the gym

I don't know anybody who doesn't have money issues. Everybody does.

Everybody is saving, and penny pinching, and coupon clipping, and making ends meet the best they can and know how. I suppose there are people who are oblivious to those concepts and just live their life in a whirl wind of carefree consumerism...but I don't think any of them have friended me on facebook yet.

Yesterday I decided to cancel my gym membership. I just happen to go to one of the most expensive gyms around, but it's also the only one within a reasonable distance to where we live (unless I want to join one of the umpteen billion private lesson only gyms - in which case I would be paying the same per lesson as I currently pay per month- ridiculous). Don't get me wrong - I love, love, love my gym. It's great. It's wonderful. Kyle knows that it's important to me, and he's never asked me to cancel it - even though we'd be saving a weeks worth of grocery money by doing so. Even though I took a 2.5 month hiatus from going at all. Even though I drag my feet when I make myself go. He knows how much I want it - despite all outward appearances.

So, I just figured I'd put on my big girl pants and take one for the team.

I found my favorite sales rep and we went to her office where I explained that I couldn't afford this anymore, and that since I was already on their cheapest membership plan, I was just going to have to cancel. And then something unexpected happened - I actually started to cry. Ugh. How embarrassing. The sales lady is a very sweet girl and she teared up too, came and gave me a hug and told me we were going to find a way to make things work. She's the lady I ran to when I realized that I just did 25 situps one day - when a few weeks earlier I couldn't even do one (pregnancy is not so good for the ab muscles). She celebrated with me as if I'd just finished a marathon. She asks me periodically what my latest accomplishment has been and in generally just good at her job.

Anyway. Fast forward a little bit and she's offered to cut my dues in half if Kyle can get a letter from BC saying he's no longer employed. I said that I'll take that and give her another hug and leave.

Hopefully that will work out, and hopefully we can continue to find ways to cut back and make ends meet, even if by the thinnest of threads.

The thing that surprised me by the whole ordeal was realizing how much the gym membership meant to me. I'm within 6 lbs of my prepreg weight now, and I don't know if I can shed that by Abby's birthday or not - but with being so close, I guess giving up that membership felt like giving up on that goal.

I've tried to think about other ways to exercise - but, realistically, it's getting cold and even walks will soon be out of the picture. Living above our neighbors in this old house makes at home aerobics or much stepping/jumping a social faux pas. Wii fit could work - but am I seriously going to hula hoop and sword fight my way into smaller jeans? Doubtful.

Anyway. Point is- I'm going to try to value my membership to the gym while I've got it. Hopefully I can make the most of it.