Are you an avid sports fan who dreams of one day competing in your own Olympics or suiting up for a football team playing in the Super Bowl? If you are then you better get serious about the route you're going to take to get your sports career off the ground because it's not an easy path to take. There are no shortcuts that will magically take you from the comfort of your Toronto townhouses to the starting line-up of the New York Giants.

The first thing you have to do is get yourself signed up for a gym membership. You need to be in tip-top shape to be considered an elite athlete. A regular workout routine is the first step in achieving that. Sure, you can buy a treadmill and some weights for your Toronto lofts and workout at home but the gym has way more options to choose from to aid you in your workout regimen.

If you've never signed up for a gym membership before and the closest you've ever gotten to stepping foot in a gym is by walking past gyms on your walk to school from your UWO off campus housing then let us give you a few tips on how to choose a gym membership without being taken advantage of.

You don't want to choose a gym that is ripping you off in terms of gym fees so make sure you look over the various gym membership options each gym has and try not to get talked into signing up for something that would be of absolute no use to you.

Every gym will offer different levels of memberships that range from beginners to experts. Look at the details of each membership. One level might be $40 more per month because it offers you exclusive access to hot tubs, jacuzzis or saunas. You have to ask yourself if the extra fees are worth it or if you will even use such features. If not, just stick to the basics.

Also look to see if your gym dues cover certain amenities such as lockers, towel service, showers or childcare. You don't want to be using a locker all month thinking it was part of your fees only to find an extra charge for it once you go pay your dues at the end of the month.

Some of the fitness equipment in Toronto gyms are state of the art and brand new while other gyms are using outdated equipment. You don't want to be spending your money on equipment that you wouldn't even buy for your Bayview Eglinton home gym.

In the end you want to pick out a gym that's right for both your body and your wallet. We hope the tips we provided above will do just that.