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.

For ages, I’ve seen the Benefit Brow Bar at other cities around the country and wondered why Orlando hadn’t been lucky enough to have one of their own.

Good news. Now, we have two.  And, strangely, they’re almost next door to each other.

I spotted one in the brand-new Ulta near Mall at Millenia and one in Macy’s inside The Mall at Millenia.  I stopped into Ulta’s brow bar yesterday to check it out.  For $20, you can get Benefit’s signature brow wax among other services. What’s better than that? You can call ahead to make an appointment, or you can do what I did and simply walk in … pretty damn convenient if you ask me.

Oh, and if you happen to check out Ulta, you might notice that they’ve added a new Men’s beauty section, too.

J’s Everyday Fashion has come a long way since we first featured her in our People Pulse section this time last year. She’s amassed more than 12,000 fans (!!!) on her Facebook page, driven thousands of clicks to her blog, and most importantly, helped those same women look fabulous … all while not breaking the bank!

Now, J is teaming up with IzonOrlando.com to produce a real-life version of the fashion advice she gives online every day … and they need your help!  ”J’s Everyday Fashion” will be doing makeovers on 12 lucky women in the Orlando area who are searching for fashion advice.

Check out the Pilot Episode of J’s Everyday Fashion featuring Colleen!

To be considered:

- Videos should be :30 to 2 minutes long and uploaded to YouTube here.

- The style seeker doesn’t need a super-dramatic story. This show is for real, everyday women who may or may not be stylish, they just have fashion questions and would like free style advice.

- The style seeker must live within 30 miles of Downtown Orlando & be willing to let us shoot video in their home.

- The style seeker will receive free fashion advice, closet consultation and personal shopping. They do not receive clothes, but they also are not required to buy anything.

(Click here for complete details.)

Like Wine and looking for something to do this weekend?  How about venturing out to Winestock at Uptown Altamonte?

Winestock will feature numerous wine samples at an advance ticket price of $30, or $40 day of. Or, if you’re a baller, you might opt for the Houlihan’s VIP ticket for a mere $85, $90 day of.

Tickets can be purchased at both the Altamonte & Lake Mary locations of Cork & Olive (Cash Only), or online here.

Winestock starts at 4 p.m. Saturday!

Photo Credit: Marie Claire

“Clueless” actress and environmentalist Alicia Silverstone is scheduled to speak tomorrow, February 3, at the University of Central Florida.

Alicia Silverstone might be best-known for her acting chops, but she’s also a published author and runs the website, The Kind Life.

The presentation: “An Afternoon with Alicia Silverstone on the Environment” will be held in the Pegasus Ballroom on the main campus of UCF at 3 p.m. The event, hosted by UCF’s Office of Global Perspectives, is free and open to the public.

Seems like new deal sites are popping up daily and with 54 days left until Christmas (Yikes!), we thought we’d share a few we know about. Do you know of others? We’d love to hear from you!

Here are a few that are specific to O-Town.

Groupon Orlando – Not an Orlando-only site, but serves Orlando with local and national deals.

Living Social – Awesome deal site that offers incentives for sharing the deal with friends.

ODeals Daily – Orlando-specific deals at bargain prices.

The Orlando Sentinel Deals & Bargain Page – This page features a roundup of offers.

Scott Joseph Deals – Everyone’s favorite restaurant critic offers exceptional savings.

Half Off Depot – The name says it all!

It’s still a few weeks off, but this is an event worth knowing about…and participating in!

Date: November 13th (Saturday)
Time: 11:00am (’til 1:00pm)
Location: Orange Avenue and Livingston Street (downtown Orlando)

A few weeks ago, a friend asked if I’d join him for the Built to Spill show at The Social. Even though I’d never heard of the band, I’m always up for Live music, so I agreed to go.

Apparently, I was the only one who hadn’t heard of this band, because Thursday night’s show was SOLD OUT!

Built to Spill - October 14, 2010

The band, led by Doug Martsch, squeezed on stage for a 2-hour show full of crowd favorites … noting that the shallow stage made them feel like they were hanging like frames on a wall.

Built to Spill’s music is so cohesive it felt like a tightly knit sweater, and the best vocal comparison I could come up with is a (hopefully flattering) comparison to Death Cab for Cutie‘s Ben Gibbard.

The Social is still my favorite music venue in Orlando. The sound is great, the location even better. Next up? Neon Trees.

Yogurtland, Menchies, Mochi, Gurtzberry, Utopit … there are sooooo many Frozen Yogurt shops in Orlando, I find it perplexing that the one in my neighborhood is on its third name (ownership?) change in two years.

I was pretty psyched when CeFiore first popped up in 2008, then it closed and later reopened. Before long, it closed again and became Utopit … now, it’s seemingly changed … again.

Welcome to the neighborhood, delish, now won’t you stop by Pulse and let us know what the deal is?

Clever sign ... you got me on the whole 'frogen yozurt' thing.

I have a cat.

My cat’s name is Bean.

My nickname for him is Beaners…and sometimes Beans.

I’m only hoping he’s not living a double life (because I’m not paying for insurance).