What sets The Epic apart from the competition? State-of-the-art amenities, world class service, and the best views in Grand Prairie? YES!…but what else?! The Epic is hassle free fitness! No initiation fees. No annual maintenance fees. No nonsense. Visit JoinTheEpic.com or stop by the Guest Services desk to learn more and become a member. #hasslefree #fitness #healthy #resolutions #goals #fitfam #JoinTheEpic

What’s better than a membership to The Epic?…a membership to The Epic and scoring a FREE t-shirt! The oh-so-soft cotton/polyester blend is ideal for workouts or casual everyday wear. You’ll never have to wonder what to wear for your next workout. Supplies are limited so get ‘em while they last! Stop by Guest Services or visit JoinTheEpic.com to join.

#mondaymotivation #gym #health #membership #free #tshirttime #jointheepic

Looking for a cheap date with your swolemate? As a special Valentine’s Day “thank you”, members are invited to bring a guest for free to The Epic this Thursday, February 14th! Stop by the Guest Service desk and check-in with your friend, family member, or Valentine. Special is limited to one guest per member please. Thank you for being a member of The Epic and sharing the love!

Ready to join? Visit JoinTheEpic.com for more information about becoming a member. #JoinTheEpic #epicvalentine #thankyouthursday

It’s estimated that 40% of American’s make a New Year’s resolution, but have you ever set a theme?

Give it a try! Pick one word that resounds with you and sets the tone for what you hope to improve/change/learn in the months ahead. Use it as guidance to steer your daily choices. Check out a few examples for inspiration:

Motion: When the urge strikes to binge watch your favorite show or sleep in late, remember Motion. Go for a walk or head out doors and dig in the garden. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up from the desk at work for a quick stride through the office or stretch break. Look for alternatives to the sedentary.

Restore: Spoil yourself – you deserve it! Restore is a great reminder to take the time to do what brings you peace, health, and happiness. Get the massage you’ve been putting off. Take the yoga class. Opt for a homemade meal instead of fast food. If it brings wellness to your life, go for it!

Knowledge: Use Knowledge as a motivator to keep striving toward self-improvement. Join an art class to learn a new hobby. Check out a book that isn’t a genre you’d usually read. Take a cooking class and gain new kitchen skills.

At The Epic, our theme is…well, Epic! Everything is possible. We can help you stay focused on your theme and challenge you to live it every day.  Visit JoinTheEpic.com to learn more or stop by the Guest Services desk. #jointheepic #newyeartheme

Setting a New Year’s resolution can be one of the most life changing decisions you’ll make. It takes personal dedication and commitment, but having a strong support system from friends and your fitness center is essential too. If you’re not sure where to start or just need a little encouragement to keep going, The Epic team is here to assist. The Epic offers innovative fitness, aquatics, fine arts & media, culinary programs, teen-based activities, athletics, library materials, youth activities, and special event space all in one location. We create life changing opportunities that turn your goals into reality!

This week’s 2019 #EpicResolutions giveaway is a super soft t-shirt and a day pass for you and a friend! Enter to win by sharing your goals in the social media comments for this post and tag your friend. Kick off your 2019 resolutions at The Epic!  Visit JoinTheEpic.com to join! #epicresolutions #epicfriends #JoinTheEpic

Each week in January The Epic will have motivating giveaways to get you started on your 2019 resolutions! This week’s giveaway is a one-month membership for you and a friend! Study after study confirms that those who workout with a friend reach fitness goals faster and are more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Benefits of Working Out With a Friend

1. Healthy Competition: Working out with a friend pushes you to work harder and at a higher intensity. After all, you can’t let them win!
2. No More “I’ll Go Tomorrow”: Friends bring accountability. After a long, tiring day it’s tempting to skip the workout, but having a friend who expects you to show up keeps you walking through the gym door and active.
3. Reach Your Goals Faster: Friends provide motivation to go to the gym, bring variety to workouts, and give the extra push to keep moving when you want to quit.
4. Try New Workouts: Workouts can get boring if the routine never changes. Friends influence new workout regimes and teach techniques you may never have thought to try.
5. Stay Motivated: When workouts or just the daily grind get challenging, it might be tempting to quit the gym. But friends give pep talks to boost spirits and self-confidence. And when your friend looks to you for encouragement, it provides an opportunity to reconfirm within yourself why you started in the first place. It’s a win-win.

