Choosing a new gym here in Colorado has been one of my top priorities since we moved here. I know that may sound silly to some of you but for me the gym is basically my second home. (Okay third home, church is my second home although since we’re technically not in our home-home yet maybe it gets bumped up the list?) It’s where I workout, yes, but it’s also where I make friends, where my kids learn to operate in our community, where I learn new things and try new things, where I do research and where I have fun. Honestly, while my morning (lung-popping) runs and hotel-bathroom yoga and red rock hikes and park playouts and FitnessGlo workouts have been good in the interim the truth is that I’m a very social person and I don’t like working out on my own.
So I made a list of what I need in a gym:
1. Clean, safe facility within 15 minutes of my house. (No coyotes allowed!)
2. Great childcare. My kids are too young to be left alone and so if I don’t have childcare I basically don’t get to workout.
3. A decent selection of group fitness classes. Zumba, Turbokick, BodyStep, Yogalates and whatever other compound-named class you can think of – I’m not that picky! I love them all! I just need a bit of variety to sate my ADD.
4. A good weight floor. This didn’t used to be important to me but if doing The Great Fitness Experiment has taught me anything it’s that woman cannot live on cardio alone. They don’t need to be fancy but I need some dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, a squat rack, and a couple of weight benches at the very least. I’d prefer a TRX, some VIPRs, a Bosu, a cable tower and a pull-up bar but I can improvise those if needed.
5. A sense of community. Those gyms where everyone plugs in their earbuds and pretends they’re the only person there definitely have their place but that’s just not what I personally want. I need to know the regulars’ names. I love it when people say hi to me or miss me if I miss a day. I love it when my kids are excited to go and see all their friends.
All of those needs turn into a pretty long list of requirements and frankly that’s a pretty tall order for any establishment much less a building designed as a sweat receptacle. I’ve been in a lot (a lot a lot) of gyms in my lifetime and each comes with its own personality, its advantages and disadvantages. At the beginning of my gym rat career I worked out in some pretty crappy strip-mall type places thinking I needed “just the basics.” Oh honey, this diva needs more than one mismatched set of dumbbells and a squeaky treadmill to be happy. But on the other end of the spectrum, I’ve had a difficult time feeling like I fit in in high-end gyms (not to mention I can’t afford high end gyms). And yet, I was pretty confident I could find the perfect niche for me here. Why? First because Colorado is known for being fitness-tastic! But mostly because I had all this in Minnesota, so I know it exists!
Unfortunately these high expectations led to probably my most epic meltdown thus far.
Because of my great experience with my YMCA in Minnesota, that was the first place I checked out here. This is how it started:
Front Desk Person/Tour Guide: So here’s the class schedule for our only studio….
Me: But the only classes listed between 7 a.m. and noon are yoga and Pilates! (Side note: You know I love both yoga and Pilates but they’re essentially the same workout. Sure Pilates strengthens more than stretches and yoga has the whole mindfulness component but from a physical standpoint, they do about the same thing for you. I enjoy them. But twice a week, tops.)
FDP/TG: Oh that’s just what our morning mommy crowd likes. We’ve tried other classes but those are the only ones they want.
Me, trying to be optimistic: Oh, there’s a mommy crowd?
FDP/TG: Mommy clique, really. Good luck breaking into that group. Those are some stone cold b******. (Some sales pitch, huh? But I had to appreciate her honesty.) But we do offer free towels!
Now, it all fairness to the Mommy Clique of Doom, they might not be all that bad. It could just be the opinion of one disgruntled worker but the fact that they’d managed to bar every single class except stretch-n-tone was enough to make me wary.
But this is what ended my Y tour:
FDP/TG: So this is our child center. You can use it for up to two hours per day for a maximum of three times per week. Oh and you have to call a week in advance to reserve a spot.
Me: But what if I want to workout more than three times a week? Or if I don’t get a spot?
FDP/TG: Do what the rest of the moms here do and bring your nanny. (Did I mention this Y is in a very ritzy neighborhood?) She can sit and drink coffee in the lobby.
