Monthly Archives: August 2014

This One’s For You, Denver!

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In a time where gyms are run by big money, investors, fancy locations and signage, there are still regular folks like us sitting in the basement, doing good work. And it’s tough out there, as we’ve seen with our fallen friends like Genesis and BodyLab. We work hard to bring you the best personal trainers in the biz. We listen to our members and try our best to give you what you need to be successful. It takes a village, both in and outside of the gym.

So it’s an exciting and humbling experience to win an award, especially when it’s determined by the public. And right now, I’m pretty overwhelmed by our growing list of awards and successes. But since there’s no televised event, no podium, no little gold guys to hold (although I’m not above body paint if there are any volunteers?), I’ll do it here:

For the following 2014 awards:

5280’s Top of the Town, Best Personal Trainer

5280’s Top of the Town, Best Health Club/Gym

Denver A-List, Best Personal Trainer

Denver A-List, Best Boot Camp

Oops!

Oops!

I’d like to thank the academy. And all the members and personal trainers whose blood, sweat and tears fill our fitness studios and workouts with love. This is for all of you who show up, do the work, and laugh at my jokes. I also want to thank all the other gyms, health clubs, fitness studios and hardworking personal trainers in town for doing your part to make Denver healthier. And 9News for helping me share fitness and nutrition tips every week.

Every squat, lunge, stair and pushup connects us — not because misery loves company, as some of you would say, but because you’re reaching your fitness and weight loss goals and our trainers are reaching our goals of doing what we love.

Okay, the music is playing and there’s some dude in a suit trying to escort me off the stage so I will awkwardly lean in to say one more thing: THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, DENVER: TWO CLAPS!

Oh my WORD I just gained 10 pounds!

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By Jewel Shoaga, Personal Trainer and Group Instructor

Umm, yup… I guess many of you have said this before? So what do you do now? Do you ignore the scale? Do you ignore the tightening hints of your pants? Of course not! Right? Well, let me be honest it doesn’t always go like that in my head. I may have to go through a couple “stages of loss.” These stages may include apathy, depression and excuses. Apathy: The evil voice on one shoulder whispers, “start tomorrow and eat that big piece of cake.” Depression: “I am just going to be fat and frumpy the rest of my life. I will just invest in tights and moo moos.” Excuses: Well, just fill in the blank.

we can do itAlright, now that we are past that, let us get REAL. For whatever reason the scale is up. Let us be FORWARD FOCUS and make a game plan! Here are 10 things I have done, that are proven to work for me. Oh and by the way I have lost over 140 lbs, then had a baby, and now am still losing the last of that baby weight. I am in the boat with you. Let’s do this together!

 

  1. Write down everything you put in your mouth.  Get one of those apps (i.e. My Fitness Pal).  Just doing this may prevent you for grabbing for those high calorie snacks.
  2. Drink water (half your body weight in ounces).
  3. Write out your current priorities, right now, in one column and in the other column write where you want your priorities to be.
  4. Make a game plan on how to organize your personal life to align with your weight loss goals.
  5. Enlist your family, friends, co-workers and professionals to help motivate and give you tips on your way.
  6. Eat protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains (get a professional to help you with this).
  7. MOVE!  (find creative ways to raise that heart rate)
  8. Measure your waist, hips, biceps, thighs, calves, chest and neck. You will lose inches, sometimes faster than pounds. Then, check it in 30 days.
  9. Have an accountability partner.
  10. Challenge yourself to make 4 healthy choices in a day. Then, the next day make 5 great choices.  Next, create 6 positive choices. Connect that “Mind, Body and Spirit.” Remember this is a Lifestyle transformation, so you can’t neglect the other parts of your life.

 

Put Us On Your A-List

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Look, we’re generally anti-shameless self-promotion (I mean, a little anti, but not above it). But right now, we’re in competition mode. After all, who doesn’t want to be on the A-List?

So whether you love us for our small group bootcamp classes, our superstar personal trainers, our nutrition and workout tips or just our good looks and charming personalities, I’d like to ask you to give us a vote on the Denver A-List.

keep-calm-and-vote-for-jamie-2Here’s what we’re running for:

Best Personal Trainer: Jamie Atlas

Best Boot Camp: Bonza Bodies

There are just a few days left to cast your vote. If you vote us onto the A-List, we can’t promise you lower taxes, exemptions from jury duty or anything like that. But we can always promise you our best fitness tips, workouts and a friendly place to get your sweat on.

Now go vote! (Please and thanks.)

Roundus Booticus: Spicing Up Your Workout

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Exercise takes time, and many of us don’t have a lot of time to spare so how we work out becomes really important. Whether you’re a gym lover, hitting up fitness classes or just working out at the playground while the kids throw wood chips at each other, nobody likes a stale workout. And here’s a secret: your trainers don’t like it either.

That’s why we formulate our fitness classes around workouts that change. It keeps it interesting for all of us. And best of all, the diversity challenges your body to work different muscle groups in different ways, all in the name of functional movement. Two claps!

bonza booty

Are you looking at my Bonza booty?

Now, take booty-busting exercises as an example. Lots of people do straight lunges, regular squats and so on to engage this muscle group. All good things. But how do you mix it up?

As part of my favorite Wednesday pastime, I paid another visit to Corey Rose at 9News to share some fitness tips to spice up your workout. Check them out and give ’em a try!