A Small Village in the Big City - By Lucinda LaRee

I am so excited and grateful to be celebrating a special anniversary with my business partner, Dega Schembri. 2013 marks 20 years for our gym, City Fitness, and 30 years for Fit Physique, Inc., our parent company.   Little did I know that when I showed up at 1500 Mass. Ave., Washington, DC, with only my O’Neil surf bag to my name to audition to teach classes for Dega that this was one of those life-changing moments.

As a child my father moved every six months.  My grandfather, Otis worked on a road crew, known for his excellent eye for leveling.  He paved many of the roads through the High Sierra in California, Nevada and the deserts of Arizona. Because of this, my father was committed to raising his children in one place.  He said it was difficult on him to move every 3-6 months as a child because he never had a chance to bond to a place, make lasting friendships or participate in sports. My father went into the Air Force and when he got out in 1964 he was stationed in Clovis, New Mexico, where I was born. He moved our family to Round Valley, near Bishop California and got a job working for Union Carbide, a tungsten mine or as some called it “The Mine In The Sky.”

He kept his word, raising his three daughters at the base of the 13, 470’ Mt. Tom, on the Eastern Side of the Sierra, in a small mining village called Rovana.  This was in company housing provided by Union Carbide.   Here we had the freedom to run wild.  We never meet a fence we would not cross or a yard we would not play in.  At the heart of this small, isolated, rural community was the gym.  It was here the fathers played on the company basketball team as the kids ran around playing hide and seek under the bleachers.  Some of my earliest memories are of my handsome, six foot three father who was strong and lean looking like Elvis as he shot hoops, trained with old leather medicine balls and shadow boxed with old leather boxing mitts.  Our TV reception was poor so many nights were spent watching old black and white film of Causuis Clay and George Forman fights when we were not planet and star gazing.

As I grew, the gym and the baseball field became the place to explore my own athletic abilities.  We considered ourselves “tomboys” and played every sport the boys did; baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, track and field & skiing on Mammoth Mountain. When we were not playing sports we rode horses, swam in the creeks, climbed the mountains and chased the coyotes and mule deer through the sagebrush.  At 11 years old, I became a cheerleader and my love of dance and movement began.

As a teen, growing up in one of the most isolated communities, I had a dream to travel the world. Inspired by my love of Jane Fonda and Jazzercise I announced at my high school graduation that I wanted to be a Diet and Fitness Consultant for the Rich and Famous.  This got quite the laugh, as this was unheard of in my small town and not a career path in 1981.

My professional fitness path started out at The Total Workout 1983 in North County San Diego.  It was here I was introduced to the person who was instrumental in getting me a job at the exclusive spa Cal A Vie where I trained such celebrities as Gary Busey, Stockard Channing, Leslie Ann Warren - my childhood Cinderella - and fitness star Kathy Smith.  Meeting the rich and famous at this job opened doors to working as a trainer on the east coast at the Norwich Inn and Spa which lead to me to the opportunity to audition and become the trainer for the Sports Illustrated Super Shape Up Video Series with Cheryl Tiegs, Elle McPherson and Rachel Hunter.

Riding the wave of the release of this popular video set, and being a bit of a gypsy for a few years, I moved to DC.  Soon, I found myself pregnant, a single mom to be, and I realized in order to make it work I needed to settle down.  Having done what I said I wanted to do traveling to some amazing places in the world and training the rich and famous I was ready to see a long held vision of my own fitness business come to a reality. My son was born in 1992 at Georgetown Hospital, and like my father before me, I wanted to raise him in a close-knit community.

I was hired by the Forsheimers to design and open City Fitness Gym on October 1^, 1993, and became business partners with Dega Schembri October 1, 1996. Together we purchased City Fitness Gym. We have built a wonderful community here in Cleveland Park.  This neighborhood has been a support network to our families. My son went to the neighborhood public schools, he has many friends that he met here in kindergarten and has an extended family made up of the gym staff and members.  He is now 21, with a son of his own, and I get the grand adventure of a grandmother with a growing family! 