Enter to win by sharing your goals in the social media comments for this post and tag your friend. Kick off your 2019 resolutions at The Epic!  #epicresolutions #epicfriends #JoinTheEpic

The Epic strives to be the place where people find personal success and balance. Whether that balance is in the form of an art class, fitness offering, or a concert or culinary program, the goal is to add value to your life. Crystal Steward, Epic Success contest winner and founding member, graciously shared her inspiring journey to success:

“What have I done that’s epic? Well I’m on an epic journey right now. Let me start from the beginning.

For years, I watched myself gain weight and I struggled to take it off. I got to the point where I didn’t want to go out with friends and family because I didn’t like the way I looked and worried about being uncomfortable. I would go on diets for a while and exercise regularly and have some success but would always fall off the routine and go back to my old ways.

It was important for me to lose the weight because the more I gained, the more I was putting my health at risk. I developed high blood pressure and was always tired mentally and physically. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right hip in 2013 and continuing to pack on the pounds only made it worse. By the summer of 2017 my hip began to bother me so much that it was hard to walk on and the only exercise I could do was water aerobics or swimming. I visited several doctors and each one of them told me my hip was now bone on bone and that I needed a hip replacement but they could not do it because of my weight. I was at my all-time highest weight and had to get my BMI under 40 before even being considered for the surgery. That was a wake-up call, but it didn’t make the struggle to lose weight any easier.

I began to eat healthier and tried to make it to the pool as often as I could but only saw little results and so the excuses and “I can’t” mentality began. I can’t exercise because it’s too cold outside to go to the “indoor” pool or I can’t walk for a long period of time because it hurts. Any excuse I could think of, I made it. I even considered weight loss surgery because I thought that was the only way I could get the weight off.

Before that happened, someone suggested I try the KETO diet first and I am so grateful I did! I started in May and since then along with pool exercises I have lost 70 pounds and many inches. I feel so much better physically and mentally, my confidence is coming back and I’m encouraged to continue this journey until I reach my goal weight to have the surgery and then for the rest of my life. I don’t feel helpless anymore and now know that maintaining good health will help in every other aspect of my life.

Being a member of The Epic will help me to stay on track because I’ll have the tools I need in an environment with like-minded individuals to lean on for support so I can continue on this Epic weight loss journey and regain my quality of life.” – Crystal Steward

Thank you for sharing your story, Crystal!

Get a jump start on your 2019 resolutions for you and your family by visiting The Epic Guest Service desk to join or purchase a gift card. Start your 2019 success story at The Epic! #JoinTheEpic #epicresolutions #epicsuccess

It’s easy to get swept up in the frenzy of the holiday season. Yes, it’s exciting to find a bargain on the shoes you’ve been dreaming about all year or the perfect gift that will delight your loved one. But what about the gift of an experience?

The Epic is reimagining the American recreation center by creating experiences that change lives. Featuring state-of-the-art fitness equipment, an indoor functional training zone, outdoor turf training space, lap swimming, a resistance vortex, whirlpool spa, two indoor tracks including an inclined adventure track, game room, and a teen room, The Epic is designed with you in mind.

This season, stuff the stockings with the gift of The Epic experience for you and your family. Visit The Epic Guest Service desk today to join or purchase a gift card. After the holiday festivities have ended and New Year’s resolutions have been made, what experience will take your 2019 to the next level and get you to your goals?

Have an Epic new year! #JoinTheEpic #epicresolutions

Congratulations, Crystal Steward! You are The Epic success story winner! Thank you for sharing the story of your epic journey!

Visit JoinTheEpic.com for Crystal’s inspiring upcoming special feature and to become a Founding Member. Your epic journey starts here! #JoinTheEpic

Isn’t it amazing how quickly one obstacle or challenge can make you feel as if your entire course has been diverted? It can be defeating! But, setbacks don’t have to be the end of the game, and in many cases a setback merely provides a moment to pause and regroup. Sometimes all it can take to get back on track is hearing from others who have succeeded when faced with a similar challenge.

Have you had awe-inspiring success? Have you achieved goals you never imagined would be possible? How did you do it?

The Epic wants to know what inspires, motivates, and encourages you to live your best life. Share your story for a chance to win an individual annual membership to The Epic and a special feature on JoinTheEpic.com and Facebook. Submit your story and contact information to Ellen Bagley at ebagley@gptx.org by September 15, 2018. The Epic Success winner will be announced on September 21 and 22 at EpicFest, JoinTheEpic.com, and our social media pages.

Visit JoinTheEpic.com for all the latest membership and Grand Opening announcements. Your journey belongs to you. Make it epic.