How do you value your fitness? Do you think of it as something of value at all or do you value it with your life? These are valid questions and questions many of us should seriously consider.

No matter which way we think about it our bodies are machines that need to be exercised consistently to remain in tip top shape and not only for the health of our bodies but also for the health of our minds. The physical benefits of exercise are many but how many of us stop to think about the mental benefits such as clarity, stress reduction and the production of ‘feel good’ hormones endorphins to name a few.

I had a conversation with someone only the other day in regard to renewing his gym membership. He said to me that he thinks of his membership as body maintenance and likened it to registering his car. It simply needs to be paid because he still needs to use his body just as he needs to use his car. He doesn’t even think twice about it. I might add that over a year ago this particular person didn’t attend the gym on a regular basis and after ‘discovering’ the gym and what it has done for his body, mind and fitness levels he can’t imagine not attending on a daily basis. I might also add that this particular person is very busy and has a family and juggles these priorities along with a twenty minute drive to get to the gym daily. Who says it can’t be done? He would testify that this is a primary part of keeping himself organised, healthy and together in everything else.

It is very interesting that many people will comment that they can’t afford a gym membership yet I have seen many of the same people buying junk food, cigarettes and alcohol. Given this, I think most can’t afford to not have a gym membership. This past week I put several people through the ‘paces’ of joining and commencing a program in the gym. The majority I might add had never set foot inside a gym before so you can imagine the fear and trepidation…seriously most people are nervous about even setting foot inside a gym which is a fair call for anything that is new, foreign or is stereotyped as a place full of grunting and testosterone…which I might add is far from the truth in the case of my gym! The general consensus is that it is not even a tad scary once you get started!

The moral to my story is that we have one body which is our vehicle for life. If you want to be healthy, fit and strong then you won’t get that way without some degree of effort. In order to change whatever is not working you must use a new approach. It is ignorant to write the gym and exercise off if you have never tried it or if you haven’t given it a good go. There is something for everyone in the gym environment and a membership is like a registration for good health and fitness. Give it a go. What have you got to lose?