Gold's Gym vs. 24 Hour Fitness?

[aRandyOne]

Any advantage of one gym over the other? I'm having bariatric surgery and gym membership is necessary. I live near Mesquite/Heath/Rockwall.

[Lust4xxxLife]

The best choice is the one you're most likely to go to. Usually this boils down to location, busyness, and whether or not you know anyone else who goes there. Facilities between those two options will be fine either way. IMHO.

[Bestman200600]

Check out 24 hour in Rockwall. Join a club if you know you will attend, otherwise pass.

[Juan Pablo de Marco]

hell just walk in to either and ask for a free week membership...they'll give you one with no problems. my gym closed last year, so i went to 24 and tried it out for a week. then went to Gold's and worked out there for a week. didn't like 24 at all, although it is the cheapest. Gold's was very nice and i almost joined, but checked out LA Fitness next (only give you a free 3-day membership). decided on LA, but it was a tough choice between the two. i live in plano and 24 is 1.5 miles from my house, Gold's is 1.7 miles, and LA is 1.9 miles, so location wasn't a consideration.

[bigmike]

aRandy.....get a free week pass to both and work out at both locations to find out how you feel for the place.
Don't just take cost into account but also how you feel in the gym...that is the atmosphere and environment and the services...Like Lust stated. What I found is that if you feel comfortable with a gym setting, you can get a good work out session. Thus, helping you get to your goals faster. You don't want to start off working out at Metroflex Gym right?
Now do the cost factor, do your home work and find out how much other facilities are charging for similar services and go from there...you know how to do cost/benefit analysis right?
Personally, I do not trust Gold's. I was burned by Gold's many years ago in which the owner did a membership drive one weekend and closed shop and took off to Mexico. I had paid 3 years in advance to get a good price and it was for 2. The TX AG said he would go after him and bring him to justice etc...yah, right! Just imagine how far he can go with his wheel chair..... Gold's is a franchise so just be cautious.
I have 24hrs and Bally’s (most of them closed down). I have both over 15 years and I only pay $50 a year...yes grandfathered......I go to both depending on the body part I want to work out...I prefer 24hrs due to its hours, equipments and facilities.. I do travel to Asia so I get to use 24hrs there..Jackie Chan owns them in South east Asia..it goes by California sports...
Hope that helps

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by Juan Pablo de Marco

hell just walk in to either and ask for a free week membership...they'll give you one with no problems. my gym closed last year, so i went to 24 and tried it out for a week. then went to Gold's and worked out there for a week. didn't like 24 at all, although it is the cheapest. Gold's was very nice and i almost joined, but checked out LA Fitness next (only give you a free 3-day membership). decided on LA, but it was a tough choice between the two. i live in plano and 24 is 1.5 miles from my house, Gold's is 1.7 miles, and LA is 1.9 miles, so location wasn't a consideration.

Same situation and area. I also ended up at LAF.

[LazurusLong]

aRandyone.

I have a relative who did the thumb surgery, one of the many bariatric surgery options.

yes she lost weight but when I saw her last January, she was losing her hair and having other health issues because with her stomach partially removed, she was not able to digest the food she needed to stay healthy and was fading away.

I have a very large friend who was almost 600 pounds a year ago and he is now down to 480 just be finding what works for him and sticking with it. One thing he has been doing and has worked is fasting at least once a month for 5 days. Then after he breaks his fast he keeps to his plan of keeping his calories at his goal.

He will check a food item to see how it affects his weight even though the calories may be the same he has found some specific foods make him gain even with same calories so he marks them down on a list to not buy again. he's kept a good diary of exactly what he eats and uses a scale and measuring cups to insure he doesn't cheat on his calorie count.

Good luck on your goal of losing weight.

[Donnie Brasco]

Been to both and actually work out at 24 hrs. At the time. I absolutely love the place. Join CostCo and buy a two year membership for $300. Best deal ever. P.m. Me if you have any more questions.

