Fitness Together - Santa Monica

National Stroke Awareness Month: Be Healthy, Be Aware, Save a Life

Sun, 06 May 2012 11:25:00 -0500

As we prepare for summertime activities, we typically are focused on achieving a strong, fit and healthy body. In honor of National Stroke Awareness Month this month, elevate your body’s fitness to new levels by focusing on the importance of maintaining a brain healthy lifestyle, while understanding the risk levels and signs of a stroke.

According to the American Stroke Association (ASA), a stroke is a “brain attack,” as opposed to the most commonly known “heart attack,” that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When this happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. While heredity can play a big part in the risk factors associated with stroke, lifestyle choices and patterns can be leading contributors to reducing the risk of this life threatening disease.¹

Three Important Factors to Lowering Stroke Risk

High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and the most important controllable risk factor. According to industry research, there is a 55 percent increase in your stroke risk if you have prehypertension, which is blood pressure levels of 120 to 139 or 80-89 diastolic.²Living a healthy lifestyle that can help to lower blood pressure levels includes exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol intake, avoiding tobacco, reducing caffeine consumption, reducing stress, reaching out to family/friends for ongoing support, and visiting your doctor regularly.³
Healthy Diet: The way you feed your body not only contributes greatly to your body’s overall health and fitness, but also works to lower your risk of heart and brain disease. Research suggests that low fat, low cholesterol diets that include dark vegetables and fruits, which contain antioxidants, may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. In general, dark-skinned fruits and vegetables (kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, beets, red bell pepper, onion, corn and eggplant, prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, red grapes and cherries) have the highest levels of naturally occurring antioxidant levels. Cold water fish contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids (halibut, mackerel, salmon, trout and tuna) and some nuts (almonds, pecans and walnuts) are a good source of vitamin E antioxidants.⁴
Physically Fit Lifestyle: Constant, regular physical activity is the cornerstone to a fit body, healthy heart and strong brain. Physical activity 3-4 times a week in 45-60 minute increments is important for maintaining good blood flow throughout the body and to the brain, encouraging the growth of new brain cells, and significantly lowering the risk of heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. The personal trainers at Fitness Together can help you put an individual or small group workout plan in action to help you elevate your health and fitness goals, while reducing your risk of brain and heart disease.

Know the Risks to Act FAST

The ASA reports that the chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life after 55; however, the risk of stroke can affect anyone at any age. It is essential to know the signs of stroke so that you can act quickly if you or a loved one is showing any of the following signs. Time is of the essence when it comes to strokes.

The ASA has released a new stroke detection method called FAST, which stands for the four items to check in a suspected stroke victim – Face, Arms, Speech, and Time. Specific stroke warning signs include:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. Ask them to smile and raise an arm. If the face droops or looks crooked and/or if a raised arm droops down, then these are signs of a stroke.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Ask them to repeat a simple sentence like, “The sky is blue.” If they slur their speech or sound different, then this could be a sign of stroke.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Ask them to read a sign a short distance away with each eye. If they have difficulty making out words or letters that they normally can see, this could be a sign of stroke.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

By living a lifestyle that includes healthy food, fitness and awareness, you are equipping yourself with the tools to reduce the risk of disease and prepare yourself for identifying the signs of stroke for yourself and your family. Certified personal trainers at Fitness Together are available today to help you get started on living a heart and brain healthy lifestyle that focuses on consistent exercise and healthy eating. Contact your local Fitness Together studio to begin one-on-one personal training or group PACK training focused on a healthy you.

May Newsletter

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:59:00 -0500

May Newsletter

Kick Start Your Summer Body by Focusing on a Healthy, Fit Lifestyle

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:08:00 -0500

With the countdown to summer in full swing, it’s time to start focusing on a total body health and fitness routine. Whether struggling to shed the last few winter pounds, maintaining weekend warrior fitness levels or competing as an endurance athlete, everyone can benefit from a fit, healthy lifestyle built around brain wellness, body fitness and belly health.

This month is the perfect time to start putting in the work to achieving overall health and fitness with National Public Health Week (April 2-8) and World Health Day (April 7) leading the way to a healthier society. As the theme for National Health Week states, “A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement!”1 It is time to put all excuses and distractions behind you, as today is the day to start moving toward a healthy lifestyle that will lead to positive mental, physical and overall well-being results. Let’s get started!

Brain Wellness

A healthy brain and a healthy body work hand-in-hand to achieve overall fitness and well-being. A happy mind and happy body are derived from a healthy fitness routine that is focused on keeping you motivated, pushing you to do better and helping you reach goals you never thought were possible. Consistent fitness routines, especially in a small group setting, not only help release feel good endorphins in your body that support a healthy lifestyle, but working out with friends/peers also can serve as a mind and body therapy session for sweating out negative attitudes, while building total body endurance and strength. A study in the Journal of Sports Sciences even found that focusing on a team or group’s strengths instead of your own can improve your body’s performance levels because working out in a group may ease your brain’s performance anxiety so you can relax, focus and reach your health and fitness goals.

Body Fitness

April is the perfect time to get your fit on by switching up your routine and combining a mix of cardiovascular and strength training exercises. If you have spent the winter months stuck within the walls of a gym, it can be good for your body and mind to take your workouts outside as the weather gets warmer and the sun shines longer. Instead of logging endless miles on the treadmill, hop on a neighborhood track for a quick interval sprint workout or dust off your bike for some strenuous cycling workouts.

It also is important to not get stuck in a time rut by making sure that your fitness routine is burning calories and boosting your metabolism without draining the clock. A fast-paced, interval workout that incorporates short bursts of explosive cardio and strength exercises will not only cut your workout time in half, but it can be more effective for feeling your best, looking your best and performing better than you ever thought possible.

Belly Health

Americans’ mid-sections are not getting smaller, on the average, and the size of your belly can be a good indication of the state of your body’s health and wellness. To achieve a healthy lifestyle, it is important to focus on your body’s core, as a healthy core can lead to healthy cardiovascular systems, digestive functions and strong muscular structures. Busting out hundreds of sit ups, though, may not be the best approach to achieving a healthy middle section. Shedding an extra layer of belly bulge takes a two-prong approach of exercise and nutrition.

While sit ups can be a part of your core workout, it is important to focus on toning all of your abdominal muscles for the best results. Effective total body exercises that work the core can include planks (elbow, hand, side), knee/leg lifting exercises and standing on a balance ball when doing your regular strength training exercises. On the food front, a healthy eating routine should include cooking more meals at home, focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods without extra additives/preservatives/chemicals, watching portion control and drinking adequate amounts of water. A healthy belly not only leads to a reduced risk of disease, but it also supports a more confident, energetic lifestyle.

Ready to Kick Start a Healthy Summer Body?

With only 12 weeks left until summer, it is time to get your body and mind in shape for optimal summertime fun and activities in the sun. By focusing on brain wellness, body fitness and belly health, you will have your body summer-ready in no time!

The experts at Fitness Together can work with you in one-on-one personal training or small group PACK training sessions to help you establish a healthy lifestyle that prepares you to look better, feel better and perform better this summer. Give our studio a call today to kick start your healthy, fit lifestyle!

Experience Healthy Tax Relief by Deducting Your Personal Training Expenses this Tax Season

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:11:00 -0500

As the April 17 tax deadline nears, do you find yourself looking under couch cushions, going through office files and combing through bank statements in hopes of finding any last minute receipts or tax deductions that you may have overlooked? Well, you may not need to look any further, as good tax news may be found around the corner at your local personal training studio.

Does finding tax relief while working out sound too good to be true? Surprisingly, you may be able to financially benefit from your personal training by deducting the session costs on your tax returns this year. According to the Internal Revenue Service, there are certain medical expenses that can be deducted on your tax returns, which may include personal training, in some instances.

Personal Training Tax Basics 101

While it is always recommended to consult your trusted financial advisor to confirm any tax deductions, it is important to take note that it may be possible for you to deduct part of the costs of your personal training as a qualified medical expense under the IRS tax code.

Interested in Receiving More Detailed Information?

If you think you may be eligible to start deducting your personal training sessions on your tax returns this year, contact your local Fitness Together studio today to learn more. Fitness Together is here to help support your efforts to qualify for this deduction and to help you reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and tax relief this season.

April Newsletter

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:20:00 -0500

April Newsletter

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Eat Mushrooms

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:51:00 -0500

Who knew? Mushrooms are ridiculously low in calories and high in fiber but their true claim to fame is that they and are simply packed with superbly healthy hard-to-find minerals such as:

- Magnesium—mushrooms are a great source of magnesium, a mineral essential to good health, muscle and nerve function as well as maintaining a normal blood pressure.
- Potassium—this important mineral helps to control blood pressure. Mushrooms contain more potassium than most other fruit and vegetables: one medium Portabello mushroom contains more potassium than a banana!
- Calcium—this mineral is the most abundant in the body and is important for bones as well as powering muscle contraction.
- Iron—this mineral is essential to life and many of the metabolic processes that occur in our bodies. Iron is especially important for oxygen transport.
- Zinc—mushrooms are a good source of zinc, the mineral that supports a healthy immune system
- Selenium—mushrooms are high in selenium, the antioxidant mineral that protects our cells against free radical damage.

Healthy Eating: Tips and Tricks for a Nutrition Transition

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:17:00 -0500

Spring is in the air bringing changes to weather, wardrobes and waistlines. With the holidays and cold weather months behind you and plans for spring break trips, pool time lounging and outdoor activities in the near future, this is the perfect time to focus on healthy eating.

In light of National Nutrition Month, now is the time to shake off the winter doldrums and make the transition to healthier eating habits. Here are five nutrition tips and tricks to help you “spring” into action and transform your eating habits, one step at a time.

Nutrition Tip 1: Don’t Do It Alone

The most important step to successfully transitioning to healthier eating is to establish a strong network of support in preparation for your journey. Breaking old habits and making healthier lifestyle changes is a difficult task, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. By enlisting support from family, friends and a health and fitness professional, you will get started on the right path to continued nutrition success. A nutrition specialist can help you evaluate your goals and set a plan in motion, one that is smart – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely – to your particular lifestyle.

Nutrition Tip 2: You Bite It, You Write It

The simple act of writing down and keeping track of all food or beverages that enter your mouth will increase awareness of the amount and variety of foods you eat each day. Keeping an Accountability Food Journal is the best tool available to help increase your consciousness regarding the foods you eat. A journal also enables you to analyze the circumstances that contribute to making less healthy food choices. Journaling should be as specific as possible and include the date, time, amount of food, situation and hunger level. Your journal will not only help you keep track of your daily food consumption, but also serve as an insightful follow up tool to share with your nutrition professional. The information in your journal will enable your nutritionist to identify which foods are working for you, as well as which foods and circumstances are barriers that may be getting in the way of attaining your healthy eating goals.

Nutrition Tip 3: Take Baby Steps

Few people are successful with major lifestyle changes when they dive in head first. The best strategy to achieve major goals in life is to break the goal down into small doable steps. For instance, if your goal is to improve your eating habits and you have a problem eating too much high fat, high calorie fast food (and you truly enjoy the food), then it would probably not be realistic to cut it out completely. Instead, you would work with your nutrition consultant to come up with a better plan, one that is doable for you such as cutting back on fast food consumption or even choosing healthier fare at fast food restaurants. Rome was not built in one day and neither should your transition to healthier eating.

Nutrition Tip 4: Focus on the Positive

Some people equate healthy eating with deprivation and eliminating favorite foods from your diet. To keep your nutrition transition from stalling before you take the first step, give yourself the gift of positive thinking and keep your momentum toward healthy eating moving strong. Instead of putting the sole focus on eliminating foods from your day, switch your mindset to a more positive approach…what healthy foods can you add into your day? For example, if you want to cut back on your red meat consumption, perhaps commit to eating a vegetarian dinner on Mondays (Meatless Mondays); or reserve one day a week dedicated to trying different kinds of fish from around the world (Fish Fridays). Have fun with it and make your journey to healthy eating an adventure.

Tip 5: Break it Down

A marathon (26.2 miles) is run one step at a time. Many people fail in making the transition to a healthier lifestyle when they take the all or nothing approach. The key to successfully making this transition is to work with your support team to embrace the opportunities, work through the challenges and learn from your mistakes during each step of the journey. By breaking your nutrition transition plan down into one step, one meal and one day at a time, you will cross that finish line healthier and happier.

Fitness Together

Do some spring cleaning by starting now to make a healthy nutrition transition. Start off on the right foot for your healthy eating journey by contacting your local Fitness Together nutrition professional today. With Fitness Together’s Nutrition Together program, you will receive all the help and support you need including a detailed roadmap to eating healthy, eating light and eating often—in tandem with your exercise routine. Let Fitness Together support you as you take the right steps to “spring” into action!

