Have you ever found something or a place that surprised you? And you felt it was the best-kept secret?

That’s how I feel about our local Chicago Metro YMCAs.  I joined the YMCA for the summer and I’m pleasantly surprised.

But, first I must explain how I got to the YMCA.

I finally found a gym program that I love and have been going consistently for eight months. This is a tremendous achievement for me. I joined Orangetheory Fitness (OT) last September and fell in love.
OT is one of my happy places.

Fitness Struggle and Journey

I have started and joined numerous programs and gyms throughout the years and have never attended consistently for this long.

I’m sure some of you can relate. You are paying for a monthly gym membership and you can count on your fingers the number of times you attended. Or even better. You have a gym in your subdivision/complex/neighborhood or your office building that is free for you to use at any time and you are not.

Yep, that was me!!!

As summer break approached I started to freak out just a little. I knew I could not keep going to my new happy place while my daughters were on summer break.

WHY I WORK OUT

I’ve been on a mission to be the best version of myself for over a year.
I realized that for me to be the best wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, coach – all that makes me who I am and Human. I had to start by working on myself.

Getting Fit and Healthy is Top on My List

• I just want to be able to walk upstairs and not be out of breath.
• Play with and keep up with my almost seven and four-year-old daughters.
• Feel great in my skin and clothes. No, actually, I want to feel Fabulous in my skin and clothes.
• Of course, I want to be healthy and live long and all of that too…
• Getting very close to 40 years old may have something to do with this too.
• Cheers to being Forty, Fit and Fabulous! #FortyFitandFabulous
• The cherry on top is, I haven’t been able to get my wedding ring on and off for a while.

COMMITMENT TO MYSELF

To fulfill my mission of getting fit and healthy I made a commitment to do some form of workout at least three times a week. I have been able to keep my commitment. I even worked out while on vacation over the holidays! My workout is not always in the gym. It may be a day of cleaning my house and doing laundry or walking my kids to school.
#No Excuses

I mention all of this to help you understand my dilemma when I realized I could not attend OT over the summer.

This was my second summer of not having a traditional 9 to 5 corporate job.
I attended a boot camp class four to five times a week last year prior to the summer. I took last summer off and just played outside with my daughters. Running and exercising in the parks while they played.

However, it’s very different when I must keep my eyes and ears alert with two young kids. As you know, kids can get in mischief in a split of a second. My girls were two and five years old then. My radar had to be on in full force.

ALL MOMS NEED TIME FOR THEMSELVES

I Need My Me Time. You Need Your Me Time. We Need our Me Time.

I need those 60 minutes to just go hard and focus on Me. I need my “me time”. You need and deserve your me time too. Out of the 24 hours in a day –
we deserve it to ourselves and our families to take at least that one hour for ourselves.

Whether it’s working out, taking a nap, getting your nails or hair done or just reading a book or watching TV. Some time to just breath and decompress however you want and need.

I can handle the daily grind of LIFE better when I get that time.

My husband knows I love Orangetheory (OT). I think he realized how much when we got snowed in last winter and I still planned on going to my class. He talked reason into me and I stayed home.

As we planned our summer activities I realized I couldn’t keep my OT workout schedule. I was pretty bummed. My husband helped me find a solution. He suggested the YMCA.

WHY I LOVE ORANGETHEORY

• It’s so much fun! It’s hard, however, always a great time.
• The Group Class Structure Works for Me. I need to have someone show me how to do the exercises and use the machines.
• You can see and monitor your progress as you work out. You buy an OT heart rate monitor when you join that allows you to see your zone on a screen while you work out. This is optional.
• I can set my goals before each class.
• I get a visual summary of what I did at the end of the class. And see if I met or exceeded my goals.
• The coaches know you and push you.
• When you schedule a class, you must attend, or you lose a class.
  This motivates you to keep your scheduled classes. Or you lose your money.
• You feel like a bada$$ after you survive a workout. At least I do! Most of the
  

  Your Gym Motivation and Needs Will Be Unique to You 

• There is variety within the 60 minutes. Orangetheory has three stations. The floor, treadmill, and rowers. You rotate through these stations within the hour.
• There’s variety in the type of workouts. You work on strength, power, and endurance. You are told at the beginning of class what type of workout you will be doing.
• The coaches explain and demonstrate the workouts before you begin.
• You can ask questions.
• You are always given an option for an alternative way to do an exercise.
  Should you have an injury, are pregnant or want more of a challenge, etc.
• You can visit other OT locations when you travel. I attended an OT in Florida while on holiday. It was great that my membership covered my visit and I did not have to pay extra.

On my first day at Orangetheory, I was anxious about the treadmill. I was afraid I would fall and break my you know what. I was more confident in my abilities doing the floor exercises because I had attended the boot camp program for a few months prior.

At the beginning of class, I could only walk on the treadmill and by the end of the class, I gained confidence and started to move a little faster into a jog.

Six months later I was ecstatic when I saw the numbers below. Seeing and feeling the results. Stronger, faster and some muscle definition. I can now run over a mile without stopping.

Why the YMCA Surprised Me

As I write this post, I remember that I attended the YMCA for swim lessons in Jamaica many moons ago. For whatever reason, I just did not associate the YMCA with the gym.

WHY I SIGNED UP or What SOLD ME AT THE YMCA

• I can attend group classes while my daughters play in the childcare center.
  At no additional cost.
  Parents with young kids understand how valuable this option is!
• We got a Family Membership for my family of four for less than my OT membership.
• Attend as many group classes as I want each month.
• No need to sign up prior to the class to hold my spot.
• There are several equipment rooms that we can utilize outside of the group classes.
• We get a complimentary wellness consultation with a personal trainer to help you set and reach your goals.
• My daughters can swim at leisure during open pool time.
• Members get a discounted price for classes such as swimming.
• There are about 20 YMCAs in the Chicago Metro. That your membership covers.
  You can also visit other YMCAs outside of your network.
  Each has its own visitor policy.
• There are family group classes where the entire family can workout and play together.
• And! My husband and I can workout together! Without getting a sitter to watch our daughters!
  

  As Moms, our needs are Constantly Changing – Depending on the Season We’re In

All the above sounds great, however, it’s still not OT. I did not think any of the classes would compare to OT. I love the high-intensity workouts that I get at OT. Oh, and the after burn!

But, oh, how was I SURPRISED and frankly IMPRESSED!
Maybe I have just been living under a rock…

• The group classes are awesome. And, yes, they have several high-intensity classes.
• The instructors are awesome and very knowledgeable. I am learning so much about my body, proper form, and the whys.
• The classes are hardcore and fun! Well, all the classes I have attended.
• I have been able to try so many new classes. I am working out more often now. Sometimes taking two classes a day.
• I attend classes at two locations. One is older and more historic and the other is more modern.
  It’s great to have the options and flexibility.

As I complete this list, I’m thinking, it’s much shorter than OT. I was talking with my husband about how impressed and surprised I am with the YMCA.

I think I’m so impressed because I’m paying less than my regular gym membership and feel like I am getting so much more.
My husband reminded me that the YMCA is a nonprofit organization.

Have Faith and Try Something New. You Maybe Pleasantly Surprised!

Sometimes we are faced with a change that we must make. Even though we do not want to. Have faith and take a leap. You may just find a pleasant surprise as I did with the YMCA.

I don’t know if I can justify going back to OT after the summer. My OT membership only covers me, and our YMCA membership covers the entire family.

We will see. I will follow up after the summer.

And for now, I’m enjoying my “Me Time”.

Have a great summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. You can find out about Orangetheory here and YMCA here.