Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Fitness » Weighing the cost of fitness – Napa Valley Register

How much do you think is reasonable to spend on staying fit?

My teenage son wants to join a gym that is $39 per month. I think this is too much to spend, and Im not sure how much he will actually go.

He says it is important to stay fit and says it is worth paying to stay healthy.

Do you belong to a gym and how much should someone budget for this?

This is a bit of a tough question, because peoples commitments to staying fit can vary greatly.

Let me preface this by saying Im not a fitness professional, although staying physically fit is important to me.

I have studied martial arts for more than 20 years with a private instructor. As this is something Im committed to, its also something I budget for each month.

If your son is active in sports, he may wish to have access to weights and training equipment that would be very costly to acquire for home use.

In my area, there are public gyms and workout centers that cost less than $20 per month.

I would suggest exploring the reasons your son wants to join this specific gym is this where his friends also go to train, or is it where a coach recommends he work out?

Is he a swimmer who needs access to a swimming pool?

You may wish to see if there is a less-expensive gym that has similar equipment that would fit his needs.

As your son is still in high school, you might also see if the school gym has a fitness center with equipment for students to use after-hours.

Many park districts also have fitness centers that may cost less than a commercial gym.

Our local park even has an outdoor circuit training area with weight and resistance equipment thats free to use year-round and everyone knows free is my favorite price.

If your son doesnt need access to the kind of equipment a public fitness center offers, consider creating a home workout space that would cost less than a monthly gym membership.

While I workout with my martial arts instructor once a week, I exercise at home on the remaining days of the week. Im not the kind of person who enjoys working out in a group setting, so Im much happier working out privately at home.

I have an assortment of inexpensive exercise equipment at home, including free weights, kettlebells and a pull-up bar. Ive also invested in a popular series of workout DVDs to use on my non-gym days, as I like having professional routines to follow.

My initial investment in equipment and workout videos was around $200 and Ive been using the same gear for nearly a decade now. That works out to about $20 per year a bargain in my book.

Other benefits to working out at home: Youll save money by not paying for gasoline to drive to and from the gym, and youll also have the freedom to workout on your own schedule.

On days when Im particularly time crunched, Im grateful I dont have to spend extra time commuting to and from workouts. I dont have to pack a gym bag, and theres no pressure to wear the latest workout clothing.

If your son does opt to join a gym, I recommend looking for one with a month-to-month membership plan versus a contract.

Gym contracts are notoriously difficult to sever if your son finds that he is not using the gym often.

If your son has a job, consider asking him to split the cost of the gym membership with you as well.

As a parent, Ive found my children do appreciate things like this more when they have a personal investment in them.

Physical fitness is important, and its my hope you can arrive at a solution that both suits your sons workout wish list and fits within your familys budget, too.

Read the original:
Weighing the cost of fitness - Napa Valley Register

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Fitness » Weighing the cost of fitness – Napa Valley Register