I think the most successful approach would be to amplify the social aspect of going to a gym. If gyms did something to introduce members to each other or create exercise buddies, people would be more consistent about going. I am always willing to bail on my own commitment to work out, but never bail if I'm meeting a friend at the gym or yoga studio.
18
Oxford, the health care insurer I'm enrolled in through my employer, pays its members $200 every 6 months if they join a gym and attend at least 50 times, which is about twice a week. To be honest, that's the reason I first I joined a gym, because it largely offset its cost.
But that was enough to get me hooked on being more fit. Now I attend far more often than twice a week (and Oxford profits, because I'm much less likely to get sick). I'm surprised all health care insurers don't have such programs.
11
Some years ago I lost weight through walking and light weight-lifting. I allowed myself to listen to mystery books on MP3 player only when I walked. If I wanted to know whodunit, I had to walk.
I'm over 70 now and I'm not sure this work for me. However, once again I have become sedentary and need to lose weight. I will use Silver n Fit to join the local recreation center, where they have fitness classes for seniors. At $25 per year, I have no financial risk and the prospect of making new friends as well as losing weight. That's a win-win.
4
First, gyms are full of deterrents such as overcrowding, odor, waiting for machines, high prices for personal training, locker theft, and the always awkward changing/showering in front of strangers. Those obstacles are often at odds with the lifestyle of members, and lifestyle clash is a significant dissuader in any consumer interaction.
I'm no scientist, but from my life experience, I can tell you that people I know are more willing to make time to walk their dogs than to make time to go to the gym, even if gym-going appeals to them intellectually -- and even if they have an active gym membership. So, there's a lot more for gyms to fix than a commitment to exercise, and I doubt gyms will ever "really" address those issues as long as their financial model is to sell more memberships than they can serve.
8
For best results, find the exercise program that YOU like and know you will go. Select the best trainer you can afford and listen carefully to what the trainer says. The trainer should give positive feedback and make sure your form is correct. Don’t let a trainer beat you up for not pushing harder, this is NOT a good trainer. When you start, you may need once a week with the trainer but you can work up to a half hour every week or every other. Most people respond to positive feedback and accountability to some one beyond themselves. This person can be the trainer or a exercise friend.
Nutrition and sleep are also very important, to be healthy, you need the all three working together. Be sure you are getting enough Protein and energy from low carbs. Skip the power bars. Discuss with your eating habits with your trainer. Having enough energy to feel like going to the gym is essential.
In spite of all of this, there will be days when you will not feel like going, I find if I can just get there and start, the energy comes. Some days I may cut it shorter but the important is “just show up and start”.
A lot of us add classes on too, it is a good social encouragement: yoga, Pilates, barr, cross fit, Zumba, try them all, explain to the instructor you are new to the class, the instructor will help you with the moves. Pick the ones you like or are more comfortable in and sign up for at least once a week.
You will be amazed where you will be this time next year!
3
Easier said than done...There are many trainers at the gyms I have attended ,,, half are there because they need money or a temp job, they will gone in a couple of months and half don't listen carefully to their instructors as to helping the novice.
Working out and the gym experience, like yoga and spinning, for instance, are really nice. And it's good for me. I feel stronger and more handsome! But the big gym problem is the Getting There or The Big Production. This includes the driving, or walking by and past your transit stop, or giving up more time of your evening, getting the gym clothes on after a day at work or at some ungodly hour before work, etc. If you're retired (me), you still have to go to classes at hours that are weird for retired people --- the break of dawn, or earlier, 5:30 pm. Hey, how about mid-morning!
6
Interesting little item in this article about how "The most promising avenue (to getting people to the gym more often) may be employers."
We've got a fine example down here at The Breakers, that extremely famous Palm Beach hostelry for the extremely rich and famous (in season). Last Spring they brought in a new Human Resources director, a personal trainer. She started pushing the treadmill desks and counting steps (at least 10,000 per day, as is the current custom) for the management types. Her big pitch was to have these suits go up and down a fire stairway (sealed, thus no A/C) in a seven-story tower. In South Florida, the only part of the contiguous 48 states considered to have a true tropical climate. And, needless to say, every 'achievement' and gym trip would be duly recorded in the employees' files.
And there was a huge, glowing-tone article, praising the whole idea to the skies (The title was 'Five-Star Fitness at The Breakers'), in our local 'Palm Beach Post'.
So how well did that approach succeed? Well, a couple of months later some big ads appeared in our various local periodicals touting job openings at The Breakers, in virtually every capacity. This in a place that's actually noted for relatively low turnover. Whether all that was the result of a whole bunch of people quitting or getting canned I'll never know, but a rousing success of an approach? Your call.
We've got a fine example down here at The Breakers, that extremely famous Palm Beach hostelry for the extremely rich and famous (in season). Last Spring they brought in a new Human Resources director, a personal trainer. She started pushing the treadmill desks and counting steps (at least 10,000 per day, as is the current custom) for the management types. Her big pitch was to have these suits go up and down a fire stairway (sealed, thus no A/C) in a seven-story tower. In South Florida, the only part of the contiguous 48 states considered to have a true tropical climate. And, needless to say, every 'achievement' and gym trip would be duly recorded in the employees' files.
And there was a huge, glowing-tone article, praising the whole idea to the skies (The title was 'Five-Star Fitness at The Breakers'), in our local 'Palm Beach Post'.
So how well did that approach succeed? Well, a couple of months later some big ads appeared in our various local periodicals touting job openings at The Breakers, in virtually every capacity. This in a place that's actually noted for relatively low turnover. Whether all that was the result of a whole bunch of people quitting or getting canned I'll never know, but a rousing success of an approach? Your call.
The best exercise plan is one that you'll keep doing.
4
As a former college athlete, and a daily exercise fanatic, I have often wondered why the federal government give people a tax write off for alcoholic drinks and fattening business meals, and does nothing for gym memberships that can promote healthy habits and potentially lower health costs? It reminds me of the 1950's tax subsidies for tobacco farmers.
18
I had problems getting to a gym for years---most all work related. I didn't have time or energy, and the gym was a bit of a trip. Lowering the barriers amounted to this: A job with fewer hours, no call, and a small gym close to my house. But I think the biggest spur came when I had to get PT for a shoulder injury, then strengthen the atrophied muscles. I went from invalid to vigorous in a few months. With that pay off I am now 4 years into 2-3 times a week at the gym, often, weather permitting, combined with a bike ride. And yes, I watch the new people file into the gym, peruse the paperwork, sign the contract, and disappear. And I must admit, their absence makes my time there more pleasant.
5
If i had a gym in my building, I would definitely use it. Even more if there were classes.
But other people like going out to the gym.
Some people like walking in their neighborhood - others find it boring to do anything less than hike challenging trails.
I actually enjoy riding my bike for exercise around my neighborhood - most bikers I know wouldn't think of doing anything with their bike unless they first strap it onto their car and ride miles to find rough terrain.
I also love working out in the morning using Fitness Blender videos (check them out - over 300 for free - and if you feel overwhelmed, you can spend a few bucks to get a wonderful set of videos they've put together for you)
In short, there's absolutely no reason why anybody can't exercise. I've seen 90 year olds confined to wheel chairs in the local nursing home who do 20 minutes of simple upper body exercise everyday (and many have very limited cognitive abilities).
So it's not about getting everyone to go to the gym more often.
Go to the gym. Take classes.
Walk around your neighborhood.
Join a team.
Go out and dance.
Watch a free online video.
Get a kettle bell and bring it to your office and do 20 swings every hour (try the 300 swings a day challenge for 10 days).
Take a yoga class. Buy a yoga book and learn a routine and do it for free.
This is not brain surgery folks.
Now, if someone can just figure out an easy way to encourage everyone to eat healthy food!
Any suggestions?
But other people like going out to the gym.
Some people like walking in their neighborhood - others find it boring to do anything less than hike challenging trails.
