‘Need a better business model’: Virginia woman tries to cancel Anytime Fitness membership. Then she learns the terms she actually agreed to

A Virginia-based TikToker and marathon runner named Aimee Elizabeth recently shared a headache-inducing experience with Anytime Fitness. Aimee, who posts under the handle aimee.elizabeth47, took to TikTok to vent about her struggle to cancel her membership. Her video then sparked comments that indicated a deep dissatisfaction with how gyms structure their business models.

According to her post, Aimee was training for a marathon. During the winter, she needed access to treadmills, when outdoor running was off the table. She approached the closest gym near her house, an Anytime Fitness location in Stafford. Aimee claimed that she told the staff, “Look, I just need to basically use your treadmills for the winter. What’s like the cheapest plan I can get? The most basic plan I can get? That I literally just need for the wintertime.”