The Story Of The New Location And Building

In our effort to keep fitness interesting–as well as get you the best results in town, we are introducing a new class: Better Bodies Workshop! This is a cross between a nutrition/weight loss workshop and “boot camp” style fitness. Bringing the 2 together will ensure the best results you can get anywhere, hands down.

We are going to take our fitness up a notch while delivering solid, reliable nutrition education. Better Bodies Workshop will work side by side with our already in progress boot camps with one day a week dedicated to nutrition. In addition, we will be adding new class times for everyone. Better Bodies Workshop will track your results once a week as well as give you homework based upon your nutrition education.

Better Bodies Workshop will begin on January 9, 2012, with new times for boot camp that will fit your schedule… dare I say better! Let us know if you would like more information or if you would like to sign up before the new year and receive the end of the year discount that includes a discount smoothie card! It will be a renewable six week commitment and is geared to be at least three days a week.

Times are:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 8:00am
OR
Tuesday, Thursday at 7:00am and Saturday at 8:00am

Price: $15/class
Term: 6 weeks, 3 times per week

By Terry Barga

Hey everyone! I know it’s been a while since we last talked, but I have been a little busy. I know you have enjoyed articles by Ashley and Tim–they both are on their way to great things in this company and I’m thankful for their writing abilities. What am I so busy doing? Well, I’m glad you asked!

Running.
Yes running my butt off! I have been training for this relay called the Ragnar Relay. It was this past weekend and might I say, it was a blast! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I enjoyed the team, the energy, and the sites and sounds of the countryside. As a matter of fact the relay race is my inspiration for this article. I had such a delightful experience with my running nutrition I just had to write about it so that you could learn the how’s and why’s as it pertains to running nutrition.

I always see and hear things about what people think are good or acceptable food choices for running. A lot of runners think that because they are running so much they can eat whatever because they will likely burn it off. Then there are some runners that follow the leader and read all the magazines following the crowd with shot blocks, gels, and other high sugar, high carb things. Some know that it’s not quite right, some have no idea what to do, and others don’t care at all. We hope this appeals to some of you from every area of that broad spectrum. In this article I want to give you the do’s and why they DO so good. The bad and what the “bad” does to your system.

The bad.
These things are bad for all kinds of reasons, some of which I will list at the bottom.
-Shot blocks
-Clif bars
-Gels
These things are not easy to digest and can give a runner the false sense of energy with little benefit for the rest of the body. Filled with artificial stimulants, sugars and simple carbs–your body’s filters are going to have a hard time with digestion and distribution at some point. Some of the side effects to these “foods” are headaches, nausea, dehydration and stomach cramps. Don’t believe me? Just listen next time you have ran with a group of people and they have hit all of these. They won’t say why, but just that they have a headache or that they need to sleep. It is a false sense of doing good for your body. Just because you are running does not mean you can ignore your body when it is trying to tell you something about what you ate. Listen to your body and learn, always ask “what did I eat?” that’s where you should always start.

In the bad list there are a slue of bad foods that aren’t artificial but aren’t that great for you either. They get used as per tradition or the good ole’ game of follow the leader.
-Pancakes
-Pizza
-Donuts
-Bagels
-Chips

This list could go on and on but I’ll leave it here for times sake. Although not artificial, these foods are often suggested to all runners assuming that they all are in the exact same shape. This is NOT true and you know that–but you often still indulge. Let me paint the picture for you. The night before a race you and some friends hit up the local pizza joint and then hit the sack to get up and grab a bagel before your run. Or maybe you carb load all week prior to your race, either way you are putting quantity over quality and that will always be a bad idea when it comes to food.

Why is this bad form when it comes to run nutrition? Because you are filling your body with sterile foods, anti-nutrients and simple sugars. Instead of storing energy up for your body to feed on during a run your body will use the simple nutrients first giving you instant energy while trying to break down the unusable stuff and in most cases instead of storing your simple carbs you are only storing toxins. Yes, you can store carbs even if they are bad–the same goes for sugars and fats and they are all laden with toxins and anti-nutrients that your body will use because it is down right worried about its next nutrient dense meal. So worried in fact that it could let a salad that would normally be good for you, pass rapidly through your system and never be fully utilized because your body is conditioned to build cells out of these bad foods. This will set the tone for all kinds of problems and at the very least would be low energy for running.