I actually enjoy riding my bike for exercise around my neighborhood - most bikers I know wouldn't think of doing anything with their bike unless they first strap it onto their car and ride miles to find rough terrain.
I also love working out in the morning using Fitness Blender videos (check them out - over 300 for free - and if you feel overwhelmed, you can spend a few bucks to get a wonderful set of videos they've put together for you)
In short, there's absolutely no reason why anybody can't exercise. I've seen 90 year olds confined to wheel chairs in the local nursing home who do 20 minutes of simple upper body exercise everyday (and many have very limited cognitive abilities).
So it's not about getting everyone to go to the gym more often.
Go to the gym. Take classes.
Walk around your neighborhood.
Join a team.
Go out and dance.
Watch a free online video.
Get a kettle bell and bring it to your office and do 20 swings every hour (try the 300 swings a day challenge for 10 days).
Take a yoga class. Buy a yoga book and learn a routine and do it for free.
This is not brain surgery folks.
Now, if someone can just figure out an easy way to encourage everyone to eat healthy food!
Any suggestions?
5
Remove all the unhealthy food from your house. ALL of it. Then restock with healthy food. If you must buy something with a label, read it and choose stuff with the fewest ingredients and only those you can identify.
Avoid eating with people eating junk. One person in the household will struggle to make this change alone.
Learn how to prepare healthy stuff in ways you like it. No one can persist on a healthy diet of food you hate to eat.
Avoid eating with people eating junk. One person in the household will struggle to make this change alone.
Learn how to prepare healthy stuff in ways you like it. No one can persist on a healthy diet of food you hate to eat.
5
If you enjoy the gym, fine. If you don't, also fine. Why all this media insistence that everybody needs to go to the gym? Whatever happened to freedom to make personal choices, anyway?
2
Get a dog! Not only are they excellent companions but they require exercise and need your help in getting it. I walk my two dogs twice a day for 45-60 minutes a day at a brisk pace. Although I love it, I doubt very much I would do so regularly without their insisting on it.
16
It's about 8 degrees outside today. I can't tell you how happy I am not to have to walk a dog...
4
@Alan sorry I had to laugh at your comment. But I also think it's funny that Kate is from Rochester (possibly one of the coldest places in the US).
3
Is money really all that motivates us? I find that idea just plain depressing. I'm going to have to go workout for that dopamine shot I get after a good exercise to cheer myself back up. Then I'll make myself even happier by meditating upon one of life's great mysteries, "do economists exercise and if so, are they happy when they do it?".
5
Having just returned from my eighth day in a row at a local gym I should probably gloat but won't. I've found that the secret to working out at the gym is to make yourself walk through the door...once there you'll do something. I agree with other comments about varying workouts. Mix up the weights and cardio routines. Every now and then instead of hitting the gym, walk a half hour around the neighborhood or bike ride an hour. For men I'd recommend reading "Younger Next Year," as practical and interesting a book about conditioning and graceful aging as exists.
5
How about a physical activity you are passionate about? I go to the gym 4 times a week to lift and hate missing a day. I can see why people dread the treadmill. There are so many alternatives- classes, getting outside, hiking. As long as you view working out as a dreadful necessity, you won't want to go and won't stick to a program.
11
So true. I was one of those people who absolutely hated exercise and always quit after a few months. I'd tried many of the techniques suggested in articles (find a buddy, work out at home with DVDs, read a book on the treadmill, etc) but I found the only thing that worked for me was exercise classes. It took me a while to realize that since I always enjoyed classes, whether in college or as part of some night school self-enrichment program, an exercise class could work too. And once I tried zumba, I loved the music so much that it was the first exercise routine that didn;t feel like work. So I started doing that a few times a week and to my surprise was able to stick with the routine. Having a set time to do something really helped as well.
That was five years ago. Now, I've branched out into checking out some of the other classes offered at my gym.
That was five years ago. Now, I've branched out into checking out some of the other classes offered at my gym.
7
WE don't need a gym!! Recent, current research shows that doing intervals, 1 minute per week X3 does as much or more for your health as 150 minutes on a bicycle or tread mill. They found that almost all important glucose-insulin measures improved significantly if one did 20 secs of maximum intervals (moving your legs as fast as possible until breathless) 20 seconds X3 and doing this 3 days each week. Doing this with reducing your total calorie intake, moving during your daily routine , parking away from the store and walking, using stairs and generally moving around also was important.
Getting people to do these things would improve health for the nation and no fancy Gym or fancy workout outfits etc. needed.
Getting people to do these things would improve health for the nation and no fancy Gym or fancy workout outfits etc. needed.
3
The problem with forcing yourself to go to the gym is that sometimes you shouldn't go to the gym.
8
very limited researching by the researchers. 'going to the gym' is not the only way to get fit.
its been shown the best way to make one go to the gym or to do exercise is via peer group pressure. - i.e. go to the gym with friends or in a group, once the group gets started they self motivate and each ember doesn't want to let the group down and its becomes a virtuous circle everyone helping.
its like a self help group for exercise.
simples
its been shown the best way to make one go to the gym or to do exercise is via peer group pressure. - i.e. go to the gym with friends or in a group, once the group gets started they self motivate and each ember doesn't want to let the group down and its becomes a virtuous circle everyone helping.
its like a self help group for exercise.
simples
2
I think you misunderstand the researchers' thesis, which is stated quite clearly in the first paragraph. They are not talking about ways to get fit, but about underused gym memberships.
13
Jeff: I think you misunderstood Peter's post. He said that being in a group motivates the individuals to go to the gym and exercise. That directly is about underused gym memberships.
2
Get a job which incorporates exercise. I'm a car park attendant, boring, but I walk about 10 miles a day. Don't need gym.
14
Let's face it though, it's part of the gym companies' business model to have people paying and not going, and without them, we, regular gym goers, would have to pay even more for our memberships.
So a big thank you to all the deluded lazybums out there ;)
So a big thank you to all the deluded lazybums out there ;)
21
Yes! I get a yearly membership with pool at a big private gym for $300 a year, because of the summer folks who are only there a few months a year, and the local delusionals who've told themselves they'll join for a year and show up regularly and lose their flubber. They subsidize those of us who care about our health and want to avoid troubles as best we can. And most of us regulars enjoy working out. I rarely have to wait for a machine or bench, and often there are only two or three of us there from late morning until after work. Even during peak hours there are seldom more than ten of us, other than summer. Individual TV monitors, great wi-fi. Super clean. No grunting roid muscleheads. Paradise.
6
People should find out what works for them individually. The article doesn't address this, but surely the researchers know there isn't any ONE factor that motivates *everybody*. Some people prefer intrinsic rewards (looking and feeling healthier, sense of personal accomplishment, etc.); others prefer extrinsic rewards (pay cash for cash when you don't workout, audio books that are only available at the gym, etc.); and some people are prefer a combination of both. If economists could unlock the ONE key factor to motivation in fitness, they could unlock the mystery behind motivation in general and increase productivity in business, in education, in fitness, and so on. But, everyone is different; there is no ONE factor.
7
Scientific proof that guilt-inducing tv fare I consume whilst on the treadmill (ala real housewives of wherever) is good for the waistline.
4
If you don't like to go to the gym, don't go and find an activity that you like. Or do both. You go to the gym when you feel like it (once a week) and the rest of the time you do volleyball, yoga, swimming... etc.
5
Everyone is different. I go the to gym before work every day -- and I live quite far out of the city so leave my house at 4:30 a.m., get to the gym by 6:00, run 5K while watching the news and then go to work. Morning people are the same, same people almost every day and the most dedicated and consistent I've seen. You don't have the whole day to talk yourself out of going -- and by seeing the same people, 5 days a week, you do build up a very supportive network of friends. Last year, I challenged myselft to go to the gym 100 days in a row -- no breaks. It was so much fun checking off each day on my calendar and reaching that goal. So challenge yourself to something hard -- you are worth it!
