Community Corner

Local Resources for Losing Weight This New Year

Here's our guide to working out in Evanston

What's your New Years resolution? Let us guess: you want to lose some weight.

Losing weight and getting in shape is a top resolution in America, according to a Kellogg School of Management poll. For many, a new year brings a new gym membership, diet, and motivation to get ripped. If you're not already a regular gym rat (and if you're resolving to lose weight we're guessing you're not), here's a list of local resources to help you meet your goal.

- McGaw offers a gym, classes, and personal training. Group classes include yoga and martial arts.

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Fit Girl is a relatively new space in Evanston that has spin, barre, yoga, and ballet conditioning classes. Never heard of barre? It's a stretching, sculpting, and conditioning class that is guaranteed to leave you sore (in a good way) the next day.

-CrossFit 847 There's a reason CrossFit people are always talking about CrossFit. Just take a look at some of the insane CrossFit videos on YouTube. It's done in a community environment so you're bound to make some new friends who will double as extra motivation to keep going.

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- Did you know there's an indoor rock wall in Evanston? If you're sick of the elliptical (of which this gym has many), take a climb on the EAC wall and work your legs. It's harder than it looks.

-Pilates Connection Another workout filed under things that are harder than they look: Pilates. There's a reason celebrities do pilates. The core work is killer, but worth it.

- This gym has classes, a pool, tons of machines, and it's set right in the heart of downtown with a parking garage right next door. They have tons of personal trainers to help you reach your goal.

 

If you don't want to pony up for a gym membership or classes, there are some cheaper alternatives as well. Evanston is pretty bike-friendly, if you're willing to brave the elements. Just be extra careful in dark winter months to wear reflective gear and use a light. There are plenty of places to walk, and it burns tons of calories to shovel out a driveway -- if we ever get any snow.

Exercise DVDs are another option. There are a bunch for less than $10 on Amazon.com, plus there is a series of workouts available on Netflix Instant. If you want to really save money, there are also workouts for free on YouTube.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways to lose weight in Evanston. Is there a great gym that you didn't see on our list, or another local activity that can help shed pounds? Tell us in the comments section!


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