I have several friends who go & they really like it. Not only do you get a good work-out, but the place is aimed at normal women & not the twenty-something hard bodies you find at so many gyms.

If you think working with Subs is difficult, try working with a "I know it all" husband. I'll agree, he has been in the architect/construction business for over 50 years, but he is stuck in the 70's when it comes to details and decorating that I want to do. I can't begin to count the times he said, "It just won't work"....but never tells me why...it is just "You won't understand". I swore when we built this last house, never again!!...but we are back in the planning stages of doing it again...or I should say HE is.... I want to buy a ready-built home, but he thinks he can build one being the contractor himself (of course, he will not be using a tool), and this one took 3 years to complete.....and I want this next one (if we do build) completed in my lifetime!!!! He drew all the plans and said I could pick out all of the inside stuff, but when I say I want something, he finds fault in it all.....UGH!!! You all could have it worse!!!...and I am sure I will be ready to say, "My way or the highway"....but I don't know which of us will be using that highway!

I agree that the guaranteed, short workouts in a group activity at Curves is much of what makes it work. In my case, the upbeat cheerful atmosphere is a bonus. I don't know if the machines are anything special, but I can tell you I feel much stronger than I did 3 months ago -- MUCH stronger. So they are doing something! I don't have time to spend more than that at a gym each night, as I have a very early bedtime therefore I need to eat dinner early as well. The guaranteed 30 minutes of exercise is great for me and I have never missed a week of going at least 3 days. I can't say that about any other gym I've ever gone to. Jen

I joined Curves last month (end of May '03) and I LOVE it. It is truly the ideal thing for me. In January of this year my schedule changed and I couldn't take my walks any more, and boy did I notice a difference. I'm about 30 pounds overweight but I'm tall and my weight is extremely evenly distributed (literally, from my face to my feet) so I don't look really heavy but my strength and endurance are very low. I knew I needed to start some form of exercise and began looking at every possible option, and ended up choosing Curves. I go to Curves straight from work. My heart rate goes up within the first 10 minutes and stays there the rest of the time. After just 9 sessions (in 2-1/2 weeks, 3x a week), my resting heart rate is noticably slower which tells me I am getting a good cardiac workout. I'm not as winded when I go up stairs. And that's what is important to me -- not how much weight I lose, but how fit I am. At nearly 50 years old, strength and endurance are far more important (actually, at any age, they should be most important but I wouldn't have listened to that when I was younger, LOL). I'm also starting to notice that my heart rate doesn't go too high now like it did at first during the work-outs, another sign that I'm already in better shape. I believe that weight loss will eventually take place, since I need to lose weight (if I didn't really need to, I might not lose any). but right now my overall fitness is more important. Everything else will fall into place. Curves is great for me in every way. A fun, cheerful, up-beat atmosphere (typical gyms are very visually unappealling to me), perfect for my schedule, and I look forward to it. I don't diet and don't believe in it. I believe in eating healthy foods in moderation without unrealistic restrictions. Eating when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm full is best. I don't eat just salads and soup. I don't count calories. What I do is choose a salad and fruit instead of chips to accompany my sandwich -- because it is a healthier choice not because it is lower fat or "diet" food. It works for me and I can stay with that for the rest of my life. And sometimes, during special occasions, I'll partake in the chips and dip without going overboard. BTW, the women at my Curves gym are all shapes, sizes, and ages. So, it is NOT just for overweight and/or older women. Anyone can enjoy and benefit from it. But like everything else, not everyone will like it. Hey, even chocolate isn't liked by everyone! :-) Jen