and I am in the middle of a rep or a long run, please do not talk to me! Unfortunately, there is not an all-female gym in my area to utilize to help fix this problem either.
I know that many of us have been in these situations where we are getting unsolicited advice on form from men or just general conversation that we are not interested in. When I decided to cancel my gym membership, it made it to where I never have to deal with these interactions in my home!
If I am being honest, going to the gym was very detrimental to my mental health, my self-image, and even my physical health at times. I found myself constantly comparing myself to the other girls at the gym. These things would be comparing my body to their bodies, their outfits, or their hair and in that, I would push myself to work harder to obtain that perfect body and look that I wanted so badly.
In my decision to cancel my gym membership, I called it quits on the comparison game that went on at the gym and instead on a journey to accept my body and the strength that she has in every workout and in my everyday life.
When I was still going to the gym, I was finding myself obsessing about going there and scheduling my entire day to get there. When I canceled my membership, it freed up my schedule and helped me to have a better relationship with movement and working out.
Since working from home and doing online school, I have all of my equipment here at home and I am able to go and workout or move my body when I have the time. It is not an entire thing to just get my workout in. Everything I need is literally in the next room!
Before I decided to cancel my gym membership, I was craving some sort of the change in my workout routine. I needed a change of scenery and a change in how I moved my body. After I canceled my gym membership, I began to design my own workouts with what equipment I had and what fitness goals I had.
Canceling my gym membership gave me a new freedom in working out. It gave me a chance to be creative with how I worked out.
I also go to have some fun with my at-home workout space! I created a space that would encourage me during my workouts but also be able to accommodate my movement.
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