March Newsletter

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:54:00 -0500

March Newsletter

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The Benefits of Daily Physical Activity

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:52:00 -0600

● Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body

● Keeps weight under control

● Improves blood cholesterol levels

● Prevents and manages high blood pressure

● Prevents bone loss

● Boosts energy level

● Helps manage stress

● Releases tension

● Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well

● Improves self-image

● Counters anxiety and depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism

● Increases muscle strength, increasing the ability to do other physical activities

● Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends

● Establishes good heart-healthy habits in children and counters the conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, poor lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life

● In older people, helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer

Reprinted with Permission

www .americanheart .org | American Heart Association, Inc.

February Newsletter

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:16:00 -0600

February Newsletter

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EAT ORANGES!

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:13:00 -0600

A sweet and juicy naval orange contains a mere 64 calories…but WOW there’s a lot of nutrition “squeezed” into that orange: 4 grams of fiber, 0 fat, 2 grams protein, 8% of your DV for vitamin A, 7% of your DV for calcium, 1% of your DV for iron and a whopping 163% of your DV for vitamin C. Doesn’t get much better than that. P.S. DON’T drink the juice instead…a cup weighs in at 114 calories and a mere 0.5 grams of fiber!

Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:01:00 -0600

Convinced you “can’t” run a marathon, or sprint at level 10 on that treadmill? … Are you sure about that?

Even if you have a physical challenge or condition that limits you in some way, most of us also create false boundaries for ourselves — “no-can-do’s” that are only in our heads. And more and more studies are showing that the thing you think you can’t do just might be the one thing you MUST do to light a fire under your workout results.

Breaking through these false limits can also lead you to be more consistent about your workout regimen.

“Intensity is by far the most important factor affecting increases in, and maintenance of, cardio fitness,” notes Jeffrey M. Janot, PhD, technical editor of the IDEA Fitness Journal. “Although we do not know the exact level of intensity that provides optimal health and fitness benefits, we know the optimal range and that it is directly related to exercise program adherence. You may not enjoy an exercise program if you get sore or injured because the intensity is too high. On the other hand, you can grow bored with a program if intensity is below the optimal range and you aren’t improving.”

Why push your limits in your workout regimen?

The body is wired to adapt to routine. Once your body gets used to a routine of walking 2 miles a day, for example, you’ll likely see less or slower weight loss than when you first began that routine. Extensive research has shown that to keep seeing results from an exercise routine, it’s essential to continually include intervals of higher stress and demand on the muscles and cardiovascular system.

Many people work out only hard enough to maintain their existing weight and physique. Going outside your comfort zone includes adding some intense workout challenges to build muscle and get stronger, faster, leaner. That doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon or work out 6 hours a day to lose weight or reach your goals. The point is to keep adding new challenges and different ways of pushing past your limits for speed, distance, weight you can heft, etc.

Why don't more people go "outside the lines" with their workouts?

Challenging yourself is uncomfortable by nature. It’s normal to feel a sense of fear or angst when you think about pushing beyond the places where you usually stop, ease up, or take a break. Common fears include whether you can handle an intense “burn” in your muscles and not get injured; or feeling embarrassed about getting out of breath, or even sweating more than you’re used to.

Can a personal trainer help you break through that fear — without yelling at you?

Yes! A great personal trainer should confidently instill in you the belief that you can do this.

“We know they can, even though you might not know it yet,” says Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together in Santa Monica. “The empowerment our clients gain once they actually do it is awesome. We recently helped a client who at first could barely get through a workout and was very self-conscious. She’s now lost 50 pounds and did a 3.5 mile hike with a straight-up climb at the end!”

You or your personal trainer can determine your optimal cardio exercise intensity range via a number of methods including percent of maximum heart rate, the “talk test,” or rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Whether you’re training for a triathlon, hitting a weight loss plateau or ready to give up on ever having toned upper arms, one-on-one training can help you go where your mind has never let you go before.

Healthy Heart, Healthy You

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:57:00 -0600

Heart candies, heart shaped valentines and chocolate hearts are everywhere this time of year, but the heart that should be getting your undivided attention everyday is the one in your chest that works 24/7 to power your body and fuel your internal system. As the powerhouse of your body, the heart needs to run in tip-top shape for overall health and fitness. To celebrate National Heart Month this February, give your heart and body the gift of longevity and health by starting a heart healthy fitness regimen that focuses on metabolic cardiovascular exercises and combines muscle pumping strength workouts with healthy nutrition choices.

Feel the Love with High Intensity, Heart Healthy Cardio

A strong heart drives a healthy body and metabolic cardiovascular training is the key to not only living a heart healthy lifestyle, but also to feel better, look better and perform better throughout your life. Although nutrition and strength training are important elements to physical fitness, you can’t rely solely on one or the other to achieve overall health and fitness well-being. A recent study from Duke University found that when compared with strength training alone, cardio exercise is the most efficient and effective way to lose the belly fat located deep within the abdominal cavity, which is the kind of fat that is the most damaging to your health and heart. Specifically, aerobic training burned 67 percent more calories in the study when compared to strength/resistance training.1

The first step to a healthy you is establishing a strong cardiovascular foundation to jumpstart your body’s metabolism, increase stamina and energize your body’s cells by pumping oxygen rich blood throughout your body. This leads to not only burning away excess fat, but lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease. Studies show that high intensity metabolic training in particular is a leading force to reducing heart attack risk and improving physical fitness. In fact, a recent study from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) found that three hours per week of vigorous exercise can cut a man’s risk of heart attack by 22 percent.2 High intensity cardio exercises can range from wind sprints to moving jump squats and plyometrics.

Make Time for Heart Pumping Workouts

While cardio training is king to heart healthy fitness, strength training is an integral counterpart to attaining optimal health and fitness. Strength/resistance exercise allows for developing and maintaining muscular fitness, strength and lean body mass gains, as well as strengthening of connective tissues, increased bone mass and metabolic rate.

Heart healthy exercises that fuel your body with lasting benefits long after you’ve left the gym don’t have to eat up your entire day. As little as 15 minutes a day of metabolic cardio training, combined with 15 minutes of strength intervals, may be all you need. According to industry studies, 15 minutes of total body resistance training can elevate your resting energy and boost metabolism by 6 percent for up to 72 hours,3 and those who added intervals into their fitness routines for two weeks burned 36 percent more fat than those who stuck with traditional exercise routines.4 A 45-minute interval circuit workout that combines a handful of high impact cardio exercises, such as box squat jumps, mountain climbers and burpees, with total body strength exercises, such as weighted lunges with bicep curls and wall sits with shoulder presses, can quickly and effectively build your heart and body’s strength and endurance.

Active Lifestyle, Active Heart

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), seven out of ten Americans don’t get enough physical activity on a daily basis. In today’s fast-paced, over scheduled world, carving out time for physical activity can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be if you focus on adding cardio elements into your workouts, as well as your everyday activities. The AHA recommend that healthy adults under the age of 65 engage in moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three times a week; paired with strength training exercises.5

Working out regularly with a professional trainer one-on-one or in a small group setting is a critical component to keeping your heart healthy and strong, but complementing your regularly scheduled total body workouts with cardio activities throughout your day also helps to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. The following simple tips will help you get a move on and add heart healthy activities into your daily lifestyle.

● Instead of wasting time searching for the closest parking spot, pull into the furthest spot away from the door and enjoy the extra walk to the building.

● Use the stairs at work and for appointments instead of the elevator.

● Walk or bike your kids to school and use two wheels (or feet) instead of your car when running neighborhood errands.

● Take a 10-minute activity break at work to stretch or take a quick walk.

● Walk to visit co-workers instead of sending an e-mail message.

● Instead of sedentary nights out to the movie theater, take your spouse or friends out for a night of dancing.

Heart Healthy Nutrition

You will look better, feel better and perform better mentally and physically if you fuel your body with foods that are nutrient rich and support a strong cardiovascular system. Foods that enhance cardiovascular health can include Mediterranean type foods such as lean proteins, olive oils, dark leafy greens for a strong heart and blood vessels, whole grains and fiber such as oatmeal and brown rice. Researchers also have found evidence that the high levels of antioxidants found in spices with bold flavors such as cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder can reduce fat levels in your blood linked to heart problems by 30 percent.6

A healthy body and a healthy you start with a healthy heart. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as cardio exercises, strength conditioning and healthy eating will not only strengthen your body’s heart and lower your risk of disease, but it also will help you live your life looking, feeling and performing better. Certified personal trainers at Fitness Together are available today to help you get started on living a heart healthy lifestyle. Contact Fitness Together Santa Monica at 310-576-1508 to begin one-on-one personal training or group PACK training focused on a healthy heart and a healthy you.

Fitness Trends of 2012

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:54:00 -0600

The fitness industry is one of the fastest growing industries today. And it has continued to be over the last 20+ years. Americans are heavier, less fit, and unhealthier more than ever. Thus giving rise to a myriad of fitness, nutrition, and weight loss solutions. Some good. Some not so good.

The American College of Sports Medicine released it's survey results for the top fitness trends of 2012.

I listed a few of the top 20 here.

Educated and experienced fitness professionals.

This trend will never fade. Trainers aren't looked upon just for the Hollywood elite anymore. Trainers are for everyone. Just as plumbers, accountants, and dentists are too. Smart people seek solutions to their problems from experts.

Strength training.

Jack LaLanne and Au-nold helped introduce this to the American landscape. It's changed a bit but the foundation is still the same.

Fitness programs for older adults.

Research shows baby boomers to have made more income leaps than any other generation before. You can retire with all the money in the world, but if you can't enjoy the fruits of it then what's the use? And you don't take any of that money with you when you die. Think about it... if you've managed to create financial independence then you want to travel, be active and get out and do things. Your health and fitness is vital for that.

Exercise and weight loss.

As I've said before, you can't outwork a bad diet. You need both diet AND exercise to lose weight - that’s why Nutrition Together combined with our 1:1 or PACK training is so effective.

Children and obesity.

I've talked about this many times before. And my conversations with our clients that are pediatricians only bring home this problem even more. This problem continues to grow (no pun intended) and must be addressed. Consider a family PACK session, where your entire family can get fit together.

Core training.

With the majority of Americans suffering from back pain this is a BIG area of emphasis for us. We sit in front of a computer all day, are less active day to day, and have bigger waistlines. All of these contribute to poor core strength, bad posture, and back pain. It can be one of the easiest fixes... IF it's done correctly.

Group personal training.

We realized this trend and is the very reason why we launched our Small Group Personal Training program with huge success last month. The same components of our traditional one-on-one programs, but with the energy, fun, and SAVINGS of a small group.

Functional fitness.

This type of training has exploded over the past few years. It's seeped its way into all areas of fitness. Functional training is ideal for the golfer wanting to improve his stroke to the stay at home mom wanting strength and mobility to carry kids and groceries.

ACSM lists these as trends, but some will NEVER die. Any successful fitness program should consist of strength training, cardio training, and nutrition. Versions and modifications of these will come and go. But the foundation will never change. Real lasting results come from those three. Our proprietary systems work in harmony, utilizing the most current science for a complete fitness solution:

● Aspire 8 resistance training program utilizes personal assessments, functional cross-muscular training approaches, and periodization techniques to change things up for continued results.*

● Cardio Together offers a customized cardio prescription that combines fartlek, interval, and tempo workouts with a focus on exercise frequency, intensity, duration and progression to achieve maximum results.*

● Nutrition Together offers an educational and accountability framework to improve your eating lifestyle. By eating the right foods, the right portions and the right frequency, along with our other programs the results are truly amazing.*

The 10 Commandments for Losing Weight…and Keeping it Off!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:36:00 -0600

Currently, the registry contains over 5000 successful weight losers. To be eligible to become a member of the registry, one had to have lost over 30 pounds and kept it off for more than one year.

What the study found was that there is no magic to losing weight and keeping it off. The essential equation for success is the age-old motto: eat less calories and burn more through daily exercise and you will lose weight and keep it off! (And be sure to “get back on the horse” when life’s ups and downs get in the way of you maintaining your new healthy lifestyle habits.)

Here are the 10 habits of these successful weight losers:

1. 98 percent of registry participants reported that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight (translation: you must change your eating habits in some way to lose weight—meaning eating fewer calories).

2. Most registry members reporting consuming less high-fat-dense food groups and more low-fat-dense food groups resulting in a lower daily calorie intake and greater weight loss (translation: eat lighter [lower calorie] and healthier [lower “bad” fats, less fried foods and more fruits and vegetables]).

3. 94 percent of registry participants reported increasing their physical activity (translation: daily cardio such as walking or running in addition to frequent strength training sessions).

4. 90 percent reported exercising, on average, about one hour per day (translation: get in some daily cardio such as walking or running in addition to FT strength training sessions-preferably 3 times/week).

5. 78 percent reported eating breakfast daily (translation: eat breakfast…lose weight).

6. 75 percent of registry participants reported weighing themselves at least once a week (translation: weigh yourself weekly at FT with your NT consultant—regardless of what you think the number will read).

7. 62 percent watched TV less than 10 hours/week (translation: limit the tube time unless you have a treadmill in front of the TV).

8. 42% of the sample reported that maintaining their weight loss was less difficult than losing weight (translation: once you lose the weight, be sure to keep up with your new habits—which is the hardest part).

