How much did you exercise last year? A lot, a little or none? If it’s the latter, maybe you just don’t want to shell out on a gym membership. You’re not alone – apparently a third of us think gyms are too expensive.
When did you last go to the gym? I’ll fess up to not going since before Christmas. Actually, it was most likely before I ate my advent calendar’s first chocolate.
Outwardly I blamed an ear infection and other engagements, but on the inside I knew that I was just being a lazy sod.
Yet I’m lucky – my local leisure centre is half the price of most gyms in London. At university I used to belong to Fitness First, but would I pony up the cash now that I don’t get a student discount? Probably not.
The high cost of gyms
I’m not the only one – a survey by the World Cancer Research Fund found that a third of people think gyms and leisure centres are too expensive. When separating the age groups, 42% of 18 to 24-year-olds think they’re too costly, compared to 19% of those aged over-55.
But there are other reasons why we’re wasting away in our sedentary desk jobs. Of the 2,000 people questioned, 18% blamed this country’s weather for their lack of exercise. Now that’s almost as bad as the defence I used yesterday – “my shopping won’t fit in the gym locker”.
Time pressures caused by work and family, and a “can’t be bothered” attitude were also used as an excuse. According to a separate survey by the Stroke Association, this has left a fifth of people not taking any exercise whatsoever.
Are you put off by the price of gyms?
Still, the cost of a gym membership does make exercise feel like a luxury. And in these financially tough times, it’s the luxuries that are first to go. Of course, there’s the argument that gyms wouldn’t charge such high prices if people weren’t willing to pay them – but come on, give us a break and help us get fit!
As for me, I’ll be dragging myself to the treadmill tonight – but if you find gyms too expensive, sound off about them below and maybe take up running.
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