I want to share my gratitude to my family of origin and their encouragement of my physical activities and dreams.  My childhood community and friends were always up for an adventure and my DC family made up of friends, staff, fitness instructors and gym members make my amazing world go round everyday.  I want to thank my son for giving me a reason to get my act together 20 years ago.  Last but not least I want to thank Dega for her commitment to our life as business partners as we work together creating this amazing space where I can “Be Lucinda” and offer up my unique talents and serve with her to help make the residents of DC happier, healthier and fit!

A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play: his labor and his leisure: his mind and his body: his education and his recreation.  He hardly knows which is which He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing.  To himself, he always appears to be doing both. 

Francoise Rene Auguste Chateaubriand

Confessions of a Teenage Gym Rat - by Gabriella Broocks

What does a fifteen-year-old girl do with two hours to kill in Washington DC after school? I would have never imagined this three years ago, but I found that going to the gym is one of the most satisfying activities to do in my free time.

How many teenagers do you know who go to the gym every weekday? Probably not many. Most likely, there’s a reason for that. Many gyms come across as intimidating and working out isn’t exactly synonymous with fun. Even if they do want to go, most high-schoolers are too busy with homework and extracurriculars.

I belong to that small group that carves time out of the day to go to the gym. Right after school, I head over to the gym and exercise for about two hours. I’ve been going for so long that it’s become a routine. Now, it’s unusual for me to skip a workout. I look forward to having two hours to myself.

This pastime started after volleyball season ended and I was looking for a way to stay in shape. None of the winter sports offered at my school sounded fun to me. My mother suggested that we look at a neighborhood gym. I was really reluctant to go there at first, but I decided to give it a try. A teenager was such a rarity at the gym that everyone was especially welcoming. That made it something to look forward to.

Soon after, I learned that I would need surgery and the doctor recommended that I do more exercise as preparation. As soon as I had recovered from the operation, I went back to the gym because I missed going. Truthfully, it’s not that hard to get to the gym if you enjoy going. 

First, it’s easy to get to. The gym is only three blocks from my school. Also, it’s right next to the metro station, making it simple to go home on the days when my mom can’t pick me up. 

Second, the atmosphere is really pleasant. The gym I go to is small enough that everyone knows each other. When I get to the entrance, the staff member at the front desk greets me by name. When stopped going during volleyball season this year, one of the owners called my parents to ask about me.

For me, this friendly, personal environment is important because as a shy person I feel infinitely more at ease in a place where I everyone is a friend. For example, like many people, I like to read magazines while on the cardio equipment. However, all the magazines available were for adults, which aren’t always appropriate for my age group. So, I asked one of the owners if the gym could get a subscription to a teen magazine. To my delight, a couple of weeks later the magazine subscription appeared.

When a school friend of mine asks where I’m going, as we walk down the street, their eyes typically widen at my answer. Usually, they say something like, “Wow, I couldn’t imagine working out every day!” I just shrug; I go to the gym because vigorous exercise always feels good.

On those rare days when I don’t spend two hours at the gym, I’m amazed at how much free time I suddenly have after school. Then I wonder what I ever did with all this extra time before I got in the habit of going to the gym.

Gabriella is in the tenth grade at the Washington International School. Her favorite gym is City Fitness on Connecticut Avenue in Cleveland Park.

What A Difference a Year (or so…) Can Make!! By City Fitness Member Michael Harris

I had finally decided that 2011 was going to be a change for me.  Or should I say, some really big ‘changes’. First, I decided that I was going to start my own business. After 20+ years as a salaried executive at several IT Firms, I concluded that I needed more control of my professional life, schedule, and my work/life balance. I no longer wanted to work 80 hour weeks to stay on ‘top of my game’ and constantly feel guilty when I needed to take time off or go on vacation to relax. Also, I needed to ‘get healthy’ again. As a former Fitness Instructor (trained by Dega and Staff at Fit Physique in early 1990s), I realized I had neglected my health and fitness. Also my younger sister had been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes just like my Dad and almost all his siblings. All were morbidly obese and also suffered from heart disease and/or high blood pressure. And all but my Dad and uncle had passed away in their 50s and 60s. Change was a must!