What we do for ourselves and other runners is this: Nothing artificial, no simple versions of anything and train to be better than the sport you are competing in.

First, nothing artificial means that after knowing what these things do to your system, I wouldn’t even give them to my dog let alone myself or any other client. Slow food is the best food, minimally processed and easy to digest plus absorb. We never suggest anyone eat simple sugars or carbs i.e. whole grains, white flour, sugar, nutrasweet, splenda, agave nectar, oatmeal or pastas. The reason being you will actually make it harder on your body to perform, control insulin swings and to maintain your weight.

The solution is to eat things living, raw and at the very least easy to digest! There’s no reason for anyone that is a runner to have a heart attack, to be overweight or to have trouble losing weight. Not only will you succeed at staying fit and in shape with even less running than you did before–you will also posses the energy to stay longer in the race and run faster than you did the day before, not to mention recover in half the time.

Replace your running food with:
-Soaked oatmeal
-Coconut water
-Coconut oil
-Avocado
-Plenty of greens! More than 6-8 servings per day the week of race
-Lot’s of berries
-Eggs

For grains that you eat they should be:
-Sprouted grains
-Spelt flour or sprouted pastas
-Sourdough or sprouted breads

If you would like more info or recipes or help on this topic please let us know! You’ll be surprised at how much your body will change when fueled well. I’m 32 and have set records for myself in areas of physical fitness, running and energy levels this year that I didn’t have the capacity for when I was 22. Learn more!

If you have ever wanted to try out personal training, or if you are a current client of LFA and you want to add another day to your fitness schedule–$15 fitness fun-days are for you!

Fitness Fun-days will be at different times selected by us. Sign up below for email notifications of when they are occurring–Once we have your email address we can give you a 5 day notice so you can get in before the day “books” out. Once you get notified, you can book anytime between 6:00am-7:00pm with any trainer you want! Bring your $15, check or any major credit or debit card and we will give you the best $15 you have ever had!

The only catch is that you need to be willing to work out in a group–it’s that easy. (although it’s highly likely you will be by yourself)

It seems to me in a world where everyone is so obsessed by looks, appearances, body image etc., there would not be such an obesity problem–because you can change what your body looks like. You can’t do much about your face; if you’ve got an ugly one, you’re out of luck. Your body, however, can be shaped to your liking. So as I’m wondering why there are so many obese people, I realize it must be because they just don’t know. It boggles my mind that people are unaware that eating fast food is so terribly unhealthy for you, or that you have to get off your butt and move around a little!

Granted, there is a lot of bad information out there and a lot of people get confused and go wrong. How do you know which information is correct, and which is gibberish? I say look at nature and how things naturally occur. For instance, with working out, say you want to have nice shapely legs like a sprinter or jumper in the Olympics (maybe not to that extent, but you know). It makes sense to me that if nearly all sprinters have nice, muscle-y legs, you should work out like a sprinter;even if you aren’t one. They do bursts of powerful motion. They jump. They work their fast-twitch fibers. Next, look at cross country runners or long distance track runners. I know there are exceptions, but generally those dudes (and gals) are super skinny, with less muscle than the aforementioned sprinters. So, if your goal is to use up a lot of energy and lose weight, you should run long distances. And I mean long. Those guys are crazy, going for hour(s) long runs all the time.

The trick is to find the balance, because most people want both. And there are a lot of different ways to go about it. Obviously running isn’t the only way to loose weight or build muscle. Although it is one. Again thinking about nature, animals that run are lean–cheetahs, lions, gazelles, etc. But when perusing other options think about it logically and compare it to what you know based on your own observations and experiences. Have an open mind about trying new things, but be wary of programs that seem too good to be true. Use your common sense, people forget about it too often.

By: Ashley Dance

Hey moms! Are you ready to spend some much needed time on yourself? Do you need to get back in shape after a summer of debauchery? Maybe you just need to get out some of that built up stress? Whichever of these may be you, we have your solution! Back to school boot camp!

