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I Turned a £28 Gym Membership Into a £4,000 Problem
After six years of training at home, my autistic and ADHD brain turned a simple decision into an exhausting series of what-ifs.
I’ve decided to rejoin my local gym for the first time in more than six years.
It’s a 10–15-minute walk from my house and costs £28 a month. It’s also the first gym I ever joined, and it’s just been refurbished. I love lifting weights, and I’ve missed having access to proper equipment.
You’d think the decision would be straightforward.
Instead, over the last few days I’ve researched a £4,000 exercise machine, considered buying a bicycle, and spent an unreasonable amount of time wondering what clothes I’d need to cycle to a gym I haven’t yet joined, on a bike I haven’t bought yet.
I was exhausted before I’d lifted a single weight.
Why I Wanted to Leave My Bedroom Gym
For the past six years or so, I’ve trained at home. Over time, I’ve created a nice home set-up: adjustable dumbbells, a weight bench and an exercise bike. For someone with social anxiety and body image struggles, it’s been a practical solution. I can train in privacy, wear whatever I like, and avoid the…
