Right now, you could be out in the gym working on your fitness, with a witness, and put those boys and girls on rock-rock, with everyone lining down the block just to watch what you got. Yet that gym membership doesn't sound so delicious at all. Maybe it's too expensive, it's too much of a commitment or it's too much of a hassle to drive to the gym. Besides, you get all the exercise you need from lifting the remote control and opening a bag of potato chips.
A toned, chiseled, defined body is a good idea to have, but not when you have to let go of pork rinds and channel-surfing. Here are some ways to get rid of that gym membership once and for all.
How Did You Get It?
Before you get rid of a gym membership, you need to figure out how you got it in the first place:
•You got it yourself. You probably got very concerned about those love handles, thunder thighs, and the 30 pounds of extra weight you carry around. You decided to enroll in a gym membership to get yourself back into shape.
•You got it as a gift. A family member or a friend decided to give you the meaningful (yet somewhat insulting) gift of a gym membership to get rid of those extra pounds you lug around. They don't mean to insult you; instead, they're just concerned for your health and well-being.
•It's required. Some jobs, especially manual labor or jobs in the service industry, require that you keep your body fit and trim. Companies may require you to enroll in a gym membership that they pay for.
There's nothing much you can do about a gym membership if it's required. If you enrolled in a gym on your own, or if you received a gym membership as a gift, then it's much easier to get rid of it.
Why Cancel Your Gym Membership?
A gym membership is often a good thing. Good health and physical fitness is achieved through a balanced diet and exercise. However there are some cases where you need to cancel your gym membership:
•Cut down on expenses. Most gym memberships are affordable. On average, a gym membership costs $50 a month to maintain. If you have some financial problems, then you may need to cut back on some extra costs. Unless you want to cut back on your grocery and utility bills, a gym membership is one of the first to go.
•You're not using it. Chances are you want to get rid of a gym membership because it takes too much commitment to maintain. Your schedule, work, or other tasks may take up too much of your time. Even a 30-minute total body workout may be impractical for you.
•It's too expensive. You may also want to cancel your gym membership if you find that the gym doesn't give you value for money, especially if there's a more affordable gym in the neighborhood.
•You get as much exercise as you need. If you swim laps in a public pool, have an early morning jog, or lift heavy objects, then you may not need a gym membership at all. You get all the exercise you need to keep a fit and trim body, and a gym membership may not be what you need to maintain it.
Have It Canceled
The best way to get rid of a gym membership is to head on over to the gym's front office, and tell the owner or the customer service representative that you wish to cancel your membership. Tell them that while it has been great to do business with them, you won't be needing the membership after all.
Here are some things to remember you cancel a gym membership:
•The gym may charge you a cancellation fee, together with past monthly dues, before your membership is terminated.
•The gym may also require you to sign clearance forms to check to see if past equipment you have used has been returned.
•Waivers and other documents may need to be signed before you have your membership canceled.
•Ask the gym owners if they offer refunds for any past dues you may have paid before (membership premiums, deposits, advanced payments).
Wait Out the Expiration
Sometimes, canceling a gym membership may take too long, or be very inconvenient. Many gym memberships have clauses that if you keep your account inactive, they may opt to cancel your membership altogether. Sometimes a cancellation may have penalties, but most of the time the membership will quietly expire without you paying other fees.
Waiting for the expiry of the membership is good idea if you don't need the money right away, or if you received the gym membership as a gift. If the gym membership was a gift, then you need to tell the gift-giver beforehand that while you do appreciate the thought, your schedule or your finances cannot accommodate the gym membership for now.
Buy Home Exercise Equipment
You may be skeptical about home exercise equipment, but they are a good investment. You don't need to renovate your entire basement to make a full-sized gym. All you need are some essential pieces of fitness equipment:
•Free weights
•Aerobic exercise equipment (walkers, medicine balls)
•Cross training equipment (riders, stair climbers)
•Strength training equipment (weight machines)
Make no mistake about it: home exercise equipment is expensive. Some gym-quality equipment can cost up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If you want to keep a fit and toned body, then exercise equipment is just the thing for you.
As much as possible, try to stay away from “as seen on TV” home exercise equipment. It may seem like it has a lot of health benefits, but it often provide fewer benefits and cost more than what you see on ads. A better alternative is to buy an all-in-one home gym that combines all the parts of a free-weight machine, aerobic exercise, strength training, and cross training. These include home gyms, ski machines, and track machines. A home gym will cost a lot, but it will save you a lot of money if you want to maintain your gym-sculpted look.
Just because you canceled your gym membership doesn't mean that you should stop exercising. While you can't afford or maintain the membership for now, you should still take some time off to keep your body fit and trim. While you're not after the six-pack abs, rock-hard muscles, and becoming the definition of definition, fitness will always keep you looking so delicious.