This boot camp is for all fitness levels and will get your fitness moving in the right direction… FORWARD! Let Ashley or Russ sculpt your hard to reach problem areas as you enjoy the company of other moms working towards the same goal. The class will mix in isometrics, resistance, body weight and cardio training into a fusion of fitness fun. There will also be some great new perks that include:

-Food Journals
-T-Shirt
-2 Cooking Classes
-Stopwatch (For Doing HIIT On Your Off Days)

Everything you need to succeed for an affordable price.
8 week class 3x’s a week (Mon. Wed. Fri.) 8:30am 8/29-10/21
Pricing:
-Pay for all 8 weeks up front for $369
-Split into 2 payments at $189 a month
-Have it EFT’d at $150 a month

Either way we need you to have your full payment or your first payment by 8/22/11. Contact us to schedule or with any questions!

Tired of watching the back of some dudes head while you live on a treadmill, day in and day out at your local gym? Getting bored with your work-out routine that keeps you confined to the four walls of a YMCA? Do you fee like you have reached a glass-ceiling in your training and you’re not sure how to break out of it? Maybe you need something creative, something “out of the box” or better yet…something “out of the gym”! It’s time for some Urban Boot Camp my friends!

Urban Boot Camp is a whole new outlook on what it means to train and workout. Starting August 1st, we will be meeting you at local parks and green spaces to put you through a fun and creative workout that will consist of jungle gyms, log hopping, picnic table climbs, tree sprints and the great outdoors! It’s time for a break from that gym routine and time to experience the benefits of a challenging workout in the sunshine and fresh air! Through Urban Boot Camp, we hope to show you new ways to reach a health and fitness level that you have never been able to reach before. After experiencing Urban Boot Camp for the first time, in order to get the results that you want, you will realize that it’s not what your gym is made of, it’s all about what YOU are made of! It’s time to take it outside!

The times will be from Monday through Friday at 7:00am. You can get in for two times a week EFT for $100/month or unlimited classes for $120/month EFT which will allow you to take part in any class we offer! Starts August 1 and runs through November 1. Contact us to schedule!

In case you haven’t heard yet–you can follow our ongoing training with Mark as he is blogging at 12 Weeks 2 Life. Come follow along as we put him through the paces!

We’ve done it again! What have we done? We’ve built another out-of-the-box intensive training class. Why is it out-of-the-box? I’ll tell you why–it’s because this class will incorporate boxing technique, self defense, throw in a little bit of strength training as well as our comprehensive nutrition–it’s the next revolution in boxing fitness! Hence the name: Boxing Fusion. It’s intensive because it is the most physically demanding sport there is. In fact, by most fitness standards, boxing burns the most fat per work out than any other cardio training out there.

Russ and Terry will be guiding you through this stress-relieving, fat-burning class privately to groups of 2 or more at $25 a class, unless of course you’re already a client of LFA. In that case you could get this class for only $20!! The classes are limited in there size and time slots, but if you think you have at least one other person you can create one around your schedule. One thing is for sure, it will work and your new body is right around the corner. Are you ready?

For a limited time you can get 5 classes for our newcomers at $100. Or if you are an LFA’er 5 classes for $90! Ask us how and get ready to hit something!

Have you heard of Zumba Fitness?? Would you love to join the party?!

Zumba is a latin dance aerobic class that within the routine features interval training using the fast and slow rhythms, targeting every major muscle group in the body to the beats of Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton, Cumbia, Hip Hop, Belly Dancing, and MORE! You’ll be sweating and smiling so much you won’t even realize that you just had a 60 minute full body workout! Zumba fitness is like a heart pumping vacation with your dear friends where you’re dancing the stress away!

Go to a class and follow my steps, come join the Zumba Fitness Party!

Classes will be instructed by Courtney Smallbone and are currently scheduled for Monday and Friday at 6:30pm starting June 6, 2011 at the new Edgehill Village location.

There is a free class this Saturday (May 21, 2011) at 10:00 am at Coleman Park Community Center.

Contact us if you have any questions!

My purpose for this article is to explain the events that make this announcement such a miracle.

Announcement?
We have a new location and will be moving and expanding our business, our vision and our mission.

