It usually happens in January.
First, you feel sluggish. Then, you feel motivated. So, you walk into a brightly lit gym, sign a contract, and hand over your credit card.
You tell yourself, “This is it. This is the year I become a fitness person.”
However, reality hits. You go three times in the first week. Next, you go once in the second week.
Eventually, by March, you haven’t been to the gym in six weeks. But, every month, you see that $40 charge hit your bank account.
Yet, you don’t cancel it. Instead, you tell yourself you might go tomorrow. This is the cycle of Gym Guilt.
The “Fantasy Self” Strikes Again
Just like buying kale you don’t eat, buying a gym membership is a purchase for your “Fantasy Self.”
You aren’t paying for access to treadmills. Basically, you are paying for the feeling of being a healthy person. As long as the membership is active, the dream is alive.
Canceling the membership feels like admitting defeat. It feels like saying, “I give up.” Therefore, we keep paying the ‘lazy tax.’ We do it to avoid feeling like a failure.
3 Ways to Stop the Guilt
If you are actually going to the gym, that is great. But if your membership card is just gathering dust in your wallet, it is time to make a change.
1. The “Show Up” Rule
The hardest part of the gym isn’t the exercise. It is the drive there.
The Fix: Lower the bar. Tell yourself you only have to go for 10 minutes. You can walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes and leave.
Once you are physically there, you will usually stay longer. But you have to trick your brain into getting in the car first. Once you are in the car, the hard part is over. The rest is easy.
2. Embrace the “Living Room” Workout
Maybe you aren’t a “Gym Person.” That is okay.
Gyms are loud, bright, and full of people. However, if you are introverted, this environment might be draining
Cancel the membership and try YouTube workouts at home. They are free, nobody is watching you, and you can wear your old pajamas. It removes the friction.
3. Be Brave and Cancel
If you haven’t gone in three months, be honest with yourself. You aren’t going to go.
Rip the band-aid off. Call them. Yes, it will be awkward for two minutes. But, your bank account will thank you. Cancel it. Take that $40 a month. Spend it on something that actually makes you healthy. For example, buy better groceries or walking shoes.
Conclusion
There is no shame in realizing the gym isn’t for you. Movement should feel good, not like a monthly punishment fee.
Go for a walk, do some stretching, and stop paying for a building you never visit.
Tell me in the comments: How long have you held onto a gym membership you weren’t using? My record is 8 months.