6
I think these researchers need to remember that the goal is not to have people work out more at the gym. The goal is to have people exercise more.
The best way to get fit is to join a club/team. Whether it's a cycling club or a soccer team, you will make new friends and get support and encouragement from the group. Soon you will find that your teammates are asking "where were you?" when you miss a game. By contrast, the gym can be an anti-social environment that just makes you feel inadequate and like you don't belong.
When you discover the excitement of doing things in the real world, outside of the gym, you will understand why going to the gym is so boring. Exercise is not a burden when you find something active that you are passionate about.
The best way to get fit is to join a club/team. Whether it's a cycling club or a soccer team, you will make new friends and get support and encouragement from the group. Soon you will find that your teammates are asking "where were you?" when you miss a game. By contrast, the gym can be an anti-social environment that just makes you feel inadequate and like you don't belong.
When you discover the excitement of doing things in the real world, outside of the gym, you will understand why going to the gym is so boring. Exercise is not a burden when you find something active that you are passionate about.
4
That a bit of a generalisation. The 'best way' to get fit is to figure out what you enjoy and finding a way to motivate yourself to do it regularly. i for one, like the solitude of the gym and setting goals for myself is my motivation.
8
The key bit here is that the experiments were performed by economists (the article specified Katherine Milkman, Julia Minson and Kevin Volpp of Wharton for the iPod one), not simply nutritionists, scientists, etc. The goal of the experiment was most likely on determining how to keep gym goers returning to the gym, rather than merely keeping them motivated to exercise in general.
2
"Gym visits don’t just pick up at New Year’s but at the start of each week, each semester, after holidays, and even after birthdays (though not 21st birthdays). The key is getting one of the fresh starts to stick."
No, the key is getting the crowd to spread out over the week instead of everyone hitting the gym on the same day.
One of the most powerful disincentives to regular exercise in a gym is rushing there between work and dinner, then waiting for your time slot on the treadmill-elliptical-weight machines-etc. I've arrived at 6 to find that everything was signed out until 7:30! Becoming frustrated (and tired, and hungry) even before you start working out is a real obstacle to the good feelings exercise should engender.
In addition to incentives to go to the gym, let's explore additional incentives to work out on days and at times when the place is under capacity.
No, the key is getting the crowd to spread out over the week instead of everyone hitting the gym on the same day.
One of the most powerful disincentives to regular exercise in a gym is rushing there between work and dinner, then waiting for your time slot on the treadmill-elliptical-weight machines-etc. I've arrived at 6 to find that everything was signed out until 7:30! Becoming frustrated (and tired, and hungry) even before you start working out is a real obstacle to the good feelings exercise should engender.
In addition to incentives to go to the gym, let's explore additional incentives to work out on days and at times when the place is under capacity.
1
Great gym opened up in a shopping mall...they always had crowds and cars and parking problems...in two years time, the other tenants were saying "They go, or we go".
60 years old, hit the gym an hour each night-6 nights a week, intensive cardio (as in sweat) and weight machines. Never a night in a hospital and BMI of 22.4, it works! Boom!
It seems like the trick is to use a commitment mechanism for the first few months. After that it becomes routine.
Find an exercise buddy. My girlfriend and I go to the gym together to swim. She knocks on my door and I have to go because she has made the effort. For her part, she knows I'm expecting her and doesn't want to disappoiing. We both enjoy swimming and always comment on how great we feel after. My husband and I do a 2 mile walk together every day. He is older than I, I know how good it is for him, and I don't like for him to go alone, so I make the effort. Again, I always enjoy the walks, but might not go every day if it were just me. Find a buddy. The companionship helps keep you healthy, too.
13
It all boils down to three things: values, motivation, and tenacity. You need all 3 to stay committed. First, if the person does not place much value on fitness then they will likely end up quitting before the year is out. Values can also change and be reprioritized. You might workout (in any setting) on a consistent basis, but some life event occurs and you put more value in things like family time or community. You continue to "workout", but not quite as mush as before. I didn't value wellness or fitness (whatever you want to call it) until I took a 50k bike ride with a group in college. The ride was grueling, but I managed to finish. I got home, took a shower, and immediately noticed weight loss in the mirror. This created intrinsic motivation because I stopped thinking that I was too fat or weak and for the first time I saw myself as competent - in terms of being able to lose weight without gimmicks. Motivation also changes. It's hard to get amped up for a run in bad weather. Crazy work schedules can also be a demotivator. However, there are some people who can run in the freezing rain or hit the gym every week in spite of their demanding schedules. They have that kind of tenacity that doesn't falter even under moderate stress levels. Some even use the stress as motivation.
3
Am I the only person who loathes aerobic, dance and yoga classes? I have tried them all. I can't follow the moves, I get claustrophobic in there, I find the noise and the other people incredibly distracting and just generally feel like a fool. I learned how to lift weights and I love doing it. I would recommend it for any woman as the ultimate confidence builder.
17
There's NO REASON to go to a GYM in order to get fit, strong and healthy. WHy is it such an incredibly hard-set notion that only by "going to the gym" can one get in shape? What it takes is exercise alone, and one can explore the idea of... wow, going outside to run and walk! Or doing pull-ups and push-ups, using one's own body-weight as resistance. Nobody should have to force themselves to enter a GYM if they don't want to. In fact, for many, it the very IDEA of going to a GYM that dissuades them from exercising!!!
9
Where do you live? It's -10 here and icy. I'm not going running outside - if you want to come here and try, please send pix! BTW if you have actual data for your last sentence, please post it.
11
My point is that you don't need to "go to a gym" to get fit and healthy, and that if the idea of going to gym is a real turnoff to the point that one decides not to go at all, then one need not go! One can stay at home and exercise. Have you not been reading the reports about the 7-minute exercise session that can create and preserve fitness? I completely respect your point that outdoor weather can be the deal-breaker, and sometimes dangerous, too! And I certainly did not say one should substitute gym work with exercise outdoors in dangerous conditions. To answer your good Q., I am currently a NYC resident and nationally cited masters road runner who trains outdoors in NYC, where, for example, our race on Saturday began in temps of 16 deg F. I gew up in Troy NY, which has weather similar to Chicago at times -- and that's where I started running. I trained through high-school and college as a cross-country runner in the snowy hills and sub-freezing climes of New Hampshire. When the ferocious weather was too much, I stayed indoors and did strength work with numerous repeats of leg-squats, for example ,which built tremendous leg power and endurance. Nobody should have to "make" themselves go to a gym. Do you have access to a building with stairs? Any building? There's your indoor "gym."
8
I have found it helpful to my motivation to pay for a gym. I'm very cheap and don't like the idea of wasting money. But when I decide I can just do it at home for free, there's less chance of it happening. I'm also lazy, you see.
4
I don't get it. If people don't want to go to the gym, why should anyone want to make them? Gyms' models seem to work just fine to me. Those of us who like to go and realize, as mature people do, that we benefit from regular exercise, can go. Those who refuse to go can suffer the consequences. It's not like they don't understand the relationship between being fat and exercising.
Here's a better idea. In the US, where we separate church and state, we nevertheless give property tax breaks to churches. Why don't we give those same tax breaks to gyms?
Here's a better idea. In the US, where we separate church and state, we nevertheless give property tax breaks to churches. Why don't we give those same tax breaks to gyms?
3
Oddly what has motivated me to go the gym is the opposite of the typical economic situation.
My parents are part of a club that has a gym, and as their daughter I am allowed to go for free until I turn 26. Once I hit that age, I'll need to start paying for a membership. The idea of having a limited amount of time to go for free (even though that "limited time" is 4 years) motivates me to make the most of it now.
Essentially: the idea of having access to a nice gym for free seems like such a luxury that I HAVE to take it up.
Also, I just want a really big butt.
