OK, yes, I got it wrong about sunk costs. It’s not as if I’ve invested anything in the gym so that I have to keep using it to make good my investment, or that I have to keep investing in the hopes of getting that big payoff someday, like a gambler who keeps doubling or nothing. That’s basically what we’re doing in Iraq, otherwise known as pouring good money after bad, refusing to cut our losses and stop. What I’m doing with the gym and granola bars is thinking, they’re free, or cheap, so I must take advantage of them, whether they are really the best thing for me or not. However, the gym membership does convey some benefits besides the use of the energy-wasting stairclimber: places to change, rest, or use a hot tub or sauna all over the area. So I could argue either that I might as well continue my membership, or that I’m getting my money’s worth just from those factors and thus, don’t need to use the stairmaster to justify my monthly dues payment.

I’ve heard about the shoeless movement. If I could run just on dirt or grass, which I try to do anyway to reduce shock, I would try it. But on pavement — especially considering some of the things that end up on the pavement — I’m not sure it would work. Although the interviewee in this NPR piece thinks differently.

As for swimming, I’m not worried so much about the effects of chlorine on my body, though I guess I should be (though one of the places I swim uses a system that permits very low chlorination, so that the water tastes almost salty), but rather the effects on the environment of having big tubs of chlorinated water standing around. There must be a certain amount of offgassing from the water and the chlorination systems. I mean, they used chlorine as a poison gas in WWI (and in Iraq today); it can’t be good for anyone.

Finally, I remember that in some places, they are attempting to harness the energy generated at gyms — see this article about a gym in Hong Kong. It’s actually owned by a subsidiary of 24-Hour Fitness, which is where I go. Maybe they’ll expand the program to other gyms. If we bother them. Eventually, we’ll probably be so starved for energy that we’ll just put everyone on treadmill generators, sort of like in “The Matrix”. Well, it will do something about the obesity problem. I guess people who get into debt will be sentenced to the treadmills to work it off. They’ll receive a steady IV of high-fructose corn syrup. If that sounds like an inefficient way to get energy out of corn, it’s probably no worse than biofuels.

You sound v. fit! I admire your dedication! You could always take up open water swimming. :) Not that I think the Bay is much less toxic than the pool!

Also u lousy ekonomist. Sunk costs not same as feling u haz to take advantij uv free stuf.

But really, i feel like the gym is a part of the greater good. This may be influenced by our six months of winter. But our YWCA is a great community center. They run kids programs. They do antiracist work. And even though the machines and the big barnlike track building (also used by the neighboring elementary school!) and the TVs and the weird synthetic carpet all use a lot of energy, we are sharing them, which is much more efficient and fosters connections with our neighbors.

Anyway, that’s my justification for our gym membership. That and the sheer joy of sitting in a sauna until my core is completely warm before going back out into the -10 weather in January.