Pissing away $85 a month

Joining two gyms seemed like a really good idea in February. A medical professional recommended that I “sweat” three times a week before work. One gym is around the corner from my office. The other is closer to home and I intended to go there every Saturday for the best Zumba class in town.

Within two weeks, I’d hurt my foot and it’s still not 100 percent back to normal four months later. (Four months, a few rolls of athletic tape, several pairs of Superfeet, custom orthotics, and a dozen physical therapy, active release treatments and visits to the podiatrist later. If you suggest I apply ice and take ibuprofen, I will hit you.)

The medical professional recanted, saying that I tried to do too much too fast, and that I should have started with something less high impact. Uh, sorry that I didn’t think Group Centergy was going to make me sweat. Don’t get me wrong, I like Centergy, especially since it’s the only class I can do without hurting myself.

I have a yearlong $60/month contract at that gym, so I’m basically committed to Group Centergy for the duration.

What to do, though, about the other gym? I’m paying $25 a month for what was supposed to be one Zumba class a week. The drop-in rate is $10, so this is a good deal if I go at least three times a month. Except I haven’t been. I haven’t even made it once a month.

I should cancel, shouldn’t I? I’ve been holding on, clinging to the hope that my foot will get better and I’ll be able to go 3-4 times a month. I don’t want to have to pay the registration fee and renegotiate my membership all over again. Even if I only went twice a month, I’d almost rather pay $5 more for the convenience of not having to stop at the front desk and pay each time.

Then there’s the irony that I have a complete athletic facility at my home, and Rob has discovered a yoga teacher we both like, whom we’ve started seeing Monday nights.

I really have no excuse for not being 15 pounds thinner. Oh yeah, except the foot thing.