I couldn’t quite pin-point when it happened. Old clothes not quite getting over hips, new clothes in sizes a few numbers up. When I started traveling? How could that be, I was climbing mountains and walking everywhere! The trousers that used to need a belt to stay up are suddenly a tad too tight. I come home, nothing changes. It’s lucky I don’t need to wear my work clothes, because none of them fit anymore. The timer turns, a new decade strikes. My thirties sneaked up on me like a minion of Time.
I have never joined a gym. I’ve heard the horror stories of never-ending contracts. To end a gym membership sounded like getting out of a bad divorce. Instead, I used the sad basement weights at my apartment complex. Watched some YouTube videos and drew little stick figures for myself to remember a routine. Slowly stopped those bleak, airless workouts. When I moved to Portland I realized that driving to work, driving home, having dinner, watching a show and going to sleep wasn’t working for me. Then I got a work assignment in England, and suddenly I was taking long walks to the train station and to the office, then spending my weekends hiking to castles in the countryside. I’d sometimes stretch out a yoga mat and do Yoga With Adriene at home. After six months living abroad, I noticed a big change. I frugalled my way to a happy fitness level.
In the Netherlands, I paid a monthly fee for OnePass/ClassPass which is an app that lets you go to different classes at different locations. I could try out a bunch of different spots that way. I had a cheaper tier which meant I could go to about 2 classes a week. I also bicycled everywhere and lived next to a huge park where I could walk every day. It was about $40/month. Eventually, I stopped using it, preferring to cut out the monthly cost.
Cut to today, I’m back in America again. I spend a lot of time writing, reading, taking naps with the cat. Daily short walks and weekly hikes don’t seem to be enough. I know I’m not alone, lots of folks have been struggling with the pandemic, work stress, and other challenges that make it hard to keep up.
So I did it, I joined a gym.
I agonized over the decision at first. The contract is insanely expensive month-to-month, in order to get you to sign on at a reasonable rate but commit to a year. I’m moving within the year though, and the contract allows for termination when you do move, so it doesn’t feel too scary to commit for now. Like a marriage with an escape clause. The gym has huge rooms full of machines, group classes, a workout circuit, a pool, and other benefits. It’s not a cheap gym, it’s actually one of the most expensive in the area ($200 a month). There are a thousand ways to justify an expense like the gym. I’ve heard them all, so when a friend tried to sell me on the membership I wasn’t convinced at first. Your health is worth it. If you do 20 classes it basically pays for itself. If you sign up this month they waive the sign-on fee. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry.
My decision in the end hinged on the cardinal rule: the best workout is one I actually do. I enjoyed the gym after finishing a trial. I had a friend already attending. I’m tired of trial-hopping. I have newbie-fatigue. So, this might be the most expensive option, but it is one with features that I actually think I will use.
“It is easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change: the fastest way to lose weight, the best program to build muscle, the perfect idea for a side hustle. We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action. As Voltaire once wrote, ‘The best is the enemy of the good.'”
– James Clear
Ultimately I won’t be able to tell you if it’s worth it for a few more months. Will my attendance stay consistent (I’ve been going 6 days a week for the last few weeks)? I’m well aware of New-Year-syndrome, where you start strong but eventually start slacking off. If I don’t keep it up, this will be an expensive lesson. If I do, watch out for a ripped Mechanic walking around town.
If one can frugalize their fitness by working out at home, getting outside every day, and even doing sneaky free-trial jumping, that is awesome. I managed to keep that up for a long time. Cutting back on monthly costs is what allowed me to reach financial independence faster. However, my body was clearly showing me that what I was doing simply wasn’t ‘cutting’ it anymore (pun intended).
There’s also something to be said for giving yourself a little grace. It makes sense that at different stages in our lives our bodies will change. Sometimes it’s a matter of accepting a bit of change, and buying clothes that fit you properly, rather than rushing to ‘fix’ yourself by going to the gym. For me, I knew it would have to be both— accept that things are different in this new decade, toss the too-tight trousers, but also start to do things that get my heart rate up. So far, I’ve enjoyed all of the group classes, and noticed a difference throughout the day after working out. When I get my heart racing in the mornings, I’m more clear-headed for writing in the afternoons.
So even though I’m Ms. Frugal in most parts of life, I’m also excited to be Ms. Totally-Ripped. After investing in the market, now it’s time for me to invest in my health.
Thanks for sharing this phase of your early-retirement journey. It is very easy to become lazy, sedentary, and complacent, which means less and less physical activity, while, at the same, eating and drinking more calories. Especially in places like North America, Europe and Asia, fast-food and street-side cafes abound and there are places where entire streets are non-stop food-options. Unfortunately, most of it is not real food and not healthy. HIGH caloric intake but not nourishing. E.g., a single habit such as buying manufactured liquids or sweetened beverages (or worst of all, ALCOHOL) versus drinking pure water = 100 to 200 calories per drink. Just 300 extra calories per day can add roughly a pound a month or about 10 pounds a year to your bodyweight.
