7 ways you should be working out in 2013

The 1^st of January has come and gone.  You either decided  to set some resolutions this year or put them off once again.  As the  owner of Anytime Fitness, we see an influx in everyone’s motivation in  January.  There’s just something about a new year that gives you  a chance to start over and get it right.  What we’ve noticed is  that many exercisers don’t make the best use of their gym time.   So to make sure your workouts are productive this year, let me give you 7  guidelines that will help get you better results.

1. Lift weights – And no, I don’t mean the really light ones  with the bright colors.  Light weights and high reps is a thing of the  past.  If you want your body to really change, you need to be lifting a  weight that is challenging for you.  It will require you to get out of  your comfort zone and do things a little differently, but isn’t that  the point when it comes to getting your body to change?  If the weight  you are lifting is challenging enough for you, it will recruit more muscle  fibers, which means a boost to your metabolism.  If you want lean  muscle instead of the flab, start by lifting weights.
2. Get your butt off the machines – The average American sits down the  majority of their day – either behind a desk, in the car, or in the recliner  with their feet up.  The last place you want to find yourself when you  go to the gym is sitting down on a machine.  Too much sitting leads to  muscle imbalances and poor posture.  So instead of sitting down on the  chest press machine, stand on your feet and do the same movement using  cables or bands.  It will force you to engage your core as well as  train the muscles of your upper body. 
3. Train movements, not muscles – Isolation training, or training one  body part at a time, has gone the way of the dinosaur.  Unless you are  training to be a bodybuilder, you should focus your workouts on training  movements, not muscles.  Basic human movements such as a squat, a  lunge, a hip hinge, a push and a pull should be incorporated into your  routines.   By taking the movement approach, your body becomes  more balanced from head to toe, left to right, and front to back.
4. Harness the power of foam rolling – Next time you are in the gym  and you see a strange looking cylinder made out of foam stashed in a corner  with the rest of his friends, pick it up, sit on it and start rolling.   As I mentioned before, most of us sit way too much, so our muscles become  tight.  Think of foam rolling as thinning out dough with a rolling  pin.  Your muscles are all knotted up, and by foam rolling you will  work out the kinks, giving you more mobility for your workout. 
5. Don’t forget to warm up – So you just left work, where you  were behind your desk all day, then you sat in your car to drive over to the  gym.  Your muscles are cold and tight, but you skip any sort of warm up  and head full speed into your workout.  Big mistake.  Your body  needs to warm up properly before you start your workout.  And hopping  on a treadmill for a couple minutes or doing some light stretching  won’t get the job done.  A good dynamic warm up takes about 10-12  minutes and will increase blood flow and heart rate, warm up your core  temperature, and typically includes movements that not only lengthen your  muscles but take them through the full range of motion.
6. Train the core (correctly) – We’ve all been told we need to  improve our core strength.  Many of us struggle with back pain and then  are told it’s because our core is weak.  So we resort to crunches  or sit-ups to do the trick.  However, the research shows that those  type of exercises actually can increase low back pain.  Instead,  training the core should be based around exercises that prevent flexion (or  a rounding of the upper back).  Exercises like planks, side planks,  rollouts and static holds will help build a stronger and more defined  midsection, without the risk of causing low back pain.
7. Intensity is everything – If you are serious about changing your  body, you need to work out with some intensity.  Spending an hour on  the treadmill walking leisurely and reading a book might be a good escape  from reality, but in order to get the results you want, you’re going  to have to break a sweat and get after it.  Next time you set aside  time for a workout, monitor your intensity level to make sure you are  pushing hard enough.  Don’t get reckless and overdo it to the  point of making yourself sick.  But when you are finished, you should  feel like you worked hard and got your butt kicked.

Our time is valuable, so it’s imperative that you spend your time  working out doing what is right and best for your body and goals.  If  you have questions or need help, feel free to contact us at  pellaia@anytimefitness.com 

 

Take a break from the scale

Have you ever stressed out about your weight?  Does the thought of stepping on a scale cause you tremendous anxiety?  Believe it or not, there’s actually a name for it.

Gravitophobia tends to afflict those who believe that weight management should be about strict control. Which also means that they are more likely to have the occasional binge – and that’s when the fear comes into play.  They know that they overindulged and therefore want absolutely nothing to do with their scale.

