Thursday, February 3, 2011

Gym Help! Must Make a Decision, Book Club Fun

Thanks, friends! I really appreciate your feedback on the exercise plan and LOVED your Inidan food feedback. I know, the curry smell isn't for everyone, but it seems like most of us are fans - yay! I googled some of the dishes you listed as favorites - I hope to try cooking them! Although I can't cook with eggplant. I don't know why. It freaks me out. I tried twice and had to toss the eggplant both times!

So one theme that rang through in your feedback was mixing up the cardio. I'd really like to mix it up with classes. This is where I need your help!
  • I love LA Fitness, used to go there, it's not as convenient now but I REALLY miss the busy atmosphere and the classes. I can rejoin for $30/month - but it's just not very close to my house (20 minutes round trip).
  • I go to a gym by my house, it's very convenient (8 minutes round trip). No classes though and the atmosphere is not motivating. It's also kind of hot. $15/month.
  • I can go to my office gyms - but I want a gym that I can go to on Thursdays (when I work from home) and on the weekends. And the office gyms don't offer a lot of classes (like two after hours).
  • The Kicker: The gym in my new building opens in June. They will offer classes (don't know which ones yet, if they'll be good, etc.)
What do you think? Should I:

A. Stay where I am. Wait and see how my new work gym is. If it sucks join back at L.A. Fitness.
B. Stay where I am. It's not worth the extra travel and extra money just for classes and a better atmosphere. Just do workout videos at home.
C. Go ahead and leave the $15/month gym for the $30/month LA Fitness. Deal with the longer distance to get classes and a better atmosphere. If the gym at my office is nice, quit L.A. Fitness (it will take up to 3 months to quit - assuming I don't get stuck in a year contract).
D. Other - perhaps i'm missing some fabulous solution all of you see!

Any advice you provide would be sweet! I need to figure something out! Moving on!! Yesterday was a pretty busy day at work. I worked through lunch too - mucho unfortunate. After work I headed straight home to prepare for book club! I had 8 great girls over and tonight 8/9 had read the book - nice!! Everyone overall seemed to like the book, Emma Donohue's Room. I LOVED IT. Here's my review. We had a great time, I tried out an Asian-inspired menu and it seemed to go over well! I love our monthly meetings and am excited our group is growing! Here's some pics of the friends and the eats!

Group shot with timer!
So the camera fires off 6 pictures at a time - we had fun with this!
goobers
The eats
Yummy
Spicy sesame chicken
Eggrolls & edamame


Q: How do you break up your cardio? With classes, workout videos or what?

Q: Do you like edamame? I think it's super fun to eat!

22 comments:

Danielle said...

I think you should do A.

P.S. I love LA Fitness! I’ve been going there for years. Classes are the bomb!

Pictures turned out hilarious! Thanks for making that great chow.

Kacy said...

With cardio I mostly just switch between running and cross-training on the elliptical but sometimes I'll do cardio workouts on OnDemand. I go to Body Pump for weight lifting.

I like being at a gym I like and look forward to going to - even if it's not the most convenient.

The food for your book club looks great. Yum!

Stacy said...

I vote option A too.

Love those pictures and I loved that we were the only ones who knew about the six successive shots! LOL!

Thanks for hosting!

Buckhead Belle said...

I would do C... Going to a gym I like definitely keeps me motivated.

Also, I joined LA Fitness on-line for like 8 dollars a week and you can cancel anytime!

Kate @ Daffodils said...

Someone already mentioned it, but I do workouts on-demand too. We have exercise tv on demand and they have a great variety and they change every month! So its like having your own personal class. they vary from 10 minute to hour long workouts. I love it!

Your spread for book club looks AMAZING. I totally would have crashed the party if i was in atl :)

Lee said...

Is there an LA Fitness by your office? I go to mine straight from work. I like belonging to a gym. I find it motivating. Although, I am a bit jealous of all these bloggers that go to gyms with personal tvs on all the cardio equipment.

Amy B @ Second City Randomness said...

