Motivation

When I was 16 years old, I began working as a slide attendant at our local YMCA in Superior.  I quickly upgraded to a lifeguard and continued to work there for (more or less) the following seven years of my life through high school and college.

Because I worked there, I had free access.  Awesome.  I was also a college student for much of that time, so I also had access to the campus workout facilities.  It was great!

Then I moved to Japan.  And went from having everything to nothing overnight.  Karl and I thought that we could get away with just working out using my pilates and yoga dvds, running outside and biking. 

But people.  Let’s be real.  How many of us have that kind of motivation?  The kind to make yourself go for a run (especially in the crazy summer heat!) or put on a dvd amidst the plethora of distractions in one’s own home.

Not this girl.

So finally, after a year, we were honest with ourselves and decided to shell out for the gym membership. 

If you think that joining a gym in the States is expensive-you have never lived in Japan. 

Holy. Smokes.

For a single membership it is 9,800 yen per month.  With the current exchange rate, that’s around $115.  My membership, with the family discount, is about ten or fifteen dollars fewer than Karl’s.  So total, we pay over $200 a month.

Expeeeeensive! 

But so worth it. 

It provides extra motivation to exercise.  The people there are very nice.  The facilities are incredible.  Plus it’s only a ten-minute walk from our apartment.

Gym for the win.