My parents are part of a club that has a gym, and as their daughter I am allowed to go for free until I turn 26. Once I hit that age, I'll need to start paying for a membership. The idea of having a limited amount of time to go for free (even though that "limited time" is 4 years) motivates me to make the most of it now.
Essentially: the idea of having access to a nice gym for free seems like such a luxury that I HAVE to take it up.
Also, I just want a really big butt.
5
Do they do butt transplants? I will gladly give you mine!
1
My insurance offers me a rebate if I document that I've gone to the gym 50 times in each half of the year, or 100 times over the year (this works out to 2-3 visits a week). The rebate equals about half the cost of gym membership. You'd better believe this has made me go to the gym more regularly! I keep track of my visits in the calendar to make sure I will reach 50 before the end of each 6 months. I want that money!
15
I read while doing an hour on the exercise bike at my gym 3x a week. What is helpful for me is getting a real page-turner I can't put down, then leaving it in my gym locker between sessions. I can't wait to get back to the book.
7
The business plan for a gym that really wants to get members to work-out should be; The member signs up for a year and pays $2500. Every time the member goes to the gym they get $10 cash back, up to 3x a week or 150x a year or $1500 back by the end of the year. You give the member a monetary incentive to go to the gym.
6
A gym near me has an interesting business model: they advertise that you can do a 6 week training programme and lose 20 pounds for free. Of course people go along. Then they tell you that there's a £200 bond - you don't get it back if you don't lose 20lb but you do get it back if you do. They have a 75% rate of people losing 20lb in the 6 weeks (with groups of 80-120 people). What's interesting is that they offer deals instead after the 6 weeks to use the money rather than give it back ... and people prefer to stay on. I've had two hosuemates do the programme and stay on. (The only reason I didn't do it is that you had to check in on Facebook a certain number of times and I did a social free January). Very interesting model.
2
The sad thing about this model is that medical science tells us that it is not healthy and potentially dangerous to lose weight at a rate exceeding about 2 lbs per week. Twenty lbs in 6 weeks is likely risky for all but the severely obese.
2
Oh my gosh... isn't life too short for all this nonsense?
Sure, it'll be even shorter if you do no exercise. But why not just find an activity you genuinely like and look forward to doing? There are no shortage of physical activities out there.
I don't see the point in putting oneself through this torture, especially when it's expensive and lining other people's pockets. Find a passion and the motivation will come naturally. You'll also be happier and more fulfilled in the end.
I recommend cycling, as it's also utilitarian -- you can go places with it, yo.
Sure, it'll be even shorter if you do no exercise. But why not just find an activity you genuinely like and look forward to doing? There are no shortage of physical activities out there.
I don't see the point in putting oneself through this torture, especially when it's expensive and lining other people's pockets. Find a passion and the motivation will come naturally. You'll also be happier and more fulfilled in the end.
I recommend cycling, as it's also utilitarian -- you can go places with it, yo.
24
The number of Americans who walk, run, or bicycle far exceeds gym members. Myself, I've always felt that the hardest part of exercise is getting out there. People who join gyms put distance and money between themselves and their workout and are motivating themselves somewhat socially. If it's just you, your will power and the front door, there are no distractions. Keep it simple, that's my motto. It's worked for me for 30 years.
3
Easy Fix- play a team sport. Tennis, volleyball, basketball. More fun than being on a hamster wheel by yourself, and you have to show up, or your team mates will be POd. I play doubles and singles tennis 3-4 times a week. You schedule the game and you have to show. Stop running in place! Run outside, AND play a team sport. You'll have more fun.
4
Actually, your description of team sports does not sound like fun. It sounds like torture ... the kind exacted by my gym teacher back in the day. Some of us LIKE being on a hamster wheel by ourselves. It provides time for moving meditation or listening to an audible book with no criticisms because of poor athletic skills or coordination. I go to the gym 3-4 times per week. I was only able to do that once I divorced exercise from my previous gym experiences, including going outside. Now, whether 75 degrees & sunny or cold & snowy, I exercise as I like in a climate-controlled environment. That's fun for me.
2
Huge fan of StickK and just wanted to mention Beeminder which is like StickK for data nerds. A combination of Quantified Self and commitment contracts.
2
If you can afford it, get a trainer. Standing appointment, twice a week, has kept me going for more than 10 years.
7
It may be that those most likely to work out a lot were those most likely to sign a "self-control" contract; in other words, people who signed the contract were the very people who would have gone to the gym more often even without a contract.
5
From my observations, those who need candy to go to the gym––music, tv, earbuds, companionship, etc––don't get into an endurance-level heart rate for the length of time required to change their body comp and aerobic capacity, and burn so few calories, they don't even need to shower after their workout. So what's the diff if they're enticed to go the gym or not?
2
What age range are you observing? I NEED music for any kind of lengthy indoor workout...it's gotten me through some of my longest cardio sessions on the treadmill or elliptical and it helps me pick up my pace. The only reason I don't listen for weight lifting is because I don't have an armband and thus, cannot hold my phone. That said, it seemed like 80-90% of students at my (college) gym were plugged in to some sort of device. This included the cross country team, and people who advertised personal training services. Sure, the treadmill lies about calories but if I'm tired after 5 miles of interval training, Id say I got a good workout. I actually use music as a (less accurate) timer between intervals. Instead of setting a timer for 30 seconds, I'll instead time it by the verse. Why do you care about these people not going to the gym?
2
I had a membership at Curves and went 3 times a week for 4 years then I got bored of the same routene.
I think if I would join different classes like yoga or zumba I would be more inclined to stick to it.
I think if I would join different classes like yoga or zumba I would be more inclined to stick to it.
2
My wife and I were offered a lifetime membership in a big box-type gym 12 years ago for $1200. Boy, did they lose that bet! We both go to the gym 3 times a week for a yearly maintainence fee of $20 each. Our second investment was in a dog that needs to be walked twice a day or she gets surly. Keeps our Fitbits happy.
10
Instead of joining a gym that you don't use, why not spend half the money on, say, a gallon of paint, and the time on painting the ceiling for your elderly neighbor who can't do it anymore?
10
Scheduling an active vacation three months ahead assures I will work out in the interim. Makes sense right? Such a fine vacation, say skiing Austria or bicycling Cuba is an investment of time and money squandered if I'm not fit to enjoy. And such fitness vacations will also insure that I take vacations in the first place, whereas some over-worked over-weight colleagues let vacation days go unused.
9
I wonder what would happen if gyms established an authentic sense of community for their members. Consider yoga classes. Part of what keeps people coming back is the shared spiritual journey and human connection. As a martial arts practitioner, I have seen the same thing there. People become part of a group that meets human needs beyond just fitness goals. On nights when their motivation falters, that is what gets them off of the couch.
Back when I used to work out with a trainer, one of the things that kept me going when I didn't feel like it was the personal connection. She shared my fitness goals, we talked about our lives, health, etc. I think the answer to motivating people might be found in the opposite direction of pure behaviorism, and have to do with good old-fashioned relationship.
http://weightlosswestchesterny.com
Back when I used to work out with a trainer, one of the things that kept me going when I didn't feel like it was the personal connection. She shared my fitness goals, we talked about our lives, health, etc. I think the answer to motivating people might be found in the opposite direction of pure behaviorism, and have to do with good old-fashioned relationship.
http://weightlosswestchesterny.com
19
Quite a few people at my gyms make their friendships there and their social lives revolve around their classes. It's not up to the gym to establish a sense of community. Only the members can do that.
Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote of wampeters and granfalloons. The former is an authentic community of the kind you describe, bound together by a shared affinity or experience that transcends superficial differences. (Trekkies come to mind.) The latter is the opposite - people who have a superficial attribute in common, but aren't really a community (e.g., people who happen to go to the same gym - unless, of course, they develop a community based on enthusiasm for an activity, such as aqua yoga or UFX) The gym is a place, as a church or school is a place. It's up to the members, as it is to the congregants or students, to develop the community. (Or not. I'm a solitary exerciser and I prefer it that way.)
Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote of wampeters and granfalloons. The former is an authentic community of the kind you describe, bound together by a shared affinity or experience that transcends superficial differences. (Trekkies come to mind.) The latter is the opposite - people who have a superficial attribute in common, but aren't really a community (e.g., people who happen to go to the same gym - unless, of course, they develop a community based on enthusiasm for an activity, such as aqua yoga or UFX) The gym is a place, as a church or school is a place. It's up to the members, as it is to the congregants or students, to develop the community. (Or not. I'm a solitary exerciser and I prefer it that way.)
3
What has always worked for me:
I have a passport membership to New York Sports Club, which, though it's around $95/month, enables me to use any location (there are dozens). I should add this is a considerable chunk of my meagre income and is budgeted for in the same way one budgets for food, heat, etc. It's hardly a casual investment. In the life of the lower-income, everything has a price tag - so I have a definite incentive to make sure I'm getting value for money.
I figure the value of my membership by prorating it by the hour. It soon becomes clear, the more I use the gym, the more value I get for my money. I also use it for personal care as long as I'm there - I think I've used my own bathtub three times in the past two years, since I always shower after a workout anyway.
Say 2 hours a day, every day. That's 60 hours. Around $1.50 an hour, not counting savings on hot water. If I go only 3 times a month, that's 6 hours. Nearly $16 per visit, and I'm taking a hot shower every day on my own dime. Plus I don't have an indoor swimming pool, steam room or sauna at home.
The Y would be cheaper, but the pools are crowded with kids and the 'adult swim' hours are too limited. The extra investment in NYSC purchases availability; no point in paying for a pool I can use only every second Thursday from 5:18 to 5:49 pm (assuming you can get in at all, since every other adult swimmer within 25 miles is vying for the same handful of lanes and few minutes).
I have a passport membership to New York Sports Club, which, though it's around $95/month, enables me to use any location (there are dozens). I should add this is a considerable chunk of my meagre income and is budgeted for in the same way one budgets for food, heat, etc. It's hardly a casual investment. In the life of the lower-income, everything has a price tag - so I have a definite incentive to make sure I'm getting value for money.
I figure the value of my membership by prorating it by the hour. It soon becomes clear, the more I use the gym, the more value I get for my money. I also use it for personal care as long as I'm there - I think I've used my own bathtub three times in the past two years, since I always shower after a workout anyway.
Say 2 hours a day, every day. That's 60 hours. Around $1.50 an hour, not counting savings on hot water. If I go only 3 times a month, that's 6 hours. Nearly $16 per visit, and I'm taking a hot shower every day on my own dime. Plus I don't have an indoor swimming pool, steam room or sauna at home.
The Y would be cheaper, but the pools are crowded with kids and the 'adult swim' hours are too limited. The extra investment in NYSC purchases availability; no point in paying for a pool I can use only every second Thursday from 5:18 to 5:49 pm (assuming you can get in at all, since every other adult swimmer within 25 miles is vying for the same handful of lanes and few minutes).
7
Same with Gold's and probably others. You can get a travel pass and use their gyms anywhere.
3
I am concerned about the wording of a sentence in this article that seems to be critical to the conclusion drawn. To wit:
"Three years after the study, the workers who had been offered the contracts remained 20 percent more likely to work out than those who had not been offered any incentives."
Did all the workers who "were offered" contracts accept them? That is hard to believe. I suspect that it is true that only those who were offered and then accepted the contracts achieved the stated results. This may seem like a nitpicking point, but really it is crucial. It would suggest that merely offering the contracts is in itself quite possibly useless except for self-selected individuals who had their own motivations for accepting the contracts.
"Three years after the study, the workers who had been offered the contracts remained 20 percent more likely to work out than those who had not been offered any incentives."
Did all the workers who "were offered" contracts accept them? That is hard to believe. I suspect that it is true that only those who were offered and then accepted the contracts achieved the stated results. This may seem like a nitpicking point, but really it is crucial. It would suggest that merely offering the contracts is in itself quite possibly useless except for self-selected individuals who had their own motivations for accepting the contracts.
7
Or you can buy some equipment that you can use at home and then just have enough self-discipline and determination to exercise at home (or nearby, weather permitting). Saves time and easier. True, no social contact, but that, after all, is not the purpose of exercise, at least for me.
13
One size does not fit all.
My living accommodations don't have enough room for all the varied specialised equipment of which I can avail myself at the gym, not to mention the sauna, steam, and whirlpool, and the costs of installation and ongong maintenance of same. (Getting a stationary bike in would be a challenge.) More important, 'going to the gym' provides a change of scene, a purposeful destination. When I was commuting to work, going to the gym was a transition between getting off the bus and getting to the office. Now I work at home, and it's a great reason to get the heck out of the house when I just can't stand it one more second.
I don't socialise at the gym, either. But neither is fitness my sole reason for going.
My living accommodations don't have enough room for all the varied specialised equipment of which I can avail myself at the gym, not to mention the sauna, steam, and whirlpool, and the costs of installation and ongong maintenance of same. (Getting a stationary bike in would be a challenge.) More important, 'going to the gym' provides a change of scene, a purposeful destination. When I was commuting to work, going to the gym was a transition between getting off the bus and getting to the office. Now I work at home, and it's a great reason to get the heck out of the house when I just can't stand it one more second.
I don't socialise at the gym, either. But neither is fitness my sole reason for going.
9
Not possible when you live in an apartment, but doable if you live by a park, which many of us do not. Your downstairs neighbor will not be pleased either. This goes double for those home Zumba aerobics types.
1
I actually fall into depression if I don't work out. I'm currently unable to exercise due to a terrible sinus condition. That's become debilitating for me to breathe. And it seams that most doctors I've gone to have been unable to address the problem. I'm quite astonish when I meet people(young and/or older) and they just don't have the discipline to work out. They always blame others for their weight predicament. I've certainly have an excuse, and as of now it looks bleak. I love the process of planning ahead and the results I get(usually the attention I got from others). Vanity rules! Practically all the books out there that incorporate a low carb, reduced fat, and exercise routines work well. But people just prefer other choices: TV watching, mindless socializing that usually does not result into any real friendships or relationships. All my friendships and personal relationships were due to the fact that people observed how diligent I was to sculpting my body. This is my work out regiment: mornings and evenings(alternating) different body parts throughout the day at least 5 times a week. And simple food portion control. This might seem a lot for many. But this was my exercise regiment for at least 20 years of my life(and I got results). I can assure you that I did not miss out on any thing. As of today, I'm still hoping(and praying) that things will change so I can look and feel my best. I really do miss people coming up to me a telling how great I looked!
3
Hello brother, I get depressed once in a while too. A good 40 minutes hard or 60 minute light workout always snaps me out of it. I also was prone to sinusitis and took the advise to eliminate from my diet all dairy products, fried food, and hydrogenated or partial hydrogenated oils. It worked and i've never gone back except for the occasional treat. Some people also eliminate wheat for the same reason.
7
Lifting weights is boring. Take aerobics classes first. Weights come later. I teach aerobic classes and work out with weights, total of five times per week. Aerobics are a lot of fun and with the right instructor (like myself, no pun intended) you will come back again and again. I have been doing it for 18 years now. Some of my regular students tell me I have not changed, neither weight nor age. "How do you do it?" they ask. I explain that I started teaching aerobics in the Union army during the civil war and am still doing it. So much for motivating people to come to the gym.
3
If you are bored lifting weights try Olympic lifting.
1
The incentives tried are quite artificial. People are hedonistic. Ergo, the best incentive is to have fun till you get hooked up and become a gym rat, who cannot stay away from the gym for more than one day. Aerobic classes are fun with the right instructor and music. Men should stay in the back of the class for further enjoyment of the femininity display in front of him. If you like dancing select such classes that will enhance your enjoyment. Before you know it, you will be looking forward to your favorite class. There you have an hour of burning calories in the company of your classmates whom you will discover and even befriend. Don't start with wright lifting. It requires skill, the beginner lacks and it is boring because of the clear absence of any objective.
