St. Mary's Daily Press - Yeager excited about helping keep women healthy, fit

Photo by Amy Cherry Peggy Yeager of Weedville is the soon-to-be-owner of Curves in St. Marys. She has a variety of activities planned for members as well as numerous ideas on how to increase membership to the gym.

Peggy Yeager of Weedville had her sights set on a new business venture and quickly acted upon it when Curves of St. Marys recently went up for sale.

“I heard it was on sale Tuesday night, came down and looked at it on Wednesday, decided I wanted to buy it and called the owner(s) on Wednesday night and turned in my notice at my old job at Miller Brothers in Falls Creek on Thursday,” Yeager said. “I started the buying process on January 27th.”

While the approved paperwork is set to be finalized within the next seven to 10 days, Yeager has already begun planning new activities at the women-only gym.

“I want to help women be able to get healthy and fit,” Yeager explained on why she choose to purchase the business.

Already Yeager has succeeded in signing up 11 new members in the short amount of time she has taken over the business.

Her future plans for the gym include coordinating a Relay for Life team for next summer’s event and expanding membership.

One of the current projects involves a group effort in working toward obtaining three new pieces of equipment for the gym. Members pay 10 cents each time they workout, with half of the money going toward the new equipment fund and the other half is awarded to one member.

As a former Avon manager, who has once again joined the ranks of the company, Yeager enjoys offering incentives to bring out the competitive spirit in people.

In working with the Curves suggestions of encouraging members to workout at least three times a week, Yeager will begin awarding shoe tokens to members starting in April who workout at least 12 times per month. Members can then redeem their tokens for various prizes.

She is also starting a trading center at the gym where members can bring in any of their gently used items, such as clothes, shoes and accessories, which they no longer want and are free for the taking for fellow members.

“I’m trying to make it fun for all the members. We have a good time while they’re here and discuss ways to get healthy and fit,” Yeager noted.

Once again Curves is hosting its 12th Annual Food Drive where current or interested members are encouraged to bring in a bag of non-perishable food items which will be donated to the Christian Food Bank in St. Marys.

As in years past any interested members who bring in a bag of food will have the normal $140 sign-up fee waived.

This year Yeager said the St. Marys Curves is hoping to gather 750 lbs. of food and $250 in a cash donation. The food drive began on March 8th and will conclude on the 20th.

Over the past five years Yeager has been studying health and fitness, which was brought about by her own health issues in which she was life-flighted twice in three months.

Since then she has been taking health and nutrition classes and is working on her certification as a personal trainer through the National Council on Strength and Fitness.

Yeager is also undergoing 10 weeks of the company’s club development program, mostly done via Internet and telephone, which includes an upcoming one-week club camp in Waco, Texas.

“Sometimes women tend to do things for everyone else in their life, such as husbands, children, their parents, and forget that if they don’t take care of themselves there won’t be anyone to take care of those people,” Yeager said.

The gym is open for business six days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. It is closed from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. daily for lunch.

Yeager said the facility’s busy time varies although there is always a crowd in the evening.

“I have a group of five or six ladies meet me at the door right at 7 a.m., while another group stops in from 9:30 to 10 a.m.,” Yeager said. “Friday evening and Saturdays are typically slower while Tuesday and Thursdays are quieter than Mondays and Wednesdays.”

The gym’s clientele covers women of all ages, ranging from 16 to 85, and occupations, including nurses, teachers, factory workers and many more.

As part of the Curves workout program members move around a circle featuring various exercise equipment and workout areas. They spend 30 seconds at each station before advancing to the next area. The entire workout session lasts a total of 30 minutes, burns up to 500 calories and includes strength training, cardio and stretching while utilizing every major muscle group.

Yeager noted that weight management counseling is also available for members and provides a six-week class. It also offers ladies the option to choose a diet program of either high protein or high carbohydrates.

In addition Curves Complete offers an online nutritional system while Curves Smart is a customized personal coach that maximizes workout results and provides instant feedback.

Yeager offers interested members a free one-week trial period to check out the gym.

Curves has nearly 10,000 locations in over 70 countries with nearly 4 million members and is the largest fitness franchise in the world, according to the company website. The first Curves opened in Texas in 1992 with the St. Marys Curves opening six years ago.

Additional information is available on the Curves of St. Marys Facebook page as well as at www.curves.com.