Curves or "normal gym" ??

Missymiss22

Hi, Well basically Im a 28 yr old girl who is 5 stone overweight.:eek:
This is all due to being on medication over the last two years, so now my metabolism is shot to bits too. But Im off the meds now and really want to get this weight off as quick as I can.
I want to join a gym to help with the weight loss and to tone up as I lose aswell. I have been to Curves before and found it good but this was when I was at a normal weight. So basically my query is.........does Curves work as a weight loss aid or is a "normal" gym better for dropping the lbs?
I like the women only thing to Curves as I dont have to stress out about how Im looking beside the 6ft blonde model lol , but Im worried that its just not tough enough to really fight the flab......

Please help, any advice would be appreciated
thanks

Hanley

Which are you more likely to go to consistently for several months?

Which one will provide better nutritional support and guidance? (this is key)

This is based off cost of both not being an issue.

You're better going somewhere and working at 85-90% of your capabilities for 3 months and working hard on your diet than going to the gym for 1 months, going hell for leather, seeing no results and being discouraged and quitting.

Rowrow

Hi,

I'm the same, I'm trying to decide between a normal gym, curves or figure 8. I'm trying to find out the costs associated with each gym but every time I ask I'm told to come down and have a look around. I don't understand why they can't just tell me the costs associated with going to their gym.

Does anyone know the costs for membership for curves or figure8?

Thanks in advance!!

RacoonQueen

Curves is 99 to join and 39 per month. First payment is joining fee + first month = 138 then you pay 39 per month thereafter. That's what it was 4 years ago anyway.

EileenG

Real gym. If you get a special offer on Curves so that you can join for a month, it might be worth doing. After a month, you'll be bored witless. Even if you are really consistant with Curves, you won't see constant results, because you can't alter the machines to reflect your increasing fitness.

On a technical note, they boast that their machines work two muscle groups at once, since you have to pull up and push down, so you get the full workout in half the time. But you are missing the negative phase of each exercise where much of the progress is made.

Plus, Curves has very little in the way of facilties. A small basic gym with weird machines, their cardio is a wooden platform you jump about on, and that's it. No free wieghts, no showers, no sauna, no pool, no proper classes. For the same money, you could join a really nice gym with trained staff and some nice eye candy. Sorry, I meant really ripped bodybuilders.

Dathai

Was going by the one in Phibsboro today and they've a sign up saying "Permanent results without permanent dieting".

I think Eileen summed them up very well there.

The Davestator

Totally agree with eileeng. Go to proper gym which offer classes too. Good luck

highfive

Hi, i saw this post and i just want to get something off my chest to you girls out there who want to maintain a nice figure! You did say any help would be appreciated!!

Just join a normal gym and do a hard 1 hour workout 3 times a week. Make sure you get to the level that you're body is weak at the end of the hour, I'm sorry but spending half the day on a cross trainer is a bad use of time, you really need to lift some weights and feel like youre body is pumped! Not so heavy that you look like madonna but a bit of muscle all over is great as it looks toned and simply having a bit of muscle will burn off more fat.

The thing you said about your metabolism is important. 1. Increased fitness increases metabolism. 2. Increased muscle increases metabolism. 3 increases eating increases metabolism!! Eat 5 or 6 small meals a day at equal intervals. Have a bigger dinner but leave room for a snack before bed. Stay away from White bread and all that processed stuff!! A bar of chocolate is probably good for you if its in the place of a massive white baguette.
I'm pretty sure curves and educogym do the whole lifting weights thing to beat the fat. I know some people of the fairer sex who are literally traumatised anytime they start to feel a bit of muscle burn and I myself was a bit of a coward when I first started lifting weights. But I'm telling you there is nothing like the feeling of lifting more than the last time, physically and emotionally, it's a real buzz if you get into it!!

My advice is just knuckle down and attack the gym for 1 hour 3 times a week, starting with 15-20min cardio, then 3 sets of 6 of weights for all different parts of your body and then stretch out for 10 mins at the end to warm down/relax. You won't have to lift anything too heavy starting off as you'll be feeling the burn before the hour is up but build it up each week.

Also, their doing supplements now specifically for women in the supplement shops which might help with you're eating patterns. Personally I really enjoy my 2-3 protein milkshakes a day!

Check out this forum for lots of good info and you be away in a hack in no time!!

Good luck,
H

tinyk68

The problem with Curves is it's "one size fits all" approach. I went for six months and while I enjoyed it I found that it aggravated a back problem that I have. I knew which machine was causing me problems and when I asked if I could skip it I was told I had to do the complete circuit. I had to give it up because of this. Now I walk four miles a day and do a circuit training class in a swimming pool. It means I can lift weights without putting pressure on my back which is great. Something like this might be a good idea for someone who's overweight too as the water is brilliant for supporting the body. You have to find what suits your needs and you have to enjoy it or you won't keep it up and, at the end of the day, it's consistency that works.

Rowrow

I was just wondering where you do the circuit training in a pool, that sounds really interesting.
Thanks

tinyk68

It's at a leisure centre in Co. Tipp where I live. Probably not much use to you I know but maybe there might be something similar near you.