9. Nearly all registry members stated that weight loss led to improvements in their level of energy, physical mobility, general mood, self-confidence, and physical health (translation: losing weight and attaining your health and fitness goals will make you a happier person, so stick with it!).

10. For those who did regain weight, weight regain was due, at least in part, to failure to maintain behavior changes (translation: this is not a diet that you go on and off but a lifestyle …always remember to keep at it and get support to overcome lapses and avoid a full-blown relapse.

How to form positive habits and a NEW YOU!

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:56:00 -0600

Ever wonder why some people get great results from their workouts or their normal eating routine? What makes them different? How do they do it? Usually it’s 1 or 2 simple habits.

All of us face two choices in life and it usually pertains to what we control and what we don’t. Sometimes in life, we have challenges beyond our control, yet we allow the challenges to influence the things we do have control over. When it comes to regular workouts and healthful eating, many people feel they have barriers, which prevent them from regular workouts. These can be work, schedule, the need for more time with family, long commutes, and even boredom and fatigue. Some can’t be helped at all: personal injuries or illness, caring for elderly patients, feeding the teenagers each evening and there are many more. But barriers should not stop you from implementing positive changes to secure a long and healthy life.

What is a ‘fence sitter’? That is a person who only puts their foot halfway in the water, or half way to a commitment. Well, now’s the first of the year and time to make some positive changes to your lifestyle.

You can surely find 1-2 things that YOU DO CONTROL and attack those. Make them positive habits that you always think about. Then pick two more! Before you know it you are on your way to a new you.

I knew a nurse who said that her challenge was eating cake at work. With 40 fellow staff members, seldom did a week go by without a cake or party celebrating a birthday, wedding anniversary or birth. What did she do? She found a few charities that the staff could get behind and at every party they decided to donate $1 in that person’s name instead of buying and eating cake. At the end of the year they had over $1000 for charity and celebrated an end to eating cake!

It’s hard to change your diet overnight, but you can form one or two new habits every month and change your life. Try eating healthier tips such as these: ½ a sandwich instead of a whole at lunch. Swear off fried foods. No soda. One piece of fruit per day. Cut-back or eliminate the alcoholic drinks.

Maybe you can’t workout every day, but an easy way to start is to find a buddy or co-worker and walk together at lunch. Then make sure you go out every day. If the weather’s bad – look for an indoor mall or other enclosed facility. After you’re in the habit of going 5 days a week, carve out some time each Saturday when you take a walk. Select a time of day (maybe first thing in the morning) when you don’t have conflicts or distractions and you know you can always get it done. Before you know it you’ll be out walking 6 days a week. Then, find that special time for walking on Sunday.

There are indeed things that you can control in life that will make you healthier and ultimately happier. Start with only 1-2 things that you can control and then go to work on them. You’ll soon see your world change!

January Newsletter

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:08:00 -0600

January Newsletter

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3 Ways to Kick the Habit of Skipping Workouts

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:43:00 -0600

Trying to get into an exercise habit, but finding you’re more in the habit of making excuses? You can break out of that pattern with these tips from fitness experts on staying motivated and sticking to your fitness routine. Our Fitness Together trainers and studio owners recommend these three strategies to help you stay inspired to work out regularly.

1. Keep your eye on the prize.

You must have a very strong “why” you are doing it. Always connect to that “why,” especially when things get tough or you get busy. If your goal is to get back into your favorite jeans, hang them on the outside of your closet where you’ll see them every morning when you wake up. For an extra nudge, pin up an old photo of yourself wearing them.

Or, if you’re working toward a health goal such as lowering your blood pressure or relieving chronic back pain, mark your improvements on a chart posted on the fridge. Or tape a photo on your bathroom mirror of someone who’s achieved a goal you’re striving toward. Think fit, healthy-looking people your age playing tennis, climbing a mountain, training for a triathlon, running a 5K, or skiing with their kids!

2. Schedule a consistent workout time.

Set a regular time that fits into your daily and weekly schedule, and prioritize it just like you would a meeting with your boss or a top client. Think of it this way: Skipping out on your commitment to take good care of yourself means sooner or later you’ll start feeling depleted and run-down, with nothing left to give to those who count on you. Sticking to your fitness regimen not only helps keep you healthy, but also refills your well of physical and mental energy. So you’re more likely to be there and be “on” in your job, relationships, family and others who matter to you.

3. Use the power of a pro to keep you on track.

You’re much less likely to be a no-show for your workout when someone’s waiting for you at the gym, track, pool, court …. Agree on a time and place to work out with a trainer. When someone’s there, waiting, and holding you accountable to your exercise commitment, it’s a mighty motivator. Scheduling sessions with a personal trainer creates an especially powerful incentive to work out: You’ll feel a natural desire to make your trainer proud, and to respect the time commitment he or she blocked out to work with you. That’s powerful inspiration when you’re mulling whether to pull the sheets back over your head or pull on those gym shoes!

Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:36:00 -0600

As New Year’s resolutions gain popularity this time of year, many jump on the bandwagon of losing weight, getting fit and living a healthier lifestyle. While we all can benefit from making these types of positive lifestyle changes, most resolutions fizzle out, unfortunately, before they even have a chance to settle in. So, why does this popular annual pastime of making New Year’s resolutions tend to result in failed attempts, false starts and lackluster efforts?

Well, actually, it’s quite simple.

● Resolution season brings colder temperatures and limited daylight.

● The start of the year is filled with busy life, work and family schedules.

● Doing what you’ve always done is a lot easier than trying something new.

So, what can you do to jump over these common resolution hurdles and finish strong in the quest for resolution success?

Commit to Getting off the Couch and Out the Door

The first step to accomplishing your health and fitness resolutions is to back your goals with a real commitment to succeed. You can’t wish your way to a healthier, leaner, more fit, stronger you. You have to make a real commitment that includes a support structure and lifestyle change focused on meeting your overall health and fitness goals.

One way to create a deeper level of health and fitness commitment is by working out with a group of friends or peers. As the temperatures hover around freezing and the temptation to cuddle in front of the fireplace instead of going to the gym burns strong, it is a lot easier to get yourself off the couch and out the door if you know someone is waiting to workout with you at the gym. This same peer-driven motivation to get you out the door on a cold winter day can be advantageous to your overall fitness when you workout in a group environment as well.

Research indicates that the presence of others around you during a workout session and the effects of competition can have a positive influence on your exertion and fitness performance levels.[1] The dynamics and high energy of working out in a small group setting with a handful of peers and a seasoned personal trainer can push you to work harder than you could have ever imagined, allowing you to enjoy overall improvements in your body’s health and fitness levels.

By incorporating a group fitness routine into your New Year’s resolution goals, you become a part of something bigger than yourself – an environment that is packed full of fitness commitment, motivation and encouragement.

Call in the Accountability Troops

Many New Year’s resolutions fail because people embark on the journey alone and let other items on their life calendar take priority over their goals. Set yourself up for resolution success by wrapping your goals with a strong support system that includes the right professionals and tools to do the job wisely and successfully.

By enlisting the help of a certified personal trainer, you will receive a customized workout that aligns with your body, ability and health/fitness level, as well as your New Year’s goals. A study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that those who worked out with personal trainers resulted in greater individual strength, workout intensities and exertion levels during an exercise session.[2] Personal trainers are not only a great resource for holding you accountable to showing up for your workout, but also ensuring that you engage in a valuable workout session that benefits both the mind and body.

Another way to keep yourself accountable to health and fitness goals is by physically scheduling your weekly workouts into your personal, family and professional calendars. If you view your workouts as a serious appointment and dedicate specific time to a physically fit lifestyle, you will be less likely to skip your workouts when life becomes busy.

Furthermore, industry reports continue to find evidence that you don’t have to spend your entire day in the gym to reap the most benefits from your workouts. Short-term, high intensity workouts have been found to be a time efficient and effective approach for burning fat, increasing fitness levels and improving overall cardiovascular health.[3]

Out with the Old, In with the New

The same old workouts and lifestyle tendencies will yield the same old results. If you are committed this year to reaching new levels of physical fitness, it is important to change up your approach by combining a can-do attitude with new workout routines focused on measurable strength and conditioning goals.

It’s important to remember, though, that physical fitness is an ongoing process that doesn’t happen overnight. Instead of making rash decisions like cleaning out all of the food in your pantry or exercising seven days a week when you have rarely made it to the gym once a week, set yourself up for success by identifying incremental benchmarks (going to the gym three times a week, running a mile without stopping, bench pressing 100 pounds, etc.) that can help keep your overall fitness goals within reach and within perspective. This approach will keep you on the path to reaching new physical fitness levels throughout the year and provide you with the opportunity to celebrate your successes along the way.

By pushing aside old barriers and incorporating new lifestyle behaviors centered around commitment, accountability and positive attitudes, you are well on your way to investing in a healthier body and happier you for the New Year.

The certified personal trainers at Fitness Together will design workouts tailored to your specific fitness level and will push you just hard enough to turn your goals into life changing results.

Contact Fitness Together Santa Monica at 310.576.1508 to learn more about how to look better, feel better and perform better this New Year with one-on-one personal training or PACK small group training.

[1] Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: “The Effects of Competition and the Presence of an Audience on Weight Lifting Performance,” 2003.

[2] Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: January 2008 - Volume 22 - Issue 1 - pp 103-111.

[3] University of Guelph; Journal of Applied Physiology, June 2007.

December Newsletter

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:19:00 -0600

December Newsletter

Prepare Your Body for Optimal Winter Performance with Pre- and Post-Workout Stretching

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:51:00 -0600

Tight muscles, cramped joints and a lethargic body is not how you want to ring in this winter season. Instead, prepare your body for sledding adventures, skiing moguls and family snowball fights by introducing stretching into your overall health and fitness routine. Don’t worry, you don’t have to schedule tons of time to make stretching beneficial and effective. Ten minutes will do the trick.

Start with the Basics

When incorporating stretching into your workout, you should take a two-phased approach. The first phase should focus on preparing your body, joints, heart and lungs for a dynamic workout, while the second phase should focus on cooling down your muscles and preparing your body for an active recovery following your workout. In essence, it is most effective to sandwich your strength and conditioning workout routine with two short, but effective, active stretching routines.

Phase One – Warm Up and Dynamic Stretch

If touching your toes and taking deep breaths to start your workout is your idea of warming up and stretching, then you are missing out on an excellent opportunity to set yourself up for a great workout. According to research by The National Strength and Condition Association,[1] passive static stretching can lead to reduced performance when compared to an active, dynamic warm-up alone.

A great workout starts with a great warm-up so the first step to an active warm-up that is going to increase your performance is spending a few minutes on a foam roller. The purpose of the foam roller is provide soft tissue flexibility in preparation for a more fluid and free-moving workout. The few minutes it takes to foam roll will pay dividends for the remainder of your fitness session.

After you’ve established more flexible muscles with the foam roller, the next step is to prepare your body for elevating heart rates and getting down to business. The warm-up should not be easy. It should start easy, but then progress to the point that when you’re finished five minutes later, you’re ready to go full steam ahead into your workout. A dynamic warm-up should include explosive movements such as high knees, skipping and moving lunges. It is important to remember that the purpose of these types of exercises is to prepare your joints and ligaments for the high intensity portion of your workout. Make sure not to push yourself too hard, but instead focus on starting slow and revving up your body for an effective and dynamic workout.

Phase Two – Cool Down and Recovery

After you’ve left all of your effort, sweat and tears on the gym floor during your high intensity strength and conditioning workout, it is now time to take three to five minutes to incorporate some light stretching and cool down techniques to finish off your fitness routine. The purpose of this stretching phase is to loosen up any knots that might build up in your muscle fibers during your workout and prepare your body for proper recovery that will last hours after your workout has ended. It is important to stretch the major muscle groups you exercised during your workout and to focus on any problem spots that you may have. Some simple, but highly effective cool down and recovery stretches include the child’s pose, lower leg lunge stretches and the cat stretch for your back and shoulders.

If stretching is typically an after-thought for you during your workouts, focus on incorporating these ten minutes of pre- and post-workout stretches this winter to prepare your body for optimal performance during and after your workouts. Contact your local Fitness Together studio to learn more about how to look better, feel better and perform better with a total body stretching and fitness routine.

Jump Start Your Fitness Routine This Winter with High Intensity Cardio Training

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0500

As you dive into the winter season, you may find yourself in a rut of doing the same old, same old when it comes to your fitness and wellness routine. And as the temperatures get cooler, climbing on the dreaded treadmill or elliptical machine may seem to be your only options for burning those inevitable extra holiday calories.

Effective cardio training, though, can include more than your traditional running, biking and swimming. By taking your workout up a notch with high intensity cardio variations, you can jump start your fitness routine so you look better, feel better and perform better throughout this winter season.

