Does anyone have any experience with local fitness clubs?

Hi everyone,

I am newly out of surgery (2 months) and I am finally to a point that I can start working out more and I was thinking about getting a membership a fitness center. Does anyone have any experience at a local place near Cary that they feel comfortable in? I really dont want a meat market. A friend mentioned Curves, but I remember trying that out once before and it really didnt seem like it did a lot of good for me. I guess I am looking for something a bit more traditional than something with a "circuit."

I am also new to the area (I recently moved here from MN) so if there is anyone else that is looking for a work out partner, let me know. I am really motivated to get the weight off, but it is always easier to do with a partner. :)

Sincerely,
Chelsea of Cary

Hi Chelsea,

My husband and I, and some of the people that belong to my support group go to HealthTrax in North Raleigh, but that may be too far for you to go there on a regular basis.  Rex also has a nice program, but it would depend on if it is close enough to you to make it something convenient so that you can and will go regularly. You might also consider something like fitness oriented classes, such as Zumba, Tai Chi, etc...

Congratulations on your surgery and making those lifestyle changes that will support your weight loss in the long term.

All the best,

Barbara,
Thanks for your reply! Considering I come from a VERY small town and the closest anything was 50 miles away I consider most everything around here close. I had to go somewhere yesterday and it was about 30 minutes from our house and because it was all freeway driving and not one lane back roads, it didn't seem so long. I don't really mind the travel at all.

One of the reasons for my surgery though was because of 3 partially slipped discs in my back and a completely rebuilt ankle from an accident. My weight had been such a hinderance in my recovery. Until I get more weight off I am a little concerned with adding too much yet. I think that Zumba, aerobics, Tai Chi, etc - although really great for body and heart would be really great might not be really great for my back and leg quite yet. I do hope to add those though when my body is a little bit stronger. I am really really hoping to get to that point!

I just hope to find someone that would love to do this with me because it sure is easier to have a friend do it along side of you!

Again thanks for the suggestions.
Sincerely, Chelsea

Hi Chelsea, 

I'm actually from the SF Bay Area, so like you I'm used to driving.

I also have a 'bionic' ankle because of an auto accident nearly 10 years ago and then this past winter I slipped on the ice, fracturing several vertebrae in my back so I really understand. 

The facility that we belong to, Healthtrax, has a pool as do some of the YMCA facilities, so maybe that would be something that work for you.

I run a large support group in North Raleigh and if you ever want to join us for any of our events, you can get information for them at http://www.meetup.com/nc-wls. The general meetings are actually held in the same facility as HealthTrax and you are likely to meet others that live nearby.

I look forward to meeting you sometime. 

Barbara,
Thank you for this information! I have gone ahead and signed up for the meetup support group and do look forward to meeting you someday as well!

I will keep in mind YMCA as an option as well. My boyfriend and I are going tomorrow to go look at a couple of places for me although he will not be working out with me. :(  I am not too upset about that at all - I am doing this for me and no one else. He just does not have any time right now with his company going through a merger and him having so much work on his hands. I totally understand. :)

You totally understand the bionic ankle dilema when it comes to the limitations of starting out when working out in the early stages of working out! I want to do it right and not burn myself out but at the same time I want to be able to to push myself to a point of doing something good for my body.

Anyway, thanks again for your help and I hope to cross paths with you in the future.
Best wishes,
Chelsea

My family and I belong to Lifestyle Family Fitness. It is a fabulous gym with all sizes of people. It also has locations all over the area including cary, raleigh and apex. It also has some locations with a pool (I know six forks) which would be a great way to work out without putting more stress on you joints and back.
If your interested in a personal trainer, mine is at the six forks location and is fabulous with gastric bypass patients. Her name is Ashleigh Strickland. I used her for 8 months including 2 months pre-op and she researched alot about what we need for training, water intake and rest periods post op.

Hope this helps. Oh also you don't have to sign a long contract it is month to month.

Audra

Audra,
This gives me another direction to look at as well. Thank you for the heads up! I will be heading out this weekend to go look at a couple of different places. I definately like the idea of a month to month. I dont want to get stuck into a long contract somewhere and find that I end up disliking the faciility a few weeks out of the gate.

Thank you for your suggestions.
Sincerely,
Chelsea

 Hi Chelsea!

I'm in Cary also, and have been looking for a place too.  I'd love to do Lifetime Fitness over off of Tryon.  It's got indoor and outdoor pools, their locker rooms are beautiful and not at all that gross gym feeling.  It's huge, so you don't feel like people are staring at you (at least I don't).  I haven't gotten up the nerve to check their prices yet.  lol  

Our subdivision does not have a pool, so if I factor in a price of a family pool membership for just the summer I'm sure Lifetime isn't so bad.  However, the Y is probably cheaper.  I'm just not into the Y from my visit there.

I also think it would be easier with a "buddy"....and since my husband is busy working and we have a little one our evenings are busy.  Maybe we could hook-up and threaten each other to move around!

Cheers!
Heather

Heather,

I am assuming by your glowing review of the Tryon Rd Lifetime Fitness that you have been over there. It sounds, from your description, like a good place to go.

Would you be interested in meeting up sometime and getting to know each other a bit and seeing if we can work out some sort of schedule that could work for us? I do not work during the day, so most of my days are free thus I could be open to anything. We could work up the nerve to check out those membership prices together. ;)

If you want to contact me directly please feel free, my email is [email protected] 
I would really love to work something out so we can do something together to motivate each other.

All my best,
Chelsea