Gym Membership: Is it really worth it?

I have had two short stints at this gym in my lifetime. I went to other gyms but that was also temporary.

My first experience I was there for over a year. I lost 10 lbs and found an exercise regimen that I really liked. I absolutely loved the 30 minute circuit. Yes, you guessed correctly, I went to Planet Fitness. I was there long enough to say it is a great starter gym. There are some pros and cons to consider but I will mostly speak on my own needs against what this gym had to offer. 

First the pros. It has all the machines you could ever need. It also has some free weights and weight specific machines. It also has a separate area for the 30 minute circuit. In this area you do machines alternating with floor and step exercises totaling a half an hour. There are also an army of various cardio machines hooked up to TVs. I always enjoyed my warm up and cool downs while watching some show. Another favorite was the water massage bed. I loved that because I have a bad back and it helped reduce the tension after a workout. For those that wanted they have sun tanning and an all over body exercise machine that vibrates your whole body. Those last few were not my thing. There is also one free session with a personal trainer that will do a fitness test and help you get on track to meet your goals. Most amenities here are amazing its just the staffing and inconsistency with the rules that I have an issue with.

The cons are few but important. Firstly individual gyms are franchise owned basically. So this means not all of them follow the company rules and the rules do not apply equally. My main example of this is the dress code. A pregnant lady was recently kicked out for her shirt not covering her belly entirely. For this reason I recently cancelled my membership. As a woman I wouldn't want to be treated like that. On the opposite end they say that muscle shirts are not allowed but I used to see guys wearing them all the time. Next, this brings me to my past experience and why I quit then. An employee was cleaning the locker rooms and when he was done with the men's side he proceeded to call into the women's side and ask if anyone was in there. I explained that it was me and one other person in the showers and to please wait. I was half dressed and he peeked in to the locker room. I yelled at him to get out. I immediately reported this to management but I am not sure if anything was done about him. I just know that after that I quit and did not return for a few years. I was understandably traumatized. My point with that story is that they also don't always have the staff to effectively run the place. A female associate would not have bothered me.

I have done some tours at other establishments but for some reason the other ones didn't quite meet my needs. It is also a waste of money if you are new to gyms and are not sure which one you want. At the end of the day gyms are a business and can work for some but not for others. My advise is to be cautious and follow your gut. 

Melody Out!

Mental Health and my Money War

A few years ago, while I was still in college, I was having major issues in all aspects of my life. I convinced my mom that I needed help and I needed medication. I tried that for about 2 years but I never had a therapist. The medication worked but I was always in a fog. It was not antidepressants but rather mood stabilizers. Toward the end of this treatment, Obamacare kicked in and I turned 26 all at once. I lost insurance coverage and ended up losing the medication too. It all boiled down to money. I also had a rough couple months after that. I did manage to graduate college with flying colors,

A few years later I got married and got insurance and decided to get help again. It was a disaster but this time it shook me to the core.

I found a local therapist through a friend of mine. I thought it would be great to just talk to someone. After my last round of getting help I vowed to never return to any kind of medication at all. I have no trouble talking about my problems. Even with complete strangers. I just need to work things out sometimes. 

Anyways, I only visited this office one and a half times. The first visit was part one of an assessment of my mental condition and she suggested a book on People Pleasing Syndrome (I am wiling to accept this explanation for some of my problems ). The second time I didn't get a full session. I was informed that my insurance won't cover the therapist even though they said they accept our insurance. I called my insurance and found out they were out of network. That was my first battle. 

Next I had to figure out what I owed the therapists office. I got a bill in the mail for $155(I don't remember the exact amount). I had to submit my pay stubs from the month I visited to prove I only had one paycheck that month and have them put me on a sliding scale. I ended up paying $5. But still this whole situation troubled me. What would have happened if my income was too high for the sliding scale? How would I afford treatment then? The answer is I would owe the full amount and drop out of treatment which could have ill effects on my mental state. Some how I came out ok.