Imagine the thought of a metal object on your bathroom floor causing so much tension and stress in your life.  For most, the scale is how we keep score.  If it goes down, we win.  If it goes up, we lose.  If it stays the same, well that’s either a win or a loss depending on who you ask.  You could be doing everything right – eating clean and working out – and then you go step on the scale and it doesn’t budge.  In that moment you’re absolutely crushed.  You vow never to step on the scale again.

Unfortunately some people will give up entirely trying to lose weight after one week because the scale didn’t produce a good result.  Well I’m here to tell you that God designed a complex and amazing human body.  Sometimes you do all the right things and you get a bad result.  Sometimes you don’t do anything right and you get a good result.  At the end of the day, praise the Lord that you’re still alive and try to do better tomorrow.  Just don’t give up.

There are others who are obsessed with the scale.  They step on it first thing in the morning, in the middle of the afternoon and before they go to bed.  They base their mood for the day on what the scale says.   Don’t let an inanimate object have that much power over you.  It’s not healthy.

Sometimes the scale can be a liar, a fake, a fraud, a phony.  I’ve talked to many people who have experienced tremendous results and health benefits from eating right and working out regularly, but haven’t lost a single pound.  Unfortunately too many of us classify that as failure.  Why is it we don’t care about any of those other results – you sleep better, your clothes fit better, you are stronger, you don’t get winded going up stairs, you lowered your blood pressure – we only care about a stupid number on a scale?

There are many ways to measure success with your health and fitness.  Kick the scale to the curb and try something different.  Starting Monday, September 24 we will be offering a “Rock Your Jeans Challenge” at Anytime Fitness.  With this program we take the focus off the scale, and put the focus on changing your body.  We have seen many amazing transformations occur and people fit into clothes they never thought they would fit into before.

We are so confident in our program that we guarantee you will lose 2 jean sizes in 8 weeks or we will give you your money back!  If you are interested in learning more about our transformation program (which involves no gimmicks, only good ol’ fashioned sweat equity and common-sense eating), please plan to attend a kick-off seminar open to the public on Wednesday, September 19 or Thursday, September 20.  We’ll meet at 7 PM at The Holiday Inn Express.  Please RSVP to pellaia@anytimefitness.com.   Now is the perfect time to say goodbye to the scale and shift your focus to changing your body and fitting into a smaller size pair of jeans!

Which side of the fence are you on?

Which side of the fence are you on?  On one side is a person who thinks about their health and fitness and does something about it.  On the other side of the fence is a person who thinks about their health and fitness but doesn’t do anything about it.  Once again, which side are you on? 

The reality is you have to be on one side or the other.  If you don’t think you are on one side, you probably are.  Have you ever been to the doctor?  Have you ever been on a diet?  Have you ever been injured?  Have you ever joined a gym?  Have you ever bought a fitness product?  If you own the Shake Weight, it’s ok.  They fooled a lot of other people too.  Have you ever read anything about health?  Have you ever thought twice before eating that second piece of cake?  Have you ever felt out of breath after walking up the stairs?  The honest answer is everyone thinks about their health and their fitness.  Some choose to do something, some don’t

Now since I own a gym you might be thinking, “Well he just wants me to join his gym.”  You can if you want.  Statistics show that only about 16% of the population has a gym membership.  Those definitely aren’t earth-shattering statistics.  Yet close to 35% of the population is obese and over 60% of the population is overweight.  The projections for the next 10 to 20 years indicate our waistlines won’t stop growing, with an anticipated 50% of the population classified as obese. 

What the heck is our country going to look like if over half of us are obese?  And we want to debate about health care now?  How about in 10 to 20 years?  Can you imagine the debate then? 

Well I for one don’t like the direction we are headed.  And the truth is most of us have too many excuses in the book why we don’t take care of ourselves.  “I don’t have time.”  “I don’t know what to do.”  “I don’t like to sweat.”  “I don’t like to work out.”  “I’m just too busy.”  “I can’t afford it.”  “I get bored.”  “I like to eat whatever I want.”  “It’s too hard.”  “I’m too old.”  “I’ll do it later.” 

What’s your excuse?  The fact is, you only get one body.  One.  You’ll probably own several different cars during your lifetime.  You’ll probably even own more than one home.  Just think of all the money you’ll spend.  It is inevitable that you will spend money on your health at some point in your life.  The money you spend will either be proactive (hiring a trainer or fitness expert) or reactive (hospital bills, medications, etc).  Regardless of what you choose, money will be spent on your health.  The simple question you need to ask yourself is, do you want to pay now or later? 

