This story is part of a partnership with Advocate Condell Centre Club.
Melissa and Loralie have partnered with Advocate Condell Medical Center Centre Club to spend the next year working to achieve their health goals. They’ll be documenting their steps to get Movin’ and Improvin’ and be fit by 40. This is not a weight-loss series, this is a journey towards health. Read the series introduction to learn more. Today we hear from Melissa…
A year ago when we started this journey I excitedly looked forward to this post–my almost last one–where I could show off amazing before and after pictures while the collective internet oohs and ahhhs.
Reality is, much of the transformation has been internal and mental and that’s okay. I think the internet and reality TV has conditioned us to see amazing transformations in 30 minutes or less. The reality is that transformation is constant and incremental and the hardest step is to accept that it’s not immediate.
For me, the biggest change is acknowledging that it’s necessary, healthy, and important– and not selfish, for me to take time for me. To take care of me.
Seriously, with four kids, sometimes the only quiet I get is in the locker room. Also, I can shower in peace with not one person coming in to use the bathroom or ask just one quick question. But I digress, back to my progress….
Three-ish weeks ago I found myself fighting some pretty good back pain. Mostly caused by co-sleeping with a 35-pound toddler. There was no way that I was going to be able to make it through my normal routine at the gym, but mentally I needed to getaway. I needed time to sweat, to be alone, and to focus on me because December, man, it’s not about you–it’s about everyone else.
Both locations of Centre Club have heated warm water pools for lap swimming and classes. Gurnee has an additional therapeutic warm water pool reserved just for classes. Facing the inability to lift weights and not wanting to exacerbate it with a run, I decided to give the pool a try. I’m not a great swimmer, and I have not done lap swimming since I was in school (a long time ago). My swimming these days mostly revolved around staying in arms reach of two daredevils as they jump off the side of the pool, and trying to keep track that everyone else’s heads remain above water.
I was a bit nervous going in, I mean I had on my mom swimsuit and haven’t exactly done this before. As usual, the fears were all for nothing, everyone was kind, and honestly, no one even paid any attention to me in the pool. It was a delightful swim. I swam a few laps but mostly I floated and regrouped in my head. I laid in the warm water with the dappled sun coming in, and just listened to the water moving from the other swimmer and was transported. It wasn’t my most vigorous workout, but I left feeling like I had just done this:
While of course there were no flowers, there is a faint smell of peppermint that always wafts through the building, but it’s very relaxing. After the swim I headed to the hot tub, a luxury I am not afforded nearly enough. At Centre Club (both locations) the hot tubs are located in the locker rooms so they are a) secluded and b) single-sex, so no need to suck in that stomach or make awkward conversation. If I was alone, I probably would have floated right in the middle of that too. As a mom of many littles and involved in social media, it very easy to get overstimulated, and touched and talked out. There is nothing (to me) more relaxing than the complete sensory deprivation of floating. Seriously I have on more than one occasion asked my husband for a tank-like Lisa Simpson so I could just completely relax.
I can’t believe I waited so long to try out the pool! The Gurnee Club even offers a Gym & Swim Program for families on Fridays (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) and Sundays (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.), with open swim and open gym. This is free with family memberships, and non-members pay just $6 per child under 12 and $15 for those over 13.
As I continue to heal my back, the pool and spa are definitely going to be visited a lot more frequently!
Advocate Condell Medical Center – Centre Club is a hospital-based health and wellness club owned by Advocate Condell Medical Center and operated by Midtown Athletic Clubs. They offer a choice of group exercise, basketball, racquetball, weight lifting, swimming, indoor track and more. They also offer various health programs, personal trainers and massage therapy.
Connect with Advocate Condell Centre Club
200 W. Golf Rd., Libertyville | (847) 990-5750
AND
1405 Hunt Club Rd., Gurnee | (847) 625-4750
Find more reviews of classes and gyms at Fitness in Lake County.
Disclosure: Loralie and Melissa have received a one-year membership from Advocate Condell Centre Club in exchange for sharing their journey and progress with our readers. All thoughts and opinions belong to the writer and no further compensation was received.
Leave a Reply