Simplicity can work to your advantage in positive ways. E.g., I have gradually gone to bed earlier (e.g., adjust your time by even 5 minutes per week = 1 hour in 3 months) so that I can get a full rest and then wake between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. to enjoy that amazing cool, clean, fresh air in the air before the full sunrise. This is the perfect time to get the mental wellness from wholesome activity and the gradual infusion of natural light, walking creates the release of endorphins (which is why you will soon feel great), and you can avoid the usual traffic, pollution, and noise of daytime and evening hours. You can then supplement walking with gentle stretching and strength-building exercises (more and more important for every decade beyond the 30s when people start to lose about 10% of their muscle-mass per decade of later life) such as squats and push-ups done slowly with perfect form and good breathing techniques. A gym can certainly complement these natural forms of wellness and exercise by boosting the muscle-building element that is at greater risk with sedentary lifestyles (e.g. even children and teenagers are overweight and obese around the world) and with later decades of life.
However, I wish to emphasise that no amount of exercise can fully replace excellent dietary habits and high-quality nutrition. There is over-consumption in our societies. People are eating far too much and too often. Better to eat a small portion, one small grateful mouthful at a time, well and thoroughly chewed (= maximum of pleasure and optimal digestion). People are eating too much fast food, junk, ultra-processed snacks, added salt, added sugar, FRIED everything, meats and other animal proteins, all of which lead to escalating rates of heart-disease, cancers, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, poor dental health, obesity, arthritis, et cetera. Switch to fresh fruits and vegetables, pure herbs and spices, raw nuts and seeds, whole grains, peas and beans, and ground-foods. The average cost per meal is much less than any meal with animal-foods, the nutritional content is higher, and the health-outcomes are unquestionably better, which means that you will spend much, much less over your life-cycle.
In short, that last sentence gives a key principle to balance current frugal living with long-term wisdom. Look not just at what costs the least today but what will cost the least over its useful life. E.g., concrete roads cost more initially than asphalt roads, but require little maintenance and do not melt with warm weather (e.g., leading to the closure of landing strips at some airports). In some countries, an electric vehicle might be somewhat more than the average fossil-fuel vehicle, but you never have to buy gasoline! The savings on fuel alone can repay the cost of an electric vehicle times over. Plus much less cost for maintenance since there are combustion-engines, and fewer parts.
Great point that it’s helpful to make choices based on a y=mx + b calculation. Some things with higher start up costs will save more in the long run. Also yes, there are many variables that influence health, not just working out. Good to keep it all in mind when designing a healthy, happy life!
I love the concept of grace allowing us to not demand perfection of others or ourselves but to rejoice in the good all around us and in us.
And I really enjoy water aerobics at our local Y which can be a great workout even for those of us who have mobility concerns.
There’s an aerobics class at the gym, which I haven’t tried yet! Looking forward to try it.
In the past, I have joined yoga studios, usually during an intro special. It was definitely motivating to exercise with others! For a while I helped clean one studio in exchange for a monthly pass.
The only other time I have joined a gym was the YMCA, which is reasonably priced although doesn’t fit in an Uber-frugal budget. I really enjoyed it. There were so many options: pool, yoga, movement classes, weight room, cardio machines. I actually really love to exercise! My partner does not however, so when we went together he’d be done in 20 minutes and I would just be getting started, which was a little frustrating.
The Y is nice because of the community feel, lots of small friendly social interactions and usually ran into someone I knew. I think I will join again once I RE. 😊
I tried to ask if I could work there in exchange for a discount or free pass, but unfortunately they are full. Apparently there is a YMCA in the area that I should probably check out. It seems like a great option for early retirees!
Now that our eldest is in kindergarten, we’ve been walking to school for both pick up and drop offs. We live up the hill from his school so it’s a good hike going back home. I heard about Rucking and I might add that in during the walk. It’s nice that it is just part of our routine. I just canceled our membership to our local Y. We’ve been a member for 4 years, but the kids change schools and it is now more of a hassle going there. I agree with you with the best work out is the one you will actually do and if it can be part of your routine, then it is even better.
It’s great to have a routine! Walking to school is a great way to add some daily exercise.
Thanks for this post! I’m new to the FI lifestyle and as I am working to trim down my monthly expenses, I’m considering ending my gym membership ($133/month). From my health needs and perspective, strength training improves by quality of life (increased bone density, fracture prevention, endurance, immune system, mental health, cognitive performance including knowledge acquisition and retention, and stress reduction) and quantity of life (decreases overall mortality). Since I haven’t found anything else that does all of that in 60 minutes 3 times/week, it makes financial sense to continue with the membership as long as I go consistently. It’s validating to read about others who contemplate the expense and decision too.
You’re totally right, there are so many benefits of working out, that if going to the gym is a way to accomplish that it makes financial sense in the long run to do it. Of course, there are lots of ways to get your body moving, so if the cost is detrimental to your financial goals, then it’s worth reconsidering if there are alternatives. Still, in the long run investing in your health in whatever way works for you is the best bet!