Ramp Up Your Cardio for Weight Loss and Maintenance

As the holidays approach and we are in the thick of pumpkin pies, turkey dinners and overscheduled calendars, the common fitness theme this time of year is fighting the bulge and finding time to squeeze in a workout. Although concentrating on eating in moderation is a key component to weight loss and maintenance, cardio exercises focused on interval training can help combat the belly bounce. Interval training focuses on intense bursts of exercise in your workout that not only jump start your heart rate, but burn body fat quicker as well.

The good news for your hectic schedule is that you don’t have to bang out hours on the treadmill to realize the best cardio results for your body. Industry research[1] shows that shorter duration of high intensity exercise can be more beneficial than traditional endurance training.

Basic exercise science also supports that the harder you work, the more calories you burn every minute you exercise, while high intensity cardio sessions also speed your metabolism for hours following your workout session.

So, if weight loss/maintenance is your main goal this holiday season, ditch the treadmill and opt for a more fast and furious workout full of burpees, wind sprints and slam balls. Your belly will appreciate it and so will the number on the scale January 1st, 2012.

Incorporate Cardio for Greater Strength and Muscle Definition

As we all know, strength and conditioning exercises build muscle. Cardio, when coupled with proper nutrition; however, is the secret weapon to defining and showing off the hours spent in the weight room. To create greater muscle definition in the common “problem” areas (arms, abs, glutes), it is important to incorporate metabolic cardio conditioning to your fitness regimen to unveil your hidden lean and sleek muscles.

A recent study[2] that evaluated the effect of training methods on female college athletes found that concurrent strength and aerobic endurance training was highly effective on muscle strength and endurance, body composition and flexibility. When your goal is to build strength and muscle, combining strength training exercises with total body cardio is key to realizing the best results. This type of cardio approach packs a variety of total body movements into your workout that aims to raise your heart rate and maintain the increased level for 5-10 minutes.

Some full body cardio exercises include:

● mountain climbers

● battling ropes

● jump squat circuits.

These exercises allow you to build more muscle and burn calories, while you to get the most bang for your buck as it relates to time efficient and effective cardio exercises.

Maintain Consistent Cardio for Endurance Training

Whether your goal is to achieve a personal best at this year’s turkey trot or you’re planning to start the New Year with a triathlon or long distance running race, consistent cardio exercises are the key to any training program. There is no doubt about it that in order to prepare your body for a long endurance event, you have to put in the mileage. If you are signed up to run a half marathon in January, then you have to prepare your body for the wear and tear of pounding pavement for two hours by running (not walking, elliptical, biking) the mileage laid out for you in your training plan.

However, if you find yourself lacking motivation half way through your training program, you can mix up your weekly workouts by incorporating some hill and interval training to not only build muscle and endurance, but also keep you mentally engaged throughout your training program. Just make sure to plan appropriate rest days after the more intense training sessions to give your body time to recuperate and prepare for the big race day.

Another tactic for keeping you on track for successfully completing your training plan is to take your cardio training outdoors whenever possible. In the winter months this isn’t always an option, but if you can hit the trails early in the morning before a snow storm rolls in or later in the afternoon when temperatures have reached a reasonable level, research from West Virginia University found that training outdoors makes you 52 percent more likely to exercise more regularly.

Whether your goals this season are to combat the belly bounce, build more muscle or successfully train for an upcoming endurance event, incorporating high intensity cardio into your fitness routine will not only make you feel better and look better, but also perform better in any of your upcoming endeavors. Contact your local Fitness Together studio today to start building cardio into your overall fitness and wellness routine.

October Newsletter

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:35:00 -0500

October Newsletter

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Energize Your Exercise Experience

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:54:00 -0500

by Joining a Small Group Training Pack

Rolling over, turning off your alarm and sleeping in for an extra hour instead of heading out for a morning run is too easy to do. Letting the day get away from you and opting for happy hour with friends rather than working out at the gym can be an easy out too – especially if you’re running solo in your workout routine as daylight gets shorter and temperatures get cooler.

If you are feeling sluggish this winter and struggling to start a workout program, have hit a fitness plateau or just looking for something new to add to your fitness regimen, it may be time to join a pack of workout buddies to help you meet your health and fitness goals. Small Group Personal Training is the hot trend this season as individuals opt for a more cost-effective, fun and engaging environment to meet their personal fitness goals, dreams and aspirations. It doesn’t matter if you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior, new mom, senior citizen or desk jockey, everyone can benefit from training in a small group setting.

Increase Your Motivation

Whether you are getting started on a fresh workout routine or you’re a seasoned fitness veteran, establishing and maintaining consistent motivation can be quite a challenge. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently reported that almost 50 percent of people who begin an exercise program drop out in the first six months and those who lack self-efficacy (the power to produce results on your own) won’t even try to start a new routine. However, research has shown that there are ways to increase your confidence in relation to fitness goals – remembering previous successes, observing others doing something you find challenging and enlisting other peoples’ support. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2011, August 16).

When you set up a support structure of working together with other individuals, you breakdown the common roadblocks of making excuses for yourself and never taking the first step toward a fit and healthy lifestyle. Small Group Personal Training gives you the motivation of three to four other individuals and a seasoned personal trainer who are dedicated to working together to achieve total body fitness. By incorporating a fitness routine together with a small group of like-minded individuals, you become a part of something bigger than yourself – an environment that is packed full of fitness motivation and encouragement.

Build Accountability

As the days get shorter and holiday to-do lists grow longer, staying active can become a thing of the past. To stay dedicated to working out, especially this time of year, it is imperative to have a group of workout companions that you are scheduled to meet with consistently throughout the week. By scheduling your workout into your busy schedule, you are less likely to push your workout until tomorrow again and again. By having a small group of people who are reliant on having you participate in the workout session, you are less likely to skip your workout when something more appealing like happy hour and shopping trip invites pop up in your inbox. Your group counts on you to show up every workout and bring the enthusiasm needed to succeed in fitness, together. Being accountable to a consistent workout time and having supportive workout buddies are the key ingredients to maintaining a successful workout program as the New Year approaches.

Drive Your Competitive Desire

The power of getting fit together, lies in human nature’s innate desire to push ourselves harder and further when alongside other individuals. According to recent research from Michigan State University, the best workout environment is one where you have someone to push you to work harder. The study found that people who exercised with someone worked out 24 percent longer than those who worked out alone. Michigan State University (2011, May 19)

Working out in a small group setting, there will be days when you’ll be the inspiration and there will be days when you’ll be inspired. The true power of working out in a small group is the synergy that develops as you and your workout buddies train side-by-side, commit to better yourselves individually and celebrate each other’s victories together. Working out in small group training setting is not about beating the person next to you. It is about exceeding your own potential one day at a time and encouraging those around you to do the same.

Socialize with Active-Minded Individuals

Rather than surrounding yourself with bonbons and eggnog this holiday season, join a PACK of fitness-minded people who value a healthy lifestyle to close out the year. A small group personal training environment will equip you to stay motivated and on track for successfully meeting your fitness goals. By joining others in your quest of reaching your goals, the experience can become less of a task and more of a social event where you catch up with your workout buddies and decompress from a busy work day in-between chest press reps and squat jumps. Before you know it, your workout is over, you’ve burned thousands of calories and you’ve fulfilled your need for socializing.

As you embark on closing out 2011 and setting new lifestyle goals for 2012, energize your workout and your attitude with small group personal training at Fitness Together. Enjoy pushing yourself to fitness levels beyond your imagination, enjoy the companionship of working out with like-minded individuals, and enjoy the accomplishment of looking better, feeling better and performing better. Join Fitness Together’s small group personal training today to be a part of the pack, but not lost in the crowd.

To schedule your first PACK session call the Fitness Together studio at 310.576.1508

Getting Fit With Friends

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:06:00 -0500

Beginning a new exercise program can be intimidating, especially if you are walking into a huge gym with buff bodies parading around. As the newbie, you feel as though people are watching everything you do, maybe even judging you. If you are the slightest bit intimidated to begin working out in a gym, consider another option: semi-private group training.

Most gyms offer exercise classes, with 12-20 people you don’t know. Fitness Together offers semi-private group training. With just two to four people per class, FT’s classes offer privacy and individual attention. In this setting you and your friends can schedule classes that fit into your personal schedule, not just the times the classes are offered.

Exercising with friends is a lot more fun and the support you need to stick to your fitness goals is shared and supported by your friends.

For full details on Fitness Together’s new group training classes call 310-576-1508.

August Newsletter

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:47:00 -0500

August Newsletter

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June Newsletter 2011

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:00:00 -0500

June 2011 Newsletter

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May Newsletter

Mon, 09 May 2011 16:28:00 -0500

May Newsletter

Click on Link above to view newsletter

Roasted Garlic Spread

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:27:00 -0500

Food Weight: 1.0

Delicious used as a spread instead of butter!

Ingredients

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: ½ a head of garlic)

1 large head of fresh garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut off the top third off the garlic head and discard. Sprinkle garlic with olive oil and kosher salt. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove warm clove and spread on bread just like butter.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (½ head of garlic):
Food Weight: 1.0, Calories: 85, Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 584 mg,
Carbohydrate: 5 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g, Sugars: 0 g, Protein: 1 g

________________________________________________________________________

Recipe Source: An excerpt from the book Cholesterol Down by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN; Published by Three Rivers Press; December 2006;$13.95US/$17.95CAN; 978-0-307-33911-9 Copyright © 2006 Janet Brill, Ph.D. To learn more about this book please visit CholesterolDownBook.com.

Summer Shape-Up Strategies for a Fit, Healthy Body

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:34:00 -0500

Spring is in the air, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the grass is getting greener… all signs that summer is right around the corner. Summer is beach body season, so START TODAY to shake off the winter doldrums and “spring” into your health and fitness action mode.

Perhaps you’ve gotten off track with your New Year’s resolutions or maybe you still have a little work to do getting your body ready to bare some skin this summer season (think bathing suits and shorts—yikes!). Yep, the long days of summer fun are nearing, but fortunately there’s still plenty of time for your summer shape-up. Here are five tips to get you looking buff on the beach:

Get out your summer clothes NOW, try them on, and take a good hard look in the mirror. This simple act will help you focus, take control, and get motivated to set up an action plan with your fitness trainer TODAY.
Be realistic. If you want to lose some weight for summer, aim for a maximum of 1 to 2 pounds a week. This way you will not be losing any of your hard-earned metabolism-boosting muscle mass along with the fat.
No fad diets required! Get your body beach-ready, living by the mantra Eat healthy, eat light, and eat often. Practice this approach with the support of your nutrition and fitness consultant and you’ll be getting fit for summer the healthy way.
Make strength-training sessions a priority in your life. There is no better prescription for minimizing the jiggle and maximizing the shapely muscle tone than getting in strength training sessions a minimum of three times per week.
Remember, there is no quick fix or magic bullet for achieving your health and fitness goals. The best recipe for success and looking your best on the beach this summer is a three-pronged approach:

Strength-train a minimum of three times a week.
Get in at least 30 minutes of cardio most days of the week (and preferably daily).
Eat healthy, eat light, and eat often.

Follow these five tips with the support of Fitness Together and you’ll surely be “springing” into action. A Fitness Together trainer will develop a program designed to meet your specific goals. You’ll also receive nutritional counseling through the Nutrition Together program, which will complement your workouts. To find the Fitness Together studio nearest you, visit http://corp.fitnesstogher.com.

Let Fitness Together help you make this “summer of ‘11” your best yet!

March Newsletter

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 08:19:00 -0500

March Newsletter

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Personal Training Business Owners Participating in LA Marathon with 82-Year-Old Client

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:50:00 -0600

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – (March 7, 2011) – Fitness Together of Santa Monica co-owners and siblings Kyle Radomski and Kelly Blackwin are gearing up for Los Angeles’ number one marathon, but they aren’t doing it alone - 82 year-old Fitness Together client Carmelita DeHaven has been training to join them in the 26.2 mile event. On March 20, Blackwin, Radomski and DeHaven will participate in the 2011 Honda LA Marathon, presented by K-Swiss.

DeHaven came to Fitness Together in December of 2010 to help prepare the marathon. She is a member of the L.A. LEGGERS, a running and walking club, which is how she met Radomski and learned about Fitness Together.

“Carmelita told us she wanted to participate in the LA Marathon and wanted our help getting stronger for the event,” said Blackwin. “We started her on a strength training program and, since Kyle and I were already training for the marathon, all three of us now train together.”

In addition to strength training with Fitness Together, DeHaven runs her high-mileage distances on the weekends and shorter distances during the week.

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5th Street in Santa Monica contact them at (310) 576-1508 or http://fitnesstogether.com/santamonica.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is one of the world’s largest wellness organizations. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, http://www.fitnesstogether.com, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1983 that began franchising in 1996, and Elements Therapeutic Massage, Inc., http://www.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network has hundreds of franchises sold across the United States, Costa Rica, Brazil, Israel, Ireland, and Canada.

Franchise Information:

Fitness Together and Elements Therapeutic Massage are each actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://www.fitnesstogether.com/franchise/ and http://elementsfranchise.com or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about franchise opportunities.

