A few weeks ago I hosted a giveaway for a Gym In A Bag, and guess what? Jerry at Gym in a Bag was so impressed by your comments that he wanted to give another one away! Thanks Jerry! I’ve been using it consistently since I got mine and have enjoyed feeling stronger and more toned. As I told Jerry on the phone the other day, not only can I tell a difference in my shoulders and arms, but I feel that I’m standing up straighter, making me a little taller – which I love.
If you don’t remember what Gym In A Bag is all about, let me remind you. Instead of the traditional rubber bands, or round resistance bands that you just grab onto, the Gym in a Bag uses a patented system utilizing cuffs. Why cuffs? Because as Jerry said, “Using bands was never supposed to be about the grip, but rather about isolating and strengthening muscles. Whenever you grip something, part of your energy is going to the grip and forearm, taking away some of the effectiveness of whatever exercise you are doing.”
That makes a lot of sense to me. And although I’m not Kim Lyons, (who demonstrates their product) I think I’m looking better than I did before!
Here’s Kim demonstrating the cuffs – you can see she’s not gripping the cuffs with her hands, but rather letting them rest on her wrists. This is the big difference between this system and all other bands.
So do you think you have to join a gym to workout? And how would you use Gym In A Bag if you won?
I have to admit a bias here, because I have never joined a gym in my life. I’ve visited them several times with friends who invited me along to see their favorite gyms, but I’ve never actually had my own gym card. I also have to admit that I’m not fit in the same way as MizFit or Jody, but I still want to improve.
I’ve known many people throughout the years who have had that gym card in their wallets but it never saw the light of day. They paid their fees, went a couple of times, and stopped going. And these weren’t obese friends, but rather average sized men and women who just thought that the financial commitment to a gym membership would make them exercise on a more consistent basis. For them, it didn’t. I have also had friends who joined a gym, loved it, and go very consistently.
What if you can’t afford a gym membership, or don’t feel comfortable in a gym, or just don’t want to join a gym. Can you still get a decent workout at home without all the fancy gym equipment. Of course you know what my answer is: YES! You just have to DO IT, and Gym In A Bag is a great way to start!
I’ve done a little bit of everything during my weight loss years and the 12 years since I’ve hit maintenance. I’ve gotten weights, rubber bands, stability balls, and kitchen chairs and I’ve used them all at different times. I’d encourage you not to let lack of gym membership funds stop you from working out and strength training. I’d also encourage you to visit the Gym in a Bag website and check out their product.
How can you win a Gym In A Bag of your own this week? Well, leave me a comment letting me know how you will use the Gym In A Bag, twitter this post using @fittothefinish, or write a little blurb on your site, linking back. For each entry, please leave a separate comment so I will be able to count you properly!! The contest will end Wednesday at midnight, CST, and is only open to US residents. Sorry to my foreign readers!! Diane
Disclosure: I received a Gym in a Bag to try and now you can win one!
I really need to get more muscle. I’ve been doing lots of cardio, and I need to be more lean and mean! Gym in a Bag would be perfect since there is no gym in my small city.
.-= JourneyBeyondSurvival´s last blog ..Ungalvanized =-.
I’m paying $40/month for Weight Watchers and can’t afford a gym membership on top of it. I’ve got a couple of cardio machines in my apartment complex’s gym as well as some Leslie Sansone DVDs but the strengthening aspect of my exercise is sorely lacking. It looks like Gym in a Bag would be perfect for that!
Yay! Another chance to win!
I would use Gym in a Bag for the times that I can’t make it to the gym (weekends and summers when the kids are home!). Very cool product!
.-= Marisa (Loser For Life)´s last blog ..No Guilt Zone =-.
I would love to give this a try. To be honest, I am skeptical though. However, even if it doesn’t work out for me, my wife has really been wanting to try resistance bands, and I am sure she would be excited about the whole package.
.-= South Beach Steve´s last blog ..Is Spring Around the Corner? =-.
Yes! Another chance to win! I quit my gym membership at the beginning of the year because of many of the things you listed. Primarily, I didn’t go. I would use the pool on a semi irregular visit but that wasn’t enough. I got plantar fascitis when I first started out using the treadmill too much. The gym in the bag looks perfect for me. I had carpal tunnel several years back and do not have a full grip capability so the straps on the wrist is PERFECT for me!
Diane, thx for your mention! You are an inspiration to me!
I know I am a gym person but I do stuff at home too AND I take bands with me to the gym as well. I stock my gym bag with my own stuff so I can always be changing it up. This gym bag you are giving away looks awesome! My hubby could use it too since he is not a gym person if he can get it away from me!
Any before & after pics on your muscles coming???
