introducing blink fitness

New fitness gym promising 'mood above muscle' pumps into Houston

Blink Fitness promotes "mood over muscle."

Photo courtesy of Blink Fitness

The holiday season means many locals have a proclivity to make new year’s health changes — especially new or renewed exercise regimens. Fitting, then, that a national fitness brand is opening its 100th gym in Houston — just in time for all those January 1 resolutions.

Blink Fitness has announced four new workout gyms in the Houston market, with the opening of its Spring Branch location marking 100 gyms nationwide.

Blink Fitness Spring Branch will be located at 7840 Long Point Rd. in the Spring Valley Shopping Center. Blink Fitness Westchase will be located at 11145 Westheimer Rd. in the plaza at the intersection of Westheimer Road and Wilcrest Drive. In addition to the Spring Branch and Westchase gyms, Blink Fitness is opening in the Glenbrook Valley and Northline neighborhoods in early 2020.

To toast the 100th Blink Fitness center opening, the Spring Branch location will be hosting a preview party from 1 pm to 4 pm on Saturday, December 7. The first 100 eligible guests will receive a free membership, and Blink will be giving away prizes every hour. Houston’s own Kealia Ohai, captain of Houston’s pro women’s soccer team the Houston Dash (and future Mrs. J.J. Watt) will host a fan meet-and-greet and sharing tips about her fitness routine and why she shares the Blink philosophy that exercise contributes to both physical and emotional health.

“I am incredibly passionate about empowering people of all fitness levels to prioritize their health and wellness through exercise,” said Ohai, in a statement. “Blink Fitness’ mantra of 'Mood Over Muscle' shakes the stigma that gyms are only for the elite athlete.”

Indeed, mood is key here: Gym-goers are greeted and encouraged by specially trained employees called “Mood Lifters,” who are meant to provide a positive, uplifting experience. Blink Fitness fitness centers in Houston will feature cardio machines, strength equipment, dumbbells, and designated areas for stretching, HIIT, bodyweight training, and more, according to a release.

Certified personal trainers will be available for members looking for one-on-one fitness coaching, and every membership comes with a free personal training start-up session. On an ongoing basis, personal training sessions start at $30.

The gym recently launched its Blink Fitness mobile app, which boasts hundreds of workout videos, including HIIT, strength, yoga, stretching, Pilates, spinning and treadmill classes, as well as guided meditations.

fitness

money woes

Texas dips on ranking of America's most financially distressed states

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Texas actually improved in this year's ranking.

After spending an unfortunate year as the No. 1 state with the most people in financial distress, Texas has slightly recovered. But the Lone Star State isn't out of the woods yet: it's still among the five most financially distressed states in America for 2026.

According to WalletHub's 2026 report, Texas sits in the No. 4 spot this year, while Kansas, Louisiana, and Florida moved up to become the top three states with the most financially distressed residents.

The personal finance website's experts compared all 50 states based on residents' average credit scores, the share of people with "accounts in distress" (meaning an account that's in forbearance or has deferred payments), the one-year change in bankruptcy filings from March 2025, and search interest indexes for "debt" and "loans."

Despite improving in the overall ranking, the study found Texas has had the fourth-biggest spike in bankruptcy filings nationally from March 2025 to March 2026. Texas residents also have the 10th worst average credit scores in the country, according to the findings.

This is how Texas ranked across the study's six key dimensions, where No. 1 means "most distressed:"

No. 4 – Change in bankruptcy filings from March 2024 to March 2025 rank
No. 5 – Average number of accounts in distress rank
No. 8 – "Loans" search interest index rank
No. 8 – People with accounts in distress rank
No. 12 – Credit score rank
No. 13 – “Debt” search interest index rank

It feels like inflation and affordability have been top-of-mind for many Americans over recent years, and uncertainty around the national economy also adds another level of distress. That's especially true for Houston residents, which were dubbed the second most financially distressed people in America earlier in 2026.

"Americans have faced significant financial challenges in recent years, as inflation, shifting unemployment levels, public health emergencies, and natural disasters have made it more difficult for many households to stay on top of their bills," the report said.

The top three states that have the least financially distressed residents are Maine (No. 50), Rhode Island (No. 49), and Hawaii (No. 48).

The top 10 most financially distressed states in America for 2026 are:

No. 1 – Kansas
No. 2 – Lousiana
No. 3 – Florida
No. 4 – Texas
No. 5 – South Carolina
No. 6 – Wyoming
No. 7 – Georgia
No. 8 – California
No. 9 – North Carolina
No. 10 – Kentucky

economy wallethub reports texas finance