As exciting as this is to us, we know that in this move there will be some suffering. By suffering I mean, that this whole vision for a holistic personal training company is a vision from God. In that I understand that there will be some people that will think that this vision is cheesy, hokey, or just an advertising ploy to get more people in the gym from the buckle of the Bible belt. I assure you that if you know me or anything about this company that that is incorrect. We do believe that if you are a follower of Christ you will stand to benefit in a greater way as our passion for pursuing God in all that we do may somehow inspire you to do the same. If you are not a follower of Christ, it is our desire that you will stand to be inspired and affected by a fitness company that wants to, and will love like Christ. In that there will never be any judgment or negative communication of what it means to live for Christ.

If I can I would like to take you on the trip on how this vision and new building came to be.

We came to Nashville from Ohio just over 3 years ago, after doing the “two cars, new house, accumulating debt Christian lifestyle”. Following what we thought was the norm in Christian living. Needless to say we weren’t fulfilled in that place. Seeking longterm employment while pursuing physical pleasures wasn’t what God had in store for us. After seeking the Lord on a job change, He heard us and gave us a vision that would lead us to Nashville–but not after a lot of hardships and trials. Being refined by the Lord is a great, painful and exciting ride as you learn what you can be when you fully surrender to a loving, caring God.

After unemployment, food stamps, losing a house and a new education in finances we decided to pursue the vision of a holistic fitness company after failing in that once before. We knew the time was right after being essentially rebuilt and reenergized. I thank the Lord for His patience in making me what He wants me to be.

Now that we were here and the wheels were turning with the new business we made sure that we educated ourselves, practiced what we preach, and pursued wisdom through prayer everyday. God rewarded us with clients and friends that really got behind the vision. We really wanted to follow the Lord in all that we did even growing the business. After coming close to shutting the doors in the first year the doors blew open with our first successful advertising campaign, Groupon. Thanks to that campaign and a strategic relationship with the local community centers we forged ahead into the busiest year we have had so far. It wasn’t long after that that we pursued another instructor to help us out. We were blessed to find Kyla a boot-camper that had what it took to instruct. After the hustle of her new schedule and a new baby she soon had to leave but not before we were blessed with the hiring of Ashley Dance.

To say that she was an answer to prayer would be an understatement, God only knows how right the timing was on that decision. So thereafter we added Sandy, another longtime friend and boot camper with the know-how in instructing that works well with what we do. Having this group has been awesome and the vision was finally taking shape. After years of asking my best friend and nutrition education inspiration Tim Mallon to come on board, we prayed about hiring him to help with everyday operations. God was faithful and Tim is now a valuable part of this company as we teach people healing principles through nutrition. We are now only missing the facility in which to fully grow the vision into a fully functional holistic fitness oasis. As we continue to pursue employees we have been blessed to have Russ Hickman willing and able to teach classes as well. Instructing at the Crag at Cool Springs as well as the new building.

After being blessed to train with Nikki Hightower who was very helpful with the start up of this business, she allowed me to train in her gym for nearly 3 years, through some of the roughest times that anyone who has started up a business knows all to well. She was truly a blessing and used by God far more than any of us really could fully know.

All of this, as well as a very understanding, hard working wife who at one time was managing home schooling of our oldest, finances of the business, the newsletter, working part time at the church and being a great wife and mother. We have finally found the right place for the business to grow. We have been praying and searching for 2 years to find the right place that wouldn’t look down on us for being a cash based business with no credit to speak of, once again, the Lord was truly faithful.

We diligently prayed for a place were we could meet with people on nutrition and fitness while pursuing His vision for our company and that is finally becoming a reality. With our feeble prayers we were afraid to ask for some things that we felt would just be bonuses for our business–like a kitchen for cooking classes and nutrition awareness and a shower for the busy clients that need to be ready for work after their workout. God truly knew our needs and met them with a full kitchen and shower in our new building. We don’t deserve to be so blessed so much and we continue to pray about how to truly serve His purpose in this business.

This is something that has just been on my heart to share with you all and I hope it finds you well. We are richly blessed to know you all and we seek the Lord on every client we meet so that we may fully assist you in being a better steward of your bodies for the glory of the Lord. Know that we care deeply for your health and have a passion that’s unmatched in the fitness industry. Our love for what we do goes to our very core.

Thanks for being supportive and we look forward to seeing you at our new building in Edgehill Village – Suite 406. Starting in June!