top of page
Writer's pictureChinwe Njoku

The real gym cost

Recently (okay, not so recently as I have not written in weeks! Oops! Months! LORD have mercy! Sorry folks . . Here’s my make-up post:). (Not so) Recently, I shared that I’d joined my local gym which is not something I’ll usually do because I don’t like subscriptions like mobile contracts where I’m tied in for a while and can’t leave and come back when I like.

But, I’ve been enjoying my gym life and going regularly, not because I always feel like being wet with sweat but because they have my money! I need to maximise that!


My gym membership costs £11.99/month so approximately £144 for a year. Of course, I bought it during a promotional period. However, what I’ve realised so far is that that’s not the only cost I’m paying to keep this temple of GOD healthier.

I’m back at work so I can only go in the evenings and Saturday mornings. On a straight line, it’s gym -> home -> work. This means I have 2 extra miles to travel when I go gym. That’s extra fuel. My car does about 40 miles per gallon ~= 9 miles per litre, let’s just say 10 miles per litre to make the maths more friendly. So if I go 5 times a week, I’ve effectively spent an extra litre of fuel which is about £1.16 where I live. Over a month, that’s £4.64 or £55.68 for a year. That’s already over a third extra of the gym membership cost added!

Who send me message?!

You may say I should just walk or jog to the gym but if I was willing to do that, I would not join the gym! It’s my unwillingness to be sweaty in the cold and pounding the hard pavement and watching out for cars, dogs and dog poos, that led me to joining the gym.

But that’s not all folks! I tend to go 3 times from Monday to Friday. Which means I have to shower when I get back. I don’t know the wattage of my shower heater or how many litres of H2O I use, but this I know – I spend about 5-7 minutes in the shower. I don’t have the energy for the detailed calculation to get how much extra this is adding to my electric and water bills.

Again, that’s not all! I have 3 sets of workout clothing (that I also bought with money!) I’ve refused to buy any workout tops and just use old t-shirts (suits me fine, thank you!). Which means 3-4 gym visits a week require me to wash more regularly. That’s extra money added to them bills.

But GOD is good, eh! I’m definitely fitter as my workout pants have to be pulled back up several times during the workout as sagging them is not kosher!

Now to my time in the gym. I almost only go to the classes. All those equipment look too complex and this woman can’t be asked! Body pump = weight-lifting; body combat = air boxing + martial arts; Spinning = stationary cycling to nice landscapes videos; LBT = legs/bums/tums workout, are my main classes.

My best is body combat cos I sweat literally everywhere – head to toe and all the corners in-between. My brother laughs at me that I’m getting violent. All I do when I don’t feel like I’m punching hard is to think of the devil and summon him for a beat-up and my punches get meaner! #justsaying

I tried Zumba once but I couldn’t wrap my head around all those leg movements and hip sways, so I didn’t go again + I didn’t sweat. Yes, I know I’m trying to save water and electricity from bathing but I feel I need to sweat to convince myself I’ve done some good work.

To your increased awareness of all that’s around you, . . .

0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Commentaires


bottom of page