[hulkewok1]

I have a membership at both gyms, my favorite is Gold's even though the closet one to me is in Forney but I prefer to go to the one in Garland like the feel and the people there, 24 hr. tends to be a meat market and social scene, especially the one in Mesquite by the Academy. The convience of 24 fitness is some locations are open 24 hours and they are all over so can go to any one depending if you get a premium membership. I have seen alot of people with personal trainers at 24 hr. fitness and year after year they look the same no change in physique. To where as at Gold's I have seen alot of people change thier apperance and health for the better. The crowd at the Gold's Ive been to are more serious about reaching thier goals. I also have a membership at Just Fitness it's a new gym that opened up in the old 24 hr. fitness location off of Galloway in Mesquite, and there is another location in the Casa Linda shopping center where another 24 hr used to be. I like these gyms as well. All equipment is new, and fees are dirt cheap 10 dollars basic membership and 20 dollars for premium membership.

[blue3122]

If you travel at all and that is a consideration, ask up front and make sure it is in writing. I used to travel 50-70% of the time and when I joined one gym about 8 years ago, they led me to believe that I could use their facilities in any state or other metroplex locations (like near my office). They were correct BUT (here is the catch)....I had to pay a $10 one time use fee when I did this. $10 every time. So after my 6 month membership was up, I dropped them and then it took me 5 years to get them to quit sending me marketing materials to rejoin. Good luck.

[munster]

Hey aRandyOne,

I went with 24HR fitness. Their hours fits my work schedule perfectly. I work swing shift and other gyms are closed when I leave work.

I too had bariatric sugery. Hold off on the gym until your DR. gives you the all clear to lift weights. Unless your looking @ gyms for a cardio workout. The first two weeks following the surgery I walked for my exercise. Walking helps you recover faster from the discomfort of your main incision. When I was 6 months out from my surgery my Dr. gave me the ok to lift weights. I didn't go back immediately I wanted to see how far the surgery would take me. I lost a total of 160lbs with just the surgery. My preop weight was 379lbs. I've been lifting for a few months now to tone up and get my strength back. The only exercise I would caution you on would be deadlifts. When I reached 200lbs the weight started to put stress on my large incision. I backed off 20lbs and worked my way back up slowly over the next few weeks.

I was taking meds for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. In all there where 6 different meds I used to control my problems. Now I take none. They have been replaced with vitamins and dietary supplements. My bloodwork comes back clean with only some minor tweaking with the vitamins I'm taking. The aches and pains I had before are a memory now.

I'm able to eat whatever I want just in small quantity's. Preop I was all about large quantities. Now it's about quality. Find a protein shake that you like. Postop this will be your food and your new best friend. The surgery might also change your tastebuds. Sodas taste terrible but I have grown to like yogurt. Everybody's different and their body's will react differently to this new change. Most of the changes are positive and some are negative. I've been cured of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. My only bad side effect after 1.5 years is kidney stones. Since the surgery I haven't even come down with a cold yet (knock on wood).

My decision to have this procedure wasn't easy for me. I fought my Dr for several years before I finally decided to take is advice. My meds intake was increasing and the Dr added insulin to my drug therapy. The insulin use increased over the years. I knew the path I was going down was leading me to an early grave. My only regret now is I didn't get this done sooner. Good luck with your new journey in life.

Best Wishes

Munster

[txhunter56]

I've been a member of 24 HR Fitness for 2+ years. Got the $299 for two years deal through Costco. Equipment varies from location to location. But, there is plenty of equipment to choose from.

I typically go 3 - 5 days a week. 3 days weights and two days cardio.

[slims099]

Try P90X for your home, or maybe even 10 minute trainer. They've sold 40-50 million copies, I think they're doing something right!

[LazurusLong]

Originally Posted by slims099

Try P90X for your home, or maybe even 10 minute trainer. They've sold 40-50 million copies, I think they're doing something right!

How many Pet Rocks or cabbage Patch dolls were sold? Just because something works for others it doesn't mean it will work for him.

And if people were to read his original post, joining a gym is apparently a REQUIREMENT for the surgery.

I'm having bariatric surgery and gym membership is necessary.

[hotlips_houlihan]

what about city of mesquite parks and recreation? only 10.00/year for residents