I've hinted to having family drama, got into more detail on one of the podcasts (don't ask which one you know how wordy I am, I forget) anyhoo, I nipped one of the situations in the bud.
'Member the Big Girls gym I was all geeked to get my sweaty pudgy fingers on? Yea, the Y, well, I'm backing out.
Over the weekend, I had a feeling my aunt pawned my membership off on my cousin. The deal is a family pkg, for one child and 2 adults over 18, which was to have been me, her and my godson. Since my cousin hasn't vacated yet and the amount of time that went by till I moved, I think she gave him my membership. @ first I was a bit hurt, but dontcha know, things always work out for a reason.
As I was driving around, finding things for my abode, I found 3 gyms. A Curves, a Ladies Workout Express and a Gold's Gym. My initial thoughts were as follows:
Curves: Hrrrm…they have a controversial image. Plus, I am really looking for cardio machines, I can do weights @ home in the AM.
LWE: Basically a 2nd rate Curves. I'm not too bothered by working out w/dudes. Meh.
Gold's Gym: What am I muscle girl? Jeebus I don't wanna be mixing it up w/testosterone induced freaks. Bah.
So what'd I do? Where'd I end up?
Saturday, I was heading out to do some power shopping. On a fluke, I swerved into Gold's parking lot, wanting to get an idea of the pricing. See my aunt's Y, is really $70 bucks a month, but we were going to split it. I knew $70/mo was too much, but didn't know the going rate.
Having gotten took by Bally a few years back, I was leery about those no-money-down-$19/mo-contracts that you could never break. The biggest downfall of the Y is the family drama behind it, but also, it was out of the way when I leave in the AM. It forces me to go north when I need to go south and they didn't open till 5:45 making a solid hour of cardio pretty hit or miss w/the time I lose by heading south again.
Gold's parking lot was a bit empty and first guy I see going in a beefcake studmuffin cop. *gulp*
I, having been thru the hard sell @ Bally, knew just what to do. I rush in all frantic like, flailing my arms in the air, clutching an important looking piece of paper...
...it was really my shopping list.
Holding a pen in the other hand, I had 3 questions I wanted answered:
1) What time do they open?
B) How much do they cost?
Finally) Is there a contract?
The plan was to act frenzied, no time to pitch me just give me the $$ honey. Dude @ the desk, let's call him Beefcake #2, starts puffing out his chest for the pitch. I see him sizing me up and down. He looks skeptical.
Question 1) was already answered by the sign on the door, they open @ 5:30 (1 point Gold's), so I ask all rabid like, "How much is it?"
He hesitates
…Um…do you wanna look around?
"No time, I got NO TIME!"
He sighs and reluctantly says, $50 down, $30/mo...but we are running a special...
I cut him off.
"Is there a contract?"
More wincing.
He squeaks out, yes.
Me keeping my poker face on.
"Is there month to month?"
Reluctantly again, Uh..yea, $99 down, $50/mo.
Gadzooks!
My eyes musta opened as wide as saucers.
"I see."
I didn't want to be obvious and take notes, so I made a mental note, see my OCD riddled brain is good for $ #'s too.
"Uh..Okay…I gotta go see a man about a bed."
He sputters, well can you take a tour?
"NO TIME!"
How about tomorrow?
*sigh*
"Fine."
I'm thinkin' I got nothing to lose, you bastards ain't gonna jerk me like Bally did. Tomorrow @ 11 it is.
I bolt.
In the car, I make the following notes on my shopping list...
...and continue on my way.
Sunday AM.
I woke up bright and early to do a few loads o' laundry. Then @ 11, talking to my cousin kept me back, I zoom over to Gold's, wondering, why am I rushing to this appt?
I was ½ expecting them to have called when they didn't see me @ 11 on the dot. *sniffle* I got there @ 11:15.
He remembers me.
I barely remembered him. He looked like Cody, my mattress guy (got another story about that by the way), but Beefcake #2's name is Brian and Brian also looked a lot like James Caan son, Scott...
...and what's-his-name.
So Brian, who I'll now call Brian Beefcake, has me fill out a profile. To sum it up, my goal is to lose 50-60lbs and I mainly want cardio.
As we walk, he exclaims..You want to lose 50lbs?!!?!
