C is for Cookie, so Y is for Yoga

It’s a cruel twist of fate. A girl finds her true love who professes his (or her) unconditional attraction to her in sickness and in health, whether she wears a size 4 or 24. This kicks off the planning of a celebration that often culminates in a bride donning the most important and expensive dress she will ever model whilst snapped at every angle for what I might assume is the priciest photo package a parent will ever purchase. Along the way are cake tastings, luncheons with quiche and scones, showers full of cupcakes and petit fours, cake re-tastings, post-bachelorette party pancake brunches and the grand pre-dress finale: a heaping rehearsal dinner. And did I mention I’m a stress eater? Where are all of these celebratory calories supposed to rest? Hopefully not on my hips, since I just payed off the honeymoon of a lifetime that features ample pool time and bikini wearing. It’s time to call in the heavy artillery. 

A girl as unathletic as myself is not going to get the big results by strapping up her tennies and taking a stroll about the neighborhood. Bridal beauty takes a village. Yes, it takes the Village People! Or what I mean to say is, it takes a village like the one the Village People so passionately tell us about. It takes a little place called the YMCA. 

I love the Y. It has all the great cardio and weight machines, classes and personal training programs as swanky as the LA transplants next door but with added neighborhood charm. Question: who valets their car to go to the gym like what I see at our “boutique fitness centers”? I hope NO ONE. If you do, you might be missing the point of the active lifestyle your inflated gym membership fees are supposed to be enabling. Plus I think you are a butthead. I digress…

I love the Y for budget brides. So many of us hunker down on specific fitness goals after we find the dress. Maybe arms and back are what you’ll focus on to enhance your strapless Vera Wang look-alike, or you really want to enhance your glutes for a mermaid gown and to fill out those bikini bottoms you’ll be sporting on the honeymoon. The Fitlinxx program at the Y is a free, computerized personal trainer that records your goals and tracks your progress, tailoring workouts to your body type and abilities. There’s also different assignments each time you log in! So P90X…

My favorite Y features though, are the specialty classes that are free with your monthly membership. There’s a flow yoga class everyday as well as Zumba, bodypump, BOSU flex, and pilates with props, to name a few. I love the camaraderie I have with so many fellow members in my classes who know when my wedding date is and encourage me to stay a full class, even if my head is swimming with invitations to address. Every instructor brings something different to the table. Zumba Brandi pops, locks and drops it ’til so many endorphins are running through my body that I start dreaming I’m in an overheated Havana night club. Julie in Friday power yoga is soft and nurturing, helping to adjust poses as needed. Then there’s the more colorful power yoga on Mondays at the Park Cities Y with Jeff, who once threw a girl out of his class for trying to sneak in a granola bar. Jeff makes me want to punch him in the face on Mondays and I love him for it.

And while my treks to the Y make a difference to my figure, those benefits pale in comparison to how a neighborhood Y can shape a local community. Local YMCAs are watering holes that nourish the mind, spirit and body of members of all ages. From after school programs to active older adult activities, the Y enriches lives through more than just elliptical machines. YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas has even partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas to allow free access to all Bigs and Littles wishing to spend creative and constructive time together at YMCA facilities. 

Looks like the Y is a win-win situation for me and the community. As long as I can get myself to go, right? ;o)

See you soon, 

Lilly