I am a single mother to a 2-year-old, and I work 50+ hours/week. I've been working on sneaking in exercise into my day (run up the stairs at break, take a walk at lunch or after dinner, do 30-pound-leg-lifts/aka: airplane rides with my son, and workout DVDs after he goes to bed at night). I am considering joining a gym...and wondering if it will get me to actually LIKE working out, or if I can keep doing what I'm doing and get in enough exercise. Here are my gym options:

ClubA
Advantages: close to work, has weight equipment, treadmills, spinning, some classes, open 24-hours, can workout there before/after work and on lunchhours, ample free parking, childcare available
Disadvantages: far from home, no pool, son can go to childcare (for $15/month)--but not in the club, feels/smells "gymmie"
Cost: $48/month + $99 joining fee

ClubB (YMCA)
Advantages: close to home, brand-new facility, has a pool, classes, equipment & treadmills/elipticals, son would be a member too, childcare available and FREE
Disadvantages: far from work, very little free parking nearby, cost
Cost: $67/month (must join as a "family" even though single membership is just $47/month -- could get another adult to join with me as part of our "family") + $100 joining fee

My Dilemma:
I have VERY little time with my DS during the week (we are together about 2.5 hours/day when he is awake), and honestly, although the Y's childcare is supposed to be GREAT -- I feel really guilty about dropping him there for 30-60 minutes/day 3-5 times/week...that takes our normal 34.5 hours/week together down to about 29.5-33 hours/week. I KNOW it's good for me (and for him to see me working on being healthy), and we could spend time together in the pool after my workout -- BUT is it worth it? Will joining a gym make a SIGNIFICANT difference in my progress toward being healthier and more fit?

Before you decide on the gym, you need to visit gyms at the time of day you would be there. If you plan on going from 4-8 some gyms are PACKED and you actually have to stand and wait on equipment. If you can go during the day, then you should be fine. But i would really recommend going during the time that you would normally go and check it out first. My Y was SO packed during "after work" hours that it was useless, i spent most of my time in line.

If i were you, i would opt for a walk away the pound video that you could do after the little ones are in bed. The gym takes up a lot of time. The drive to the gym, the drive home from the gym, time at the gym. For me, with a full work schedule, if i am not going to go before work, it just works out better to do videos at home. But that is just me, i cant stand a crowded gym. And i cant stand the commute to and from the gym, in the time i spend driving to and from the gym, i could have done a workout with Leslie Sansone in the comfort of my own home.

I think it also depends on your dedication level. What i mean is, if it were me, i just can not stay motivated to work out to a video tape at home. As soon as it starts getting tough or i start to break a sweat, i stop. But when i go to the classes at my Family Y, i can't do that. There is a room full of women who would see me sneak out after the first 10 minutes. I need that accountability to keep me in class for the whole 50 minute workout. Plus the music is loud and the fans are blowing and the teacher is yelling (not like military style but you know, yelling out to us the counts and to keep going and to make sure of our form, you know, stuff like that). I need all of that to keep me motivated to keep going. So, if you are able to stay dedicated and focused at home using videos and playing with your son using muscles and all, then that and a healthy diet is plenty to get your weight loss going.

I've never stepped foot in a gym and I know others who haven't either. What matters is that you DO something for cardio and something for muscles. The more it fits into your life and the more you enjoy it, the better chance you will stick with it.