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Exercise, Make It Your OWN! =-.
I could use this when I travel. A time I often stray from my healthy routine because of the stress of traveling and how inconvenient exercising and eating healthy can be.
I would use the G-I-A-B while I’m standing on the corner with my “Will write for comments” sign as I patiently wait for CalorieLab to get back to normal operations!
I have been doing a little strength training with free weights, but I am getting close to 65 and when I tried using bands found my shoulders getting really sore. This system looks like it would be more controlled.
My husband could share it with me too.
Ooh, I would love this for when I visit my parents in NJ. I can’t bring myself to pay astronomical gym visitor fees, and I could use these in the living room. Maybe I could even have a healthy influence on my obese parents!
.-= shannon´s last blog ..Crunchie Lunchie =-.
I’d love to have a gym in a bag. My wife would especially get a lot of use out of it. We had to cancel her gym membership for financial reasons.
.-= 100 Pounds in a Year´s last blog ..My "When I Lose The Weight" Wardrobe =-.
I have lost 126 pounds and have 24 pounds to go. I have areas in the stomach, inner thigh and upper arms that could use some toning.
I would use the Gym in A Bag Faithfully and I know it would make a difference.
Please enter me to win.
Thank you
Teena Conrad
FROGGIE 13777 (spark page)
One of my ultimate goals is to do be able to do pull ups. As a woman it is intimidating to spend time on the weights side of the gym to try to work toward this goal. I would love to be able to work on this at home so that I when I get to that point I can head over to the weights and not feel weak and embarrassed for just starting out.
I would love to win this! It would be great when you need a quick workout and don’t have time to get to the gym! Would also love to take it traveling!
.-= sian-girlgetstrong´s last blog ..Giveaway-elete Electrolyte Add-In =-.
I would incorporate Gym in a Bag into my cross training efforts and I would also use it while traveling…
.-= ‘Drea´s last blog ..Month-End Review, February =-.
I would love to win. I do not belong to a gym ($$$) and I probably would never go. I need to kick up my workout a notch and this would certainly be the way to go.
Lately, I have been working out at home as opposed to my local gym. In fact, I put a freeze on my account. It’s saving me money and I am getting a more effective workout. Since I had to change gyms do to moving, the new one closest to my house is constantly busy…waiting for machines for long periods of time. I started getting frustrated and it was effecting my workouts. I slowly started getting equipment and just doing my own thing at home and its great! I would love to win to add to my collection of weights!
.-= MySensei´s last blog ..Is Kirstie Alley the Latest Celebrity Nutrition ‘Expert’ =-.
Count me in- looks fun and effective, and a space-saver too.
I would use the Gym in a Bag in the mornings before work to add to my current exercises.
Cool! That was nice to get a second giveaway out of it!
Id love to win to be able to try this exercise at home! 
.-= tj´s last blog ..Baked Macaroni =-.
tweeted about the giveaway too!
.-= tj´s last blog ..Baked Macaroni =-.
Wow, awesome. I would use this in my strength workouts because there are no gyms within 30 miles of me!
.-= Kat´s last blog ..02.28.2010 Weigh in =-.
I think its really cool that you were offered another to give away! Kudos to the company!
.-= Pam´s last blog ..Monday Malaise =-.
This looks like a good way to incorporate some strength training and toning exercises. It seems like it would be great for travel.
.-= Kat´s last blog ..Perfect 10 – Update #8 =-.
Great giveaway!! Everyone could use one of these!
I think that you can get a great workout at home. While I have a gym membership, I use it mostly for the cardio machines. If I had the gym in a bag, I’d probably use it when I travel. How convenient to have everything all packed for you!
Glad to hear that you are enjoying your new Gym-in-a-bag. Now if only they could guarantee me a body like Kim Lyons!
.-= karen@fitnessjourney´s last blog ..Finding a Passion for Fitness =-.
this is a great second giveaway. With no gyms close to my home and lack of money to travel to one I have been trying to add small items to make my mini home gym. This would be a great addition.
thanks for all you do.
Wow, that’s so awesome of them and you to offer!
.-= josie´s last blog ..Week 22 – Weigh-In =-.
What a great giveaway. I would like to try this because I know how important strength training is. Right now I don’t fit on a lot of the machine at the Gym, so I tend to stay away. Plus I always feel like I am short-changing everyone when I am not home. But I could be home and still work-out, no one would even notice the time I took for me! Thanks for the opportunity!
.-= Sandi Blair´s last blog .. =-.
I belong to a gym and love it, but sometimes I can’t get there when the kids aren’t in school. I would love Gym-in-a-bag for those workout at home days.
