Exercise and weight loss do not have to be expensive undertakings. If you find that you are spending a lot of money on special equipment and still not reaching your weight loss goals, perhaps you should consider conducting a wee feasibility study before your next purchase.
The next time you are thinking about buying a new piece of exercise equipment (or joining a gym), try to think about how you are going to fit that new equipment/membership into your life. If you think you will use it after work, then before you spend any money, try to go for a walk (or a run, or do some other sort of exercise that doesn’t require you to buy any new equipment) after work ten times in one month before you let yourself buy it.
If you easily pass the ten-times test, then go ahead and buy it because you have already set yourself up for success by putting yourself in the habit of exercising at that time.
If you don’t pass the test, ask yourself why. Was it because you don’t really have time after work? If so, then do another ten-times feasibility study in another part of the day so you can determine the best time to introduce this new piece of equipment into your life. No sense having it if you don’t have time to use it. Or do you have the time, but not the motivation? In that case, how much motivation will the new piece of equipment buy you? Be honest with yourself — and take points off for every other piece of equipment that you have ever bought and not used more than 10 times.
Giving yourself a rational basis for the decision-making process when it comes to buying exercise equipment can save you a whole lot of money in the long run, if you tend to buy stuff and then not use it. Try to notice this sort of behaviour and do not give in to your urge to buy until you have proven to yourself that, not only do you really NEED this fabulous new piece of equipment, but that you have actually collected evidence that you will be able to fit it into your life.