A local business has expanded its offerings through renovation of its facilities.

Fitness Unlimited of Washington, one of the few exercise facilities in the county, underwent renovations this summer, opening up a new 4,000-square-foot space to accommodate several new features, including a CrossFit room, a new front entrance and front desk, a new and expanded smoothie bar with a café area, an expanded babysitting room, a Total Solution weight loss office and a couple other sales/administrative offices, said Amy Thomas, who, along with her husband, Austin, own and operate the business.

Thomas said the business had been working to get an affiliation for CrossFit, an intensive core strength and conditioning program, and once it did, they decided to move forward with the renovations to accommodate that expansion. The room takes up about 3,000-square-feet of the newly renovated space.

“We wanted to continue to grow — kind of be ahead of the curve — and provide something else for Washington that we didn’t already provide,” Thomas said. “We worked on CrossFit for quite a few months, and when we got the affiliation, we went ahead with the renovations.”

As part of the renovation to provide space for the new features, new flooring, fixtures and lighting, painting and façade, which has increased the facility’s curb appeal, were added, Thomas said.

“We had grown out of our space,” Thomas said. “We didn’t have any offices or anything. CrossFit was the main purpose for our renovations. It was either close the basketball court or expand, and we always wanted to outfit the front. That was our least appealing aspect. The inside was always nice, but the front didn’t have the curb appeal.”

The new CrossFit room, which holds around 35 classes a week, has brought in a whole different demographic of customer, Thomas said. With classes conducted primarily by Manny Vidal, the program’s director, around 70 percent of its participants are women, he said.

Vidal said the focus for CrossFit classes range from strength training to gymnastics work to core training, mobility and flexibility. Each class also focuses on metabolic conditioning and involves using one’s body and free weights rather than machines. Some of the equipment used includes barbells, bumper plates and gymnast rings.

With four other trainers who conduct the classes, they are held at various times throughout the day, from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Those who participate have seen significant results, including weight and fat loss, as well as putting on muscle mass., Vidal said.

“We do a variety of stuff so we don’t do the same workouts each day,” Vidal said. “All the workouts are scalable — whatever your fitness level can handle. It’s not limited to just athletes. The biggest thing is functional fitness — being able to move and do anything life throws at you. It looks intimidating, but once people try it, anyone can do it. Anyone can try a class for free.”

The renovations also opened up space for offices housing Thin and Healthy’s Total Solution, a program that ties together nutrition, movement and motivation to promote weight loss. The program, directed by Amy Bond, targets the 80 percent of people who wouldn’t normally come into a gym, she said. Through helping this demographic of people lose weight and feel better about themselves, it allows introduction to different areas of concentration and programs within the facility.

“[Total Solution] is to help reach that 80 percent of people that wouldn’t normally come into the gym,” Bond said. “Because of this program, it’s made them feel safe, successful and removes the intimidation component. It’s not just about losing weight but getting healthy. People are visiting the doctor and getting the best reports they have gotten in years. As our members are building a relationship with us, we’re able to slowly introduce them to the different components within the facility. We write their workouts for them and change it every two weeks. Without exercise, the likelihood of maintaining weight loss is very low.”

Thomas said the new features spawned from the renovations have received a good response among their customer base.

“It’s been a great response,” Thomas said. “When we had the ribbon cutting, everyone was just impressed with the architecture, design and use of space. Our customers are definitely thoroughly enjoying it.”

To try a free CrossFit class, call Manny Vidal at 336-549-9220 or Fitness Unlimited, 622 West 15^th St., at 252-975-7400.