All about Cocoa Powder

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:29:00 -0600

(HealthCastle.com) To chocoholics like myself, there is no better news than the fact that cocoa and chocolate are indeed great sources of antioxidants. However, not all cocoa powders are created equal.

Natural Cocoa

Similar to the process for making chocolate, cocoa powder is made by first grinding cacao nibs into a cocoa mass, which is then liquefied into a paste known as chocolate liquor. After the cocoa butter is forced out of the chocolate liquor by either a press or a special technique known as the Broma method, the remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is lighter brown in color than Dutch-processed cocoa, tastes slightly bitter, and has a deep chocolate flavor. It is also very high in antioxidants (ORAC 629 umol TE/g). Some popular brands of natural cocoa are Nestlé, Hershey's, and Ghiradelli.

Dutch-Processed Cocoa

Dutch processing refers to the process by which the cocoa beans are washed with an alkaline solution, usually potassium carbonate, in order to neutralize the acidity of the natural cocoa. The resulting cocoa is known as "Dutched," "alkalized," or "Dutch-processed" cocoa. Aside from neutralizing the acidity, alkalizing cocoa powder changes it into a darker, more reddish shade of brown that may look more appealing, and can also help mellow the flavor of the beans and improve solubility. Since it does not react to baking soda like natural cocoa does, Dutch-processed cocoa is usually used in recipes with baking powder. Some popular brands of Dutch-processed cocoa are Lindt, Valrhona, and Droste.

Although alkalizing cocoa powder results in a product that may look and taste better, this process actually reduces polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids significantly, according to Dr. Barry Swanson, spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists. This results in a drastic decrease in antioxidant activity - the more heavily the cocoa powder is alkalized, the lower the antioxidant activity. According to Hershey's, heavily alkalized cocoa has less than half the ORAC score (a measure of antioxidant activity) of natural cocoa. In addition, because Dutched cocoa powder is subjected to a chemical process, products that contain Dutch-processed cocoa technically cannot be called "natural."

Other Considerations When Choosing Cocoa Powder

When selecting a cocoa powder, other than the choice between natural and Dutch-processed, you also need to look at the label in order to pick the one that is most suitable to your cooking pursuit. For example, Dutch-processed cocoa (e.g. Fry's Cocoa) usually contains sodium carbonate, which may alter the flavor of your final product.

If your recipe calls for a specific cocoa but you only have the other on hand, you can try the following substitution suggested by joyofbaking.com: 3 tablespoons (18 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa is equivalent to 3 tablespoons (18 grams) natural cocoa powder plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda.

The Bottom Line

According to Dr. Janet Bond Brill, author of Prevent a Second Heart Attack, "natural unsweetened cocoa powder has the highest concentration of flavanols compared to other chocolate products." In addition, its low calories, sugar, and fat make it a healthier antioxidant source than other commercial chocolate bars.

February 2011 Newsletter

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:55:00 -0600

February Newsletter

click on link above

Creating REAL CHANGE: How to form positive habits and a NEW YOU!

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:54:00 -0600

Ever wonder why some people get great results from their workouts or their normal eating routine? What makes them different? How do they do it? Usually it’s 1 or 2 simple habits.

You can surely find 1-2 things that YOU DO CONTROL and attack those. Make them positive habits that you always think about. Then pick two more! Before you know it you are on your way to a new you.

Fitness Together- $75 for 3 Personal Training Sessions ($225 Value)

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 14:46:00 -0600

Bloomspot Los Angeles

Santa Monica Personal Training Fitness Studio Partners with Franklin Elementary

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:17:00 -0600

Santa Monica, CA.– (Jan 18, 2011) – Fitness Together of Santa Monica has donated Personal Training sessions to Franklin Elementary’s upcoming Annual Spring Fling on Friday, March 25, 2011.

The event, will be held at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles and will feature a live auction, a three-course dinner, dancing and awesome entertainment. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 3 private personal training sessions valued at $225. The first session includes F.I.T. Consultation to determine the individual’s aspirations, current fitness level and the right program to fit their needs. These sessions are conducted at the Fitness Together studio in Santa Monica.

“We would like to do anything we can to support our local schools,” said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. “We know this helps provide for things such as innovative programs that are not funded by the state.”

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica contact them at (310) 576-1508 or http://fitnesstogether.com/santamonica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:
Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for Personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about fitness franchise opportunities.

Tuna and Tofu Salad

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:59:00 -0600

Food weight: 4.5

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Dressing:

1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (well aged)
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad:

Yield: 2 servings

4 cups red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and torn
1 large ripe tomato, diced
½ a large Vidalia sweet onion, sliced
¼ cup green onions, sliced
½ cup sliced button mushrooms
1 block (14 ounce package) extra firm tofu
1 (12 ounce) can of water packed tuna fish

Directions

For the dressing: Whisk together all dressing ingredients except the oil and blend until smooth. Slowly add in the oil and mix until dressing is a thick consistency. Chill dressing until serving salad.

For the salad: Arrange lettuce on a large salad plate. Cut tofu into one inch cubes and add to salad. Mix tomato and onion together and sprinkle over tofu. Sprinkle drained tuna flakes over tomato mixture then add green onions. Pour chilled dressing in desired amount over salad before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 recipe):
Food weight: 4.5, Calories: 461, Fat: 17 g, Cholesterol: 51 mg, Sodium: 779 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 7 g, Protein: 60 g

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New Year: New You!

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:57:00 -0600

It’s that time of year again when many of us make New Year’s resolutions to improve our health and well-being. Unfortunately, we often have a tough time sticking to our goals, and by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, our best-laid plans may have gone by the wayside. That’s why now is the time to create your recipe for New Year’s resolution success. Here’s 5 quick tips:

Set attainable goals.
Get support from your FT personal trainer.
Plan ahead and outline a schedule for getting you to your goal.
Never strive for perfection.
Visualize yourself after you’ve attained your goals.

You can achieve your goals with the help of Fitness Together/Nutrition Together! Here’s to your health and happiness in 2011!

Creating Your 2011 New Year's Resolution Recipe for Success

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 16:43:00 -0600

It’s that time of year again when many of us make New Year’s resolutions to improve our health and well-being. Unfortunately, we often have a tough time sticking to our goals, and by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, our best-laid plans may have gone by the wayside. That’s why now is the time to create your recipe for New Year’s resolution success.

According to the dictionary, a “resolution” means both a firm decision and a firmness of purpose, or determination. The decision part of the resolution equation should be planned out carefully. Here are five tried and true tips for New Year’s resolution success that incorporate both decision and determination:

1. Set attainable goals. The biggest mistake people usually make in outlining their New Year’s resolutions is to set unattainable goals. Try to set achievable goals so that you’re ensured of success. It’s important to understand that big changes come from a combination of many small changes over time. Instead of making a New Year’s resolution to lose 30 pounds (and you haven’t been at that goal weight since high school), why not set a goal to lose 5 pounds by Valentine’s Day?

2. Get support from a personal trainer. Change is always easier to accomplish when another person is cheering you on. Two heads are better than one when it comes to making decisions and the determination to complete your goals. Share your resolution verbally with someone you trust. Talk about your plans with another person and review them often, together. A verbal commitment can help people cement a firm decision in their mind.

3. Plan ahead and outline a schedule for getting you to your goal. Tracking your progress is extremely helpful for keeping you on target. It also allows your support person or trainer to help you more efficiently. And don’t forget to reward yourself with small gifts for succeeding with your weekly “mini-goals.”

4. Never strive for perfection. Everyone has a temporary blip where they fall off the horse occasionally, especially under times of duress. Lapses are an important part of the process of making successful permanent changes. Share these temporary setbacks with your trainer and it will ultimately help you to strengthen your resolve.

5. Visualize yourself after you’ve attained your goals. Visualization can be a strong motivational tool for many people, particularly when they “see” the positive rewards of making those behavioral changes.

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December 2010 Newsletter

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 11:25:00 -0600

December 2010 Newsletter

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'Tis the Season to Be Jolly and FIT

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:58:00 -0600

While the holidays can be a joyous time of the year, they can also be disastrous for our fitness and healthy eating routines. ¢Tis the season for shopping, cookie baking, decorating, and parties—lots of parties with rich food everywhere. Do you ever wonder why some people manage to stay vibrant, happy, and fit over the holidays, appearing to let holiday stress roll off them like the rooftop icing on the gingerbread cake? You can be one of these holiday fitness success stories, too. Here are some simple tips to add sparkle to your holiday cheer by giving yourself the gift of health this season.

Three Tips for Sticking to Your Fitness Routine

During this oh so hectic time of year, a personal trainer can be very supportive. You can make a contract with a trainer to plan and be accountable for your fitness routine using a triple-pronged approach: daily cardio; strength training at least three days a week; and eating healthy, eating light, and eating often. Let’s take a closer look at the three pieces of a good fitness routine and see how you can work them into your holiday schedule.

1. Daily cardio. Set a regular time every day to get those sneakers on and get out there and move a little! No marathons required. Just a thirty-minute dog walk, a few flights of stairs, or an extra few loops around the shopping mall will make a huge difference in balancing out your calories and shaving off stress. Your daily cardio will also give you energy, which will help keep your holiday demeanor bright.

2. Strength workouts. If sticking to your regular workout regimen during the holidays seems daunting, think of it this way: Carving out that time for you, and just for you, will not only help keep you healthy and fit but bring back routine into a time of year that lacks routine—often with negative health consequences. By making a commitment to keep your fitness up, you’ll benefit both physically and mentally. Impress your family and friends by looking and feeling your best this holiday as a direct result of maintaining your workout regimen and staying accountable to your trainer.

3. Nutrition. The holidays are not a good time to try and lose weight! A much more realistic goal is to simply maintain your fitness level and body weight. You can accomplish this goal by planning ahead to enjoy small portions of your favorite holiday treats while eating healthy and light most of the time. Balance out those extra calories by maintaining your daily cardio and strength workouts so that you can partake in the holiday festivities without any deprivation.

Make a plan to stay accountable during this “dangerous” six-week time period and when the New Year rolls around, you’ll have given yourself and your family the gift of staying vibrant, happy, and fit over the holidays, which is ultimately the best gift of all—the gift of good health!

Fitness Together can help you with your holiday fitness and eating routine. Contact Fitness Together today to set up a personal training program. Additionally, our programs include Nutrition Together, a customized eating plan to help you maximize the benefits of your workout and stay on track during the holiday time period. Go to fitnesstogether.com to find the location nearest you.

November 2010 Newsletter

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:24:00 -0500

November 2010 Newsletter

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Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:58:00 -0500

Gobble, gobble…that’s your cue that the holidays are upon us and it’s time to start putting on the brakes NOW before the real damage is done. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” really applies to the holiday season. The following tips will help you fend off that holiday weight gain so that you won’t end this season with a New Year’s resolution to lose those added holiday pounds!

How Much Weight Do We Really Gain?

Most people think the average American gains about 5 pounds over the holidays. In actuality, most of us gain an average of 1 pound (5 pounds for overweight people) between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.¹ The problem is, we fail to lose that 1 pound of holiday weight gain, which adds up to many excess pounds over the years.

Why Do So Many of Us Gain Weight over the Holidays?

When you think about it, the holidays really boil down to just three days: Thanksgiving, Christmas (or Chanukah), and New Year’s. If you gorge only on those three days, you probably wouldn’t cause too much damage. However, many of us take on that holiday mentality of six weeks of nonstop feasting and putting our regular exercise routine on the back burner. Plus, let’s face it, this time of year is very hectic and stress filled—many commitments compete for our precious time. So start now to strategize how you’ll move yourself to the top of your Christmas gift list by making you and your fitness and healthy eating habits a priority.

Five Tips for Fending Off Holiday Weight Gain

Get off the “I’m on a diet” mindset. Now is no time to diet—in fact, a wonderful goal for the next six weeks is to simply maintain your current body weight so that the number on the scale reads the same on New Year’s Day as it does on Thanksgiving. You can accomplish this by allowing yourself (and planning ahead for) indulging in small amounts of your favorite holiday treats. But be sure to make sensible eating choices the rest of the time.
Exercise more to offset holiday overeating. Don’t let your shopping and party commitments squeeze out your workouts. Now more than ever is when you need to up your physical activity so that you can balance out the extra holiday splurges. If you have an exercise partner or a personal trainer, make a “contract” with them to get an extra weekly workout in to cover your inevitable holiday indulgences.
Follow good eating guidelines: Eat breakfast, don’t skip meals, drink all your calorie-free liquid, and eat small, frequent, lighter meals at home. Carry healthy snacks like fruits and veggies and light yogurt, and never, ever arrive HUNGRY at an event where holiday treats are being served. These yummy delights are impossible to resist when one is famished. Before you go, appease your appetite with some light snacks such as whole-grain crackers and string cheese, veggies and hummus dip, or a glass of tomato juice. And don’t forget to bring your own “lighter” holiday makeover dish to the party.
Use only small plates and load up on salad first if you attend a buffet. Take small tastes of the food and eat only what you love.
Limit alcohol consumption (liquid calories). Alcohol is highly caloric, plus it can sabotage your best laid plans by affecting your judgment. After a few drinks it’s much harder to refrain from eating all those rich gooey desserts. If you do drink, stick with the lighter choices: A 4-ounce wine or champagne weighs in at just 80 calories versus a 5-ounce cocktail, a heavy 300 calories. Try alternating an alcoholic drink with a sparkling water and lime.