FAIL.
I sat in my car in the parking lot and frantically texted all the Gym Buddies, sobbing. “The Y here is awful!!! What am I going to do?!” (Also, when I asked the tour guide about the weight floor she said – and I swear I’m not making this up – “I’m not sure we have one?” They did but it was one tiny 10-ft closet shoved in a corner with one weight bench, some mismatched dumbbells and a bar with nothing to load on it. So I can see why she was fuzzy on the details.) The silence from the Gym Buddies was deafening. I’m sure they weren’t ignoring me (it might have even been my stupid jerk phone which I swear sends text messages via paper airplane) but it made me realize how alone I really am. Dorothy, we’re not in Minnesota anymore. I was going to have to figure this one out on my own.
Next up was the community rec center which was super nice and reasonably priced and offered all the childcare I could need plus an indoor pool that made my kids swoon. The downside was a lack of group fitness classes during the day (and coming back in the evening is rough for me as that is when my kids have all their stuff), a pitiful weight floor with the lame rule that you can’t use any of the “special” equipment (i.e. the kettlebells, the TRX, the plyo boxes and all the other stuff I like) without being with a personal trainer and a sum total of 6 treadmills. Not that I love the dreadmill but I do use one for sprints and if there are only six that doesn’t bode well for sharing purposes. Basically it seemed like my kids would love it but it wouldn’t be ideal for me.
After that I checked out a series of boutique gyms (too expensive, too single-focused and too pushy with the personal trainers), some strip mall gyms (one even had group fit classes but alas no childcare) and one super fancy deluxe gym that nearly made me faint when I saw the fee list.
Which leaves me here: Three weeks into my new adventure and still totally gym-less. So what do I do? Do I go with a so-so gym and hope it gets better? Do I reevaluate my “need” for a gym and learn to love home workouts? (Heaven knows I’ve got plenty of equipment to set one up and it would save us a ton of money.) Do I find me a CrossFit box knowing that at least they’ll let me touch a kettlebell?
I asked some of my new acquaintances where they work out and the nearly universal answer is that they run, bike or hike outside. And Colorado is so beautiful (seriously, it is ridiculously gorgeous here!) that I know I will enjoy all of those aplenty. It’s just that if I want to lift weights or go without my kids, I’m kind of stuck. Now, I’m not trying to be whiny or ungrateful. I really love it here – the people are super friendly and helpful, the scenery is breathtaking, our house is in a fab neighborhood with great schools, our church is awesome here and I love the abundance of fresh produce. I know we’re going to make a great life here. But I just need to work out this one little kink!
Advice, please! How important is your gym to you? How do you pick a gym? What are the most important things for you in deciding where to workout? Any other options that I’ve missed? Have you ever had a bad gym tour? Share and make me feel better:))
Aww, I feel your pain. I am spoiled by a nice gym too. It’s enough to make me never move. That said, there are a couple alternatives you could look into. Have you checked meetup.com? Not only could you find running/biking/hiking outdoorsy groups, but in Ann Arbor I’ve also found fitness lasses led by beginning trainers that are free. Or you could lead your own. Create a group to meet in your basement and rock some group Fitness Glo. Of course this doesn’t fix childcare, but maybe you could hire a sitter with the money you save on gym fees? Or, I don’t know….. expand the gym search radius?
I think with any gym there are going to be compromises. There surely can’t be 1 gym that ticks everyones boxes. Plus the distance is a biggie for me. If I can’t cycle there, then I don’t want to use it.
Having good staff/instructors is also a big deal.
Love the photos of the gym adverts!
You may have looked into this, but is there a YWCA? Here they’re often a little cheaper than ymcas, so often they’re less clique-y and status-y and they may be a little closer to what you’re used to. Or like the person above said, have you considered expanding your radius? It may be worth it to get the right fit, and there may be other ymcas in other areas.