During my Fitness Instructor days, I had a healthy weight and fitness level. I had plenty of energy and stamina. But after leaving my fitness career in the late 1990s I slowly gained weight over the next few years and finally topped out at over 300 pounds!! I had no energy or stamina and ‘hit bottom’ when my doctor cautioned me that she was going to have to put me on medication for cholesterol after already increasing my high blood pressure medication. That was it! I had to make a change and because I wanted get healthy and be ‘happy’ with myself again!  

I knew I had to lose weight (again) and ‘lamented’, not again. I had dieted and lost weight 3 other times in the past but did not want to face another ‘fad’ diet only to put it back on after a few months (or years). So, for a few months, I took a few ‘baby steps’ on my own and dieted and worked out on my own with little success. I also knew I needed to get back to the gym but could not find one I was comfortable in committing. I did not want to go to one of the chain gyms and I wanted to get back to doing what I used to love, which was AEROBICS. While investigating a new gym in my Silver Spring neighborhood, I found my local Weight Watchers’ meeting location and thought, ‘why not give it a try’!  I decided to ‘just walk in and try it out”. What did I have to lose, right?!...I weighed 292 pounds. My body fat percentage was over 40% and my BMI was over 35+, which is Morbidly Obese. 

I was unsure when I first started, so I read all the Weight Watcher material, and went to a few meetings to ‘get the feel’ of it. I began following the program bit by bit. Each meeting gave me enough confidence to change a little more each week and I just stayed with it. The meetings, the support and helpful life style changes ‘made sense’ to me and I followed them readily. Little by little these changes gave me the confidence to stay with the program and incorporate more changes into my life. The program also encouraged me incorporate exercise so this was my ‘big push’ to return to the gym, too! As I mentioned, I used to be an aerobics instructor and I secretly desired to return, but the weight and lack of stamina stood in my way. I had not yet found a gym that was ‘comfortable with’ or had the aerobics program and instructors that I liked. While looking at some old photos of myself during my ‘fitness instructor’ days, I remember Dega and Fit Physique and decided to reach out to her to see what she might suggest. I had lost touch with Dega and staff so I was not sure if she would remember me, but she did, and told me to come over and try out the gym and some of the aerobic classes for two week ‘for FREE” to see if I liked it and if it met my needs!!! Wow…I thought, “No gym does that”! Of course, loved it and JOINED!!!

The Weight Watchers program is built on four pillars that are critical for weight management: diet, activity, support, and behavior. Weight Watchers’ success comes from encouraging its members to make a lot of little changes over time as well as setting attainable goal for your weight loss journey. You learn how to track all your food and assign a “point factor’ for the amount and type of food. You also keep track of your activity in order to maintain a healthy balance of diet and exercise. You gradually learn to change negative behaviors and food choices by attending meeting and seeking counseling from the Weight Watcher Leaders, Staff and other members. The ‘meeting room’ as it is called, is like a ‘group therapy’ that provides great support and knowledge.

I attend the weekly meetings regularly and incorporate them into my ‘extended’ exercise routine at City Fitness. I attended the aerobic classes that I loved, and also, work with a Trainer, Alex, who helped me begin to strengthen major muscles that had not been ‘worked’ in several years! I even challenged myself early on and attended a few of Lucinda’s Yoga Classes which helped me with the flexibility I had lost years ago!!  I received great support from my family, friends and City Fitness ‘family’ family as well, which kept me motivated and ‘on-point’.

Over the next few months I successfully attained my 5lbs., 10 lbs., and 5% weight loss goals.  Three months after starting Weight Watchers, I even reached my 25 lbs. weight loss goal «In September 2011; I reach my 1^st major Weight Watcher Goal, by losing 10% of my starting weight or 29lbs..!! My jeans were a lot looser, as well as a lot of my other clothes. I was even able to make it through about 20 minutes Arthur’s Step It Up” Aerobic Class!!! A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT! I was getting my ‘stamina’ back and my ‘energy’ levels continued to increase to level that enabled me to exercise even more!