So many decisions! Do you think the new gym in the new building will be nice? If so, maybe you could find something like workout dvds to keep you entertained until June? It would save you a little $$$ for a bit, too. Oh geez... decisions!

Jenny said...

Usually for cardio I simply run on the treadmill since I have one at home. I was paying for the gym, but decided I'd rather invest in a piece of equipment for home because I hated getting up and going alllll the way to the gym.

I also do workout DVDs at home which I love. They aren't really cardio, but more strength but it gets my heart rate up so I consider it slightly cardio-ish :)

Love edamame!

Heather (Where's the Beach) said...

I love edamame - yummy. Gotta say I love that split bowl by the way. As for cardio, normally I try to split it up and do a variety of things - keeps me from burning out or getting bored. I love my DVDs and running outside. It sounds like you should go with the motivating gym in my opinion. I mean, it's motivating...that's what you need right?

Joelle (The Pancake Girl) said...

That looks so fun! i need to join (and find!) a book club around me in D.C.

As for the gym, I'd join the big gym, even if it is farther... If it has more stuff for you to do and keep you interested (esp since you're trying to do less walking.running), that seems like the best option. I usually do the bike or elliptical when I'm not in the mood to run, or I go to yoga. I also took a boot camp class at Lululemon last night which was awesome!

Tami@NutmegNotebook said...

I Love edamame!

I walk 3 miles outside. A couple times a week I try to work out with weights. Not much help with that , sorry!

Diane Fit to the Finish said...

I agree with A. I don't do a gym, but do cardio six days a week and "try" to do weights three days a week. I love those pics!

Tyler said...

I would roll with A. June really isn't that far away and it would be a waste to join a gym then your new gym have awesome classes.

When Ryan and I were living in the hotel on post, we were edemame freaks! We ate it all the time! Maybe I need some back in my life...

MaryT said...

I say join LA fitness if you plan on ACTUALLY going....when we moved, the extra 5/7 mins to the LA fitness I used to go to totally derailed my motivation ( I mean, who the hell wants to drive for an extra 7 mins at 5:30 am?!?!) I love having the treadmill bc there are NO excuses and it's super convenient. BUT if you're into classes and think you'll actually go,do it!! I'm sure the gym in your building will be kickass....

that food looks amazing!! and homemade eggrolls?!yum!

Gabriela said...

Have you checked out other gyms in your area to see if they offer classes you can pay for one at a time? I know a lot of gyms in my area do this for the more popular classes, and it would be a great way to try some places out before committing to a full-year contract!

Anonymous said...

I love edamamme. Ugh, I'm not sure what to make of your gym situation...that's a tough one!

Biz said...

I think you should do the L.A. fitness until June - if its month to month, that's not too bad and you know you will like it!

Love edamame - first had it at a sushi place :D

TMLfans.ca said...

Edamame is all kinds of awesome. I make sure to get it each time I head out for sushi! Cheers, Rick

Yelena said...

It's so hard to decide, but for me, convenience is key and I would stay at the closer location and mix it up with interval workouts, workout videos, and more music!

Your pictures are so cute- the food looks fabulous too!

Lauren Starks said...

Here's what a girl I work with did. She called every random gym near work and her home and got them to give her free passes/trials to their facilities. She then spent 6-8 weeks not confined to one gym, but using all her free passes.

Results: She found a gym that she would have never thought of trying and ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥s it like crazy.

Me: I'm loving CrossFit right now. If you're looking for something to challenge you and be different.

Anyway! You could cancel the gym you're not too fond of and spend Feb-June trying "new stuff" - then try your new gym in June/July and then make a decision. It's metro-Atlanta, there are a zillion options/

One Healthy Apple said...

It's so hard to decide, but for me, convenience is key and I would stay at the closer location and mix it up with interval workouts, workout videos, and more music!

Your pictures are so cute- the food looks fabulous too!

Tami said...

I Love edamame!

I walk 3 miles outside. A couple times a week I try to work out with weights. Not much help with that , sorry!