Best gym is one you won’t give up on
HOW ELSE CAN YOU SAVE?
While short-term contracts are more popular, you might get a better deal if you sign up for a longer contract. Explore family membership or couples’ memberships, too.
Ask your employer or health-care provider if they offer any discounts. “At Blue Cross, we get up to $300 to spend a year on fitness,” Grace Derocha says.
Before you sign, read the contract. Know exactly what it will take to cancel the membership. Ask questions and get anything promised to you in writing.
Deals are hot, and motivations are high. Jess Sobolewski says to let that motivation serve you well but not drive you into a bad decision. You don’t want hundreds of dollars to go down the drain. “I say, yes, you’re motivated right now, absolutely go into that 12-month contract if it is cheaper than three months or six months,” she says. “But realistically, if you’re never going to go to the gym in the summer because you’d rather be outdoors walking, then a three-month plan might be the right way to go.”
McClatchy Newspapers
DETROIT
Tanina Mackey decided in December 2009 that she wanted to lose weight and get in shape. At 323 pounds, she had had enough.
So she started hunting for a fitness program or gym or something that would work for her. The 27-year-old from Detroit was all too familiar with what wouldn’t.
In 2005, the single mother of 5-year-old Jaden signed a three-year contract for a membership at Bally’s Total Fitness. It cost about $800, and she paid up front. She went for about four months, then quit.
“It was too crowded, and I had child-care issues,” Mackey said. “It wasn’t available when I needed to go. Plus, while it was less than 15 minutes away, I work in a different direction.”
Bye-bye, $800. Hello, resolution that didn’t stick.
Millions fighting to keep New Year’s resolutions are flooding gyms and fitness centers looking for the right fit, price and environment.
Experts say making a well- researched decision can save money and time.
“It’s a good idea to shop around,” says Jess Sobolewski, a physical-activity coordinator for MHealthy, an employee wellness program at the University of Michigan.
“Visit a lot of places. Call or go there because they won’t put prices online. If you want to find a good deal and get a good feel, it is worth it to go to a few places to check them out.”
Mackey started her search at Body Rhythm Aerobics & Dance. She liked the fitness classes it offered and the price was right: about $35 a month, no contracts.
“The women were inviting,” she said, and they were fine with her son sitting in the back while she did her workout.
Then a deal on the website LivingSocial.com caught her eye: It was for a women’s-only, monthlong, cross-fit boot camp at Better Life Fitness. She bought it for $30 and began attending a 5:45 a.m. class that had her flipping tires and doing push-ups while her son stayed home with a relative.
She liked it, and invested in a $140-a-month, six-month membership. She’s also paid $228 for a package to Vixen Fitness, a pole-fitness studio.
Everything she tried started with a free trial or a discount or coupon, Mackey says. But she’s willing to pay the right price for what works, too.
Already, Mackey has lost 70 pounds. And she still hunts for good deals. Recently she found a personal trainer, for free. Yes, free.
At the Don Bosco Hall Community Center, visit between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and you can grab some one-on-one time with a certified personal trainer at no charge, thanks to a grant from the Skillman Foundation.
The best place to start a workout search is close to home, experts say.
“You want to keep it 15 minutes or less,” says Jon Otzman, the director of marketing and membership at the South Oakland, Mich., YMCA. “If it is more than 15 minutes away, it makes it a lot more challenging.”
Once you have a radius, see what’s offered in the area and go visit.
If you tour a facility, try to get a sense of the environment. Finding a place that’s comfortable is key, said Grace Derocha, a wellness-care-management consultant for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
And don’t be afraid to ask for a freebie. Most gyms will give at least one free visit to potential members.
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