Thibodaux Regional Medical Center’s new state-of-the-art Wellness Center is quickly taking shape both inside and outside.

The Center will be comprised of several individual specialty health centers, including a Fitness Center that will rival anything found in posh hotels and spas.

The facility is going to have a fabulous spa-like atmosphere: very spacious locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs for men and women. There will also be on-site laundry service to always provide fresh towels, similar to what you may experience in a nice hotel spa.

Thibodaux Regional’s new Fitness Center is much more than just luxurious accommodations and swanky amenities though. It’s a facility equipped with all the necessary tools to create an individualized plan to enable anyone, regardless of fitness level, to reach their personal goals and optimal level of health.

The first step for clients — an assessment to establish a baseline for where they are physically. This evaluation is an important step in creating a personalized map to take into account all of an individual’s needs, instead of a one-size-fits-all plan.

The initial assessment will give our Fitness Center staff a score, where we can compare to accepted benchmarks. Then we’ll use that information to tailor a fitness plan that includes both diet and exercise specifically for you and to address your needs and goals. We can bring physicians into this process, which is a crucial key. If you’re a heart attack survivor, battling cancer or a diabetic, we can work with your doctor to custom-fit this plan to address everything you need, in any regard, including clinical conditions.

That type of custom attention not only equates to better overall outcomes, but it also takes safety to the next level, since the diet and exercise plan will account for all medical conditions.

Participants can then put the prescribed workout plan into action on the most advanced machines available in the fitness industry.

The equipment and technology is very sophisticated. The indoor track and basketball court are top of the line. We’ll have personal trainers who have earned at least a bachelor’s degree on the Fitness Center floor at all times to help instruct people or answer any questions they might have about the equipment. That’s not a standard feature at most gyms, but it’s a commitment to excellence that we feel is very important. We’re trying to infuse a lot of knowledge to the participants.

Cleanliness is a top priority within the new Fitness Center, as it is throughout all of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center’s facilities. The medical experts at Thibodaux Regional realize that if participants weaken their immune systems or become ill because of using fitness facilities that spread germs, the overall mission is undermined.

“Cleanliness is a top priority both in the Fitness Center when it comes to the equipment and the water-based amenities, such as the pools and hot tubs,” Thibodaux Regional CEO Greg Stock said. “Thibodaux Regional is one of the best hospitals in the nation when it comes to low infection rates, and we’re carrying that commitment and philosophy over into the Wellness Center. There will be someone constantly wiping down the equipment. We’re not going to leave that to participants to do themselves. It’s a small thing, but it’s actually a big thing.”

Childcare can be a deterrent for many young families when it comes to carving time out of a busy schedule. Thibodaux Regional’s new Fitness Center recognizes that obstacle and provides a solution.

“For two hours, you can come in and have a great workout, while someone watches your children,” Myhand said. “It’s not any ordinary childcare though. This will be an enriched childcare experience. You’ll see it’s very nice and will stimulate the children’s minds for the time that they’re with us.”

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center’s Fitness Center is open to the public and is accepting membership applications.

For more information visit fitnesscenterofthibodauxregional.com or call 985-493-4950.

Chrisy Myhand is director of wellness services at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. For more information, call 985-493-4950.