Feeling discouraged after going to the gym

First of all, I've been in here a couple of times but haven't posted yet.... So hello, everyone!

So I just joined a gym, which is something I've always been against for me, personally. The only reason I signed up was because I get a free membership due to where I work, and my friend and I decided to go. They offered this free session where they (basically try to get you to buy a personal trainer) tell you your bodyfat measurement, show you how to use the equipment, ect. I know I am flabby but when the dude went to do the bodyfat measurment with the pincher thing (whatever it's called) he said he couldn't do it because my skin is too tight. WTF? He said I may be retaining water due to eating a lot of salt. But I DON"T eat a lot of salt and I drink 8 glasses of water a day like you're supposed to, so what gives?

Oh, well.... I really didn't want to know anyway, right? So moving on... They want to make you pay $120 for them to figure out your ideal heart rate, what you should eat, etc. I was wondering.... is it really worth it? I know there have got to be ways to figure all that out without paying so much for an annoying guy to tell you.

GRRRRR!

I really want to get serious about being healthy and loosing bodyfat, but it seems that everything COSTS MONEY. It's very discouraging for someone who can't afford all the trappings and it should be much simpler. I am at the point where I want to give up already and I haven't even started yet!

Blah.

 

Let us see a picture of you to determine if you need to go to the gym, please.

 

Trust me... it won't hurt any

 

my advice is find a new fitnes club. $120 ? holy shit thats expensive. i got all that for $25 at my club. but of course after fisrt two sesions they would like people to pay full price for personal trainer. at freekin $50/h

a few sesions with a trainer can get you off on good start though. I do use a personal trainer, but verry sparingly.

by actually doing what my trainer is telling me to do, in 3 monhts Ive dropped bout 25 lbs. 27% to 16% fat. at he same time my lean body mass has increased about 15lbs. my blood presure is lower. my metabolism is higher. lung capasity is higherm and heart rate is slower. plus im stronger, and more flexible..... and blah blah blah....I'm starting to sound like a freeking info-mercial

 

You don't need a personal trainer, look that stuff up online...

 

Free weights are healthier and safer really, than those machines... You muscles were designed to work as a group...

 

yeah and if you want to know your body fat you can buy one of those handheld body fat calculators,i don't know how accurate they are though

 

i've never joined a fitness club...never had the money. i just did all my exercise at home it's a lot more fun and you don't have to pay anyone.

 

None of those ways are completely accurate at finding body fat. That is why I don't use or endorse them. I also don't endorse a scale. Do what you need to do to make yourself feel good on the inside and out. Build strength if you want to be stronger, build endurance if you want to run further. Being active is a healthy and natural part of life. An element that has been stripped by today’s fast food, easy, express everything society.

Joining a gym is a good idea if that is your thing. I know tons of healthy people though who hate the gym atmosphere. (that is one of the reasons that I'm planning to open my own fitness sanctuary). So if nature is your thing, then go hiking, skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, gardening, etc. If sports are your thing join a team somewhere. If you are ok with the gym, then I say go for it if it is free. Hell I paid $3000 for my lifetime membership. Of course everything you described and then some was included with my membership so I never had the pushy sales people thing going on, and I can go forever. But I sensed that maybe it just isn’t your cup o tea. Nothing wrong with that. But there isn’t any point in doing something you loathe, because eventually you will quit, besides why waste time being unhappy if you can help it!

Oh and you don't need a personal trainer the whole time unless you are going to run a marathon or something (even then you don't always need one). However it is a good idea to have a couple of sessions with one so they can show you how certain machines work and how to do exercises properly, then maybe follow up every few months to see your progress charted out for you.

You will not believe how many times people get hurt because they "google exercises". I'm not saying so because I'm a trainer, I'm saying so because it could save you from serious injury. Even if you don't get hurt, doing it with improper form isn't going to help you gain muscle or burn fat, causing you to get discouraged and most likely quit. Plus trainers know a little more than the average person who puts up a website, and they can show you in person so you don’t have to interpret what they are saying in an article. They can watch you do the exercise to make sure you grasp the concept, once you know which muscles you should feel it in, then you don’t need them so much anymore.

I mean we study this stuff for 4 years, then we have to get multiple certifications to prove how much we know it, then we have to demonstrate it, then we have to get re-certified and keep up with fitness trends in the medical journals. We aren't all a bunch of meatheads clanking weights around. Sure there are some crappy trainers out there, but if you do your homework you can find a good one. (sorry, I just get pissed sometimes when people dis trainers not knowing anything about the profession, or me as a person for that matter)

And every gym I've been in btw, has free weights, and most trainers will teach you how to use them if you ask. The reason we start people out on machines is because most beginners who haven't worked out before do not have the capability to use free weights effectively because their core muscles are too weak, therefore engaging secondary muscles at that point, would be useless and again could cause injury. As a matter of fact, they should be watching your progress and switch you to free weights after about 3 months of training. You should also have your routine changed that often as well.

Like I said, if this isn’t your thing, then that is perfectly cool. Maybe give it one more chance, or maybe you do have your mind made up. Even if you don’t like the gym or trainers that are there (all of us are different) at least keep your body moving and stay strong. You’ll be grateful you did later in life. Take care.

Jen