If your New Year's resolution is to get in shape, the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York has a few tips for picking out a gym.
Melanie McGovern, the bureau’s communications director, said you should first determine your fitness goals and priorities.
After that, take a tour of the gym to make sure it has the equipment, classes and trainers you need or expect.
McGovern said the bureau’s website, bbb.org, has profiles of thousands of health clubs, fitness centers and gyms.
“We have reports on pretty much all of the workout facilities in upstate New York, so you can get an idea of the complaint history, the reviews, how long they've been in business, their letter grade rating, things like that," she said.
McGovern said the most common complaint the Better Business Bureau receives is about the membership contract.
“And we know that the contract can be very daunting,” she said. “They can be many pages, there's a lot of fine print, so we always tell people take it home, look it over, review it, and make sure you know what the out clause is."
She said before signing any contract, see if there is a free trial membership or classes to see if the gym or fitness club is the right fit for you.