One other thought… How old is jelly bean now? And how long until all your kids are in school (or jelly bean is in preschool)? That would take care of the childcare part except for summers, but I’m not sure how far away that point is for you.
Or… Here they have these drop in daycare centers and some are supposed to be pretty good. No idea how much they cost, but does the childcare have to be AT the gym, or could it be near it, if you found one that was good otherwise?
Tough one, I know. I love my gym, but may have to switch — the climate control has been … lacking… for the past couple of months and it’s hard to work out well when it’s as humid as it was yesterday. Asthma + arthritis + humid gym = shortened workout.
Oddly, this is why I left my last gym. Same damn thing. Over there, the roof needed to be replaced. Here? I’m not sure. I may wind up at a spinning gym and a Barre place, and that’ll be that. No pool, no child care (they are old enough), and no emphasis on how important it is for the kids to be active, too. But it’ll probably save me a ton of cash.
I’m sorry you haven’t found the right one yet. I’m a home exerciser. I can’t afford a lot of the gyms around here and the combination of affordability and childcare never seem to match up for me. I do love working out to DVDs and squeezing in runs though. I know the social component is big for you. Maybe you could do some home exercising and join a running / biking group?
I work at 24 Hour Fitness in Denver (Kipling) and absolutely LOVE my gym 🙂 I don’t know where you are located, but we just got remodeled with functional training equipment (a trainers’ dream with lots of fun toys, including a turf for sled pushing/box jumping/cartwheeling!).
As to the “You live in CO, you don’t need a gym” comment…OF COURSE YOU DO! And you know that. It takes lots of planning to workout those muscles outside of a gym. Fitness in balance is important!
I love reading your blog and would love to see you come check it out, even if it is too far away 😉
-Kelsey
I was going to say, I’m not sure where you are in Denver, but I loved 24 hour Fitness when I was living in Colorado. I went to one in Fort Collins during the week and a smaller on W 38th in Denver on the weekends. I can’t speak to child care, but the classes were frequent and energetic, always enough space in the weights area + lots of equipment, and up-to-date machines.
Gah – I know. It’s so hard. I’m still not over leaving my favorite yoga studio behind in Brooklyn (and I’ve lived in DC for six years). I suspect, given my experience, that if you try to recreate the experience you had in Minnesota (and what an experience!) you’re probably doomed to feel like you’ve failed. Instead, maybe try a few things out to see if you can find something you like, but maybe isn’t the same as you are used to. Obviously there are a few things you can’t compromise on like childcare…
Exercise is similarly outdoor-focused here in Oregon but there are several really great 24 Hour Fitness gyms here, too. Some of them are very big, so may not seem particularly intimate/friendly, but I think that if you tend to go at the same times each week, you’ll see the same employees and other people exercising. There’s your social group. Especially if you like taking classes, it won’t be hard to form connections with people, no matter how big the gym is.
I know sometimes it’s nicer to belong to a mom and pop kind of place rather than a Globo Gym, but my gym has everything you indicated you want–equipment, childcare, class selection, friendly faces, etc. Maybe one near you will suit you. The only sticking point from there is price, since I don’t know what you’re hoping for. I paid for a three-year membership all in one big chunk of money ($1200, I think) about five years ago. Once the three years was up, I am able to renew for $29/YEAR. I’m pretty sure they don’t offer that deal anymore, but you might ask. Otherwise I think fees are around $30-40/month, depending on the type of club (how big, towel service, pool, racquetball, etc.). With many types of membership you can go to more than one gym location, which might broaden your class selection even further.