*sigh* say it louder whydontchabeefcake
"Yes, homeskillet."
He's incredulous.
"Dude, as of this AM, I'm 194. I'd like to be 145 (see how quickly on original 130lb goal weight changes? *cough*)
He's still flabbergasted, I would've never guessed, you don't..uh… his voice trails off.
"Brother man, I totally know, I don't *look* 194 fully dressed, it's the boobs and butt protecting me. But believe me, the jiggly bits are there. All of 'em."
First stop, he shows me the ladies locker room. Very clean and huge. There is room to change in front the shower, 2 changing rooms, a blow dry station (not that I need those by the way) and lotsa lockers (Dammit can't remember what box my combination lock is hiding in).
When I come out he asks, did you see the sauna?
What What What?
"Where was it?"
He blushes, he's never been in there and doesn't know. Silly boy.
Then we walk the floor.
Folks, I gotta tell ya, the equipment was sweet. *sigh* He had me do a move that targeted my back, just to try it out. Explained if I do all the machines in order, I'd get a full circuit workout, easy to change blah blah blah. I was more impressed w/the cool colors, red and dark gray.
We move onto the aerobics/yoga class studio that I can use if no one is in there. Very roomy.
Then we hit my sweet spot, Cardio Alley. Bikes, recumbents, treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers. For 11 am on a Sunday it was about 1/10th full. He showed me how each machine has a TV to manipulate, I wanted to ask this one, but didn't. How do you prevent others from hijacking your channel? Guess I'll find out soon enough.
Never mind, I'll be w/Geenee (who got herself a brand new HOT PINK snugglie by the way, more later).
Then we walk to another weights area. These are set up like the red & gray circuit, but act like free weights. Coolio.
Then we head over to free weights. Nice too.
Then we take a gander @ the barbell room. That's not the name, but they do 60 min classes w/the barbells and um…something or the other.
Then the aerobics areas, carpeted mats, huge balls and jump ropes *squeal*
And the B-Ball court, just in case I wanna, you know, slam the rock 
We head back to the front, he points out the trainer who'll be giving me my free lesson. He was across the gym over @ Cardio Alley Part Duex and was apparently training for some Junior Miss body building event. Along the wall on the opposite side, near Cardio Alley II, I had to be nosy and ask if those were the offices. They were. I already knew that.
We sit back down and he hands me the price list flyer. BOOM!
3 levels of membership:
- Silver, month to month $99 down $44/month
- Platinum, contract, free access to all area Gwinnett Gold's, $50 down $35/month
- Gold, contract, only diff is no access, $50 down, $30/month
W/all levels I can access Gold's around the country, up to 15 times per Gold's. I can suspend membership for 6 months. I can cancel w/nothing owed if I move 15 miles out of of their area. I have 7 days to change my mind.
All the memberships includes free access to all and I say ALL classes, each month. They can have anywhere from 50-54 yoga/pilates/aerobics/spinning/etc/etc/etc/ classes a month @ all times of the day and on weekends.
After the year is up, I automatically rollover into month to month. In Jan, they bill us all an $18 equipment maintenance fee.
I went in thinking, I'll only be living here for 3 months, 6 months top, no need to be all long term commitment like, but I dunno. They gym did sell me. I asked him what was there before, it was so spacious. Walmart. I can picture it.
I went w/the gold.
Next Tuesday I have a free evaluation w/the Junior Miss contestant, they will NOT sell me on PT time. Though I am saying that all snotty like considering I want to be a personal trainer…eek! But nah..I don't really need him, nor can I afford that extra expense right now.
Brian Beefcake, was actually nice. No pressure, no hard sell and something about him turning beet red @ the thought of even seeing the girls sauna, I dunno, warmed the cockles of my bitter heart.
I asked how long was the gym there, about a year, he's been there 2 ½ months, and was a Gold's gym member himself, it's how he got the job.
So yah, I'm a Gold's girl.
It's on my way vs. going out of my way. It feels like a gym for serious people vs. a family spot that is primarily for kids. Peak PM time is 6, I'm hoping to be there around 4:30-5. And being open just 15 mins early makes a HUGE diff to my AM routine.
It so figures. Being known for being all muscly even the key fob has to out do the others
I may need to trim this bad boy down.
