Joining a health club can be a wonderful step towards preventive self care. ‘Tis the time of year, after all, for baking those favorite holiday cookies in addition to sipping eggnog or two. These festive rituals can be fun and comforting but they can also pile on the poundage without a little exercise to counteract the calories. If you do not already belong to a health club, you may want to give yourself the gift of joining one.
There are a variety of health clubs and gyms out there to fit almost every budget and fitness goals. Some clubs are very small and cater to specific customers, such as burly body builders or women who would rather work out only in the company of other women. There are some fitness centers that focus on a particular discipline like yoga studio or spin cycling club.
There are some that encompass all of the above plus a swimming pool and Racquetball courts. It is a good idea to take a tour of several that appeal to you to narrow down the choices. Many health clubs offer free one-day-pass in order to allow customers to test their facilities.
A few things to think about when your fitness center choices are:
Is it close to your home or office? An accessible location will make a stop in regularly much easier. It’s a great idea to keep your gym bag packed with workout clothes in the trunk of the car to allow you to be prepared to stop whenever you have time. A quick twenty minute workout a few times each week will help immensely.
Is there a contract to sign? Month to month expenses are always a great idea to allow flexibility if you need to take your membership unexpected.
Does it offer activities that support three essential to be fit? Three critical requirements for fitness regime is aerobic exercise, strength building and flexibility. Aerobic exercises are those that increase one heartbeat; Strength focuses on building muscle tone; and flexibility is important, especially as we age, in order to prevent body pain and injury. Childcare facilities, showers, locker room and convenient hours of operation are also options that can be quite important to some people.
You can guiltlessly enjoy holiday gatherings and eat your share of edible treats when you know that the gym bag packed and ready for fitness exercise the next day.