I know you’ll find a good one, it just seems hard now when everything is up in the air. xo
It sounds like you expect a lot out of a gym, but I bet you can get what you need by combining your options and being organized. It sounds like you really like the social aspect of gyms, which is legit, so if I were you I’d probably make one of the first two gyms my go to option and fill in the cracks with at home and outdoor workouts and the occasional class at a class only or more expensive gym. I bet in that area you can find a ton of livingsocial and groupon deals for 10 packs of classes or the occasional month long membership to a second gym and use those when your husband can watch the kids for an occasional treat to mix things up. Either that or suck it up and pay more for one of the nice gyms since this is a real priority for you. I’m sure you will get used to paying more for everything after a little while in a city instead of in Minnesota:) On a unrelated note, what bothered you so much about the comment about the nannies? It didn’t sound like they were being very accommodating, but it also sounds like the daycare needs of the majority of their clientele were being met. If you can make do with childcare three days a week, who cares what other moms do? You can be friends with people who have nannies or the nannies themselves.
Thanks so much for this timely post! I feel your pain. One of the things I’m dreading most about moving next month is having to change gyms. Not that mine now is particularly great (besides price: $110 for a year!!) but I’m comfortable here. It’s a big change and I understand how important your gym time is since it is to me too. I can’t imagine living with just outdoor/home workouts. I hate to run or bike is one problem but I also just love that group fitness atmosphere. That’s the top of my list.
I wish you luck! As someone else suggested maybe a gym with good classes + drop-in childcare? Probably more pricey but it might work.
Sure, Colorado is probably a wonderland for outdoor fitness in 3 seasons of the year, but what do folks do in winter? (I guess people still run & hike, and there is skiing…)
Charlotte, you could probably teach most of those classes! Maybe consider getting whatever sort of certification they want their personal trainers to have, and then offer the classes or training you want?
Would your church consider offering some group fitness class with childcare, if enough people were interested?
Parks and recreation departments sometimes have classes, although no childcare usually. But a class once a week might be doable? Or if there’s a city college, sometimes they offer group classes.
Oh-just thought of this-do the gyms have a try-before-you-buy option? Maybe do some drop ins before writing off some of the ones that are close-but-not-perfect?
You have probably thought of most of these ideas, but it’s always a challenge to juggle younglings and fitness.
I sympathise, I really do. You are going to have to prioritise that list and make some compromises. When I have to move I always do it this way round – locate possible area, research gyms in the area, look for housing possibilities nearby. My gym time is so important to me it will actually dictate where I live … and my list of wants is shorter than yours: basically, a weights room with power cage, bench and dumbbells. It is amazing how hard it is to come by those things in places that call themselves ‘gyms’. Good luck!
I saw that someone mentioned meetup.com, and that was my first thought, too. I’d absolutely check there, and maybe (worst-case scenario) you “supplement” with a gym that meets the criteria the Meetup group doesn’t hit.
Good luck!
Have you tried a JCC? I understand there’s one in Denver, although I don’t know what its proximity is to you. They tend to have nice facilities & good child care. The main sticking point is that they can be pricey, but some of them have different membership options.
Others have mentioned 24 Hour Fitness, which, IMHO, is a good option. It’s pretty affordable, had child care, usually lots of classes & decent amenities.
Hope you find something soon!
If you are that extroverted and need the camaraderie, keep looking. Good luck!
I personally got sick of gyms a long time ago – too many posers, equipment hogs with the attitude of “What are you doing in MY spot?” and distractions of all kinds – from spandex violations to crappy music or TV stations I don’t need to see. Oh, and too many rules! Oh yes I am going to drop my deadlift bar when I’m done with a set. What do you mean you don’t allow deadlifts?
I happily work out at home now, using a homemade padded deadlift spot (in the basement) & chinning bar (outside), tire for smashing with my sledge (outside), kettlebells galore, a bike trainer and mat space for bodyweight stuff. Oh, and floor space for Tai Chi and rope skipping too. I need nothing else and the commute time to the gym is….seconds.
Hope you find what you’re looking for! I did.
Find a CrossFit box!!! Some of them offer childcare. Also some have “open gym” times when you can come in and do kinda whatever you want.
Go it alone! I have free gym membership because I teach classes there but I hardly go… I prefer to get OUTSIDE and make the world my gym. Invest in one peice of equipment a month. You like TRX buy one, sure they are pricey initially but you can get the kids on the jungle gym at the park, hook your TRX up and workout while you watch them play 🙂 Bonus they are outdoors too!
