A sound mind in a healthy body

November 3rd, 2009

Health is not all about money

I went back to the gym this morning. It’s on the top floor of the mall across the street. I had been a regular there for some years and didn’t think it really did me any good other than keeping the guilt down. When the recession started my income dropped drastically and I cut back on as many expenses as I could, especially the regular monthly payments that are there no matter what. The gym was first to go.

Looking for business

I hit the streets looking for new clients and scoured the internet for work opportunities. Slowly things returned to normal, although at a lower level, and I decided to reinstate the gym.

The monthly payment problem

The problem with the gym is a financial one. I have no complaint about the monthly cost, but rather about the ‘contract’ that you have to sign. The contract is usually for a minimum of 24 months and payments are made through your credit card, meaning that the payments go through on the specified date every month. You wake up feeling tired and don’t go, that’s your problem. You feel like dropping out for the winter – that’s your problem. If you take a holiday or become ill, you bring a copy of the air-tickets or hotel booking or a doctor’s letter and they credit you with the missed weeks or months. Otherwise you pay.

You are locked in

I hate the “locked in” feeling of such a contract. Another place that I gave up was the art school and my painting group there. It was just plain expensive but here the deal I signed was for monthly payments via the credit card, only for the months that I attend. It was a relief to know that I could cancel at any time without paying a penalty.

Back to the gym

I was wrong about the ‘no benefits’ from going to the gym. After I stopped going there I began walking in the streets instead and I quite enjoyed the change in scenery and faces. But I am lazy by nature and soon began to find excuses not to walk. After a month or so I wasn’t walking at all. Then I found myself short of breath whenever I had to walk.

Walking lessons

A few years ago, a young man suddenly appeared in town and offered walking lessons to anyone interested. We would meet at 8 of an evening and he would lead a group of people through the streets. On the way he would stop and take a critical look at each of us as we passed him. He then came and explained how we were walking, why it was wrong and what we had to do to correct it. So with thanks to him and thanks to the gym I will soon be fit again and I’m sure that the fittest part of me will be my head.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 11:06 am and is filed under Personal / Internet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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