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Before joining a gym, think about your own motivations and interests—and consider alternatives. Set realistic fitness goals, then think about whether you really need to pay a company big bucks for activities that are probably available more cheaply elsewhere.
When considering a fitness facility, consider several points, including what its members say about it, location, membership fees, contract terms, facilities and equipment, classes, and amenities. Our ratings of area clubs will help you find the right fit.
Membership at many clubs doesn’t come cheap. Although some bare-bones gyms cost about $200 a year, many charge more than $600. Want a club that offers racquet sports or a wide range of facilities and amenities? Expect to pay a lot more.
There are so many bike choices—road, hybrid, mountain—it’s hard to know how to get rolling. A good bike shop can help you choose, and we’ve got ratings of local outlets. Plus, if you already own a bicycle, we’ve also got ratings of repair services to get you on the road (or trail) again.
Few people, no matter where they live or which deterrents they deploy, can avoid criminals all of the time. That doesn’t mean there’s no way to prevent your bike from being stolen. But there are some things you can do to help recover the bike and/or get the bike covered by insurance should the worst happen. Here are some of the best preventative measures—and what’s not worth the money.
Take charge by selecting the best doctors and other providers and making decisions about your medical care. Here's how.
The most important thing you can do to assure yourself high-quality medical care is to form a strong relationship with a good primary care physician and, at times, together make informed decisions on specialty care.
We advise consumers to select physicians who are “board certified,” and we report on board certification status in our ratings tables. Here’s what board certification means and why it is important.