The Y is always ready and waiting to lend a hand when members are prepared to embark on a life-changing wellness journey. In the case of Lyndsey Bawolek, who has lost over 35 pounds since joining the C.W. Avery Family YMCA in 2017, a Y membership was a truly transformative life decision.
“When I first started coming to the Y, the only way I would run is if somebody stole my Cheetos. Last April I did my first half-marathon and I did it with friends from the Y,” Lyndsey said.
Lyndsey believes the culture of the Y community is what has helped her stay motivated.
“I had tried to work out a little bit before joining the Y but didn’t get results. The gym can be intimidating and the social aspects of the Y really helped. At other gyms I had tried to join there was no cohesive community aspect to it. It’s totally different here. This is my happy place,” she said.
Lyndsey’s connection to the Y was further cemented last winter when she jumped on an opportunity to join the Y staff. She started as a wellness attendant in February and became a certified personal trainer in October. She taught her first class earlier this month and is excited to be able to help others succeed.
“This is about real people trying to be fit in a realistic way. I feel like I can help with that and it’s why I wanted to get my certification as a personal trainer,” Lyndsey said.
In addition to building relationships through personal fitness, Lyndsey said she also loves to bring her kids to the Y, noting how inspiring it can be to see the interconnection of Y programming.
“My daughter is a part of Pint-Size Pupils and the coolest part of that is she’ll come home and talk about her friends from the Fab 50 program. They do activities together and it’s funny that even she can walk down the hall and see people she recognizes,” Lyndsey said.
Lyndsey said she always walks into the Y with a smile and maintains a continued sense of belonging with every visit.
“The Y is the center of my family’s little world. My kids learn here. My husband knows people here. I work here. It really is a place where you’ll be embraced,” she said.
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Lyndsey teaches Functional FX on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. and every other Saturday at 7 a.m. You can also find information on all of our personal trainers here.
When someone joins the Y, they are not just joining a gym. Members will find a supportive community full of friendly faces at the YMCA. At the Galowich Family YMCA, one of these friendly faces belongs to Jose ‘Jaime’ Portales. 
