Pretend you're a trainer.  Sitting across from you is a prospective client who contacted you and asked for a consult.  When you ask what you can do for them, they immediately and predictably say:

"I need to get in shape," or "I need to lose some weight."

You nod and smile, because you can help this person.  At some point in the conversation, they ask you how much it will cost to join the gym.

Regardless of your answer, this question of cost runs a lot deeper than it looks like.  And if you, the trainer, merely quote a number with a dollar sign on it, that is a superficial treatment of a profound issue.

What you might really be asking when you ask how much it costs to be healthy

• Will this cost me the lifestyle I am used to?
• Will this cost me effort?
• Will I be required to pay with some discipline?
• Will I have to make changes that I would rather not?
• Will this cost me more than a debit charge from my bank account?
• Will I have to sweat?
• Will I have to test my limits?
• Will I have to learn things about myself that I may not like at first?

What the trainer might say in return

• It will cost you some donuts
• You may need to go to bed earlier and get more rest
• You will need to become comfortable with hard, hard work
• You will have to break old habits
• You will have to create new habits
• It will cost you more than you've ever given before
• It will cost you a drive to the gym, or many

Money is rarely the issue

I could personally let go of TV, Internet access, eating out so often, going to the movies, pay-per-view UFC fights, diet sodas, protein shakes, and new clothes if I was desperate to free up the money for a gym membership.

We spend money all the time, without hesitation, and often without remorse.  We spend it on things we don't need, things we won't use, and often on things that are bad for us. But wham! We swipe the card and think on it no more.

Is $50, $80, $100, or $500 really so much for your health?  Really?  REALLY?  I've never seen a gym that charged $500/month, but they're probably out there.  The point is, if you can actually put a price tag on your health, well-being, and longevity, you need a lot more help than something as trivial as a gym membership can give you.

Food for thought, for the trainer and the trainee. 

Josh