20 years ago as a youngster in mid forties, I went to Club Med in Mexico and within a week got hooked to aerobics exercise. Upon my return home took up a membership in a health club and began taking aerobics for the next two years. Then, I took the training program and in six months became a freshly minted, highly motivated INSTRUCTOR. It also helped my professional career. I became the best lawyer among all aerobics instructors.
20 years ago as a youngster in mid forties, I went to Club Med in Mexico and within a week got hooked to aerobics exercise. Upon my return home took up a membership in a health club and began taking aerobics for the next two years. Then, I took the training program and in six months became a freshly minted, highly motivated INSTRUCTOR. It also helped my professional career. I became the best lawyer among all aerobics instructors.
2
"Men should stay in the back of the class for further enjoyment of the femininity display in front of him. If you like dancing select such classes that will enhance your enjoyment."
Ugh. Comments like this are the best way to DISCOURAGE women from working out.
Ugh. Comments like this are the best way to DISCOURAGE women from working out.
74
Fitnesspro:
Women are not in classes to put on a show for you. Talk about the male gaze in action.
Women are not in classes to put on a show for you. Talk about the male gaze in action.
34
Anyone want to guess why he became the best lawyer among aerobic instructors, and not vis-versa?! Ha!
1
How to make yourself go to the gym? Just work for a company that has one of these 'wellness' programs, especially those that tend to be much more stick than carrot. They started one of those for employees at Palm Beach's most famous resort, The Breakers, complete with putting a rather strict personal trainer in charge of Human Resources. (How strict? Try pushing treadmill desks and giving everyone a device counting how many stairs they walked on their lunch breaks, with assurances that all results will go straight to everyone's files.) Soon after, there was a huge ad in the local papers proclaiming vacancies in all sorts of positions there, and inviting applications. Just how successful that approach turned out to be is something I'll leave to your imaginations.
Then again, everyone who's in the position of trying to hold down a job in a very image-conscious field, while paying for a rather outrageously priced place to live (That doesn't happen in places like New York, does it? Naaahhh ...), probably doesn't need much prodding to work out. Or even pay the plastic surgeon to do what the gym didn't. No wonder they call economics the 'dismal science'.
Then again, everyone who's in the position of trying to hold down a job in a very image-conscious field, while paying for a rather outrageously priced place to live (That doesn't happen in places like New York, does it? Naaahhh ...), probably doesn't need much prodding to work out. Or even pay the plastic surgeon to do what the gym didn't. No wonder they call economics the 'dismal science'.
3
Our company has a "wellness program", mainly, I think, just to keep insurance costs down. Employees get a "wellness coach" that calls them every week, and you have to fill out questionaires on what you did during the week.
Unfortunately the managers are not on board with this. Meetings are set at lunch time. Project schedules are set assuming 110-120% staff "availabiility".
For 2 years I was lucky to work for a small tech start-up who's CEO was training for his first marathon. As a competitive triathlete, I was his de-facto training partner. Despite the stress and long hours of work (14 hr days) it was the healthiest period of my life.
Unfortunately the managers are not on board with this. Meetings are set at lunch time. Project schedules are set assuming 110-120% staff "availabiility".
For 2 years I was lucky to work for a small tech start-up who's CEO was training for his first marathon. As a competitive triathlete, I was his de-facto training partner. Despite the stress and long hours of work (14 hr days) it was the healthiest period of my life.
5
I'm in the best shape of my life at 39 with two young children. I do HIT training, a very intense but brief (15 or 20 minute) weightlifting routine. I do that twice a week with ample rest between. Sometimes during the workouts my heart rate reaches 160 or 170. That sure seems like "cardio". If everyone could grasp this: It's 90% diet, 5% exercise, and 5% patience (stress management, sleep etc also of import). Undoubtedly, one hour of brutally intense exercise (going to momentary muscular failure) per week by far trumps 5 or 7 or even 10! Hours of exercise per week. Short and intense, not long and steady-state. There droves of data to back this up, and I'm experiencing it first hand. It's freed up a lot of time for other things. There's so much dogma in the fitness industry, and much of it leads to injury. Muscle is created with ample rest, not overtraining. And as we age, we all need more lean muscle. With spot-on nutrition, you can get in the best shape if your life within 6 months by working out 30 minutes or an hour a week. That's my .02 cents, now I'm going outside to run for an hour. No thanks, it's 20 degrees out and I like my joints.
5
Ajax, apart from the technical question of whether your chosen "short cut" workout is beneficial or harmful, your comment is wholly irrelevant to the issue of the effectiveness of kind of incentive necessary to keep people going to the gym.
10
Actually, I found Ajax comment relevant and helpful. He's pointing out that one doesn't have to spend hours and hours each week (either at a gym or exercising elsewhere) to have a significant, positive impact on one's health. When weighing gym memberships vs not, folks might consider that you can go in, get your work out done quickly and get on with life....or just do the short, intense workout at home if space permits (and you have access to equipment). Ditto for park (Is one nearby? Safe? Accessible?).
One of the main reasons I hardly ever make it to the gym is the thought of a long workout, coupled with shower (if i'm heading back to the office)...THAT'S the real drag in my mind....
One of the main reasons I hardly ever make it to the gym is the thought of a long workout, coupled with shower (if i'm heading back to the office)...THAT'S the real drag in my mind....
1
You'll go to the gym when you get tired of being fat or out of shape. It's that simple - it's always up the individual. No app or service is going to change that.
7
I hate to say it but I am one of these people who cancelled my gym membership (after 4 months of going only twice/month), despite a perk from my job that covers my gym membership at the end of the year if I went at least five times a month. The problem is that I find it really boring. I am now trying to walk around the City a lot, paying even more money to take a dance class I love, and going hiking on weekends. Still probably not enough exercise, but at least I enjoy my time thoroughly ...
37
Thank you. My favorite answer so far.
1
yes...getting bored at the gym is so easy.
Put it in your appointment "book"
2
No,no,no. You all just stay home. I like it when no one goes to workout, fewer people makes me a happy camper. Just join in January and then just stay home. By the way, companies should pay for memberships. It's cheaper than healthcare.
18
I think the present model is great as I prepay and go six to seven times a week. If everyone that is a member did that my gym membership fees would skyrocket, and I would have to wait no telling how long to use the equipment. For all those that pay for a mmebership and do not go, thank you.
4
Lazarus, you are cute. Seven times a week? That is admirable. People want incentive to go to the gym? Tell them, you are the Biblical Lazarus and have been doing the gym 7 days a week since ancient times. Say "People, friends if you want to live longer do as Lazarus does.
2
Walk. It's absolutely free, you can do it any time, for as long or short a distance as you want. You can't really over-do walking, either, you won't strain any bldh parts going every day, or returning after a few days off.
Even when I lived in a cold climate, I walked. I just had to wear more layers.
Even when I lived in a cold climate, I walked. I just had to wear more layers.
41
Walking isn't a substitute for vigorous exercise unless you're in terrible shape.
4
economics news flash: some people are lazy and have too much money.
15
Prof Dick Thaler suggests the fitness industry prefers customers who don't visit frequently. This is a very outdated view.
Gyms now invest in and work hard at finding and using tools to assist them with member retention (mainly through encouraging repeat visits) making the learning from the research described in this article relevant and valuable to them as well as their customers.
There are multiple studies with compelling evidence to show that increased visit frequency significantly increases longevity of membership.
Gym members who retain membership longer keep paying for many more months during which they'll often recommend their gym of choice. Compare this to the customer who stops attending and on average cancels just over 2 months later.
Which members do you think gyms want? Especially when you consider how costly it is to acquire new customers and how much failure to encourage regular visits (resulting in cancellation) will damage a gym's reputation.
