Not Just Another Gym: the Life Time Fitness Experience

Chocolate Slopes is not only about nutrition, but its also about living an overall healthy lifestyle. Fitness has always been a huge part of my life and in addition to its positive impact on my health its also provided me with so much fulfillment, skill-building, determination and confidence over the years. My plan is to add a bit more about fitness to Chocolate Slopes in hopes of inspiring you, my readers, to find your passion in whatever type of physical activity you may enjoy.

I recently had the opportunity to visit and experience everything Life Time Fitness has to offer. I visited their Bloomfield Township, Michigan location which is one of seven in the Metro Detroit area. To say I was impressed is an understatement. This specific club is their only Life Time Athletic club in Michigan which offers a few different amenities than the other Life Time Fitness clubs in Michigan. However, I have also visited other Lifetime Fitness clubs in Michigan and found them to be quite impressive as well, just in a different way.  

You may think its just another gym, however that couldn’t be much further from the truth. This post highlights the many activities I participated in, however there is so much to this club that I couldn’t possibly highlight everything in a single post so I highly suggest visiting one to experience it yourself. Listed below you’ll also find some Insider Tips I learned from the employees, tips you might not find browsing their website. 

My first stop was the Life Cafe which offers a large variety of options including breakfast, sandwiches, salads, snacks, smoothies and more. All food served is free of any artificial colors, artificial preservatives, artificial sweeteners, trans fat and bleached flour. I sampled several menu items including this turkey sandwich and barbecue chicken pizza and they were all absolutely delicious!

Next, I experienced a hard-core boot camp class taught by two trainers (thankfully I was about 5 weeks from my hernia surgery and in somewhat decent shape otherwise I would have never made it!). The trainers were phenomenal and motivating throughout the entire class. Next we participated in a Warrior Sculpt class which is a combination of yoga and strength training, an awesome and excruciating (in a good way) experience if you ask me.

Of course since I’m a mom of 3 young children I had to check out the kids area, named “Kids Academy.” It was quite impressive with a huge play structure, separate age-appropriate rooms, and classes like music, gymnastics, yoga and more! And when schools are off in the area they have camp just for kids with different themes. When I visited one of the workers was even playing guitar for the kids!

Of course being a triathlete I was interested in the swimming pool which includes 5 lanes. They also offer a variety of swim classes for all ages taught by collegiate-level instructors as well as have a master’s team (for those who would like to improve their strokes and speed and even have the opportunity to compete!).

Besides swimming, cycling is obviously important when it comes to triathlon (and it’s winter in Michigan so indoor spin is a necessity). Of course it’s a blast even for those not interested in triathlon! So I was happy to see the spin room with 59 bikes and 3 Saturday morning classes. And don’t worry, there’s no waiting around 30 minutes before class just to get a spot. If one class fills up too quickly, they alter the schedule and add additional classes where ever necessary. These specific facts are important if you’ve ever belonged to a gym and have had to get to the gym 30 minutes before the start of class just to secure a bike. 

This Life Time Fitness offers over 100 classes weekly which means you couldn’t possibly run out of workout options. All the classes are located on the 2nd floor (along with the childcare), and each section has its own feel. For example, the yoga “studio” is down a hallway with dimmer lights, quieter music and a big temperature difference (warmer) than the rest of the floor. It was designed this way to make you feel as though you’re walking into an actual yoga studio and not just another fitness room at Life Time Fitness.

We ended the day at the Life Spa where I received a massage and pedicure. I can’t tell you the last time I’ve had either one, and after the workouts I had it was the perfect end to the day. 

Insider Tips

• Anyone can visit and purchase food at the Life Cafe or spa without a membership AND use the club for the day  (even childcare-just make sure to call ahead to make sure there is room for your children)
• If you’re a member and have children 5 years and older, you can leave the premises to run errands while your children are in the childcare!
• Unlike other gyms, childcare at Life Time Fitness is available all day long
• With a Life Time Athletic club membership you can visit any other Lifetime Fitness in the United States free of charge.
• Personal trainers on staff have high-level training certifications.
• Each Life Time Fitness employs at least one registered dietitian. This I find awesome not only because I’m a registered dietitian myself, but also because it shows this company values providing reputable nutrition advice to its members.
• This location is elite enough that local celebrities (like NHL, NFL players) workout there (I had to add this because I saw one of my favorite NHL players working out!).
• You can also host your child’s birthday party at Life Time Fitness even if you’re not a member.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one workout facility, in addition to an amazing spa and cafe, check out a Life Time Fitness near you. You won’t be disappointed! 

Disclaimer: I was not compensated to write this post, however I visited Life Time Fitness for the day free of charge (which you can too — just give them a call!). And as always, all the opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.

This Not Just Another Gym: the Life Time Fitness Experience post first appeared on Chocolate Slopes.

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