The Gift of Health

Remember what the holidays are all about. Focus less on the food and drinks and more on celebrating the beauty of the season and the company of the people you love—your family and friends. Give yourself the gift of health this holiday season by sticking with your fitness routine and planning ahead to curb excessive overeating.

1. J. A. Yanovski et al., “A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain,” New England Journal of Medicine 342 (2000): 861–867.

Is it okay to splurge on Thanksgiving?

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:46:00 -0500

Nobody gains weight from just that one Thanksgiving Day meal. We gain weight from the “holiday mentality” that continues on from Thanksgiving to New Years Day. Yet, the busiest and most stressful time of year is precisely when we must be most vigilant about putting the brakes on our calorie intake and finding the time to fit in lots of calorie-burning, stress-releasing exercise. That said, here are a few healthy makeover tips for holiday meals: modify your favorite holiday recipes so they are healthier and lighter (without compromising taste) by reducing the fat, sugar, sodium and calories.
For example, if you prepare stuffing from a box, look for a lower sodium variety, omit adding butter or margarine, and do add in lots of healthy vegetables like mushrooms, onions, garlic, celery and peppers, sautéed in a small amount of olive oil. You can also add in a touch of super-healthy walnuts and cranberries. Traditional mashed potatoes can be transformed into a delicious, heart-healthy cholesterol-lowering side dish (for Dr. Janet's recipe, see below). Go for the turkey breast without the skin; don’t go overboard with the gravy; and eat desserts and drink alcohol in moderation.
This holiday season, remember to take the time to give yourself the gift of health by making a conscious effort to eat better and get in your daily calorie and stress—burning exercise!
Mashed Potatoes with Chickpeas Serves 6
What you need:

2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup light soy milk
1⁄2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1⁄4 cup Promise Take Control Light margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
Commercial gravy, optional

What you do:

Place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return potatoes to pan.
Add chickpeas and mash using a potato masher. Add soy milk, chicken broth, margarine, and salt and pepper and stir. Cook an additional 2 minutes, until heated, stirring constantly. Serve warm. Top with commercial gravy if desired.

Per serving (1⁄6 of recipe, 293 grams or approximately 1 cup): Calories: 255, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 751 mg, Carbohydrate: 46 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g

Posted by Dr. Janet Bond Brill

Fitness Together Personal Training Studio Partners with Heart of Los Angeles

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. – Oct 5, 2010 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with Heart of Los Angeles and will be donating 3 personal training sessions in the upcoming Annual Holiday of the Heart Gala black tie Fundraiser on Saturday, November 13, 2010.

At the Montage Beverly Hills, CA the fundraiser will feature a live and silent auction, sit down dinner and dancing, all to benefit the programs of HOLA. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 3 personal training sessions valued at $225 in the silent auction and each VIP guest will receive a Fitness Together brochure.

"We see how important it is to give kids in need a chance to escape poverty," said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to be a part of HOLA’s mission to provide underserved youth with exceptional programs empowering them to develop their potential, pursue their education and strengthen their communities."

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about fitness franchise opportunities.

Servicing: Los Angeles Santa Monica, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Venice, Marina Del Rey, West Los Angeles, Brentwood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, California

October 2010 Newsletter

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

October 2010 Newsletter

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How Hard Should You Exercise? Fitness Together Santa Monica introduces Aspire 8 to further customize each client's fitness program

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

SANTA MONICA, CA – (October 11, 2010) – When it comes to exercising, not all workouts are the same. And that’s just the way Fitness Together of Santa Monica wants it.

The Fitness Together studio located at 1450 5^th Street is part of the leading franchise network of one-on-one personal training, specializes in tailoring workouts for each and every client’s abilities, needs and goals. The science of crafting the right fitness routine just got better. The company recently unveiled Aspire 8, a proprietary program that will guide the studio’s personal trainers as they match each client’s aspirations to a custom fitness program designed to meet clients at their current fitness level and progressively move them forward.

“If we have 60 clients, there will be 60 tailored workouts in one-on-one sessions at our private studio with a personal trainer,” says Kelly Blackwin, owner of the Fitness Together franchise. “That’s the individual attention that gets results, pushes clients to excel, and takes the routine out of a fitness routine.”

The Aspire 8 program was released nationwide to Fitness Together studios in July. The system will help Fitness Together trainers classify each client into one of four training zones based on their current fitness level. Then, the personal trainer will work with the client individually to build a customized program designed to progressively move that client toward higher levels of fitness. The workouts will continue to evolve and adapt to the levels of improved health and fitness for each individual client ensuring that they continue to improve.

“The Aspire 8 program evolves with a Fitness Together client who is increasingly getting in better shape,” Blackwin added. “It addresses the age-old question: How come I work out all the time but don’t lose weight?”

The results-oriented approach to exercising is one reason Fitness Together continues to excel as a growing national chain. And Blackwin expects the Aspire 8 program to keep loyal Santa Monica customers coming back, turning many into clients for life.

“We approach health and fitness as a lifestyle, and our personal trainers and fitness studio play an incredibly important role in the lives of clients,” Blackwin added. “We’re not a volume business that focuses on dues versus usage. We’re about a very high level of service for people in Santa Monica who want real results that will last. We make the most of their valuable time each and every session in a way they won’t get anywhere else. The Aspire 8 program will take that to the next level.”

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is one of the world’s largest wellness organizations. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, http://corp.fitnesstogether.com, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1983 that began franchising in 1996. In 2010, Fitness Together launched Nutrition Together, a nutrition and weight loss counseling program for their clients. Fitness Together Franchise Corporations also oversees Elements Therapeutic Massage, Inc., http://corp.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network has hundreds of franchises sold across the United States, Costa Rica, Brazil, Israel, Ireland, and Canada.

Franchise Information:

Fitness Together and Elements Therapeutic Massage are each actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/franchise/ and http://corp.touchofelements.com/franchise/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about franchise opportunities.

Fitness Together Personal Training Studio Partners with St. Monica Catholic Elementary School

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. – Oct 5, 2010 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with St. Monica Catholic Elementary School and will be donating 3 personal training sessions in the upcoming Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction on Saturday, November 20, 2010.

St. Monica will host the fundraiser event which will be an evening to celebrate the school and community with food & drink, music, and great auction items all to help raise funds for enrichment classes and other educational needs. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 3 personal training sessions valued at $225 in the silent auction and each VIP guest will receive a Fitness Together brochure.

"We see how important it is to support the students education," said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to be able to give back to the community ."

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

Nutrition Tip of the Week: Drink coffee, fight diabetes

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Did you know that coffee is America’s leading source of disease-fighting antioxidants? That’s because coffee is simply water that’s been brewed up with ground-up plant beans—or what I call “plant juice.” You can also get your plant juice from tea, water brewed with ground-up plant leaves. A recent study found that people who drank coffee with lunch were one-third less likely to develop diabetes than their non-coffee-drinking counterparts. Eat more plants and less animals and live longer!

Fitness Together Personal Training Studio Partners with The Junior League of Los Angeles

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. – October 1, 2010 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with The Junior League of Los Angeles and will be donating 3 personal training sessions in the upcoming Harvest Boutique on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at the Ritz Carlton LA Live.

This fun-filled day of shopping will feature unique vendors, a silent auction, and a catered luncheon to raise funds to support the Junior League of Los Angeles' projects and programs. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 3 personal training sessions valued at $225 in the silent auction and each VIP guest will receive a Fitness Together brochure.

"We see how important it is to reach out to women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and a commitment to voluntarism and to the community. " said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to be a part of The Junior League of Los Angeles mission to develop the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. "

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about fitness franchise opportunities.

Fitness Together Personal Training Studio Partners with The Maple Counseling Center

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. – Sept 21, 2010 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with The Maple Counseling Center of Los Angeles and will be donating 3 personal training sessions in the upcoming Haunted Crystal Ball on Wednesday, October 27, 2010.

At the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom, the fundraiser will feature a live and silent auction, sit down dinner and awards and entertainment, all to benefit the programs of the Maple Counseling Center. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 3 personal training sessions valued at $225 in the silent auction and each VIP guest will receive a Fitness Together brochure.

"We see how important it is to provide service to members of the community," said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to be a part of The Maple Counseling Center’s mission to provide low cost comprehensive mental health services to individuals, couples, families, and groups throughout Los Angeles County and to provide training for interns and counselors who are looking towards licensure in the mental health field."

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

September Newsletter

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Click Link Below to view newsletter

September 2010 Newsletter

Fitness Together Santa Monica Personal Training Studio Partners with ACT Today!

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. - Sept 9, 2010 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) and will be donating 3 personal training sessions in the upcoming 5^th Annual Denim & Diamonds Fundraiser on Saturday, October 23, 2010.

On a private estate in Hidden Hills, CA the fundraiser will include dinner, an auction, live performances and dancing. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 3 personal training sessions valued at $225 in the silent auction and each VIP guest will receive a Fitness Together brochure.

"We see how important it is to provide the necessary resources immediately," said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to be a part of the ACT Today's mission to increase access to effective autism treatments."

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

Fitness Together Celebrates 4 Year Anniversary in Santa Monica

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

SANTA MONICA, CA – Sept 11,2010 – It was 4 years ago that Kelly Blackwin assembled a team of fitness professional’s to launch Santa Monica’s first Fitness Together studio at 1450 5^th Street. The Fitness Together personal training studio in Santa Monica opened on September 11, 2006.

“We have been very busy helping area residents get in shape,” said Blackwin. “The Santa Monica location is a great spot for our personal training staff and clients, and we welcome the opportunity to help more Santa Monica residents reach their fitness goals.”

Franchising since 1996, Fitness Together has more than 425 studios, and opens approximately 10 new locations each month. Fitness Together boasts being the largest wellness organization in the world currently employing 3,000 personal trainers responsible for training 30,000 clients each week.

“The objective of each studio owner is to help people get active and live healthier lives,” said Kevin Betts, President of Fitness Together. “We have experienced such success in part because we design individual programs centered on cardiovascular fitness, resistance training and sound nutrition principles, something that can help everyone enjoy a better quality of life.”

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about fitness franchise opportunities

August 2010 Newsletter

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Click on link below

August 2010 Newsletter

How Hard Should You Exercise? Fitness Together of Santa Monica Introduces New Program for Clients

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Fitness Together of Santa Monica introduces Aspire 8 to further customize each client’s fitness program.

SANTA MONICA, CA – (August 5, 2010) – When it comes to exercising, not all workouts are the same. And that’s just the way Fitness Together of Santa Monica wants it.

The results-oriented approach to exercising is one reason Fitness Together continues to excel as a growing national chain. And (Last Name) expects the Aspire 8 program to keep loyal Santa Monica customers coming back, turning many into clients for life.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is one of the world’s largest wellness organizations. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, http://corp.fitnesstogether.com, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1983 that began franchising in 1996. In 2010, Fitness Together launched Nutrition Together, a nutrition and weight loss counseling program for their clients. Fitness Together Franchise Corporations also oversees Elements Therapeutic Massage, Inc., http://corp.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network has hundreds of franchises sold across the United States, Costa Rica, Brazil, Israel, Ireland, and Canada.

Franchise Information:

Fitness Together and Elements Therapeutic Massage are each actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/franchise/ and http://corp.touchofelements.com/franchise/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about franchise opportunities.

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The 10 Commandments for Losing Weight... and Keeping it Off

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Success breeds success. What exactly, in terms of lifestyle changes, do people who have been highly successful at both losing weight and keeping it off over the long term do? That’s just what researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Colorado set out to determine when they began their on-going study called the National Weight Control Registry (www.nwcr.ws). Currently, the registry contains over 5000 successful weight losers. To be eligibleto become a member of the registry, one had to have lost over 30 pounds and kept it off for more than one year.

What the study found was that there is no magic to losing weight and
keeping it off. The essential equation for success is the age-old motto: eat less calories and burn more through daily exercise and you will lose weight and keep it off! (And be sure to “get back on the horse” when life’s ups and downs get in the way of you maintaining your new healthy lifestyle habits.) Here are the 10 habits of these successful weight losers:

3. 94 percent of registry participants reported increasing their physical
activity (translation: daily cardio such as walking or running in addition to frequent strength training sessions).

4. 90 percent reported exercising, on average, about one hour per day
(translation: get in some daily cardio such as walking or running in
addition to FT strength training sessions-preferably 3 times/week).

5. 78 percent reported eating breakfast daily (translation: eat breakfast…lose weight).

7. 62 percent watched TV less than 10 hours/week (translation: limit the tube time unless you have a treadmill in front of the TV).

