NatNews

More than 64 million individuals in the U.S. (roughly 19 percent of the nation’s population) have gym memberships, with the majority of gym-goers choosing to work out in the early morning hours before work or in the post-work evening time frame. People join gyms for different reasons, whether they want to remain or get more in shape, need or want more socialization, don’t have access to workout equipment, need accountability, are interested in personal training or workout classes, or a number of others.

Dallas resident and White Rock Running Co-op leader Julie Lanaux hadn’t originally planned on becoming a member of a gym, but it’s turned into an important part of her workout routine.

“Initially, I joined because my husband needed a gym buddy,” she said. “I had no real interest in joining but wanted to support him. I’ve become an addict.”

And the dedication Lanaux has put in has benefited her in multiple ways, including the variety she gets by incorporating cross-training and the change she has noticed in her physique.

“Prior to becoming a gym rat, I had the typical endurance runner build—lean but no visible muscle,” she said. “The gym has allowed me to do a total body recomp, giving me a lot more self-confidence.”

For Dallas-area resident Kyle Burnett, being part of a gym is a nice addition to the many miles he runs and allows him to interact with like-minded individuals before long days of work and making sure he forever holds the title of Instagram Meme King.

“I primarily go for the equipment availability and the camaraderie,” he said.

A standard gym isn’t for everyone, though. Dallas-area resident Morgan Fritz said she used to be a member of Lifetime but recently ended her membership because she wasn’t using it. She mainly used the cardio section or attended yoga classes for the few years she was a member but didn’t do so on a consistent basis.

“I was always very intimidated by the weights and machines section, so I always felt like if I ever went on my own accord, I would miss out on a key component of exercising,” she said.

Fritz has, however, found an alternative to gyms intended for patrons to complete their own workouts without any guidance or specific instructions.

“Working out felt like somewhat of a chore until I found Session Pilates and then started going there,” she said. “That’s when I pretty much stopped going to Lifetime completely and realized that exercise can be super enjoyable when you find something you like doing.”

And some people enjoy taking part in exercise that doesn’t require gyms or much equipment. Dallas resident Erasmo Estrada said he doesn’t belong to a gym because he is mostly only running outside right now and wouldn’t use it. He has access to a small basic gym at work but mostly only uses it when he opts to run on a treadmill at lunch if it’s too hot outside. 

“I have been bad in the past about getting a membership to somewhere I stop going and pay for nothing,” he said. “The business model of big gyms is often to make money off people like me and make it difficult to leave. ‘Oh, you’re leaving? Is it because you’re human garbage? Well, you can’t do this online. You need to come in person to our corporate headquarters in remote Alaska and bring your lawyer, and it says here you promised us your mother’s house.' Unfortunately, I find the gym boring and struggle to stick with it but can stick with running. And sorry, Mom, but I think LA Fitness owns your house.”

Estrada is not alone in not using a gym membership for which he pays. In fact, nearly 67 percent of gym memberships go unused. That’s not the case for Lanaux, though. She said she’s at the gym six days a week most weeks, usually for about an hour at a time, so she’s getting her money’s worth.

“I’m very much a no-frills gym kind of person,” she said. “I don’t need a pool, sports courts, group classes, etc. Weights and machines—and a treadmill on rare occasions when the weather is disgusting—is all I’m looking for. I changed gyms less than a year ago to Gold’s Gym, and it is exactly what I’m looking for—it’s a body-builder’s gym, not a gym offering all the extras, like tanning beds. For how many hours I spend there a month, the $30 I pay is well worth it.”

The amount an individual is willing or able to pay to be part of a gym is, of course, contingent upon that person’s financial situation and/or standpoint on how money should be spent. In Burnett’s opinion, not all gyms are worth the monthly fees.

“I suppose it depends on the gym,” he said. “I feel some are way overpriced, and you’re paying for the name.”

Although the average cost of a gym membership is $58 per month, some gyms can certainly cost a pretty penny, while others are on the more affordable side for many individuals. Equinox on Oak Lawn starts at $235 per month, while the Plano location starts at $210; Lifetime’s Dallas location currently has a waitlist for membership, but the main option is $229 per month (other Lifetime clubs throughout the metroplex range from $129 to $219); Cowboys Fit has multiple locations with membership prices ranging from roughly $21 to almost $200 per month; and Texas Family Fitness has a variety of locations with membership costs anywhere from about $15 to approximately $40 per month.

Though Estrada is currently not a member of a gym, he said whether or not a gym is worth the monthly expense is related to not only if a person can afford it but also if he or she will actually go to the gym often enough to justify paying the money.

“If you’re like me and completely stop using something you’re paying for, then it becomes not worth it,” he said. “Investing in health should be a priority, and preventable healthcare bills could dwarf gym expenses, so find something you like and can stick with. Running a ton, buying new shoes, and paying for races is kind of like a gym expense, even if it’s different from a gym membership.”

Fritz also believes that gym memberships can be wise investments if people are taking advantage of the benefits they have available.

“My parents utilize a ton at Lifetime, so it seems to work really well for them,” she said. “I think if you are going to utilize what it has to offer, and you enjoy that kind of exercise, gyms can be great.”

And though Fritz is currently a member of Session and not a more traditional gym, she said she definitely hasn’t written off being part of one again sometime in the future.