Run
Bike – again, get the kids involved?
Hike
Swim when you can at the local community center
Home workout videos (shameless plus for mine on workoutwithdi.com also available on youtube!)
basically IMPROVISE, You’ve done lots of experiments, lots of fitness stuff, just wing. You can find the odd Zumba class etc popping up in centers and try those for a month see if it fits your schedule.
I think I pay the most attention to what type of equipment they have and if there is rust anywhere haha.
As long as it doesn’t look like I’ll catch a deadly disease I’m fine.
Also, I couldn’t go to a gym that doesn’t like heavy lifting. While I don’t like it when guys are disgusting and throw weights onto the ground, a little banging and clanging needs to be allowed.
Choosing a gym sucks. I hate gyms where you feel like it is all one big meat market. I don’t put on make up for the gym and want to be able to wear my ugly big t shirt and not have everyone just judging how everyone else looks.
Charlotte, I’m sorry you’re struggling to replace your gym back home. I know exactly the kind of gym you’re looking for, as I had a FANTASTIC YMCA when I lived in Nashville – rad classes, enormous selection of everything, childcare, great pools, affordable, close by…
I’ve lived in Denver for two years and haven’t found anything quite like it here….
Not to say that there’s not something similar, but I would maybe expand the search to include the ‘burbs a bit more, as the more family-oriented parts of town might cater better to your needs. As a single woman, I’ve enjoyed the luxury of free trials and classes at Qi gyms, Corepower studios, the rec centers (the one on Federal is pretty nice, actually), Kindness Yoga, and Vital yoga. Combining these free options with the great outdoors – hiking, biking, running, outdoor bootcamps with friends, and SKIING (I consider my pass to be my gym membership) has kept me healthy, sane, and happy. I hope it can for you too!!!
Good luck, and keep searching! I hope you find something amazing!!!
Oh man! I totally understand as we have moved a million times and I have joined at least one gym in each location (right now we have been here 2 years and I am on my 3rd gym). I used to belong to a really social gym that I loved…that was 4 states ago. Since then, I haven’t found anything quite like it…however, I have discovered for myself (3 states later) I can work out at home and get just as good of a “burn” and find my social stuff elsewhere. I WILL say, it is nice to workout without the kids…so if I exercise at home, I do it before the house wakes up because my husband can be with them. At various times I have gotten on craigslist for running buddies (scary, I know…but I was desperate). Right now I got a sweet deal on a Crossfit gym and I joined because I can workout before my husband leaves for work. Despite working out with all guys, I still like the group feel.
Moral of the story? You will be okay!!! You just have to find a new normal and you will find things you like about any gym and things that won’t quite match up. Oh the joys of moving!!!
Check out the local university gym. Ours is stellar and not too expensive. I love it. It’s not perfect, but it works for me…
The other option is check on line if anyone has boot camps or other community classes you could join to suppliment some home workouts. My home town has indoor and outdoor classes….
Oh…check into community association fitness classes. Fun and usually low cost. Even the bellydancing rocks here 🙂
See if any of the gyms have a 1-2 week free pass where you can try before you commit. Maybe that will help you narrow down your options.
Did you say you’re in Denver? Check out this group (at about 2 minutes in). Maybe you can connect with somebody there to find out where to go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKG8OoP_Q6U
Thanks so much for sharing, very entertaining pictures. Hope you find what you’re looking for!
Have you looked into city college/university gyms in the area?
Or what about a la carte-ing it – going to a specialized gym a few times a week (a couple barre/pilates/yoga studios in my tiny town offer certain classes with child care), buying some weights for working out at home, getting your cardio on outside during the nice months and joining a cheap gym for the winter months…
…also, why would you bring your nanny to the gym when s/he could just watch the kids at home or at a park or anywhere else??
Your pics are very amusing! Great job on finding the humor in this 🙂 I think you need to go over your list and figure out the three most important things that matter. Then go from there. Good luck to you.