Working out can definitely suck.  But the alternatives suck a lot more.  Having to buy bigger pants is not fun.  Being pre-diabetic is not cool.  Being out of breath while you play with your kids is sad.  So which side of the fence are you on?  Are you going to do something about your health and fitness, or are you going to wait?  There is no better time to start than today!

So let me help offer you some solutions to getting started.  If your excuse is “I don’t know what to do,” start by getting up off the couch and going for a walk.  That advice just raised your metabolism.  I typically charge money for that kind of advice, but I’m in an excuse-busting mood so all advice in this blog is free!  Being active beats inactivity every day of the week, so if you don’t know where to start, start by sitting less and walking around more. 

If your excuse is “I’m just too busy,” welcome to the club.  Almost everyone who routinely exercises is busy.  My friend works three jobs and has two kids, yet he’s at the gym three times a week.  Busy is just an excuse.  If your health is a priority, you don’t find time, you make time.

If your excuse is “I just want to eat whatever I want,” then get ready to pay the consequences.  Sure you might have been able to eat whatever you wanted to back in high school and not worry about gaining weight, but fast forward your life and you have piles more stress, you sit behind a desk or a steering wheel all day, and now you realize that your old eating habits are the reason your clothes are too tight. 

If your excuse is “I don’t like to work out,” I can guarantee you’ll hate it a lot worse if you are pre-diabetic, can’t keep up with your kids, or have to have triple bypass surgery.

If your excuse is “I can’t afford it,” then think of things you can do that don’t require you to spend money.  The sidewalk is free to walk on.  Your stairs are free to go up and down on.  Your own body is a great tool you can use.  I attended a metabolic seminar last Saturday and I learned 15 ways I can kick my own butt with just a beach towel!  The options are endless. 

If your excuse is “I don’t know what to do,” then here are 5 things you can do immediately that will help get you started on the right path. 

1)      Challenge yourself to find at least 30 minutes each day where you are active, up on your feet and moving around.   You don’t need to do all 30 minutes in succession.  You can break it down into smaller chunks if you need to.  The first goal is to get you off the couch and thinking about ways you can move more throughout the day.

2)      Put exercise in your schedule.  We lead busy lives.  We’re always on the run, going here and there.  Many of us use our cell phones as an appointment book.  Make an appointment to exercise if you need to.  Write it on your calendar at home.  You need to shift your mindset from “I don’t have time”, to “I will make time.”

3)      Increase your training intensity.  Each person has their own intensity level.  If you are new to fitness, an increase in your intensity might be just starting with #1.  If you have been exercising routinely and doing the same thing, it’s time to kick it up a notch.  A recent study even indicated that 1 minute bouts of high intensity exercise are great for burning fat and can help prevent type II diabetes.  Training intensity does matter. 

4)      Eat two servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit every day.  Your food choices make all the difference in the world.  Your body is a true hybrid machine – it can run on anything.  You want to fill your tank with premium fuel, eating foods packed with important nutrients.  If you are trying to lose fat, obviously you need to eat less, but you can’t strictly just cut calories.  When you restrict calories, your body misses out on the vital nutrients it needs to function.  So your food choices should consist of things high in nutrients and low on calories.  Broccoli anyone?

5)      Stay hydrated.  Most of my clients when they come to me are drinking pop, juice, alcohol, energy drinks, sports drinks, coffee drinks, etc.  They’re drinking everything but water.  Few people think of water as a nutrient, but considering that water accounts for about two-thirds of a person’s body weight, it’s the most essential nutrient of all.  Research also suggests that a person can increase metabolism by drinking more water.  Drink more water!  You will cut out a ton of unnecessary calories and give your body a metabolism boost.

 

If you’ve got those 5 things mastered and you want to kick it up a notch, come see me at Anytime Fitness and we’ll set you up with a free fitness consultation with one of our trainers. 

6)      Bonus tip!  Seek expert advice on proper forms of exercise for you.  If you’re looking for a bigger tax return this year you probably hired a professional.  If you don’t know what kind of exercise is right for you, find someone who will show you and coach you on technique.

 

Which side of the fence are you on?

Which side of the fence are you on?  On one side is a person who thinks about their health and fitness and does something about it.  On the other side of the fence is a person who thinks about their health and fitness but doesn’t do anything about it.  Once again, which side are you on? 

