Okay, so I guess I’m a gym rat. I am the one who loves to get to my campus fitness center when it opens at 6:30 in the morning (and who was infuriated when the opening was delayed from 6:00 a.m.). And I have tried just about every class and machine offered on the commercial market. At various times in my life, I have been the yoga class-clown who slips out of downward dog — and eventually the student fellow classmates look to as a model.

I like to say I’ve seen a lot of different ways of exercising and done a lot of different exercises, which means I’ve made every mistake imaginable along the way. So, whether you are prepping to take advantage of your school’s gym in the fall or you want to work off some summer puff while the sun is still shining, I offer you a few suggestions to make your return to the gym a great success:

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Working out at the gym:

Pros: It can be great motivation to see people you know, or strangers, pushing themselves to lengths that you want to push yourself too. Creating a sense of unity, a gym can group individuals together that have the same mentality: getting and staying healthy. You can even make gym dates with your friends or spouse as a way to bond, workout, and push each other. Additionally, there’s more of a variety at a gym; you can take classes or use machines that really work for you.

Cons: The competition can get to you. Some people go into gyms to flaunt their bodies, while sizing up the other men and women, making you, say a less healthy or thinner individual, feel inadequate. Some people view gyms like sororities; you have to look a certain way to fit in. Also, there can be lines for specific equipment, which can cause a time constraint. Depending on where you join, a gym can cost you an arm and a leg; the local gym by me is $100 bucks a month – yikes!!! Too rich for my blood.

Working out at home:

Pros: You can work out when you want, however you want, in your sweats or in your undies. Yes, buying equipment is expensive, but the lump sum you pay will add up to less than a annual gym membership. I splurged three years ago on a treadmill for the holidays, which ON SALE, cost me $500 bucks. However, three years down the road, it’s still alive and kickin,’ which is more than I can say for my uber expensive monthly gym membership.

Cons: It’s hard to motivate yourself. When you know the couch, a bag of potato chips, and the boob tube is on just a few feet away, you’re more likely to say ‘’ah, screw working out today,” than you are in the middle of a gym. You also can get bored of the same routine workout, which is more likely to happen when you’re at home with one or two machines, versus a whole slew of them at a gym.

Whether at home or at a gym, working out is an important asset to staying healthy. So, find the right location that works for you and get to it! If you’re used to working out at home, try a monthly membership at the gym and see how it makes you feel. You may love the classes offered (sometimes, a free personal trainer session is thrown in – who knows!) and wind up kicking your at-home workout habit. For you gym buffs, cut your membership short and invest in your favorite piece of equipment or some at home workout DVDs; the convenience of your at-home gym will create an ease from the crazy gym lifestyle.

What do you prefer?