Consider the following when choosing a fitness facility:

Convenience: For your new fitness lifestyle to be a success, your new exercise facility has to be conveniently located. You're more likely to use a facility if it is close to home or work. Also, check to be sure that the fitness facility has hours and class times that work within your busy schedule.

Type of Facility: There are many different types of fitness facilities, each being the perfect motivational tool for a specific type of person.

Athletic Clubs or Sports Clubs: Need access to a pool, racquetball, tennis or basketball courts, personal training, climbing facilities, and spinning -- plus daycare? These larger facilities offer the widest range of amenities, programs and equipment -- and a long list of class times to spin, get your yoga fix, or take a few laps. If you need variety to stay motivated, an athletic club or sports club may be the right choice for you.

Gyms & Health Clubs: A large to medium size facility generally geared toward the more no frills, self-motivated meat and potatoes type fitness enthusiast. These types of facilities often offer professional instruction (personal training). If your primary focus is get busy sculpting that body without the frills, or possibly are on a slightly tighter budget, a gym may be your best choice.

*Note: Most health clubs fall somewhere between these first two facility categories.

Personal Training Studios: Generally a smaller facility. These facilities specialize in one-on-one instruction. Fees are usually session based and can range from $35 to $70 USD per hour. Well worth the money. There is much much more to physical conditioning than just jumping on your treadmill or pulling the ab-roller out from under the bed. An experienced certified personal trainer can show you the proper way to eat, exercise and rest. Also, a Personal Trainer can customize a workout to specifically meet your needs from sport specific training to general conditioning and weight loss -- helping you reach your fitness goals in a fraction of the time.

Pilates Studio: This method of exercise stresses slow, controlled movements and proper breathing to build strength, improve flexibility and joint mobility. Generally speaking Pilates studios offer private and group session rates. Pilates exercise is widely used by professional dancers.

Yoga Studios: Yoga is said to have been around for nearly 5,000 years. Most yoga studios focus on the physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation, flexibility and muscle control. Yoga is said to be instrumental in combating life's everyday stresses. Sounds like something most of us could use on a weekly basis.

Aerobics Studio: Aerobics studios offer a variety of different class types and times to accommodate most anyone's needs and busy schedule. An aerobic class can target anything from cardiovascular health to improving agility, strength and flexibility. Classes can range in difficulty from "hey, this isn't so bad" to "Wow... I had no idea I was this out of shape!"

Boxing, KickBoxing & Martial Arts Facilities: These facilities can offer one fantastic cardiovascular workout while simultaneously developing flexability, coordination and self-confidence. Many of these facilities also have resistance equipment.