The reality is you have to be on one side or the other.  If you don’t think you are on one side, you probably are.  Have you ever been to the doctor?  Have you ever been on a diet?  Have you ever been injured?  Have you ever joined a gym?  Have you ever bought a fitness product?  If you own the Shake Weight, it’s ok.  They fooled a lot of other people too.  Have you ever read anything about health?  Have you ever thought twice before eating that second piece of cake?  Have you ever felt out of breath after walking up the stairs?  The honest answer is everyone thinks about their health and their fitness.  Some choose to do something, some don’t

Now since I own a gym you might be thinking, “Well he just wants me to join his gym.”  You can if you want.  Statistics show that only about 16% of the population has a gym membership.  Those definitely aren’t earth-shattering statistics.  Yet close to 35% of the population is obese and over 60% of the population is overweight.  The projections for the next 10 to 20 years indicate our waistlines won’t stop growing, with an anticipated 50% of the population classified as obese. 

What the heck is our country going to look like if over half of us are obese?  And we want to debate about health care now?  How about in 10 to 20 years?  Can you imagine the debate then? 

Well I for one don’t like the direction we are headed.  And the truth is most of us have too many excuses in the book why we don’t take care of ourselves.  “I don’t have time.”  “I don’t know what to do.”  “I don’t like to sweat.”  “I don’t like to work out.”  “I’m just too busy.”  “I can’t afford it.”  “I get bored.”  “I like to eat whatever I want.”  “It’s too hard.”  “I’m too old.”  “I’ll do it later.” 

What’s your excuse?  The fact is, you only get one body.  One.  You’ll probably own several different cars during your lifetime.  You’ll probably even own more than one home.  Just think of all the money you’ll spend.  It is inevitable that you will spend money on your health at some point in your life.  The money you spend will either be proactive (hiring a trainer or fitness expert) or reactive (hospital bills, medications, etc).  Regardless of what you choose, money will be spent on your health.  The simple question you need to ask yourself is, do you want to pay now or later? 

Working out can definitely suck.  But the alternatives suck a lot more.  Having to buy bigger pants is not fun.  Being pre-diabetic is not cool.  Being out of breath while you play with your kids is sad.  So which side of the fence are you on?  Are you going to do something about your health and fitness, or are you going to wait?  There is no better time to start than today!

So let me help offer you some solutions to getting started.  If your excuse is “I don’t know what to do,” start by getting up off the couch and going for a walk.  That advice just raised your metabolism.  I typically charge money for that kind of advice, but I’m in an excuse-busting mood so all advice in this blog is free!  Being active beats inactivity every day of the week, so if you don’t know where to start, start by sitting less and walking around more. 

If your excuse is “I’m just too busy,” welcome to the club.  Almost everyone who routinely exercises is busy.  My friend works three jobs and has two kids, yet he’s at the gym three times a week.  Busy is just an excuse.  If your health is a priority, you don’t find time, you make time.

If your excuse is “I just want to eat whatever I want,” then get ready to pay the consequences.  Sure you might have been able to eat whatever you wanted to back in high school and not worry about gaining weight, but fast forward your life and you have piles more stress, you sit behind a desk or a steering wheel all day, and now you realize that your old eating habits are the reason your clothes are too tight. 

If your excuse is “I don’t like to work out,” I can guarantee you’ll hate it a lot worse if you are pre-diabetic, can’t keep up with your kids, or have to have triple bypass surgery.

If your excuse is “I can’t afford it,” then think of things you can do that don’t require you to spend money.  The sidewalk is free to walk on.  Your stairs are free to go up and down on.  Your own body is a great tool you can use.  I attended a metabolic seminar last Saturday and I learned 15 ways I can kick my own butt with just a beach towel!  The options are endless. 

If your excuse is “I don’t know what to do,” then here are 5 things you can do immediately that will help get you started on the right path. 

1)      Challenge yourself to find at least 30 minutes each day where you are active, up on your feet and moving around.   You don’t need to do all 30 minutes in succession.  You can break it down into smaller chunks if you need to.  The first goal is to get you off the couch and thinking about ways you can move more throughout the day.

2)      Put exercise in your schedule.  We lead busy lives.  We’re always on the run, going here and there.  Many of us use our cell phones as an appointment book.  Make an appointment to exercise if you need to.  Write it on your calendar at home.  You need to shift your mindset from “I don’t have time”, to “I will make time.”

3)      Increase your training intensity.  Each person has their own intensity level.  If you are new to fitness, an increase in your intensity might be just starting with #1.  If you have been exercising routinely and doing the same thing, it’s time to kick it up a notch.  A recent study even indicated that 1 minute bouts of high intensity exercise are great for burning fat and can help prevent type II diabetes.  Training intensity does matter. 