“Now that I go to Pilates all the time, I don’t really have the opportunity to just hop on a treadmill like I could when I was a member,” she said. “If I ever feel like I want the freedom that comes with working out at a gym (e.g., you can go whenever, do whatever, etc.), I could see myself joining a gym again.”

Similarly, Estrada said if he scales back his running and frees up some time, particularly after the BMW Dallas Marathon in December, he might consider giving a gym membership another try.

“I have to make sure I make it convenient to go and find a routine I can stick with,” he said. “Routine plan: 5 minutes of wandering around the gym, one set on 10 different machines, 5 minutes on my phone on the only open bench, two bathroom breaks, one pizza ordered, and 3 minutes of staring at myself in the mirror.”

With more than 246,500 vehicles, the United States Postal Service has one of the largest civilian fleets in the world.

After the pandemic in 2020, many companies adopted policies for remote work, and some have even kept those policies or incorporated hybrid models that allow employees to work remotely a certain amount of days and be in the office on the other days. According to the most recent Pew Research results, approximately 35 percent of all employed adults in the U.S. who have the ability to work remotely work from home all of the time, while 41 percent of those with jobs that can be done remotely work in hybrid setups.

Working from home versus working in an office setting can be vastly different, and some individuals are more productive in one environment than the other. Dallas-area resident Ivan Alonzo, who works fully remotely, said being at home can prove to be difficult at times, depending on the project or task, though his role allows him the freedom to dynamically plan his day.

“This means that I can work (focus) as needed, given the task, on any given day,” he said. “There are, of course, times when I am required to be hyper-focused on completing tasks, due to deadlines and hitting milestone dates. But I do the same as those in an office setting—I step away from my desk to take a break and stretch my legs. That can look like going for a run or bike ride, sometimes twice a day.”

For Dallas resident Kirsten Kraske, who works in a hybrid role, when she works from home, it’s helpful to try to keep her routine similar to that of when she is in the office.

“I start the day planning all of the tasks that I absolutely need to get done for the day and start to tick those off,” she said. “At lunch, I’ll usually go take a walk to get a break from the computer, and I try to keep my phone away from me to avoid distractions.”

And potential distractions are actually minimized in the office for Kraske.

“Yes, there are people to talk to, but I find that many of my conversations at work revolve around a project we’re working on,” she said. “Headphones play a big factor in limiting distractions, as well.”

Some individuals also enjoy being in the office at least some days so that they can interact with others more often. Alonzo, however, has found that working remotely in a full-time capacity is more conducive with his style and personality.

“I am what you call an introverted extrovert,” he said. “I like routine and going at my own pace and plan. I am able to take advantage of the freedom my role allows because I am able to focus as needed and get my work done. In doing so, it allows me to take breaks as often and as long as I like, which is something I do not think you can do in an office setting with coworkers and management around.”

Alonzo is, however, able to interact with others on occasion, which he said offers a nice change of pace.

“I travel for work and get to spend time with others I only see via Zoom,” he said. “It is nice to interact with them in person and build camaraderie that is otherwise impossible to do over Messenger or Zoom. But after a few days, I’m ready to be back home in my normal routine.”

Plus, Alonzo said he is still able to get plenty of human interaction because of his ability to remain in a remote role, and he takes advantage of the opportunities afforded to him in this regard.

“This might mean having lunch with the littles at their school, stepping out to a coffee shop for the afternoon, meeting friends for an extended lunch or a run or bike ride,” he said. “Stepping out to run errands also helps, but the former is why I appreciate the opportunity to work from home.”

Kraske said she appreciates the flexibility the hybrid model allows, but when it comes to making sure that she gets all of her work completed, she prefers working in the office.

“I like the social part of going into the office and the fact that there’s nothing else to do at work other than work,” she said. “I think the main reason I prefer working in the office is because everyone else around me is also working, and it’s somewhat motivational.”

Not every profession has the option to work remotely, though. Dallas-area resident Megan England is a high school teacher and said she is glad to be on a campus. Like many teachers who experienced difficulties during the end of the 2019–2020 school year, she knows how valuable being in an in-person setting is.

“I will never virtually teach again,” she said. “It takes away the best part of my job—being with the kids.”

Teachers are required to wear many hats and complete seemingly endless tasks, in addition to the actual educating the students part. England said she has found various tactics to ensure that she stays focused and is able to accomplish all that is required and expected of her while also ensuring that she helps her students succeed and be prepared for life both inside and outside of the classroom.

“I definitely have learned that I can’t want it more than my students,” she said. “I have to meet them where they are and take them from there. I also utilize a desk calendar that I use as a planner to help me stay organized. From that, I make weekly and daily to-do lists.”

And England certainly also faces potential distractions on a regular basis, though she said she might be the cause of some of them.

“I am 100 percent the distracting coworker,” she said. “I’m sure I annoy everyone in the mornings.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

NatNews: CSI—the entire staff (all two of us) investigated a crime scene and took part in a low-speed chase recently

Monday, September 2: Texas Pool Closing Day 2024
Tuesday, September 3: Rangers vs. Yankees at Globe Life Field; Levy Job Fair at the American Airlines Center; Dallas Wings vs. Washington Mystics at College Park Center
Thursday, September 5: Katy 5K at Reverchon Park
Friday, September 6: Neon-Themed Silent Disco at Klyde Warren Park; Twenty-One Pilots at the American Airlines Center (also on Saturday)
Saturday, September 7: WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; Dallas Moon Festival at Flagpole Hill; Jurassic Night Out at the Heard Museum