Palatine mom starts fitness blog to review fitness and yoga studios

PALATINE, IL - 30 Studios in 30 Days is the mission of Edan Joy Gelt, an ordinary, 40+ year-old mom of two who recently started the blog www.edajoygelt.com and the Joy of Fitness Facebook page. Her goal is to attend the diverse group of classes and live to blog about it.

Gelt discovered the therapeutic effect of exercise when her 4.5 year-old daughter Kennedy was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012. Instead of being subscribed meds for her depression-like symptoms, she turned to fitness with activities such as boxing, yoga and cross training to help her through. Gelt's daughter Kennedy beat the disease and is now a thriving 9-year old but the impact of fitness on Edan Joy's life persevered.

"Through the darkest period of my life, fitness was my crutch - some experiences better than others", she said. "Instead of heading out for a girl's night to drink away my angst, I gathered friends and neighbors, sometimes up to 8 of us, to take a fitness class - it really got me through it all".

Gelt is experimenting with classes close to her Palatine home and has already blogged about Flo Fitness in Palatine, Bikram Yoga of Rolling Meadows, Freedom Yoga Center in Arlington Heights, JC's Ultimate Personal Training in Schaumburg and Bright Blue Sage Yoga in Buffalo Grove. She's also visited others including Orange Theory in Glenview but the class she is most excited to try is Phoenix Dance and Fitness, which combines pole dancing with the strength and flexibility of gymnastics.

"The experience so far has been amazing", Gelt said. "The studio owners have been welcoming and the opportunity to try different genres of fitness has been eye-opening".

For moms or anyone looking to incorporate fitness into their daily routine but afraid to try something new, this blog provides a unique perspective to local offerings and what it feels like always being the new person in class.

Edan Joy Gelt is being sponsored by Trainer.ly, a local start-up fitness platform, that offers last-minute classes for up to 50% off.

Follow the local fitness blogger mom at www.edanjoygelt.com or @Joy of Fitness on Facebook. Last minute classes of most of the studios she reviews can be found on trainer.ly.