4)      Eat two servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit every day.  Your food choices make all the difference in the world.  Your body is a true hybrid machine – it can run on anything.  You want to fill your tank with premium fuel, eating foods packed with important nutrients.  If you are trying to lose fat, obviously you need to eat less, but you can’t strictly just cut calories.  When you restrict calories, your body misses out on the vital nutrients it needs to function.  So your food choices should consist of things high in nutrients and low on calories.  Broccoli anyone?

5)      Stay hydrated.  Most of my clients when they come to me are drinking pop, juice, alcohol, energy drinks, sports drinks, coffee drinks, etc.  They’re drinking everything but water.  Few people think of water as a nutrient, but considering that water accounts for about two-thirds of a person’s body weight, it’s the most essential nutrient of all.  Research also suggests that a person can increase metabolism by drinking more water.  Drink more water!  You will cut out a ton of unnecessary calories and give your body a metabolism boost.

 

If you’ve got those 5 things mastered and you want to kick it up a notch, come see me at Anytime Fitness and we’ll set you up with a free fitness consultation with one of our trainers. 

6)      Bonus tip!  Seek expert advice on proper forms of exercise for you.  If you’re looking for a bigger tax return this year you probably hired a professional.  If you don’t know what kind of exercise is right for you, find someone who will show you and coach you on technique.

 

Are you playing to win?

I’m a sucker for a good poem.  Only it has to rhyme.  A poem isn’t a poem unless the words rhyme.  Anyone can just write down a bunch of sentences and then call it a “poem”.  The true art comes in the ability to rhyme.  But I digress.  

As I was doing some reading the other day I came across a very powerful poem that can be applied to almost anything you want to be successful at. When you read it, I want you to read it while thinking about your fitness journey (because if you’re reading this you’re probably interested in fitness to some extent).

“If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will -
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man
But soon or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can!”

Read it again.  And again.  Let it soak in.  Now let me tell you a little bit about me.  I like to golf.  I’m not the best there is, but I take it serious and like to win whenever I play.  When I walk up to the first tee, I tell myself I am the best player at the course.  I start each round with the mentality that I am going to win, whether it’s a friendly round with my brother, the Pella City Championship, or a four-man best shot tournament.  My mindset is that I am going to win, so I approach the game with a winning attitude.  The first step towards success is me believing that I am going to win.  If I never have that mindset, then why bother showing up.  I want to win.

If you want to lose 20 pounds of fat, each time you get closer to that goal you win.  Winning is fun!  Ask my client who worked her butt off this week and had it pay off on the scale and she will tell you – WINNING IS FUN!  She got the results she wanted this week because of her mindset.  She was focused on winning, and when it was all said and done – she did!  

There are days when I golf that I completely suck (hard to believe, I know).  I started my round thinking I was going to win, but maybe by the third hole things weren’t going my way and I gave up.  When that happens my mind is so far removed from winning that I just want to get back to the clubhouse and go home.  You will have those days.  But the next time I play, I go in with the same winning mindset.

So what about you?  What happens when you have a bad day?  What happens when something sidetracks you from winning?  Do you give up and say the heck with it?  Or is tomorrow really a new day?  Remember the words from the poem – “If you think you are beaten, you are.”

Have you ever watched a game where a team built a big lead only to see it slip away in the end?  Maybe you’ve heard an announcer talk about a team “playing not to lose”.  The same team that came out focused and built their lead then started playing differently once they were so far ahead.  They started playing differently.  Their focus changed.  Their mindset was different.  They played not to lose, but in the end, they lost.  What about you?  

Are you staying focused on winning?  Are you playing the same way today as you did when you started.  Or are you comfortable with a big lead?  Maybe that 20-point lead could have become a 40-point lead with the same focus.  Maybe your 20-pound loss could have been 30 if you would have stayed focus.  Are you complacent with what you’ve accomplished?  Are you settling for just being good, not great?  

I have witnessed many clients lose a lot of weight, get complacent with how far they’ve come and how well they’ve done, only to see them stop short of their ultimate goal.  You may have initially wanted to lose 30 pounds, but 25 pounds later you look different, feel different, and are happy with what you’ve done.  What about those last 5 pounds?  Stay focused and you’ll get them off!

World-famous golfer Bobby Jones once said, “Golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course…the space between your ears.”

Losing fat and keeping it off is no different.  