Fitness Together Personal Training Studio Partners with Santa Monica Police Activities League

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. – (June 4, 2010) – Fitness Together of Santa Monica has donated personal training sessions to Santa Monica Police Activities League upcoming Annual Charity Golf and Tennis Classic on Thursday, May 20, 2010.

The Charity Golf and Tennis Classic will be held at the MountainGate Country Club in Los Angeles. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate a Personal Trainer in a Duffel Bag valued at $430. The gift item includes 3 private personal training sessions at the Fitness Together studio in Santa Monica and various items of personal training equipment.

“We would like to do anything we can to help improve local youth programs,” said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. “We support PAL’s mission to provide positive opportunities for local youth programs that includes physical fitness and healthy living.”

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica contact them at (310) 576-1508 or http://fitnesstogether.com/santamonica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:
Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada and Brazil.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about fitness franchise opportunities.

It's a Beautiful Day for a Strength Workout

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

It’s a Beautiful Day for a Strength Workout

As warmer temps invite you outside more for summer activities, you may think it’s a given that you’ll get more active and stay slimmer. But as you add cardio activities like biking, hiking, running or tennis, do you tend to slack off on strength training and figure it all evens out because you’re burning more calories?

Not so fast. Cardio alone isn’t enough for weight management or staying fit and healthy overall. Yet it’s so easy to let it slip, especially in the summer when you just want to get outside.

Stay on track this summer with the helpful tips in this Q&A with certified personal trainer and Owner Operator of Fitness Together Santa Monica, Kelly Blackwin.

Q. Why is it so important to include strength training (not just cardio) in a workout routine?

We actually like to refer to strength training as resistance training because it brings many benefits beyond just building strength. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, improve your mobility for sports, or simply move better throughout the day, incorporating resistance training into your exercise routine will give you added benefit than just doing “cardio”.

Understand that I’m not talking about “bulking up”; resistance training is about keeping the muscles strong and toned, while adding lean muscle. And, as you may already know lean muscle burns more calories throughout the day than fat, another benefit of adding resistance training to your routine.

Regarding strength building, research has shown that resistance training, more so than just cardio, is one of the best ways to build lean muscle. Cardio can build some muscle, but resistance training is the most effective method. Resistance training also helps to support your joints – especially the shoulders, knees, and spine — by strengthening the muscles around those areas.

Q. Why is it so easy to neglect resistance training?

It’s the perception that it takes too much time. Many people think that this type of training needs to be done separately. The fact is you can get an incredibly great workout by incorporating strength training INTO your cardio routine.

Q. What are the best ways to integrate resistance training into a cardio regimen without adding a lot of time to my workout routine?
There are three ways to do cardio and resistance training in the same amount of time as a typical cardio workout. Some of these are just as easy to do outside as inside.

1. Full-body exercises/Compound Movements

Instead of doing just a squat or just a shoulder press incorporate the two into one efficient energy burning set. Take a set of dumbbells that you can shoulder press about 12-15 times. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bring the dumbbells to the shoulder press position (dumbbells level with your ears or higher) Begin to perform a squat keeping the weight on your heels. As you squat down extend your arms overhead. Your arms should be extended at the bottom of the squat. As you squat up the arms begin to bend back to the starting position. If you haven’t done this exercise before it might feel a bit awkward so try it with no weight.

2. Increase the number of repetitions/Decrease Rest time.

A couple ways to get the heart rate up during your resistance training is to do two or three times the number of repetitions you’d normally do in a single set — and/or perform multiple sets with shorter rest times between sets. This will cause your heart rate to be higher during that same period. One note is that if you are increasing your reps and/or decreasing your rest you may need to decrease the weight you use as well.

3. Intervals

Alternate 30 second to two minutes sets of high, low, and moderate intensity cardio with resistance exercises. For example, start with a brisk walk, then do some lunges, then sprint, then do pushups, then jog or do jumping jacks, then do crunches…in this type of workout routine it’s less important the exact reps or rest. Rather, the key is to keep moving!

Q. What are the benefits a hiring a trainer?

People get trainers because they’re not sure what to do. If you try an exercise you saw on TV, injure your back and can’t work out for two weeks, that’s not gaining you anything. A trainer can observe and evaluate whether you’re at an appropriate level of conditioning for higher intensity, higher impact activities, and design a program specifically for you.

And if you’re getting bored with your routine you’re probably not working out as hard or as often as you would like, a trainer is a great way to add newness that gets you excited about working out again.

Not seeing the results you want? Not sure if you have good form? Just need new inspiration? Ask Fitness Together about a personal training consultation including an assessment of your health and fitness condition today. We’ll match you with the best trainer for you based on your goals, priorities and preferences, and we’ll even map out a Nutrition Together nutrition plan customized for you to help you maximize the benefit of your workout program. Just call Fitness Together today at 310-576-1508 to set an appointment.

Consult a doctor before beginning any new fitness program.

How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer for You

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer for You

This is a big decision! Choosing the best personal trainer for you is ... well, personal. To get the most from your personal training sessions and the program your trainer creates for you, it’s essential to know what to ask and how to decipher whether your trainer is a good fit for you before you commit to a program with him or her. Start with this guide to the three most important things to ask before embarking on a fitness path with a new personal trainer.

1. Certification and a Degree in an Exercise Science Related Field

This is not so much about which certifications the trainer holds as it is about making sure they’re certified by a nationally recognized organization. You should ask to see their certificate and look for acronyms including any of the following:

NSCA – National Strength & Conditioning Association

ACSM – American College of Sports Medicine
NASM – National Academy of Sports Medicine
ACE – American Council on Exercise
ISSA – International Sports Sciences Association

2. Why you want a personal trainer

If your biggest reason for seeking out a trainer is to get the results you haven’t been able to achieve on your own, ask the trainer questions about how he or she will push you safely to improve your health and fitness condition.

Do you mainly need someone to hold you accountable? “This is one of the biggest reasons people go to personal trainers,” says Kelly Blackwin owner/operator of the Santa Monica Fitness Together. Ask the trainer about the most challenging experiences he or she has had with “slackers” or clients who lose their motivation, and listen for insight into how they handle difficult, emotionally charged situations.

Be brutally honest with yourself here. Picture how you’ll feel and act when challenged or outside your comfort zone, and think about the communication styles you respond best to in that sort of situation.

Some people like the in-your-face yelling and screaming style and find it motivating, while others thrive more on positive reinforcement or a trainer who’s just super energetic and excited that they’re there.

If you have a very negative idea of what exercise is all about that’s a very different perspective from someone coming in and saying, ‘I want you to kick my butt.’ A personal trainer needs to know when to be nurturing, when to be tough, when to listen — and mold his or her approach to the personality of each individual client.

3. Whether they have practical experience with your situation

Ask the trainer how they’ve helped other people with the same type of injury, health condition or other special situation you’re in. While training and certifications are important, experience with your situation will help your trainer better tailor your workout to your unique needs. For example, they may need to modify certain types of exercises to protect and strengthen a traumatized or vulnerable area of your body, or take a heart condition into account when structuring your cardio regimen.

It’s about the trainer’s practical knowledge. If you have a knee issue, make sure the trainer has the knowledge to help you protect that knee.

4. What kind of nutrition training does the trainer have?

Look for a trainer who’s received instruction from a credentialed nutritionist in strategies to help clients improve their eating habits.

Multiple studies show that including dietary change into a weight loss program can produce two to three times greater weight loss than programs focused on exercise alone. Bonus: the same studies also show that changes in one’s (diet or exercise habits) can help promote changes in the other, especially among women.

Look for a package deal that includes both fitness coaching and nutritional guidelines tailored specifically for you, and you’re far more likely to achieve your goals.

Need new motivation and better results? We specialize in developing GREAT trainers and matching them to your specific goals, preferences and priorities. Every Fitness Together trainer is nationally certified first, then completes our rigorous proprietary certification program that focuses on practical knowledge, client interaction and presence.

Every trainer also completes Nutrition Together training with a registered dietitian, and our personal training programs include a customized eating plan to help you maximize the benefit of your workout program. Ask us anytime about a free, no-obligation consultation and see the difference our one-on-one Fitness Together approach can make for you.

May 2010 Newsletter

Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Click Here to View our May Newsletter

Santa Monica Personal Training Studio Partners with Heal the Bay

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica Personal Training Studio Partners with Heal the Bay

Santa Monica, CA.– (May 5, 2010) – Fitness Together of Santa Monica has donated personal training sessions to Heal the Bay’s upcoming Annual Bring Back the Beach Benefit Dinner on Thursday, May 20, 2010.

The gala, in celebration of Heal the Bay’s 25^th Anniversary, will be held at the Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate a Personal Trainer in a Duffel Bag valued at $340. The gift item includes 3 private personal training sessions at the Fitness Together studio in Santa Monica and various items of personal training equipment.

“We would like to do anything we can to help improve the natural environment,” said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. “We support Heal the Bay’s mission to cleaning and protecting our coastal waters.”

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica contact them at (310) 576-1508 or http://fitnesstogether.com/santamonica.

April 2010 Newsletter

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Click on link below:

April 2010 Newsletter

March 2010 Newsletter

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Check out our March 2010 Newsletter:

Click on Link below:

Southern California Runs 2010 Schedule

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Are you are runner and want to know upcoming races in Southern California?

Check out this website that lists all of the runs in 2010!

Personal Training Studio in Santa Monica Unveils Proprietary Nutrition Program

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

SANTA MONICA, CA. – March 8, 2010 – Fitness Together in Santa Monica is stepping up services for clients, by launching a proprietary nutrition program. Modeled after the same one-on-one approach used for Fitness Together’s personal training, Nutrition Together provides clients nutrition guidance in tandem with fitness training to help achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

With the motto “Eat healthy. Eat light. Eat often,” Nutrition Together is designed to offer sensible solutions and a common-sense approach to nutrition. The program is administered by the Fitness Together personal trainers in a series of one-on-one sessions that go hand-in-hand with the client’s personal training regimen.

“Because fitness and nutrition are inseparable components of an overall wellness plan, this program brings our approach full circle to helping clients achieve their goals and live healthier lives,” said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together in Santa Monica. “We have always encouraged and provided guidance for eating well, but with Nutrition Together we now have a solid, sensible program that completely complements our personal training services and will help promote stronger results.”

The science-based program was developed by Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN [“Dr. Janet”], director of nutrition for Fitness Together, a certified nutritionist and wellness coach and a nationally-known author and speaker.

“My hope is that this program will give people the tools they need to make healthy choices in their everyday lives,” said Brill. “In today’s fast-paced society, it’s easy to let health and wellness take a backseat. Nutrition Together is a way to take back control and make healthy, informed decisions about what we eat.”

For more information contact Fitness Together in Santa Monica at 310 576-1508 or www.fitnesstogether.com/santamonica.

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:
Established in 1983 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest wellness organizations. Fitness Together began franchising in 1996 and has sold franchised locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland and Canada.

Franchise Information:
Fitness Together Franchise Corporation is actively selling franchises. If you are interested in changing your life and the lives of others, please visit http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/ or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10 for more information about franchise opportunities.
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Top 10 Eating Strategies for Permanent Weight Loss

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

If you’ve ever worn (or chuckled at) one of those “I run so I can eat” T-shirts, this info is for you! How you eat goes hand in hand with your workout plans and is proven to bring people’s weight loss goals into their grasp more quickly and easily. Try these top 10 strategies from experts with our Nutrition Together program to help you spell double trouble for extra pounds!

1. Eat healthy to stay healthy.Studies show that people who eat an unhealthy diet (loaded with fast-food meals, sugary drinks, high-fat snacks, lots of desserts/sweets, and low in fruits and vegetables) have significantly higher rates of chronic disease such as high blood pressure and heart disease. The most successful weight loss programs provide clear and uncomplicated nutrition guidance via tools such as “this is a healthier choice than that” food graphics.

2. Lose weight at a safe rate. Weight lost too quickly often returns — sometimes with additional pounds. The safest diets promote weight loss of no more than two pounds (or 1% of total body weight) a week.

3. Learn how to control emotional eating.Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. Successful weight losers have learned to apply behavior modification tools to help them deal with their emotional eating triggers and learn healthful techniques to help manage these emotions.

4. Control calories and portions.Research has proven time and again that to lose weight you must consume fewer calories than your body expends, regardless of the carbs/fat/protein ratio. Nutrition Together uses a special “food-weight” system to help make these calories-in, calories-out calculations quick and easy to do on the fly — so you can still eat the foods you love and lose weight.

5. Keep a journal.Studies show that people are most successful at maintaining healthy eating habits when they watch and record the type and quantity of food consumed. Take it a step further with an Accountability Journal to help you track both eating and exercise choices.

6. Weigh yourself often.Frequent weighing is proven to help clients achieve and sustain weight loss. Not weighing in is actually associated with greater weight regain. The Nutrition Together program encourages private, weekly weigh-ins, as well as periodic body fat and waist circumference measurements.

