Anyone go to Lifetime Fitness?

I'm considering a membership at Lifetime Fitness. Does/has anyone had/have a membership there? Happy with it? I'd mainly go to the St Paul and Eagan clubs.

A friend suggests Anytime Fitness because it's cheaper but I like the idea of a gym with more services. But maybe it's not worth the extra money?

Thanks!
Anna

I had a Lifetime Fitness membership before... I liked it a lot - a lot of options in terms of exercise... pool, sports, gym, classes, etc. I really enjoyed it.

I had Lifetime for about 1 year. I was never warm enough in the pool, it always seemed to be freezing.  Trainer types would walk past in the weight machines and open weights but never say anything. The place was usually clean, always lots and lots of fresh towels available. This one had 2 hot tubs and more than 1/2 the time in 1 year that I was there, one was working at a time.  I was paying $50.00 a month and did not feel it cost effective so we stopped going. Oh, and the salesman lied to us when we signed on, and then he was gone so they did not honor part of the verbal agreement.

I am thinking of looking into the YMCA, I think they hav sliding scale fees and that is what I would need.

Hope this helps,

Karen

I had a lifetime membership and if you can do the classes it's awesome but their schedule of aerobic classes doesn't mesh with mine. I am looking into Snap. Its $35/mo and the Snelling location just opened so they are waiving the enrollment fee right now so its a viable option. $35/mo...reasonable and you can use any location across the US so if you might be moving??

I agree with your friend,  I have a membership with Anytime fitness and really enjoy going there over the big warehouse style gyms.  The one I belong to has alot of equipment in it and also not sure how to phrase this but the members are average people trying to loose weight, you dont have say the steroid looking guy next to you benching 500 pounds or the marathon runner person on the treadmill next to you, theres nothing wrong with that but I found it a little discouraging to work out at times. 

I had a lifetime membership and cancelled it.  I did love it!!!!  The classes really made me work hard and I felt fabulous.  Due to working full time and kids at home, I chose to cancel it.  I miss it alot!!!!!   I do have a bowflex at home and a nice elliptical machine.  If I did not have this at home I would have kept my membership.  I would say go for it!!!!!   

If anyone was on the edge of their seat waiting to find out what I did...I joined Lifetime. I liked it even though it was huge. More expensive than other options but this is my rationale: I'm off 3 meds because of surgery with a total of 30 dollars in copays each month and my company will reimburse me for half of the expense of my membership at the end of the year. So it's like it's free, right? 

Plus I just wasn't really comfortable with the idea of exercising in a place in the early morning or evening that didn't have anyone there on staff. The Twin Cities may be safe but I spent a decade in Chicago and that doesn't leave a girl all too easily.

Even though it was pretty busy when I was there, there were still plenty of machines available. I also like the thought of classes though I think it will be awhile until I'm comfortable or fit enough to go to one.

I'm going to start going in a few days when my cough has settled down some more.

Thank you to all who posted for the ideas and suggestions!

Anna