From gym membership to activewear: What a PT says you should save and spend money on.

In fitness, as in life, you generally get what you pay for (spoiler alert ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). But is it worth spending more on a gym membership? Activewear? A personal trainer? 

Well, I'm here to definitively tell you: probably, most definitely, and maybe. 

First, we need to differentiate between price and value. Sure you can get a gym membership for $16/week compared to $90/week – but does anyone call you if you haven’t attended? You can purchase leggings for $20 or $200, but will everyone see the inner workings of your bum the second you bend over to tie up your shoe? 

I appreciate in these cost-of-living times, price abso-f**king-lutely does matter, but if your concern is how hard your cash is working for you, well, here is your guide. 

Watch the conversation around body image sparked by a Blue episode. Post continues below.

Is it worth paying more for a gym membership?

Generally, the less you pay for your gym membership, the less personalised the service in terms of a) staff knowing who you are; b) caring who you are. 

A lower-tiered membership could mean that you are one of tens-of-thousands of members, where a more pricey membership at a boutique-style facility could mean you are one of 100. 

The less expensive memberships are typically for your “big-box” gyms, which is your generic offering of weights-cardio-maybe-group-fitness-classes. All or none of which you actually enjoy and/or know how to utilise. 

The more money you spend on your membership at a boutique gym means you're getting 1:1 service doing exactly the activity you want to do. An example of this is going to a reformer Pilates studio.

At the end of the day, we purchase gym memberships with the best of intentions (that is, we want to better our health, fitness and wellbeing) and my attitude has always been the cheapest membership is still expensive if you don’t use it.

Typically, when you're spending more, the service is more personalised and your non-attendance is noted and actioned upon to ensure that you come back in. 

Also, when you've invested more dollars, you're more likely to attend as you don’t want to waste $70/week as opposed to $16/week (really, the cost of a coffee am-I-right?). 

VERDICT: It’s probably better to spend more on a gym membership than not if you are the kind of person that needs the additional push to attend and you require additional attention. 

Is it worth paying more for activewear? 

I've owned $20 leggings and I've owned $150 leggings (purchased before my rent was 98 per cent of my weekly income). 

But let me tell you, I'm still wearing the shit out of my exxy pair, and the cost per wear is now magnificently low. 

My $20 tights? I can't tell you where they are. I think I squatted in them once and my anus popped out. Or something. 

Sometimes you get lucky with activewear that costs less than a Macca's McFamily Bundle and lasts a lifetime with no posterior wardrobe malfunctions. But this is more luck than design. 

VERDICT: It’s most definitely better to spend more on activewear. Think of the value as cost-per-wear, and honestly, the benefits for the environment, since you won’t be tossing these see-through rags in landfill every other week. 

Is it worth paying more for a personal trainer? 

Here’s the thing with personal trainers: there's no price guide or rules. We set our own prices based on a variety of factors. 

So, with this rationale in mind, it’s not necessarily worth paying more for a PT. A brand new graduate may price themselves at $110 for a 60-minute session and the most experienced in the industry could be $70 for the same amount of time. 

VERDICT: It’s maybe better to spend more on a personal trainer. A more experienced personal trainer will be comfortable and justified in charging a rate commensurate with experience/expertise. 

You can ask about a PT's background and experience, and decide for yourself if you see the value. More importantly, ask yourself, is the PT someone you gel with? Someone who listens to you and understands your specific needs? Do you feel comfortable asking them questions? Are you getting results? Are they reliable? This PT could be $50/hour or they could be $150/hour. 

It's more about shopping around and finding the right PT for you, and then deciding whether you see the value in what they are charging. 

Got a burning question for Marie about exercise and fitness? Comment below.

Feature image: Supplied + Canva.