7. Get support and rewards for your successes.Weekly contact with a support person — and small rewards along the way — are proven to increase the likelihood of maintaining new healthy habits. Ask for details about our Nutrition Together program that spurs you on with contests, prizes, online support and nonfood rewards for your accomplishments!

8. Eat small, frequent meals.The more meals and snacks you eat a day, the healthier your weight is likely to be. Eating breakfast and eating frequently increases total calorie burn. Aim to eat a healthy breakfast every morning followed by four or five small meals throughout the day.

9. Choose the macronutrient content of your meals wisely.The type of food you select can help you boost your metabolism and feel fuller and more satisfied longer. For example, protein reduces appetite and costs your body the most calories to metabolize. Fiber is filling and helps keep hunger at bay, helping you make wiser choices at major meals.

10. Include strength training, not just cardio.The most successful programs for promoting health and long-term weight control involve combinations of exercise and diet. Balancing cardio exercise with strength training is the best prescription for promoting health, fitness and weight control. Fitness Together and Nutrition Together offer the ideal combination, (healthy eating advice and exercise) under one roof, with private, personalized one-on-one workouts and nutrition guidance.

Nutrition Together offers a calorie-controlled nutrition plan that, when combined with the Fitness Together exercise program, results in a safe and effective rate of weight loss. For more information about how Nutrition Together can help you succeed at your weight loss goals, contact Kelly Blackwin, Owner Santa Monica Fitness Together.

Three Personal Trainer's Resolutions to Inspire You

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

PRIVATE TRAINING GETS RESULTS. GIMMICKS DON'T.

Do personal trainers think resolutions are worth making? What do they resolve to change in themselves? We asked three trainers how they seek continual self-improvement, which is always a priority even if you're not trying to lose weight.

“Every December I list three or four big-picture goals and map a plan to achieve them one by one over the course of the year. I like to include both business goals (like earn a training certification in a new method, or do a really challenging climb or race) and personal milestones (like learning a new language). I challenge myself to make these goals very pie in the sky. The first time I did that, I thought, ‘These are too hard to achieve,’ but then I achieved all of them and it was extremely gratifying. Dream big!”

– Sean B.

“I resolve every year to refocus on why I really became a personal trainer — to help people get and stay healthier and happier, not just physically change their appearance. As a trainer I find that recommitting to this resolution every year inspires me to be a real change agent for my clients. To do that, you have to really believe in the fact that you’re not just creating workout regimens for people. Gyms were originally known as ‘health clubs,’ and health is the larger goal for most clients, even if they come in to lose weight.”

– Chris S.

“I avoid making resolutions simply for the sake of it because that feels arbitrary to me. Instead, I set specific goals when I notice that I need to improve in a particular area. For example, at certain age milestones in life, the body naturally tends to lose muscle mass. I adjust my training regimen accordingly, so I can continue maintaining the physical abilities I want to have for the activities I enjoy, as well as the healthy weight where I feel best.”

– Karen L.

Need help making your own resolutions attainable and sustainable? Ask us about a personal training session today or talk to your Fitness Together trainer about your bigger dreams and goals in your life. Our trainers have the knowledge and expertise to help you zero in on the right resolutions and goals for you right now — and improve your self, not just your shape.

Fitness Together Private Personal Training Studio Donates Personal Training Sessions to Franklin Elementary's Online Auction

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Santa Monica, CA. – 2/25/2010 – Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with Franklin Elementary School as a donor of an online auction that ends March 5, 2010.

All proceeds from the Auction will go to the Franklin Elementary School PTA to support an exceptional learning environment only possible through dedicated parent involvement and community support. As a donator, Fitness Together will donate 3 private personal training sessions valued at $240.

“We are passionate about giving back to the community,” said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. “And we are excited to be a part of Franklin Elementary’s mission to promote education to children so that they can be a productive member of their community.”

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:
Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is the world’s largest wellness organization. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1996, and elements therapeutic massage www.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network includes more than 700 franchises across the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com call 877.663.0880 ext. 10.

Fitness Together

Personal Training Studio Forms Team to participate in L.A.'s Chinatown Firecracker Run

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

SANTA MONICA, CA – February 4, 2010 – Fitness Together of Santa Monica, part of the world’s largest business focusing on private personal training, has formed a team to participate in the upcoming Firecracker 5K/10k Run in Chinatown on February 28, 2010.

The Firecracker Run is recognized as one of the best-organized events in the running community. For 31 years, the event remains participant-oriented; to make his/her participation as memorable and enjoyable as possible. As participants, Fitness Together clients will either run/walk in the 5K or 10K race and will wear team shirts representing team Fitness Together of Santa Monica.

“We are passionate about helping our clients achieve their fitness goals,” said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. “And we are excited to be a part of the Los Angeles Firecracker’s Run who’s mission is to promote activities beneficial to the Los Angeles Chinatown community.”

Blackwin, whose fitness studio specializes in one-on-one personal training, has empowered her clients to participate in the event after coaching them in their workout sessions.

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica. For more information call the studio at (310) 576-1508 or visit their website at http://fitnesstogether.com/santamonica

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EBtYudKsCFQ&fmt=18

Fitness Together Private Training Gets Results Gimmicks Don’t

3 Ways to Kick the Habit...of Skipping Workouts

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Trying to get into an exercise habit, but finding you're more in the habit of making excuses? You can break out of that pattern with these tips from fitness experts on staying motivated and sticking to your fitness routine. Our Fitness Together trainers and studio owners recommend these three strategies to help you stay inspired to work out regularly.

1. Keep your eye on the prize.

You must have a very strong "why" you are doing it. Always connect to that "why," especially when things get tough or you get busy. If your goal is to get back into your favorite jeans, hang them on the outside of your closet where you'll see them every morning when you wake up. For an extra nudge, pin up an old photo of yourself wearing them.

Or, if you're working toward a health goal such as lowering your blood pressure or relieving chronic back pain, mark your improvements on a chart posted on the fridge. Or tape a photo on your bathroom mirror of someone who's achieved a goal you're striving toward. Think fit, healthy-looking people your age playing tennis, climbing a mountain, training for a triathlon, running a 5K, or skiing with their kids!

2. Schedule a consistent workout time.

Set a regular time that fits into your daily and weekly schedule, and prioritize it just like you would a meeting with your boss or a top client.

Think of it this way: Skipping out on your commitment to take good care of yourself means sooner or later you'll start feeling depleted and run-down, with nothing left to give to those who count on you. Sticking to your fitness regimen not only helps keep you healthy, but also refills your well of physical and mental energy. So you're more likely to be there and be "on" in your job, relationships, family and others who matter to you.

3. Use the power of a pro to keep you on track.

You're much less likely to be a no-show for your workout when someone's waiting for you at the gym, track, pool, court .... Agree on a time and place to work out with a trainer. When someone's there, waiting, and holding you accountable to your exercise commitment, it's a mighty motivator.

Scheduling sessions with a personal trainer creates an especially powerful incentive to work out: You'll feel a natural desire to make your trainer proud, and to respect the time commitment he or she blocked out to work with you. That's powerful inspiration when you're mulling whether to pull the sheets back over your head or pull on those gym shoes!

Article provided by, Kelly Blackwin, Owner of Fitness Together, Santa Monica, California. At Fitness Together our approach to success is one client, one trainer, one goal. Fitness ,Personal Training, Nutrition ,Private gym ,Contact us at 310 576-1508.

Best of Citysearch Nomination

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

FITNESS TOGETHER NOMINATED FOR

2009 BEST OF CITYSEARCH PERSONAL TRAINER

Fitness Together nominated for Best Personal Trainer in Los Angeles, CA

LOS ANGELES, CA - Nov 20, 2009 - Citysearch, a leading online local guide, today nominated Fitness Together Santa Monica for Best Personal Trainer in Los Angeles Best of Citysearch

Personal Trainer campaign.

Fitness Together has led the industry for one-on-one personal fitness training. Whether you are looking to lose weight, tone and tighten muscles or simply work toward better health, Fitness Together pairs you with a personal fitness trainer in a private setting equipped with a workout plan tailored just for you.

Throughout the voting period, from November 12 to December 2, visitors to the Citysearch.com website are invited to vote for their favorites.

Winners will be announced on Citysearch.com on Thursday, Dec 3, 2009.

About Fitness Together

franchises across the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10.

About Best of Citysearch

Best of Citysearch is a nationwide competition that lets local businesses compete for local votes - and win the ultimate honor of being named best in the city! Various campaigns run throughout the year, including Best Restaurants, Best Nightlife, Best Spa & Beauty, Best Shopping, Best Hotels, Best Local Services and others. For more information on what polls are open, visit www.citysearch.com/bestof/about .

Contact:

Kelly Blackwin, Owner

310 576-1508

santamonica@fitnesstogether.com

Private Personal Training Gets Results

Fitness Together Personal Training Studio Partners with ACT Today!

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Santa Monica, CA. - Sept 24, 2009 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) and will be donating 5 personal training sessions in the upcoming 4^th Annual Denim & Diamonds Fundraiser on Saturday, October 24, 2009.

On a private estate in Hidden Hills, CA the fundraiser will include dinner, an auction, live performances and dancing. As a co-sponsor, Fitness Together will donate 5 personal training sessions valued at $375 in the silent auction and each VIP guest will receive a Fitness Together brochure.

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is the world's largest wellness organization. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1996, and elements therapeutic massage www.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network includes more than 700 franchises across the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10.

Private Personal Training Studio makes Donation to Junior League of Los Angeles Fundraiser

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

SANTA MONICA, CA. - September 10, 2009 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with the Junior League of Los Angeles as a donor of the upcoming Harvest Boutique on Sunday, November 1, 2009.

The 10^th annual Harvest Boutique: Where Giving is Always in Style will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. This fun-filled day of shopping will feature 40 unique vendors, a silent auction, and a catered luncheon to raise funds to support the Junior League of Los Angeles' projects and programs. To support this annual event, Fitness Together will donate five personal training sessions valued at $375 in the silent auction.

"We are passionate about health and physical fitness," said Kelly Blackwin, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to support one of the Junior League's focus areas which is health and education of women and children."

Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is the world's largest wellness organization. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1996, and elements therapeutic massage, www.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network includes more than 550 franchise locations across the United States, Costa Rica, Brazil, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10.

Fitness Together Celebrates 3 Year Anniversary in Santa Monica

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

SANTA MONICA, CA. - August 18, 2009 - It was 3 years ago that Kelly Blackwin assembled a team of fitness professionals to launch Santa Monica's first Fitness Together studio at 1450 5^th Street. The Fitness Together personal training studio in Santa Monica opened on September 12, 2006.

The entrepreneur ca not believe how much this studio has grown in the past few years, "we have been very busy helping area residents get in shape," said Blackwin. "The Santa Monica location is a great spot for our personal training staff and clients, and we welcome the opportunity to help more Santa Monica residents reach their fitness goals."

Franchising since 1996, Fitness Together has more than 400 studios, and opens approximately 10 new locations each month. Fitness Together boasts being one of the largest wellness organizations in the world currently employing 3,000 personal trainers responsible for training 30,000 clients each week.

"The objective of each studio owner is to help people get active and live healthier lives," said Kevin Betts, COO of Fitness Together. "We have experienced such success in part because we design individual programs centered on cardiovascular fitness, resistance training and sound nutrition principles, something that can help everyone enjoy a better quality of life."

About Fitness Together Franchise Corp.:

Established in 1996 in response to the growing demand for personal fitness training, Fitness Together offers the latest in one-on-one personal training. Fitness Together is part of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc. Fitness Together, founded by fitness leader Rick Sikorski, is built on three main foundations: strong corporate support, proven operating systems, and excellent leaders. There are more than 400 Fitness Together franchise locations throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Brazil, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. Fitness Together Franchise Corp. also includes elements therapeutic massage. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10.

Fitness Together of Santa Monica Donates to American Heart Association California Spirit XXV Gala

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - July 28, 2009 - Fitness Together of Santa Monica has partnered with the American Heart Association as a contributor to the California Spirit XXV Gala silent auction. The gala will take place Sunday, August 9 at 4:00 p.m. at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

Celebrating its 25^th year, California Spirit is a much-anticipated event with a well-established reputation as one of the most prestigious charity galas in California. As a participant of the silent auction, Fitness Together of Santa Monica will donate a gift certificate for five personal training sessions, valued at $375.00.

"We are passionate about heart health and physical fitness," said Kelly Radomski, owner of Fitness Together of Santa Monica. "And we are excited to be a part of the American Heart Association's mission of eliminating cancer as a major public health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering, through research, education, advocacy and service."

Fitness Together has led the industry for one-on-one personal fitness training. Whether the client is looking to lose weight, tone and tighten muscles or simply work toward better health, Fitness Together pairs clients with a personal fitness trainer in a private setting equipped with an individualized workout plan. Fitness Together of Santa Monica is located at 1450 5^th Street in Santa Monica.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.:

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is the world's largest wellness organization. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1996, and elements therapeutic massage www.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network includes more than 700 franchises sold across the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com or call 877.663.0880 ext. 10.