...just workin' on my fitness. Because I'm Fergalicious. Obviously. But after almost three weeks away from my normal eating and exercise routine, I better as hell be up in the gym, because there is nothing vicious about the body after a mojito, gyro, souvlaki, and tiropita filled vacation.
I've said it once before, and I'll probably be saying it until the day I die - I hate gyms. The funky smelling recycled towels, awkwardness of panting and pouring sweat three feet away from a complete stranger, and enough eye contact with Sexay Biceps to make you wish you actually put make up on before working out...it's just too stressful for an activity that's suppose to reduce stress. But aside from the 'cons' that kept my running on the streets and boardwalks, shopping around for gyms may lead you to find some great incentives to join at a fairly decent price. Those incentives, along with my desperation to be rid of the new found handles that are no where near being loved, are exactly what lead to my latest plastic purchase.
For me, nothing will ever beat the feeling of running outside. It's more than a physical release...it's time for me to vent mentally as well. Unfortunately, any type of outdoor activity has its' limitations, and with classes soon being added into my schedule, those limitations lead me back down the escalators at the mall and through the doors of XSport Fitness. Their 24 hour availability was the first thing to draw me in - nothing pisses me off more than being dressed and ready to go, only to discover by the locked doors that the gym is not ready for me.
Another incentive XSport offers is an impressive, fee-included selection of group fitness classes. When thinking about switching up your work out routine, or if you're nursing any type of injury or soreness, a fitness class is always something to consider. I love to do pilates and yoga, and used to attend classes frequently, so the thought of it being a regular part of my routine again only pulled me further into a gym membership.
The last consideration to determine my decision, the factor that always represents any 'final say' for me, was the price tag. This is where XSport may not have won out in the end if it weren't for my careless spending habits after I first moved to New York. I was actually a member for the first few months that I lived here, but thanks to the $165.00 one-time-only membership fee, and $49.00 monthly price tag, my shopping habits couldn't support the cost, and I gave up my membership as soon as the sidewalks began to peek through the snow. It was a lot of money then, but the membership fee has proven to be a good investment for me, with the first and last months' payments being all I needed to sign up. Not only that, but my student ID knocked me down to only $35.00 a month - the same rate as most fitness centers in the area, making my choice of gym pretty mindless. And no, I have not actually found my student ID card, but I brought along enough paraphernalia to be worth half of Adelphi's bookstore, and combined with my Midwestern charm and on-cue smiles, there was no way Guido Juice-head trainer could say 'no'.
**Just a side note - it may just seem like an incredibly unflattering photo of you, representing where your money will be going for the next 65 years, but a student ID comes in quite handy with reduced rates. I have yet to find mine (I'm still convinced I will), but it would have saved me a few Euros at museums and historical sights visited in Greece. Restaurants, tourist attractions, fitness centers, even merchandise such as Apple computers, offer student discounts. All you need to do is flash that unfortunate photo, and smile pretty to prove you look better in person.
A final motivational thought for joining a gym - actually having to pay for a membership is incentive to get your ass to the gym and get your money's worth. A monthly bill alone won't pay for that vicious, Fergalicious body. You gotta be up in the gym, so every time you turn around brothas gather round, lookin' at you up and down, 'cause you delicious. D to the E to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S.
I've said it once before, and I'll probably be saying it until the day I die - I hate gyms. The funky smelling recycled towels, awkwardness of panting and pouring sweat three feet away from a complete stranger, and enough eye contact with Sexay Biceps to make you wish you actually put make up on before working out...it's just too stressful for an activity that's suppose to reduce stress. But aside from the 'cons' that kept my running on the streets and boardwalks, shopping around for gyms may lead you to find some great incentives to join at a fairly decent price. Those incentives, along with my desperation to be rid of the new found handles that are no where near being loved, are exactly what lead to my latest plastic purchase.
For me, nothing will ever beat the feeling of running outside. It's more than a physical release...it's time for me to vent mentally as well. Unfortunately, any type of outdoor activity has its' limitations, and with classes soon being added into my schedule, those limitations lead me back down the escalators at the mall and through the doors of XSport Fitness. Their 24 hour availability was the first thing to draw me in - nothing pisses me off more than being dressed and ready to go, only to discover by the locked doors that the gym is not ready for me.
Another incentive XSport offers is an impressive, fee-included selection of group fitness classes. When thinking about switching up your work out routine, or if you're nursing any type of injury or soreness, a fitness class is always something to consider. I love to do pilates and yoga, and used to attend classes frequently, so the thought of it being a regular part of my routine again only pulled me further into a gym membership.
The last consideration to determine my decision, the factor that always represents any 'final say' for me, was the price tag. This is where XSport may not have won out in the end if it weren't for my careless spending habits after I first moved to New York. I was actually a member for the first few months that I lived here, but thanks to the $165.00 one-time-only membership fee, and $49.00 monthly price tag, my shopping habits couldn't support the cost, and I gave up my membership as soon as the sidewalks began to peek through the snow. It was a lot of money then, but the membership fee has proven to be a good investment for me, with the first and last months' payments being all I needed to sign up. Not only that, but my student ID knocked me down to only $35.00 a month - the same rate as most fitness centers in the area, making my choice of gym pretty mindless. And no, I have not actually found my student ID card, but I brought along enough paraphernalia to be worth half of Adelphi's bookstore, and combined with my Midwestern charm and on-cue smiles, there was no way Guido Juice-head trainer could say 'no'.
**Just a side note - it may just seem like an incredibly unflattering photo of you, representing where your money will be going for the next 65 years, but a student ID comes in quite handy with reduced rates. I have yet to find mine (I'm still convinced I will), but it would have saved me a few Euros at museums and historical sights visited in Greece. Restaurants, tourist attractions, fitness centers, even merchandise such as Apple computers, offer student discounts. All you need to do is flash that unfortunate photo, and smile pretty to prove you look better in person.
A final motivational thought for joining a gym - actually having to pay for a membership is incentive to get your ass to the gym and get your money's worth. A monthly bill alone won't pay for that vicious, Fergalicious body. You gotta be up in the gym, so every time you turn around brothas gather round, lookin' at you up and down, 'cause you delicious. D to the E to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S.
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