I would love the Gym in a Bag (fabulous idea!). I can’t afford the gym membership right now (money-wise or time-wise), so the Gym in a Bag would be a great way to get a workout in, even if the weather doesn’t permit walking. Also, it would be fantastic for travel. Being about to use it in a hotel room would be so much help and keep me working out even when I’m away from home.
Shannon Cave
Down 30 lbs today with about 30 more to go!
I’ve lost 133 pounds by counting calories and cardio, but I haven’t done much in the way of strength training. I make wedding cakes for a living which is very hard on my hands. I have to be careful not to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. I think these bands would be great because you don’t have to use your hands.
I’d love to win. I prefer to work out at home or walk outside when its good weather. I was just thinking the other day I really need to start doing more for my arms.
I lost 110 lbs eating right and working out at home!! So it definitely can be done outside of the gym. I have about 15 lbs to go and I’d really also like to tone up more, so that’s how I’d use this…to finish the journey at home!
I have a garage gym set up and I would LOVE this. I have a set of resistance bands now, but they are the cheapy kind (from Target) that I’m hooking up to the wall with a bicycle holder (don’t ask, but it works). I would love to have this Gym in a Bag so that I can incorporate into my workouts.
.-= Lola´s last blog ..Official Weight – Week 75 =-.
Tweeted!!!!
.-= MySensei´s last blog ..Is Kirstie Alley the Latest Celebrity Nutrition ‘Expert’ =-.
(I thought I had already left a comment, but I do not see it, if I have done it x2, I am sorry. :/ )
I would love the gym-in-a-bag as I am a homeschool mom of many that lives in the sticks. Going into town to use a gym takes more time than I can justify at this time in my life. It would really help my goal of getting under 200# before our 25th anniversary in January. (also have a couple of teens that would enjoy using the kit) Thanks for the opportunity!
How great is this? I have been looking for something portable and small to use during the day at my office and this would be perfect!
Thanks for the chance to win!!
.-= FattyBoobaLatty´s last blog ..Throwing my hat in the ring… =-.
This product looks amazing! Having an entire gym “in a bag” is a practical way for anyone to get back in shape. I personally, would use the bands and bar attachment to build muscle and create some much definition on my upper body.
I’d probably use it as a rehab tool. I risk shoulder injury often while playing basketball, and having resistance bands would help.
I love how easy this looks! I have lost 75lbs. and kept it off more than a year. For exercise I run 6 days each week. I now need to add more strength training but the whole idea of weights confuses me. This seems so much easier to figure out…not to mention it would be perfect for small spaces and travel!
I would love this for my morning workouts.
.-= Alissa´s last blog ..New Years Resolutions: March Checkup =-.
Would love to try GIAB! Hate going to the gym and this would help on the days I just don’t want to get out!
Well I don’t live in the US but still want to say that I really like the thought of the cuffs instead of gripping. The gripping is one of the reasons I don’t use my bands very often . I try to do alot of different exercises at home since the gym is 30 mins away plus as a homeschooler my kids are with me and too old for the gym daycare (even if I could afford it). I am going to look into GIAB .
.-= Jaime´s last blog ..Shopping fun. =-.
Hey Diane!! I would love to win this. I’ve been using resistance bands with the Wii Active and my arms are loving it but I could use all different kinds to increase intensity and work up to harder levels!! I know I would use this gym in a bag!! It’s super for traveling and just at home!
.-= Jen-JensFitnessTips.com´s last blog ..Olympic Special #10: Curling Crescent Lunge =-.
I’ve been cardio only for a while now. I would love a way to tone at home!
I saw the Gym in a bag on your blog right after your last give-away and immediately went to the website to check it out. It looked awesome and just what I needed. I have a weight machine at the house in Canada, but when I come stay in the states I have nothing but soup cans. As I am in the states over half my time, this means I’m not getting as much strength training as I’d like. I’d love to win one, but have to say that I’m saving my money to buy one if I don’t win.
.-= Siobhan´s last blog ..Down south =-.
I would use it to stay motivated – another tool in my tool bag if you will!
I do belong to a gym, but here in the Northeast we’ve had quite a winter and I can see the beauty of having a Gym in a Bag. I would keep it on hand for the days I can’t get through the snow, the days my son’s off from school or has a delayed opening or an early close… all of which happened about every other day in February this year!
.-= Nancy B. Kennedy´s last blog ..Pastor Robert Hartwell: The Skinny on Sacrifice =-.
thank you for this second give a way!! Since I don’t have a gym membership, this would be my main sourse of toning my muscles and strenth training. I use resistance bands now but not this type with the arm bands. These look like they are so much better
.-= Brenda´s last blog ..evil temptations =-.