Originally Posted by cerewa
I've known a lot of people who were paying for gym memberships. I don't know many people who have consistently made use of their gym memberships.
People in the USA know that exercise is important, and certainly that's true of your average hospital employee. But when it comes to actually getting the exercise, it's just plain easier to find the time and motivation if your mode of exercise brings you to work. For a lot of people, I think the trouble with getting exercise when you're not going from one place to another is not that it's impossible for them to find time. It's just, it isn't particularly easy to find time for exercise, and riding stationary bikes, stairmasters, and such isn't all that much fun.
Strangely enough... I averaged at least 10 hours per week in the gym before I started bicycle commuting. I am actually in considerably worse shape now, and have gained a decent amount of weight. I still have a gym membership, I just can't get motivated to use it anymore. I might be one of the few people who are in worse shape because of cycling.