I teach a noon Pilates class at a nearby gym every Monday. While the number of students in this midday class varies, I usually have between one and four students who come to the class regularly. I attribute the low attendance to the time of day, assuming most people can't get away from work for a lunchtime workout. My hunch has proven right on "bank holidays," when attendance spikes up since people aren't at work. Recently, I've noticed another kind of student coming to class in the middle of the day: adults who lost their jobs due to the poor economy.

I saw a new face one day and struck up a conversation with this new-to-Pilates student, a middle-aged woman. She told me that she was recently laid off. Joining the ranks of the unemployed, she had more free time on her hands, saying, "I figured I could either get fat or I could get fit; so I chose to get fit!" What a positive attitude! But I didn't see her the next week or any week thereafter. I had wondered if she found a job, if she didn't enjoy her first shot at Pilates, or if, perhaps, she cancelled her gym membership to save money.

That led me to wonder: Has the recession affected your workout routine?

Millions of Americans are facing tough times, from salary cuts and layoffs. It recently hit close to home for me, too. My boyfriend lost his job two weeks ago. Fortunately for him, he received several weeks of severance pay, but that doesn’t' mean we aren't worried. In fact, both of us are tightening our purse strings to prepare for the worst. He's still paying for his gym membership and working out regularly, but if the severance runs out and he's still out of work, I'm sure that his monthly gym dues will be one of the first things to go. But as long as his spirits stay high, I don't think he'll have trouble making fitness a part of his life, gym membership or not. We often walk and run together; he plays in a weekly adult soccer league; and if all else fails, he can work out at home, doing pushups, abs exercises and other body-weight moves to stay in shape.

I'd guess that the recession would affect most people's exercise routines adversely—they stop paying for the gym, their personal training sessions, or the fees for their soccer leagues in an effort to save money. For those who have been searching, networking, and interviewing for a long time, depression and emotional eating might take over, leading to weight gain and a lack of energy and motivation to work out at all. Or maybe you're like the woman who chose to get "fit" instead of "fat." You continue to use free or inexpensive workout options, because you know that it's more important than ever to care for yourself and relieve the stress of joblessness.

How about you: Has the recession affected your workout routine? If you've lost wages or a job, tell us how you are sticking to your workouts and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.