Having lived elsewhere most of my adult life, I started writing this column to share my newfound appreciation for the area and its many offerings that represent a high quality of life. This is the 7th summer I have spent extended time in the area and I have found a multitude of things to appreciate and be grateful for during that period. One of this summer’s discoveries has been Unity Health and Fitness. If you have been following my articles lately you know I have been on a diet and exercise kick this year. I made some headway on the fitness side of the equation after extended time in a hybrid physical therapy/fitness center in Flagstaff this past winter/spring and decided to keep the momentum going through the summer/fall while here at the lake.
I had previously visited Unity and talked about joining and/or attending classes and finally got the job done. As most of you know, “walking your talk” is no small feat when it comes to starting and continuing a fitness regime. I know this from firsthand experience having started and stopped my share of programs over the decades. Given my current lack of motivation, I put my money where my mouth was and signed up for personal training twice a week. As we age maintaining some level of strength, flexibility and balance is everything when it comes to leading a rich full life. My sister says if you want to know how old you are just get down on the floor and try to get up again. Humbling though it may be, she is right…Ugh!
So, I started personal fitness training in May and have been at it ever since. My trainer is all business and moves through the workout at a fast clip which, given my nature, I greatly appreciate. There is little time to think about it so I just do what I am told and move through the program making lots of loud noises in the process. I appreciate her personalized approach which is different each time and her focus on proper pacing and keeping me safe is priceless. Over the years, I have found these things important to coming back for more. As a warmup, I walk 7 laps (1/2 mile) around the upper track, complete the training session, end with 7 laps (1/2 mile) as a cooldown and still end up in and out of the gym in a little over an hour. Of course, I am drenched when finished and exit the facility into our hot humid summer days exhausted yet glad I did the work. Yes, I am sore for up to 72 hours after the workout which, luckily, is just in time for my next session and I remember to take my Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) which remains a senior’s best friend. The payoffs have been increased strength, flexibility and balance which have made gardening and weaving easier this year. Also, I sleep better and feel more bright eyed and bushy tailed.
There are a lot more good things to say about Unity; it’s affordable relative to other facilities I have frequented, it’s clean and mostly climate controlled, its programming is diverse and the staff members I have interacted with have been kind and professional. It is rare for such a small town to have such a great health and fitness center and I believe the recent transition to city oversight will benefit all. I highly encourage area residents to take advantage of this robust facility. Cheers to your health!