Gyms now invest in and work hard at finding and using tools to assist them with member retention (mainly through encouraging repeat visits) making the learning from the research described in this article relevant and valuable to them as well as their customers.
There are multiple studies with compelling evidence to show that increased visit frequency significantly increases longevity of membership.
Gym members who retain membership longer keep paying for many more months during which they'll often recommend their gym of choice. Compare this to the customer who stops attending and on average cancels just over 2 months later.
Which members do you think gyms want? Especially when you consider how costly it is to acquire new customers and how much failure to encourage regular visits (resulting in cancellation) will damage a gym's reputation.
3
As someone who has been frequenting gyms on a regular basis since I was 15 ( I am now 32) I cannot understand why anyone would not want to work out.
I think a large stumbling block for many people is that they may not know what to do when in the gym. Further, many gyms now have "personal trainers" who know absolutely nothing about nutrition or physiology, and who merely push people into the latest training fads that destine the trainee for failure.
It's pretty simple: A solid, three day per week weight lifting program that targets the major muscle groups will work for most people. Factor in some cardio on top of that, and you will be good to go.
Many people merely focus on cardio as a way to lose weight and look "ripped." Cardio is also far easier than learning proper weight lifting technique, so it's no wonder newbies go the cardio route. However, just jumping on the treadmill every day will never give someone an aesthetically pleasing physique. They then get frustrated because they are not seeing any results, and stop going.
Three days a week, an hour each day, is all most beginners will need to see great results.
I think a large stumbling block for many people is that they may not know what to do when in the gym. Further, many gyms now have "personal trainers" who know absolutely nothing about nutrition or physiology, and who merely push people into the latest training fads that destine the trainee for failure.
It's pretty simple: A solid, three day per week weight lifting program that targets the major muscle groups will work for most people. Factor in some cardio on top of that, and you will be good to go.
Many people merely focus on cardio as a way to lose weight and look "ripped." Cardio is also far easier than learning proper weight lifting technique, so it's no wonder newbies go the cardio route. However, just jumping on the treadmill every day will never give someone an aesthetically pleasing physique. They then get frustrated because they are not seeing any results, and stop going.
Three days a week, an hour each day, is all most beginners will need to see great results.
18
I'm someone who's probably belonged to 10 gyms and wasted hundreds of dollars. No matter how much I try to make it interesting, it's boring.
I haven't given up; but am waiting for a good, cheap gym like Blink Fitness to open in my neighborhood. I've belonged to two different Blink locations, but they weren't sufficiently convenient.
I haven't given up; but am waiting for a good, cheap gym like Blink Fitness to open in my neighborhood. I've belonged to two different Blink locations, but they weren't sufficiently convenient.
1
Yep!...bored
My gym solution had nothing to do with financial guilt or incentive. What worked for me was committing to going 150 times per year. It ends up being about 3 times per week. I get a lot of satisfaction out of checking off one of the 150 boxes. And with this method, if I miss a day or even a week, I haven't failed and there is plenty of time to make it up. It's probably not for everyone, but glad it works for me!
35
The trick is to have employers subsidize their employee's gym memberships, with the amount of the subsidy increasing based on how frequently the employee works out. The company ultimately benefits from a healthier (and happier?) workforce that is less of a burden on their insurance plan.
8
I first heard about commitment devices two years ago via the Freakonomics podcast (ep. "Save Me From Myself"). I wanted to make going to the gym a part of my life since high school but was afraid of giving up or looking like a weak noob in front of guys who had been going for years. Using a commitment device, I gave a friend a chunk of money that was divided into 12 weekly payments for the course of the next three months. If I had successfully gone at least three times that week (an employee at the desk initialed my workout notebook as proof) I would get a payment back. If I failed my friend would keep that week's money. During the first three months I didn't miss a session. It was totally successful. I have been working out three or four days a week for the past year and a half. I highly recommend this method. It would be great if we would want to do something because we should do something but that can be unrealistic; the benefits of the gym are universally known yet few people go. This is an effective tool if you want to go too: it's based on getting a reward for going instead of getting punished with guilt for not. Some would advocate a pure, more will-powered approach. I don't see the benefit of this. It doesn't matter if you need help in reaching your destination as long as you reach it.
12
Forgot to add:
The weekly installments were $15 (it doesn't need to be a lot to be effective).
After the first three months I no longer needed the commitment device.
The weekly installments were $15 (it doesn't need to be a lot to be effective).
After the first three months I no longer needed the commitment device.
3
Mr Thaler hit it on the nose: the business model of the industry is to oversell at the front end. They actually don't want all those members coming into the gym by the first of February, they merely want the automatic credit card payment to come in for the entire year.
More recent information on forming habits suggests 21 days is a lower threshold but 42 days, 6 weeks, probably has higher long term sustainability because the body has acclimated to the exercise and is consistently producing endorphins.
Perhaps the health insurers like Kaiser care whether one takes care of oneself, but is AETNA really going to give me a price break if I can document gym visits and actual fitness stats? If so, I'll build out an automation technology to do just that. However, most insurers won't subsidize the accurate logging and reporting of daily diabetes test results even among their patients at highest risk of very expensive complications.
More recent information on forming habits suggests 21 days is a lower threshold but 42 days, 6 weeks, probably has higher long term sustainability because the body has acclimated to the exercise and is consistently producing endorphins.
Perhaps the health insurers like Kaiser care whether one takes care of oneself, but is AETNA really going to give me a price break if I can document gym visits and actual fitness stats? If so, I'll build out an automation technology to do just that. However, most insurers won't subsidize the accurate logging and reporting of daily diabetes test results even among their patients at highest risk of very expensive complications.
8
Knowing that I've already spent the money is actually pretty effective for me. I keep in mind how many times in the month I've gone, and I try to go enough to keep it at $10 or less per visit. Any more than that and I would have to reconsider spending the money; but that would mean giving up the sauna and whirlpool as well. Maybe that's the hook, now that I think about it.
9
It is interesting that economists don't experiment on the merits of follow through self-talk. Thisis a framing problem. I regularly go to the gym and when I pay monthly fees I go 5 times a week. I am not athletic but what I have trained myself to do knowing that I will have days when I don't feel up to it is to regularly say fitness is about follow through, mental fitness. Even if I end up just having a 15 minute work out because I am fatigued/busy, the fact that I got to the gym will satisfy me. The same with running. If I aim to run 5 km but then find I am not running well then I will default to a shuffle so that I finish the distance I normally run or wanted to run. However, no matter what, once I get started even when I don't feel up to it I usually do find I feel good once working out. Perhaps the experiments should be about follow through and the self talk. The youtubes about exercise I watch tend to start with advice about willpower, setting realistic goals, then they talk about the exercise strategies that work, etc. It is all about training yourself to achieve by giving yourself time each day to achieve. By sticking to what I said I would do even if I feel bad for some reason I am training myself to follow through, not give up with a lame excuse, which I see lots of people do. They buy the flash clothing and get the look but then drop out fairly quickly once they realise you have to get sweaty, no-one is watching. Those people train themselves to find lame excuses.
12
I love going to the gym. It makes me feel good, and that feeling lasts for about 2 days. I am careful not to over-do it - just strenuous enough to give the heart and the target muscle groups a work-out. I know that it also will help me prevent illness and injury in the long run. I don't care about short-term changes in my bogy shape; that's just asking for disappointment. I've never understood people who consider going to the gym torture. What do they do in there? And what are they expecting?
12
Endorphins play a role, too. Given enough time and consistency, many people will, indeed, feel good after going to the gym. They may not recognize it as an endorphin high, but the reward is powerful incentive nonetheless.
But many people either won't stick it out long enough to discover this, or -- like me -- are never rewarded with endorphins even when I was able to increase my endurance to three hours of aerobic exercise per session.
For some of us women who hate to work out, there needs to be a different goal. For me, it's the desire to live as healthy as possible. For some, it might be weight loss or maintenance. For others, it might be setting a good example for their children.
