Survival of the Fittest Cities (#Infographic)

Gosh, I just love infographics. Not only are they (typically) visually stunning bouts of info, I think they truly help me process said info more than a flat page of black and white. Infographics are engaging...they're like online picture books for adults. What's not to love?

My subscription to Daily Infographic recently delivered the following into my Google Reader:

If you're not familiar with it (I wasn't), Mint is a financial website that "pulls all your financial accounts into one place." It's like the Google Reader of banking, but that's neither here nor there, really. All you need to know is that they gathered user data to determine where people (as in, Mint users) are spending the most on the gym. Not the most comprehensive study, I'll admit, but it's interesting nonetheless to see where costs lie across the country.

I think one of the main aversions to spending time at a gym is that cost factor. And then once you're a member, there can be a chunk of additional fees. Think personal training, special classes, massages, court times...all of which you can choose to NOT pay for, but once you're in there, these things become hard to resist. And hard to afford. But still, you have to think big-picture: If, for example, one were laden with health issues, how much would one pay for health care to combat said health issues? And how do those fees compare to a monthly gym fee? And would paying that monthly gym fee and actually using said gym combat those same health issues in any way? If so, you might be saving yourself some money in the long run.

No health issues? Good! Then a gym membership would truly be an investment worth making! Of course, I completely understand that certain households just can't afford it. And that's perfectly fine! But it isn't your get-out-of-jail-free card. You still have to work out.

Just sayin'.

The infographic above also addresses the growth and decline in the number of gym-goers throughout the year. People who sign up in January and completely stop going in February. Mint users seemed to keep things pretty steady, but I can speak from experience—people come, and then they don't. (I'm pretty sure I picked a really bad time to go on maternity leave, by the way...it's alright, though. I think they understand that if I could be there, I would.) ((If anyone from the gym is reading this, I miss you!))

So, quite simply—stick with it. Stick with your membership. Use it.

You.
Can.
Do.
It.

Nike says.

And we all love Nike, right?

So anyways, take the above for what it's worth: A simple reminder that investing in a gym membership is worth it despite the sticker shock. And remember, there's more than one gym in your area (I bet), so do some research. Some might be cheaper than others. And at this time of year, I bet they're all running some specials, too! Why? Because they want you!

Happy Sunday!

Question: Do you have a gym membership? Do you get your money's worth? If you don't have a gym membership, is it because of the fees? How do you stay fit? Home gym?