That’s tough! Hopefully you can solve your problem! Here’s some thoughts… take em or leave em…
For the camaraderie, maybe consider joining a running club (in Austin, we have one that does a few sponsored runs a week for something like 40 bucks a year)? A lot of running/tri/fitness stores around here also do free group workouts/runs/core/yoga/meetups/rides/etc so you could get some sort of classes in too – we even have pedicab karaoke runs which I am going to get to some day (just as it sounds, they tow a karaoke machine on a pedicab and the runners take turns singing).
With all the money you save hitting these cheap or free workouts, maybe you can build out a sufficient home gym for weights and hire a babysitter for childcare during these times? The other downside I can see is transportation (running all over town to get your fix) and feeling like a vagrant – you don’t have one home base.
What is the last pic of? Am I kinda slow?
I wasn’t going to read this post because I’m so busy today but I really enjoyed it, even though I’m an introvert (my psych prof said there are almost no redeeming features to being high on introversion and high on neuroticism together, so at least you have one thing to be thankful for!)
The signs are awesomely clever, as is your writing!
(Is it abs?)
I too used to struggle to find a good gym. I used to have a list of requirements a mile long and I super picky.
These days, all I need is something to hang off of. With my focus on body weight and progressive calisthenics the world is my gym. I workout at home, at the park, at the playground here at the apartment complex and there’s a killer calisthenics gym where I drop my friend off at work.
I just got a job at the Colorado Athletic Club and will workout there for sure, but I still much prefer a simple playground. I don’t have kids, but if I did it’s the most kid friendly gym out there plus it’s free and open 24 hours.
Charlotte, I am so glad you touched on this.
A couple of years ago, I found myself in a very similar situation. Different circumstance, but very similar. We were living in a new place and I didn’t really know many people. We can’t afford gym memberships anywhere and I actually couldn’t exercise at home because we lived in a 3rd floor apartment with a horrible “dragon” lady below us that would complain about *any* noise from us, even if it was just my 3 year old tripping over her own feet. No noise or she would report us to the office. This left me with VERY few options. After a few months, I decided that step 1 would be to just start jogging around our neighborhood. There was a very nice park only a couple of blocks behind our complex with a sidewalk running around the entire park which could be jogged nicely for a beginner. My first day out I was with my husband and daughter, who went to the playground to play while I jogged. The park was full of people. I wasn’t even all the way around my first time when I was grabbed from behind by a man that had been following me. I kicked at him and he turned and ran. I ran to my husband and we grabbed our daughter and immediately went home. Needless to say, I would not willingly go back outside… not without another adult with me at all times, and even then, not very happily.
I decided that I’d had enough of it though when I found that I gained 15 pounds in 3 months from a combination of inactivity and stress (MONDO stress!).
Around this time, I was made the activity coordinator for our ward RS and I decided that I would step out of that role a little and try to start a ward workout group. As I started to spread the word, I found out that there was a lady in our ward that had just gotten her Zumba certification and was really wanting to start teaching a group. I spoke with her and she offered to teach a FREE weekly group! That started it!
I think in your situation, if you can’t *find* the perfect group, then perhaps you should *create* your perfect group! Make it a mommy group and try to always have it at someone’s house (rotate houses if necessary!). Switch up the routines to fit your environment: equipment/no equipment, do videos as a group (instead of group fit classes), and as an added bonus, the more kids, the more fun your kids will have! It then becomes a play group/workout group and you can make it when/where/how you need it!
Be the start of something in your community! Help other moms in your community that may find it hard to get their workouts because of kids/money/etc. You’ll get the workouts you need, make friends and the kids will make friends! WIN WIN WIN! (sorry if I just talked your ear off!)
For me, as long as there is nice equipment (both machines and free weights), the place is clean and not run down, then I’m happy. I never got much into any of the classes, but my gyms have always had classes that seemed popular (full rooms!). I guess I’m a bit more “relaxed” with my wants than you, so if you don’t see anything that interests you, I say stick with the home gym, save money, and enjoy yourself!
