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Are You Ready for |
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Personal
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THE TREND June 16, 2004
Trend reporter Holly Love decides it's time to get fit and she tells how Body Intensity helped her get the results she wanted
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By HOLLY LOVE |
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The Trend |
Recognize a little of yourself in me? I'm the
queen of procrastination. I know that just walking isn't enough exercise to keep
my body healthy or toned. And until I walked into the Body Intensity personal
training outfit in Havertown, I thought "working out" wouldn't fit into my
schedule, into my financial situation, or into my idea of fun.
I couldn't have been more wrong on all counts. Just like it is for
everyone else, my consultation and first workout session were free--so that was
win-win. My trainer was Body Intensity's owner, Dominic Galvani. He asked
about my medical history, about my own specific fitness goals (a better butt,
anyone?), and took my physical measurements, including my body fat
percentage. I was impressed with the way Dominic customizes my fitness program
just for me. I was impressed with the state-of-the-art equipment, the
really comfortable feel of the workout space, and with the staff's friendliness.
But here's what I was most impressed with--me! I honestly didn't know I had it
in me to lift, push, pull, and crunch my way through an hour--an hour that each
week went faster than I would have believed. All these years I've spent
wondering how to find the motivation, I could have been investing in some
personal training to get me going.
"The way we're different," Dominic says, "is that we don't tell you that
you have to come here three times a week for the rest of your life. A lot of
other trainers create dependency in their clients that way. Here, every single
time you come, we write down what exercises you did, and we give you all the
information you need to eventually be able to train at home as often as you
like. A lot of people start out coming in three times a week, but later come
here just once a month for maintenance."
That got my attention. And I have to agree with Danielle Flournoy of
Broomall, a fellow Body Intensity trainee who slimmed her legs down considerably
in just a few months. She says, "Dominic really makes it easy to get your mind
off what you're doing." How true. You want a personal trainer who not only knows
his stuff, but who you feel likes you and has a great sense of humor--and that's
what Dominic's all about. Was I sore and tired? Sure--when I first started,
I could really feel it. But amazingly it only took a few days--not weeks--before
the soreness (a good thing!) decreased dramatically and I felt better than ever.
I've noticed more muscle tone in my body, too. Arnold Schwarzenegger, look out!
One of the best perks of all isn't just that Body Intensity is
air-conditioned (whew) or that it has a full bathroom if you'd like to shower
before you leave. Or that I could do my cardiovascular training on a treadmill,
bike, or step machine--and watch that get easier every week. It's that Dominic
also gives you the kind of nutrition advice you feel like you've been missing. I
thought I knew it all, but I didn't know, for instance, that it matters when you
eat your starchy carbs and protein.
I did as Dominic suggests to all his clients--I brought in a list of what
I'd eaten (and what time of day I ate it) since the last time I saw him. Then he
told me what I was doing right and what I was doing to hamper my fitness goals
(cookies and chocolate were my nemeses!). Take it from me, nothing makes you
think twice about eating that brownie more than knowing you have to write it
down and show it to someone who cares about your health the way that Dominic
does.
I was really surprised at how I was able to increase repetitions and
weight on
the exercises. Watching myself move in the mirror was actually a
self-esteem booster, and never having to check my form--because Dominic was
there doing that for me and counting my reps, without being distracted by
anything else--was superb. The little things make such a difference, and the big
things do, too--like how much better I sleep after using all these muscles that
I never even knew I had. I'm also eager to have my bone density tested again
soon. That's an issue for so many women, and strength training is known to make
a big difference when it comes to building bone.
It's really true that nothing beats making yourself healthier
and better-looking at the same time. And the bottom line is, training
hasn't been a grind--it's been a lot of fun. I'd take pumping iron with
Dominic any day over all the other things I have to do. My new motto
is, "Working out sure beats workin'!"
Visit Body Intensity at www.bodyintensity.com or call (610) 446-3364.
