After 20 years, a diabetes diagnosis and a belly pooching out more and more with every passing year, I finally decided to get serious about a healthy lifestyle. After reviewing every gym I could near me, I chose YouFit (cheap, open reasonably late, 5 minutes from home). Clean, large, reasonably quiet, a GREAT array of machines and free weights, and no meatheads in sight! Just a diverse group of people, young and old, minding their own business and working on a healthy lifestyle. All pricing is upfront, too.
The online dotFit program is great, too -- great tool to see what you're eating, count calories and fine-tune your fitness program. The Circuit thingy is great, too -- weight and cardio training in 30 minutes. You can't beat that!
The gym does offer personal trainers, but it will cost you (enrollment fee and a monthly fee). Then again, that's the same at every gym I've seen in the Valley. And you'll get your money's worth; you WILL be held accountable and motivated, and taught the proper way to use the weight machines and free weights. I also like that they're realistic about what you can achieve and when -- no promises of "look like Jillian Michaels in two weeks." They also don't push supplements or food products.
All I can say is, I actually enjoy working out for the first time in my life -- and I've already lost about 4 pounds. My trainer, Channing, is a good guy personally and VERY good at what he does. I'm glad I chose this place, and hope to stay for a good long while.