Health Clubs and the Holidays Keep You Trim

Joining a health club can be a wonderful step toward proactive self care. 'Tis the time of the year, after all, for baking those favorite holiday cookies as well as sipping eggnog or two. These festive rituals can be fun and comforting but they can also pile on the poundage without a bit of exercise to counter the calories. If you don't already belong to a health club, you may want to give yourself the gift of joining one.
There are a variety of health clubs and gyms out there to fit nearly every budget and fitness goal. Some clubs are very small and cater to a certain clientele, such as burly body builders or women who would rather work out only in the company of other women. There are some fitness centers that focus on a certain discipline such as a yoga studio or spin cycling club.
There are some that encompass all of the above along with a swimming pool and racquetball courts. It's a good idea to take a tour of several that appeal to you in order to narrow down the selection. Many health clubs offer a free one-day-pass in order to allow new customers to try out their facilities.
A few things to think about when making your fitness center selection include:
Is it close to your home or office? An accessible location will make stopping in on a regular basis much easier. It's a great idea to keep a gym bag packed with workout clothes in your car's trunk in order to allow you to be prepared to stop in whenever you have time. A quick twenty minute workout several times each week will help immensely.
Is there a contract to sign? Month to month fees are always a great idea in order to allow flexibility in case you need to withdraw your membership unexpectedly.
Does it offer activities that support the three essential components to becoming fit? The three crucial requirements for a fitness regime are aerobic exercise, strength building and enhancing flexibility. Aerobic exercises are those that increase one's heart rate; strength building addresses the muscle tone; and flexibility is important, especially as we age, in order to avoid body aches and injury. Child care facilities, showers with a locker room and convenient hours of operation are also options that may be quite important to certain individuals.
You can guiltlessly enjoy holiday gatherings and eat your share of edible treats when you know that your gym bag is packed and ready for the next day's health club workout.