This isn’t a fitness blog … but you already knew that, right? But, since both Ash & I value a healthy lifestyle, why not continue to share things we learn along the way. Like 10 Ways to Get Fit in Orlando or our favorite new boot camp?

In July, I realized my own efforts toward getting fit weren’t enough.  I needed an expert.  Luckily, a friend of Pulse had long ago recommended his trainer at A Balanced Body in Winter Park.  Enter Rob Murray, whose name has more initials after it than most doctors I know!  Seriously … did you know someone could be certified as an athletic trainer, massage therapist and a health and fitness director?

Sure, picking a personal trainer is, well, personal, but what if you knew you could get:

• A workout tailored to your fitness goals
• Efficient workouts that yield visible results
• Nutrition counseling (this one is more important than I ever gave it credit for)
• One-on-one instruction from experienced trainers who actually want to see you succeed
  

  The Gym at A Balanced Body

I’ll be the first one to admit, I was extremely skeptical.  What could a trainer do that I couldn’t do on my own in a gym? After several months of ongoing sessions, it’s impossible to list the endless number of things you can learn from adding a trainer to your fitness routine.

A couple of the most important takeaways for me so far:

• No amount of exercise can make up for a crappy diet, and by diet I mean crappy eating.  Your body “starts over” every four hours, so no skipping breakfast so you can have a cheeseburger later … it doesn’t work that way ( … I thought it did!)
• You’ll never push yourself as hard as a trainer would — this one is a biggie.  Beyond just helping you with proper form, a trainer is there to convince you to do two more reps when you were ready to give up the moment it becomes uncomfortable.
• Having someone put you ‘in check’ when the scale doesn’t move as quickly as you’d hoped is invaluable.

So, if you’re looking for a new way to jumpstart an old fitness routine, check out A Balanced Body.  The no-frills gym is the perfect place to get fit … they also offer Thai massage and Pilates in their neighboring studio.  What more could you ask for?

Details:
A Balanced Body
1971 Howell Branch Road
Winter Park
407/644-5001

Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post. This is my experience.

Never one to shy away from making a fool of myself, I’ve been wanting to check-out Dance Trance Orlando for quite some time. Not only because I love to throw down, but also because it’s minutes away from where I live. Oh, plus I haven’t worked out in months and have been feeling like a major lard butt. So I recently committed to paying Dance Trance a visit, and even dragged along a handful of friends I work with. While they were all a little hesitant about what I was getting them into, as you can see by checking-out that photo over on the right, everyone ended-up thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Let me just tell you we had a blast…and got a pretty good workout (drenched in sweat)! If you’re not familiar with Dance Trance, it’s a dance/exercise fitness concept originally created by fitness instructors Jay and Beth Handline. Here’s a little insight about our local location in the College Park neighborhood:

And yes…I was the only guy in the class….

Looks fun, right? If you think you may want to give this a test run, I would encourage you to pick-up a physical copy of the Orlando Weekly, where you may find a coupon good for a free class.

Location deets:

Dance Trance Orlando Studio
1828 Edgewater Drive
Orlando, FL 32804
407.416.3822

For class days and times, visit Dance Trance Orlando’s website. You can also “Like” them on Facebook.

One valuable tip before going: If you’re brand new to the scene, head over on a Monday night. That’s when you actually learn the choreography/steps that you’ll perform on Wednesday evenings! (But if you go on a Wednesday for the first time, don’t worry – you’ll still be welcomed with open arms!)

Given mine and Kim’s recent new experiences with Yoga (see here and here), it was a given for us to promote this upcoming event at Lake Eola. Orlando Power Yoga is partnering-up with Orlando, for a national event hosted by lululemon athletica stores. The goal: to get 25k yoga enthusiasts across the country to practice yoga at the same time!

Unfortunately I’ll be out-of-town so I won’t be able to attend the event (big bummer), but if any of our readers end-up going we’d love to hear about it. You can get more information about the event on Orlando Power Yoga’s website, and there’s no need to sign-up or register – simply show-up on Saturday morning!

Deets:

Place: Lake Eola, Downtown Orlando
Time: 9:00am-10:00am