The Y Grows With You: YMCA Supports Women’s Health at Any Age
This Women’s Health Month at the Frederick YMCA, we’re highlighting some of our dedicated female members and how the Y has been an important part of their lifestyle at every age. One of the unique features of the Y is that it has something for everyone, and the way our members choose to use it can change and evolve through every stage of life. Whether you’re a new mom, a recent retiree, or a senior, the Y offers classes and activities that fit your schedule and level of fitness. These women are happy to share how they’ve truly made the Y a lifestyle choice.
Kelly Leach, 34, says that the Y has been a lifesaver since she had her first child (a daughter, now 3). A number of classes, such as KB+ (kettlebells), Boot Camp, and Ultimate Conditioning have helped her lose her baby weight, but more importantly, provided social connections and boosted her mental health during the stressful period of being a new parent. She has been able to relax and engage in fitness self-care without worry thanks to the Fun Zone, the Y’s free childcare program. It means the world to her not only to improve her own health, but to have the occasional break.
Kathleen Daniels, 44, also found the Y to be an excellent support in maintaining her fitness as a young mom, and she now makes use of a favorite Y activity to spend quality time with her husband. Kathleen has three children, 12, 10, and 6, and has been able to participate in KB+, Yoga, and independent swim thanks to the YMCA’s childcare. Currently, she and her husband are making Karate at the Y their “date night,” and she appreciates that it’s helped him become more active, as well. She says that they picked it up after their children started taking classes at a martial arts school, and found that the Y instructors were just as experienced and engaging at a more accessible price!
Julie Minner, 58, has been a Y member for around 30 years, and has found that it’s enabled her to keep up with her favorite fitness activities and even meet ambitious fitness goals. Minner comes in for independent swim in the early morning two to three times a week and participates in Body Pump classes in the evenings. Like Kelly and Kathleen, she made use of the children’s resources when her kids were young, but now that they’re grown, she focuses on staying fit to participate in triathlons. From the Frederick Half Marathon to the Chesapeake Bay Swim, she signs on to a few events every year to motivate her healthy lifestyle.
Michelle Raimist, 60, has found a lot of joy, connections, and community in the Y’s aqua aerobics classes. She is retired, and the aqua aerobics classes (along with a few other Y activities) have formed her weekly routine. What she has come to appreciate most about aqua aerobics are the friends she’s made through longtime participation in the classes – a group of men and women, of all ages and backgrounds, many of whom get together socially outside the Y as well! The sense of community allows her to look forward to her time there, and is an important component of overall wellness.
Pat Einhorn, 74, has made the Y an important part of her life in order to stay fit for her family and create structure in her days. After she retired, she says, she made a new commitment to gym participation, and she appreciates that she can walk to the downtown Y from her home. She takes a variety of classes, such as Kettlebell Basics, TRX, and Group Cycle, and also makes use of the Y’s personal trainers. She loves the positive connections she’s made – other women her age with the same commitment to health – and wants to stay proactive about her physical strength, especially with young grandchildren. She gets a lot of joy from maintaining her vitality and chasing her grandkids around the park.
The one thing that these women have in common is that they don’t view the Y just as a “gym” to maintain fitness, but a lifestyle component that contributes to wellness in all areas of their lives. The Y is a community center that meets women where they are. Take a look at our class offerings to see how the Y can be part of your life today!
