Putting LA Fitness on Panola Was 'Best Move They Made'

Before LA Fitness opened in Lithonia on March 19, Maggie Seals would often make mad dashes to the gym's locations on Lavista Road or in Conyers.

"The classes are good, so you're trying to get to that class," she told Patch.

Now that the newly-built gym is up and running on Panola and Covington, things are much more convenient and less stressful for Seals, who doesn't live far from it.

"I love the location. To me, that was the best move they made," said Seals, who said she had suggested a Lithonia location to personnel at the other LA Fitness gyms.

Delphine Sharpe, speaking to Patch on the second day of LA Fitness Panola's operation, said she was "thrilled" about the new location, also convenient to her.

LA Fitness isn't the only new place to work up a sweat locally. Among them: Wade-Walker Family YMCA opened last summer; Planet Fitness on Memorial Drive and LA Fitness on East Park Place in Gwinnett county have opened in recent months.

Stanley DeMartinis, Jr., managing partner with Alder Partners LLC, the firm that operates the Planet Fitness franchisees in the metro Atlanta market, told Patch last year the reason for fitness centers popping up locally is people are learning more about obesity and its effects, and that their health is "at the forefront."

Seals is happy about both the new and long-existing local options for getting fit.

"The parks are also good," Seals said. "Stone Mountain has a lot to offer, but you have to use them."

Sharpe has added an app to her phone, "MapMyWalk" to use during fitness strolls, which have included local parks.

Here's a sampling of some comments people have made about the different workout options in Stone Mountain and Lithonia:

LA Fitness Panola's Facebook page-

I am so excited we finally got a real gym in our neck of the woods. This was long overdue.

I thank god for this la fitness in my community!

Wade-Walker Family YMCA Facebook page -

I love the Y being right around the corner.

I think it's great to get people active and healthy maybe just maybe with clubs near their home they will be more likely to take advantage of them. Hopefully it will be affordable. I personally hate the gym I rather hike Stone Mountain 3 times a week.

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