Happy Holidays

From all of us at West Seattle Fitness Together, we want to wish you and your families all the best this Holiday Season. Thank you for your continued support. May you have a happy and healthy 2010.

Bonnie, Duncan, Brian, Brenda, Rachel, (and Lulu)

December Clients of the Month - The Clemons Family

They worked so hard in the Fall Fitness Challenge competing with other clients as well as between themselves that we couldn't just pick one of them over the other. So the team voted to make them co-Client's of the Month for December. Congratulations on your hard work and progress to date. We look forward to upping the ante on your challenges in the months ahead.

Chris's FT Experience

"I'm highly susceptible to the powers of inertia. When at rest I tend to stay right there until an outside power gets me in motion and I had been at rest for a pretty long time. Trisa and I had talked about trying to put some form of physical activity together, whether it be at a gym or structuring something at home to burn off those extra calories but the grip of the couch and the lure of the television prevented us from reaching our goal. The FT training team has done an excellent job at being that outside power for me and has appealed to my competitive nature with the latest exercise challenge. Along with their encouragement, I have learned the skills to a healthier, more active life."

Trisa's FT Experience

"I've tried many different fitness programs over my life in an effort to increase fitness and manage my weight. My work at Fitness Together has really been different for one main reason. . . the trainers. What I appreciate most is how knowledgeable the trainers are. They work with me to ensure I'm getting the most out of my workouts even when faced with injuries, aches and pains, and those low-energy days. My time at Fitness Together is more than just a workout; it's an education."

Hitting Her Stride

Big Kudos go out to Kathy H. for completing the recent Seattle Half-Marathon. Under cool and cloudy conditions, Kathy went stride for stride with her coach for 13.1 miles setting a new PR while beating her time from last year's race by 29 minutes.

All of those sprints, hill climbs, crunches, planks, and burpees paid off in achieving her goal. Congratulations on this accomplishment!

Fall Fitness Challenge - Final Results

And we have winner! Well, everyone is a winner who participated in the Fall Fitness Challenge by improving their health. But the client who finished atop the leader board turned out to be Rich who was holding second for most of the contest. He snuck by with a final push in bonus points in the last week to pass "Everyday Ada". It was a great race by all who participated. Here are the final results:

Rich: 201 points / 1st Prize = 3 Free Sessions
Ada: 186 points / 2nd Prize = 2 Free Sessions
Chris: 143 points / 3rd Prize = 1 Free Session
Sangree: 133 points
Trisa: 117 points
Wendy: 115 points / Most Improved = 1 Free Massage

Everyone on the leader board participated anywhere from 4 - 6 days per week. By the end of the contest, all had seen some changes whether in body composition or in their cardiovascular health. This contest was a good reminder that by staying active each day, you can make changes to your body, you just have to make the commitment to yourself for the time.

Welcome New Team Addition - Brenda

The West Seattle team is excited to welcome Brenda to our evening training team. She brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to those needing a jump start after work. We think you will do handstands just like her.

Here is a little bit of background on our latest addition. "By nature, I have always been a competitive, active individual. From age 8 to 18 I participated in gymnastics, dance and softball. In college I developed a passion for rugby and danced throughout. These days my activities include running and weight training of course! The joy I have from my job stems from the fact that all major diseases which shorten our lifespans stem from lack of proper nutrition and exercise and high stress levels... and that ALL of these can changed by their opposites (exercise, eating right, and decreasing stress levels!) To know that I am helping people live a longer, happier, healthier life motivates me every day to do it all over again!

I have been a personal trainer since 2005 and am certified by the International Sports and Science Association (ISSA) as a CPT, the National Academy of Sports and Medicine (NASM) as a CPT, Performance Enhancing Specialist (PES) and Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES). I am also certified by the American Heart Association in First Aid and CPR as well as having a BA from Saint Mary's College of California."

November Client of the Month

She maybe a little shy about being recognized; however we aren't. E.A. (she wants to remain nameless) has worked extremely hard in her time with us. In her time away from the studio, she has fun doing Scottish dancing. All of the burpees, box shuffles, and squats have helped increase her endurance for her weekly dancing events. No more sitting on the sidelines trying to re-cooperate - she leads the group now.

EA proves that age has no limits on what you can accomplish. Sky's the limit E.A. - keep up the hard work and have fun in the process. Here is what EA has to say about her experience. "Fitness Together! How can I begin to say what that title meant to me. Instead of a cold neon lit gym with lots of sweaty, muscle bound people showing off their bodies on numerous machines; I found a warm friendly atmosphere and trainers who really cared about their clients needs and abilities.

I belong to the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and used to get a real workout, but as the summer began, the dancing stopped. So I had to look for exercise elsewhere.

I timidly phoned Fitness Together and was delighted with their response. All of the trainers are dedicated and have endless patience, and with all I have begun to feel real improvement in my strength. I couldn't even use a treadmill when I started and now I can work up to 30 minutes on it at a fairly good pace. My dancing ability has improved tremendously. I can now dance for 2 hours and not sit down to rest.
So 3 cheers for Fitness Together. I will not go anywhere else as I find my sessions really enjoyable."

Fall Fitness Challenge - Week 6 Results

It's a see-saw battle for the Top 5. Skip a beat and you will fall to the back of the pack. As we near the end of the competition, the head games begin. Time to place your bets on how the standings will finish out.

Everyday Ada 154
Rich B. 146
Sangree F 95
Chris 93
Trisa 78
Wendy 76
Anne G 75
Bette J 54

Push it to the max gang! "Better to burn out then to fade away." - Neil Young