A holiday challenge for those serious enough to take it

Turkey. Stuffing.  Mashed potatoes and gravy.  Corn casserole.  Pumpkin pie.  Sugar cookies.  Cheese balls.  Egg nog.  Sugary snacks.  Empty calories.  Endless buffets.  It’s no wonder the average American gains 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

I guess that’s why so many people have weight loss as their top New Year’s resolution.  It’s because they packed on too many pounds, eating processed foods for 5 weeks straight and sitting on their butts at family get-togethers.

Do you realize how hard it is to lose those 10 pounds?  Let’s go back to the typical New Year’s resolution person.  Here’s the scenario.  They wanted to lose weight in October.  They thought about it, but decided they wanted to eat whatever they wanted over the holidays and they’d start dieting and exercising in January.  So they gained the “Holiday 10″ (similar to the “freshman 15″, only done in 90% less time), and now have even more fat to lose than they did when they wanted to start back in October.  But they start with a goal in mind, trying to lose weight.  What they don’t realize is how hard it’s going to be and how much work they’re going to have to put in.  So they get frustrated and by the end of February the New Year’s resolution is over.  They got frustrated and quit.  How do I know this scenario.  Because I witness it every year.  My business depends on it.  But that doesn’t mean I like it.

In fact, I hate to see someone start a program and then quit.  On the other hand, I experience great satisfaction when someone digs deep, decides to change, and then sticks with it.  Not everyone is willing to do that though.

So for those of you who don’t want to see that ”Holiday 10″ this year but need a little help, I’ve put together the perfect holiday accountability program to help you shed fat this holiday season, not pack on the pounds.  The Holiday Hold’Em Fat Loss Challenge is a fat loss training program and accountability program all built into one.

You’ll be held accountable by working with your trainer and training in a small group of 5-8 people.  Plus, there’s a $150 grand prize to whoever loses the greatest percentage of body weight.  $150 in cash after the holidays should help with all those after-Christmas bills!

Each training session will focus on metabolic resistance training.  This is where the sweat starts to rain down as if you were running a marathon in a Florida summer.  But it’s all good because the sessions are short and sweet – serving its purpose of
burning as much fat as possible in about 45 minutes.

So what are you going to do?  Stuff yourself like that Thanksgiving turkey?  Or do you want to do something different?  I encourage you to go ALL IN with your fitness goals this holiday season.  If you need my help, contact me and sign up for the Holiday Hold’Em Fat Loss Challenge.  You’ll have a 10+ pound headstart on everyone come New Year’s.

Taking the next step

A little over eight years ago I got married, went on a honeymoon, spent a week packing the U-Haul, and then moved to Idaho with my new bride.  I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do.  I didn’t have a job lined up.  I had a bed in my mother-in-law’s basement waiting for me.  And I was moving to a town that had more Mormons than the campus at BYU.  But I went anyway.

I’m glad I did.  If I wouldn’t have taken that step in my life, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today – which is the new owner of Anytime Fitness Pella!

It’s funny the journey life takes us on sometimes.  My 1,700 mile journey led me to Apple Athletic Club in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  I didn’t have a job, but I had to have a place to work out.  Somehow my mother-in-law hooked me up on their family membership plan.  So in between sending out resumes and doing the laundry, I made sure I kept up with my training program.  I loved the club so much that when they posted an ad for an Assistant Program Director, I immediately applied and was later hired.  The rest, as they say, is history.

I spent two years there, then we moved back to Iowa.  It didn’t take long before I was hired on as a fitness professional at Pella Health & Fitness.  I became a certified personal trainer and eventually moved up to managing the health club before we converted to Anytime Fitness four years ago.  I stayed on as manager of Anytime Fitness and this past year seriously considered owning my own business.  Now I do.

So I’ve taken the next step.  But there are more steps to take.  My goal is to make Anytime Fitness the top choice for fat loss results in Pella.  If you are reading this and your goal is fat loss, but you’re not a member, I strongly urge you to consider us.  Our system is based on making lifestyle changes with nutrition and exercise, not searching for a quick fix through starvation diets or unsafe workout programs.  Plus, we offer the convenience of being able to exercise when it fits in your schedule.

So what are you waiting for?  What is your next step in life?  What is the next step you need to take for your health and fitness?  Are you ready to make a commitment?  Or are you going to hang out on the fence?  So far I have enjoyed my journey to the fullest.  The next step in my journey begins now.  I would love to have you be a part of it!  And if you are ready to begin a fat loss journey, I would love to be a part of yours!