Like many people, one of by my biggest New Year’s Resolutions for 2018 involved the gym.
Although instead of joining one, or even going to one, mine was the exact opposite.
Quit it.
And after a few weeks procrastination (would it really be a real New Year’s resolution without any?) I’ve finally done it.
Hear me out.
Keeping fit and healthy is important. So important. But being a member of the gym wasn't doing anything for my fitness or my health. In fact, it was doing the exact opposite for the health of my bank account.
You see, it's not you, gym, it's me.
I'm not a gym person. By god, I wish I was. Life would be so much easier. But for at least the second time, I've made the expensive mistake of thinking I am.
Going to the gym is great in theory. There's the sense of immediate achievement you get when you sign up. But then you actually, you know, have to go. Regularly.
Since signing up to the gym almost a year to the day ago, I can count on two hands (or maybe even one) the number of times I've gone there to work out. I don't even want to think about how much money I've wasted on it. (Around three figures if my basic maths serves me - and no, I'm not in a position to throw that kind of money down the gym shower drain).
When it comes to exercise, self-motivation doesn't work for me. I need to go with someone, for someone else to hold me accountable for workouts until the habit is properly formed (and even after that, if I'm being honest.)
The gym had great facilities, friendly staff, and non-intimidating fellow gym goers. It was close to work and home. There were classes and opportunities to work out solo but nothing that really matched with my exercise style (Someone needs to physically force me into it). The gym had everything you could want in a gym but still, it didn't work out because of the fundamental problem that in the back of my mind I've always known. Me.
Listen: Yes, I can still wear my activewear. Post continues after audio.
As I said, it's not the first time this has happened. Rewind back to January three or four years ago, bright-eyed, naive, optimistic younger me signed up to the gym. It was expensive but I figured my health was worth it. Fast forward a few weeks and I was still using the facilities; just not the ones I was supposedly paying for. With my hair straightener broken, I was going in solely to do my hair. Cue awkward dodging my former exercise class teacher and trying to explain to the receptionist why I was only there for 20 minutes maximum.
So this year I made the decision to take the first step and acknowledge the problem. The gym is not for me. No more wasting time, money or excuses - it's time to, in the spirit of the New Year, quit bad habits.
That said, I don't have an immediate replacement. I haven't quite found the perfect exercise or class for me. Yet. But quitting the gym doesn't mean my health and fitness isn't my priority - far from it. It is, which is why my goal for this year is to find the right thing for me - or at least get one step closer and stop beating myself up over the ones that are not.