Every time someone is struggling, their friends and family say, "get some help" or "go talk to someone". It is apparent that its not that simple. My husband even says he can't begin to understand what I am going through. He has never had the issues I have. His situation is irrelevant to the story. He's right and that's OK. He loves me and that is all that matters. My issues are mine to deal with and it helps that he will hug me until the pain goes away. Sometimes it comes back but I have learned some self soothing to make it easier to bare everything and to keep pressing on. I have a reason to stick around. Even though he says he doesn't need my help for much of anything, I still need to do something or I feel inadequate.

On a positive note, I was able to download a copy of the book she suggested and began studying it and figuring myself out. Yes I aim to please and it makes me feel amazing to be able to help someone. This is why my job at the grocery store is so important to my mental health. Most of my customers are so sweet and I will miss them. Staying home for two months drove me crazy. I cleaned the house for the millionth time. It made me feel very very bad. A job helps keep you sane sometimes. 

Melody out!

Writing Prompt #18

#18 If you could bring any musical group to our school for a free concert, which group would you choose? Write a letter to your principal, explaining why he or she should approve the concert. 

I love this one. My favorite band back in high school was N*SYNC. I think there was a contest to get them to come to your school to play a concert. There was also Backstreet Boys too. There was a major rivalry between the two fandoms. Anyways, here is my letter to the principal(if I were still in high school):

Dear Mr. Principal(I don't honestly remember their name),

You should approve an N*SYNC concert because the majority of the student body are huge fans.

If anything, all the tests and homework has us really stressed out and we could use a fun activity at the next pep rally.

Sincerely,

Kat

Writing Prompt #17

#17 How do you feel about computers? Why do you feel that way?

I love computers. I practically grew up with them.

Computers are a huge tool to help you get a lot done in today's world. College can even be done completely online. Internet began in the late 1980s. It wasn't that long ago that computers filled a room. Fast forward to the early 2000s when I got my first laptop. As a matter of fact, the laptop I use for blogging is that same laptop. It is slightly slower than most computers today. It has an Intel Core Duo processor. My new laptop is a gaming rig with an Intel i7. That is a huge jump in processing speed in just a decade.

While computers are excellent tools, not everyone has one or knows how to use one. Computer class is mandatory in college as all essays are typed and sometimes turned in digitally. Back when I was in 8th grade, which is the age group these prompts are for, I didn't have a laptop but I did have a desktop at home. I remember the computers we had in High School. They were a box with a monitor on top. Good for basic searches and word processing.

Computers also allowed for the advent of social connections via something called social media. My first social media was MySpace. I remember learning HTML programming language to customize my page. After that I got Facebook when I was in College. Staying connected was hard at the time. I lost contact with many of my friends. This includes my husband. We later reconnected. turns out he doesn't like social media.

I just went on a huge tangent but you get the point. I think computers are pretty great.  

Writing Prompt #16

#16 How could you modify a school bus to make the ride to school a more enjoyable experience?

I am not in school anymore but my hubby is in the room with me and shouted Tacos! I think I'll go with that idea.

My younger self would have been cool with that except that food on a bus is never a good idea. The bus driver never allowed us to have food on the bus. Candy was already a risk.

Anyways lets say safety is not a factor. I would have had a breakfast bar. So many kids, even in my relatively affluent county, had difficulty with breakfast. Some would have the discounted breakfast at school before the day started. Why not allow that on the bus on the way there. It would certainly save time. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

I have a feeling 2020 will be an amazing year. It started out interesting but most years do. This is also the beginning of the next decade. 

I would love to take you through the major milestones in my life that happened in the last decade.

2000- My first move. Started at a new school.

2001- A terrorist attack that changed the country.

2003- Graduated Middle school

2004- First date ever

2007- Graduated high school

2014- Graduated College with Magna Cum Laude honors.(Took me a while to get this one done)

2016- First major car accident

2018- Got Married

2019- Moved across the country to join my husband.

I don't care what anyone says. I accomplished a lot in just 10 years. 

I hope this next decade involves many new adventures. I hope for children and I already know we will be moving at least 3 more times. 

See you in the next post.

Melody