When I started Weight Watchers I had no idea how many pounds I ultimately wanted to lose. I initially thought that I would be happy if I just lost 30 lbs. But after reaching that goal, I felt that losing 50 lbs. would be the best I could do. However after succeeding at losing 50 lbs. in October of 2011, just 5 months after starting Weight Watchers and exercising at City Fitness, the felt that I could do better and feel even better at reaching yet another weight loss goal.

So I did and kept at it and stayed on the program!! The program’s electronic food tracking makes it easy to keep ‘track’ of the amount and frequency of what you’re eating. It also, helps you make better food/caloric choices by keeping you advised if you are within your daily target or over! The ‘eTools’ also kept track of you activity (exercise, etc.) as well as your measurements. Watching these numbers continue to ‘trend’ favorably each month motivated me even more to continue and stay on the program and exercise even harder!

One of the best feelings at Weight Watcher Meetings is when the members share their successes ‘on and off’ the scale. Each week members share their major milestones, goals, weight loss (sometimes there are gains!) and what they have learned that week to meet their weight loss challenge. One of the highlights for all of us is when you receive your milestone awards/chips for increments of 25 lbs. I had been ‘eyeing’ the 75 lbs. chip for months and wanted to add it to my other milestone chips that I wore on a necklace. When I finally attained it I could not wait to share it with Dega, Sara, Imani, Lucinda and all the others at City Fitness who encouraged me every day that I could do it!

Losing the weight gave me the courage do to something else I had wanted to do for over 10 years…’dance Salsa”.  I now had the stamina, and better coordination (Thanks Arthur) to take more demanding classes, like Salsa, Bachata, and Aerobic Dance! I now dance 3 (and sometimes 5) times a week! My Weight Watcher Leader, LaVonda ‘affectionately’ calls me “Salsa King” and I love that! I’ve even encouraged fellow Weight Watcher members to participate in the dance classes, or whatever makes them feel good…just move! I've met some fantastic 'salsaleros' and ‘bachateros’ friends who keep me moving to the Latin Beat!

After 14 months working the program and starting this journey, I reach my final weight loss goal of 182 pounds! That’s 110 pounds removed! (in LaVonda ‘speak’). My body fat percentage is below 15%, my BMI is 21 (all normal/healthy ranges) and my stamina is back 110%. My doctor has cut my high blood pressure medicine in half and could remove it altogether after this year’s physical if my pressure readings continue to trend normal on lesser medications.  Losing weight has changed my life and WWs has given me the tools, motivation, courage, and support to keep going! For the first time in 20 years I know I can do it! I do it every day, by tracking my food, following WW good health guidelines, dancing, running, lifting weights, and power walking my way toward my weekly activity points!

I now realize that I can do anything that I desire and put my mind to accomplish, because I have the strength, courage, stamina, and discipline to make it happen! Thanks to Weight Watchers and getting FIT at City Fitness! I have the LIFE I wanted BACK and I’m enjoying it to the fullest! Next Goal! Weight Watcher Leader, so that I can motivate others to reach their Weight Loss Goals!   
     

Making Sense of Fitness - by City Fitness, Washington, DC. Cleveland Park's neighborhood gym!

Each week we are bombarded with infomercials, new studies, and hyped up trends in exercise.   The conflicting messages (often accompanying a sales pitch) convolute a simple idea- that anyone can improve their fitness through effort and a little knowledge.  This column will provide a starting point to beginning a sensible exercise program, and later examine some of the trends, studies and options we hear so much about.

In order to get a grasp of what we need to do, lets look at what makes up the “fitness” we seek.  At City Fitness, we believe a complete fitness program must include emphasis on the following four areas: cardiovascular capacity, strength training, flexibility and nutrition.   Working towards change in these four areas will bring about positive changes in a host of health markers, from bodyfat % to triglyceride levels, bone density to basic ability to run, lift, hike or play.   Ignoring any of these components will dramatically lessen the overall benefit, as there is a synergy to a well-rounded program.