I have three gym memberships and I find them all useful and I love variety and kettlebell! Do they offer Groupon, Living Social, etc., deals in your area? I often buy those gym deals to mix up my current routine and try something new and it’s how I got to try out my yoga/kettlebell/pilates studio that I am now hooked on. My 24 membership hits all the points you are looking for in a gym in they have them in your area and they are reasonably priced/ I have noticed also. at least where I live, there are a lot of cross fit type style gyms without the crossfit prices but those don’t usually include child care. Meetup.com is also a good start just to meet people when you are new to an area. I used it to connect to hiking groups in my town.
For me, a gym should be somewhere I am comfortable. There should be no one that I found irritating. If I find a gym that irritates me in anyway then I would never go back there again.
That totally sucks, Charlotte. I’m so sorry to hear it. The only thing I can think of is a resource I found once for working out online with friends. I think it was kind of like yogaglo, but you could actually take classes online together. Can’t seem to find the link right now, but will keep looking. I doubt it’s going to satisfy your craving for fitness community or babysitting anyway, but it might be another tool to use while you are finding a gym.
And, by the way, thanks for the awesome laugh at the gym signs!!
I picked a new gym back in January and my criteria ended up being:
– Are there classes I want to take at times I want to take them
– Does it look super crowded at the times I want to go (this is the time i made sure to take the tours)
– Is there adequate free weights and machines
– Are the staff smiling or grumpy
I ended up at a boutique gym that costs me $57 a month after tax. It is two levels and has the feeling of a yoga studio or dojo with exposed brick and wood beams.
The drawbacks: no pool, parking can be frustrating (its downtown), and some classes are intimidating because the regulars are SUPER fit.
I also run outdoors and take drop-in classes at local dance studios (barre and aerial hoop). This gives me everything I want/need to keep me happy, fit, and healthy.
I doubt any gym will be as perfect as the Y in Minnesota, but I am sure you can find the right balance.
It might be helpful to take a step back and realize that your gym situation is really a moving situation. Whenever I move, I find that things are never as good in the new place as the old, and it’s really hard to get over that. I had great access to good, cheap healthy produce in Boston, Los Angeles, and Baltimore in a way that I never found in Washington, Chicago, and New York. And many other details. They are all little details, but they really add to the feeling of displacement whenever you move. You never reproduce the old city, but you discover new things and build your life. It takes a long time to build a life in a new place. Until then, there are so many moments where I exclaim at just how shockingly bad something new is, like your mommy clique anecdote or like New York apartments or all the places in NY that smell like urine (most recently: the stairwell at the doctor’s office today, in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood). Obligatory tumblr link: http://www.worstroom.com/
Btw, go ahead and mourn everything you miss, and complain as much as you need to. It’s part of the mourning process that goes along with moving. Some people may adjust more quickly, but it really takes me 2 years to really feel like I live somewhere new. I wish that I didn’t find myself kicking and screaming each time I move because I might find the process easier otherwise, but that seems to be my natural inclination.
You’re very lucky to have a supportive church community. That will probably help you acclimate. It was easier for me in the cities where I had a good religious community, versus the cities where I felt like I never fit.
When I look for a gym I try to find one that’s not overcrowded. . . If gyms are overcrowded then there’s a higher chance of coming in contact with someones sweat. Ew! Anyway, I’ve been lucky enough to find a gym that not only has capacity control, but is also close to my house 🙂
I love all the funny signs, it really caught my eye and made me laugh!
I’m interested to see which way you went when choosing a gym!?
I got so excited about the type furiously to join our gym, it sounds like you would fit in perfectly here – we have a gorgeous Creche, Social Club, oodles of Group Fitness classes, trx, kettle bells and free weights but unfortunately we are eons apart and our Club is in Australia 🙁
Hope the hunt went well, CrossFit still does sound like an amazing second option 🙂