by Hope
I mentioned in December that I had plans to join a gym starting in January. The same day we returned from New York, I made good on that commitment. I joined Planet Fitness.
And I have been going consistently since. I am so freaking proud of myself.
Even more than that, I have been walking almost daily around a local lake. (This is something I started last fall.) Now it’s super intentional and I’ve gone from walking 3/4 of a mile there daily to a minimum of 2.25 miles and sometimes double that. Several days a week, I am getting 6 miles walked plus weight training.
This isn’t completely accurate because unless I’m carrying my phone, I don’t have any way to track my steps. And my treadmill walking doesn’t get picked up either. But I’m really doing this and it’s week 4. Go me for consistency.
Cost of workout
I chose the more expensive Planet Fitness option because I hope to road trip some later this year and use it as I travel to not only workout but shower as I will car camp. And I love the added benefits of the massage chairs at the end of my workout. As the commercial says…it’s like a reward.
The cost is $28 monthly and there is no commitment. For me, at this time in my life, this is an excellent investment. And I am committed to keeping it up.
Towards the end of February I plan to have bloodwork done to see if this significant and consistent change to my activity level helps more with my diabetes, etc.
The biggest benefit though and much needed, is that this regular movement has really helped me stay focused and moving. While I am not back to my old self, it has certainly helped me get through each day more focused than I have been.
I would say that for the first time, maybe ever, I have made a commitment to my physical health and stuck to it. (At least far longer than I ever have before.) And long term, this will surely have some financial implications as far as my health goes. Go me!
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
Good for you! I also have a Planet Fitness membership, even though I haven’t been consistent lately with working out. I love the hydro massage beds! I also use the tanning bed. I can get there on my lunch hour from work, tan, and get back to work in less than an hour.
Walking is a great place to start! If you do your walking after your biggest meal of the day, it will do the most for helping regulate your blood sugars. You might consider adding in a bit of resistance training to strengthen those muscles. There are many benefits (strong muscles protect aging bones better, muscles help burn fat, etc.)