Cardiovascular exercise (“cardio”) is simply working to elevate and maintain the heart rate, creating an increased demand for oxygen.   The benefits of cardio are well documented, including heart health, controlling blood pressure, and increased lung capacity.  This is also what most people consider “calorie burning”, although strength training plays a crucial role in that as well.  Typically exercises such as running, biking or cardio machines come to mind, although circuit training, swimming, jumping rope and a number of other options can provide excellent cardiovascular training.

Strength training is crucial in maintaining and increasing the ability to perform day-to-day tasks, as well as promoting bone density and boosting the metabolism.   In active athletic populations, muscle acts to protect the joints in vigorous activity.   In older people, strength training is crucial in promoting bone density, as well as maintaining functional ability.   Muscle mass protects bones in the event of a fall, and plays a large role in the bodies ability to recover from chronic illness.

Building muscle is also responsible for the aesthetic changes that are often sought.  Definition or “tone” are achieved through a combination of muscle building and leanness.   Muscle is also metabolically active tissue, therefore helping raise the metabolism and promotes calorie burning.    In order to be effective, strength training should progressively introduce heavier weights and more challenging movements.   That is; the body adapts when it is challenged, and needs constant stimulus to continually progress.

Our third pillar is flexibility.   Often people confuse the need for basic range of motion and joint mobility with advanced yoga poses bordering on contortionism.  In reality, basic flexibility allows us to move with ease, protects against injury, and makes us feel better.   As fitness professionals, we see a strong correlation between time spent sitting at a desk and back pain in our clients.   Students and even children are more sedentary than ever, and the lack of activity directly affects the ability to move comfortably.   Rather than face a lifetime of limited activity, discomfort and possible need for surgery, spend fifteen minutes a day working on flexibility.

Finally, we come to the often most confusing aspect of fitness: nutrition.  Fad diets come and go, doctors change their minds, and the public is left scratching their heads.   We get told (and sold) so many different things, its no wonder many people have no plan when it comes to nutrition.   In fact, there are some ground rules for nutrition that are relatively simple, and a few changes can make a profound effect.  

Nutrition should be based around real, unprocessed foods.   Each meal should have a balance of lean protein, carbohydrates and fat, and should leave you satisfied but not overly full.  Carbs should come from colorful vegetables, and starch should be kept to a minimum.  Replacing breads, pasta, rice or potatoes with a more nutritious choice can have a dramatic effect.   Fat is also an essential part of a healthy diet, but should come from specific sources, not fried foods or additives.  Unsaturated fats, especially those higher in Omega 3 fatty acids are preferable.   Examples include flax seeds, walnuts and coldwater fish (salmon, halibut and sardines).

Three basic skills are vital to empower you to reap the health and fitness benefits of good nutrition.   First is the ability to read labels and understand what to look for, and what to avoid.   The drawback is, most people are shocked to realize how much sugar, saturated fat, and sodium are added to seemingly healthy choices.  Understanding this is essential in taking charge of what you ingest.   Inevitably, this will steer you away from processed and fast foods.  

The second skill is learning to prepare your own healthy meals and plan ahead.   To do this is to take responsibility for your nutrition, remove excuses and set yourself up for success.   Basic meal planning for the week ahead allows you to shop accordingly   Not every meal has to be planned ahead of course, but often the more forethought, the better the results.   This also helps to avoid making bad last minute choices.   Coming home tired from a stressful day at work without a healthy option is one of the major pitfalls to avoid.

Now that we have an idea of how to choose food, and plan it out, we come to portion control.   The final piece of the puzzle is often a challenge in a society where over-consumption is not just rampant, but culturally accepted.   Once we understand how much food we actually need, it’s easy to see how common overeating is.  A good meal should leave you satisfied, but comfortable and not “stuffed”.   It takes a while to realize that the feeling of “not hungry” is different than full.

Hopefully this provides a reasonable starting point for those interested in taking charge of their fitness.  The four components we’ve discussed (cardio, strength, flexibility and nutrition) all play an important role in overall well being.

At City Fitness, we believe that even a basic approach to exercise and nutrition can have profound benefits, and encourage everyone to make this a part of their life.  Sometimes the amount of information on fitness can be overwhelming, but like most things, its best to start simple.