“After the birth of my second child in 2018, I needed to lose weight and was having trouble committing to a program. I moved to this area in 2019, three months before the pandemic started. I was starting to get to know my neighbors and the neighborhoods a bit and then March came and everything went into lockdown. I tried to lose weight on my own for about six months but I wasn’t really motivated. When things opened back up, I tried two other gyms but felt no connection to the people. Then, as a half joke, my husband – who was getting tired of hearing me complain – signed me up for personal training at the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA this past April. I connected with the trainers so well and they were so welcoming. I decided to continue with the training and also started taking group exercise classes. By the end of August, I had a routine. One day, one of the instructors said something that inspired me. She told me, ‘I see you more than 2 to 3 times per week. I’m going to look out for you.’ When you connect with someone and you know they are looking out for you, it’s nice to know that they’ll notice if you aren’t there. Even if I’m not making my best friends there, someone is looking out for you. Since then, I’ve been going five days a week. It’s just so welcoming at the Y. Everyone says hello when you walk in. I could be having the worst day and it just brightens my day. I like the support there. It makes me want to come back. I feel like I’m part of a family. I also feel stronger and more toned than I was before. I’m definitely living a healthier life. I can’t imagine myself going to any other place now.”