Joining a gym is an exciting process that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The gym you join now will determine your exercise success or failure in the future.

Thinking about joining a gym? Summertime is perfect and here’s why

The right gym membership depends on certain inevitable factors like location, convenience and the amount of money you have to spend. If you’re thinking about joining a gym this summer, you’re in luck. A lot of gyms want you to get your gym fitness on so they cut costs come summertime to help you save some money.

If you’re thinking about waiting until New Year’s Eve when you’re going to make that inevitable New Year’s weight loss resolution, you may want to think about taking the plunge now and get that coveted gym membership sooner rather than later.

The first few months of the New Year are prime time for gym membership sales thanks to gift certificates, renewed resolve and New Year’s resolutions. Also, many people cannot exercise outside during the winter months because it’s way too cold outside. Those people are going to flock to the gym—making it more crowded and more expensive for new gym-goers.

Membership sales also drop come summertime so don’t be afraid to cut a deal. Some gyms are more than willing to work with you.

Wait it out and join at the end of the month. You’ll be happy you did

Like a lot of companies, gyms typically have a membership goal to meet at the end of the month. They want to increase their membership and retain the members they do have. Here's a word of advice: bide your time. Sales are not going to seem as overwhelming at the beginning of the month, but panic will ensue toward the end of the month if goals have not been met. Take advantage of this and go for your gym membership at the end of the month.You'll be happy you waited.

Gym fitness has many advantages. If you join a gym, you’ll be able to take advantage of a personal trainer (most gyms offer this service), the ability to workout indoors when it’s too hot/cold outside, fitness classes and the chance to meet new, lifelong friends who share a common interest.

It’s a good idea to scope out your favorite gym’s competition

Even if you’re convinced that you’ve found your perfect new gym, it’s still a good idea to take a few days to sleep on the final decision. Compare their membership rates/deals with other gyms around town, determine your must haves and see what each gym has to offer before you take the plunge. Most gyms offer free day passes so take advantage of that luxury. It will help you save some money in the long run.

Also, don’t be afraid to be assertive. After all, this is your health we’re talking about. If you find a gym that you absolutely love, but you’ve seen gym memberships around town for a lower price—don’t be afraid to ask your top gym if they’d be willing to meet or beat the lower price. If they’re not willing to negotiate the monthly membership fee, find out if they are willing to offer you anything else instead. Make sure you do this in person and remember that the ends of the month/summertime are the best times to strike a deal with your local gym.

Be assertive when trying to negotiate a deal

Be honest with yourself. What are your must haves? What is your budget? Many gyms offer extras that not everyone needs. Point this out when you’re trying to strike a deal. If you don’t have kids then you don’t need child care. If you’re a treadmill enthusiast then you probably don’t want to take advantage of group fitness classes.

For more gym membership saving tips, click here.

Also keep in mind that exercise is nothing without a healthy, balanced diet

Healthy food to our body is like gasoline to a car. Your car can’t run on empty and neither can your body, especially if you’re going to be working out.

A healthy diet keeps you looking and feeling great. You’ll see a drop in your waistline and increased amounts of energy.

However, we do understand that cooking for a healthy diet can be overwhelming and time consuming.

So, if you’re looking for something fast and convenient without the hassle of frequenting the grocery store, bistroMD offers a diet delivery program that can help you successfully lose weight.

We cook with the freshest ingredients and have over 200 recipes and a customizable menu so you should have no problem finding something to satisfy your taste buds.

Every bite you take follows this proven approach for healthy weight loss. Our program provides 1,100-1,400 calories daily with 40-50% total caloric intake from lean, adequate protein, 20-25% of calories from healthy fats, and 30-35% from complex carbohydrates.

It only takes a few weeks to start seeing results. You don’t have anything to lose, but the fat!

We have a men and a women’s program with the option to receive five-or-seven-days’ worth of healthy meals delivered to your door. The seven day option comes with the My Night feature, your one night a week to kick back, relax with friends and eat whatever you want.

The two programs range from $130-$160 and EATS, our essential and tasty snacks are just $1.50 per snack. Women receive two snacks per day and men receive three snacks per day.