10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Health Club Membership
If you're like most people, you feel guilty for not going to the gym enough. But there are ways to make a membership worth your time and money! Studies have shown that people who visit the gym at least four times a week for six months will have increased muscle strength, improved cardiovascular health, less stress — and more self-esteem.
In addition to evidence that regular physical activity makes us happier and healthier overall, there are other incentives for visiting the gym more often. One study found that men who visit the gym four times per week had higher testosterone levels than those who visited fewer than six times per month, leading them to being more aggressive in their approach to mating. For women who visit the gym regularly, studies have found that they report stronger sexual desire as well as more frequent and satisfying sexual activity.
Of course, there are many other benefits of physical activity, not just for your sex life. But if you're looking to become more attractive to people around you, one of the best ways to do that is to become physically fit. Here are ten ways to make the most out of your health club membership:
1. No Pain, No Gain
It's true — regular visits to the gym are likely to be painful at first. You may feel muscle soreness and aching for days after your first few visits. But that's just your body responding to the new activity and becoming stronger. As you get used to working out, pain will subside, and you'll learn to take pleasure in the feeling of accomplishing something difficult.
2. Check Out New Equipment
If you're feeling bored with your workout routine, try trying new equipment at the gym to mix things up. For example, the "Firm" at Gold's Gym in New York City is one of the most popular cardio machines. You sit inside a metallic cylinder and use your body weight to move up and down.
You can try machines like this in any gym you visit. Look for machines that are less familiar to you — then you'll have a good chance of trying them once or twice without getting bored. Look online for various types of equipment and find one that suits your interests.
3. Join a Health Club Group
These days many gyms offer group training sessions for members who want to improve their fitness levels faster than they can on their own. Classes like these are a great way to motivate yourself and stay in shape. You'll meet other people who share your goals, so you as a group can check in with each other on how you're doing and provide encouragement.
4. Create Goal for Each Workout
Doing a set number of repetitions or running a certain distance might be ideal for some workouts, but the process is more important than the result. When you create goals that are not specific to how many reps or miles you're going to do, but rather something more vague (e.g. "burn more calories" or "work on my balance"), you're virtually guaranteed to enjoy yourself and get something beneficial out of the experience.
5. Make Workout Part of Your Lifestyle
If you want to continue to reap the benefits of physical activity, you'll need to include it in your lifestyle rather than visiting the gym a few times a week and then throwing in the towel. Make workout an essential part of your weekly routine, just like going to work or taking care of errands. If you can find time for a social life and other recreation as well as exercise, that's all the better.
6. Look for New "Old Friends"
If you're having trouble making new friends, you might want to consider joining a health club. These places are full of people who have similar interests and concerns; they might just be looking for a new friend, too. People tend to get lonely at the gym; you might find that you start talking to the same person every time you work out! Your old workout buddy might be able to help with that problem — or maybe she's got some great ideas for a healthy, fun activity that everyone in your gym group would like to try!
7. Wear Clean Underwear
There's something about working out that provokes a lot of people to go commando. But this can cause unpleasant rubbing and chafing, even when you work out in your underwear. Add a bit of comfort to your workout routine by wearing clean underwear on the days when you visit the gym.
8. Take Any Exercise — Even Yoga!
If you're not sure which of the thousands of possible exercises to do at the gym, don't panic! It's not important whether you do sit-ups or running, or even if you work out at all. Exercise is a great way to relax; you might even discover that the best exercise for you is yoga! If you can't think of an activity that looks even vaguely appealing to you, just do whatever appeals to you. You could arrive at the gym and find out from a friend that it's the day the aerobics instructor doesn't show up. So what? Just do another activity instead and see how much fun it is. You don't have to do anything that's not fun!
9. Think of the Newly Mature Gym Goal in Terms of "Success" Rather Than "Failure"
Too often, people see working out as something they "have to do. " But that's just another word for "failure." If you approach the gym with that attitude, you're going to face a mountain of obstacles and setbacks along the way. Feeling defeated and trapped is no way to start your day. To succeed in anything, you need to be happy about it — and that means taking pride in your efforts!
10. Visualize Yourself Well-Rounded Physically
Sometimes people feel embarrassed at how their bodies look in ways that are completely unrealistic. For example, they might feel fat or skinny because their clothes hang differently from the way they usually do. Or they might feel unattractive because their belly rolls a little differently than it used to or because their legs have gotten thicker.
Conclusion
The ideal way to get fit is by using your body's natural strength. You don't need to use fancy equipment or supplements. It's fascinating how impressive the human body can be when you work out with your own power. So, don't be intimidated by a gym membership. Instead, celebrate it!
References:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/10-ways-to-make-gym-workout-work
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