By Amanda Lehmert
Are you ready to become a healthier you, but don’t know where to start?
Greensboro Parks and Recreation has a wide range of programs to help you meet your health and wellness goals – even if you are just starting out. The programs won’t bust your budget. Most fitness programs are low-cost, and many are free. Greensboro’s fitness center, boxing gym, workout classes and weight loss support groups can help you keep fit all year round.
No contract fitness centers and boxing gym
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. It’s tough to do that outside this time of year, so give one of our fitness centers a try. The Griffin, Peeler, Trotter and Warnersville Recreation Centers and the Smith Senior Center have low-cost fitness centers. No contract is required to become a member.
The fitness centers offer with high-quality treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, and weight training equipment, as well as trained staff to ensure a safe environment for teens and adults. Adult memberships cost $10 a month or $100 for a year. Teen memberships cost $5 a month or $50 for a year.
If you want something a bit more challenging, give the Coach Al Lowe Boxing Club a try. Located at the Lindley Recreation Center, the club has an Olympic-size boxing ring, sparring times, free weights and cardio machines, and coaches who are sanctioned by United States Amateur Boxing Inc. No experience is necessary to join and the club is open to residents 12 and older for a fee of $40 per year.
Group workouts for all fitness levels
The solo gym routine might not be enough to keep you engaged. And that’s okay, because Parks and Recreation also offers a wide array of group workouts to inspire you. The costs of these fitness classes range from free to about $10. Recreation centers across the city offer perennial favorites like yoga, karate, and boot camp. Try Zumba, shred, cardio sculpt or hip hop step to get your heart rate up. Visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/reccenters to see what classes are offered at your local center.
People who are totally new to fitness should try the classes offered by the Smith Senior Center. They host free modified fitness programs like chair-based yoga and beginner Zumba for all adults – not just those 55 and over. Visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/seniors for class information.
Weight loss support
Once you’ve got your exercise routine worked out, it’s time to figure out your diet. A healthy lifestyle often starts at your dinner plate. That’s why Parks and Recreation hosts three local chapters of Taking Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), a national program that provide support and educational information to help you eat right and set realistic weight loss goals. Weekly chapter meetings offer programs on health issues like diabetes and heart disease.
Each meeting gives members – if they choose – an opportunity to stay accountable by weighing in and sharing that week’s progress. They have scales that can support people up to 500 pounds. It costs $32 for a national membership, plus a $2-4 per month fee to attend local group meetings. Windsor Recreation Center, the Smith Senior Center and the Lindley Recreation Center each host a chapter of TOPS. Visit www.tops.org for more details about this program.
Amanda Lehmert is the Communications Specialist in the Communications and Marketing Department with the City of Greensboro.