Then remember, no matter how much you hate exercise, you love ________ (fill in blank).
But many people either won't stick it out long enough to discover this, or -- like me -- are never rewarded with endorphins even when I was able to increase my endurance to three hours of aerobic exercise per session.
For some of us women who hate to work out, there needs to be a different goal. For me, it's the desire to live as healthy as possible. For some, it might be weight loss or maintenance. For others, it might be setting a good example for their children.
Then remember, no matter how much you hate exercise, you love ________ (fill in blank).
6
Thank you for asking. There is research that only some people love the gym. It is a neuro-physiological thing. I personally don't like it, find it boring, repetitious, too "public" and doesn't give my body much satisfaction. I don't like machines. I like dancing and walking, esp. in nature.
3
I tried going to a gym for a year. I went 2-3 times a week. It was a convenient location and affordable. But I felt none of the good feelings that you say you feel. I tried all the different equipment, tried classes, tried everything they had. Tried short sessions, tried long sessions. Tried creating challenges, tried incentivizing.
After all that, I never once felt any kind of endorphin or good feeling. Instead I felt not only bored but annoyed because it seemed like such a waste of my time. I was spending time doing something I hated when there are so many other things I love to do. Going to the gym was a job you couldn't even pay me to do.
After a year, I gave up on it and now am much happier doing only what I enjoy. I suspect some people have some kind of genetic predisposition that makes them unable to experience the alleged joy of exercise. I hope that someday scientists figure out how to make a pill that allows you to enjoy it, or at least not experience it as torture...
After all that, I never once felt any kind of endorphin or good feeling. Instead I felt not only bored but annoyed because it seemed like such a waste of my time. I was spending time doing something I hated when there are so many other things I love to do. Going to the gym was a job you couldn't even pay me to do.
After a year, I gave up on it and now am much happier doing only what I enjoy. I suspect some people have some kind of genetic predisposition that makes them unable to experience the alleged joy of exercise. I hope that someday scientists figure out how to make a pill that allows you to enjoy it, or at least not experience it as torture...
2
This is the reason why Crossfit and other high intensity gyms have taken off around the world. Although the monthly fees seem steep at first once you understand the camaraderie and accountability that is nurtured in this environment you quickly get into a strong rhythm of attendance. One of the main reasons people drop out of big box gyms at a faster rate is because there is no sense of competition or cheering each-other on. When one is doing his individual routine and another is doing theirs it can feel lonely and monotonous. Members can quickly feel like they can skip a day or two that rapidly becomes weeks at a time. Just my thoughts, best of luck to all who pursue a healthy lifestyle of fitness.
8
Yeah- I've stopped going to the gym I'm a member at. I keep trying to get myself to go again but I find it boring, monotonous and rather unfriendly. It's just a bunch of people plugged into their ipods or reading while using the equipment. There seems to be some level of friendliness amongst a small number who seem to always be there, but otherwise, it's a pretty lonely experience. And try as I might, treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines, etc; they are all just boring to me. I hate Spinning- tried that- so that eliminates that class. Yeah, I know, suck it up and deal, but I'd guess my experience is similar to that of many others. My employer subsidizes this gym and not Crossfit, so going that route would be very expensive for me. I also have a damaged disc in my back so am not up to throwing heavy objects around. But otherwise I'd say Crossfit has a better idea as there is a lot more camaraderie from what I know of it.
@greenie can't you find a buddy to go with you? Seems like cameraderie is a big point for you.
For me, it's the opposite - I like the time in the gym as my me time. Just me and the weights or the machine and my little book where I track everything. But then I'm an introvert and need a certain amount of me time.
1
“If [gym owners] succeeded in getting people to go to the gym three times a week instead of three times a month, they wouldn’t be able to have as many members.”
Professor Thaler evidently doesn't go to the gym much. Go at 5:00 A.M. There's plenty of room, and you don't have to lie in bed obsessing over behavioral economics.
Professor Thaler evidently doesn't go to the gym much. Go at 5:00 A.M. There's plenty of room, and you don't have to lie in bed obsessing over behavioral economics.
3
Advice that only works if not too many people take it.
19
Years ago I had a colleague who pooh-poohed everyone's complaints about the difficulty of finding parking at work. "I come in at 7 am every day and always find a spot," said this superior thinker. "If everyone did that, no-one would have a problem with parking!" Heh.
7
I think the point is that if *some* of the crowd changes their time from the evening to early morning, everyone can get a good workout without experiencing crowding.
3
I love that people don't go to the gym. Makes it less crowded at the times I like to go. You have to totally make it a part of your life, or it doesn't work. Almost like, "I will die if I don't go to the gym, my body will fall apart, my back will break down, all my systems will fail." That's what gets me to the gym four times a week (even with a bad back, that stays well because of the gym).
32
I agree with convincing yourself that exercise is essential to maintaining your health and functional capacity. I've invested in a bike with a trainer so despite it being less than 20 degrees here in Michigan I can still get in exercise
4
I tell myself I can exercise regularly or live in constant pain. It works and past fifty it's true.
These people all have jobs and care about money. You need to work on reaching the younger group of millennials in your readership.
6
"No gain without pain" is a meme of delayed gratification, which does not work well. Instant gratification, seemingly the problem behind destructive behaviors, is pathologized as a methodology to success. Except it is not. Nearly every skill is built through instant gratification. The jazz musician loves to do, in the moment, the scales that make music. Doing them is not a chore, but a reward in and of itself. "We be jamming" This realization, that high functioning is a product of instant gratification, should generalize across disciplines. Of course it can be abused. But if you stick to it, and continually want and ask for instant gratification, then the negative results of misusing it, will lead you to better choices, than the ones that don't work. Sacrificing to succeed just does not work as well.
3
Sounds great, but how?
1
This is timely article for me, because this weekend I am celebrating 2 years of working out at the gym every day.
I had been going 4 or 5 times a week, when a friend and fellow member suggested I just go ahead and work out every day.
Since I started regular workouts, my health has improved significantly. I used to get a really bad cold couple of months, which would lay me up for a week. Obviously, if this happened to me now, I couldn't maintain my streak, but these colds have mysteriously vanished. My digestion has also improved, and I sleep much better.
I was doing 75 minute workouts when I was working, but since I retired I have increased it to 100.
There are several others at my gym who work out every day. The real secret: you have to like working out. But at least you don't have to think about it; you just go automatically every day.
I had been going 4 or 5 times a week, when a friend and fellow member suggested I just go ahead and work out every day.
Since I started regular workouts, my health has improved significantly. I used to get a really bad cold couple of months, which would lay me up for a week. Obviously, if this happened to me now, I couldn't maintain my streak, but these colds have mysteriously vanished. My digestion has also improved, and I sleep much better.
I was doing 75 minute workouts when I was working, but since I retired I have increased it to 100.
There are several others at my gym who work out every day. The real secret: you have to like working out. But at least you don't have to think about it; you just go automatically every day.
38
Agree: just going every single day just makes everything simpler on so many levels. I don't work out hard every day and try to mix it up -- swimming in the summer, yoga, weights, the elliptical for cardio in the colder weather. I shower at the gym, which saves time as well as hot water and laundering towels. If I were a disciplined person I would be able to successfully manage going to the gym several times a week. I would be able to navigate the days on and days off without anxiety. But as I am not disciplined, I need the support of unwavering daily habit.
7
You do that when you become a Gym Rat and enjoy every minute of it. However, it takes couple of years to get to that "summit" in your life as a sensible person who cares about oneself.
3
Congratulations on your retirement. For those of us who still work for a living, it may not be so easy while working 11 hour days. I hired a personal trainer every weekend who has taught me exercises to do at home as well as how to best workout while at the gym. I am motivated to show progress each time we meet and I certainly am not going to miss an expensive session I have paid for in advance. This keeps me working out even if all of it is not in the gym.
2