Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

This month marks one year of having the pleasure working with Marisol Bruno. When I started working with her I was already blown away by her weight loss progress she achieved on her own and I had no doubt that she was going to continue to impress me. For the past year, Marisol and I trained three days a week and she never missed an appointment. Every morning she walked in the Wellness Center ready to work. She was so motivated and really understood the programs I created for her. She has made this a part of her lifestyle and there is no turning back for her. Each day she gets healthier and stronger physically, but most importantly mentally. She has gained a new sense of confidence and has become an idol for her coworkers. Not only has she chosen a healthier lifestyle, but she has motivated many others to join her in this way of living

Everyone has the ability to improve their health. Marisol is living proof that anything is possible with determination and dedication. I can’t wait to see what other milestones she achieves in the future. I hope her success story inspires you all as much as it inspires us here at our Wellness Center:

It was April of 2013 and I knew I had put on some weight over the winter but was in denial because I was enjoying the eating more than I wanted to drop the extra pounds. I used the same old excuses: I don’t have the time, the kids, the husband, the house, they need me. I couldn’t possibly take time out of my busy day for me! My husband finally said to me, “we do need you, but we need a healthy you, so go make time for you.” I was left with no excuses; I guess it was time to get to work!

So, I took a leap of faith and emailed Lindsey Corak, the NIFS staff member at my location. When Lindsey and I met I was nervous and a little scared at the level of excitement & energy she brought. We talked about goals, focusing on my overall health and wellness. Some goals I never fathomed accomplishing. I thought to myself “Oh my, what have I gotten myself into!” Our first fitness evaluation I could hardly walk the treadmill, do a sit-up and failed on a single push up. I felt bad the poor girl had her work cut out for her!

We set up sessions 3 days a week working on cardio & strength training. I thought I was going to pass out after each session; I had never pushed past my comfort zone before. Within weeks, I saw improvements. I began to run on the treadmill, and a few months later I was running my first 5k with Lindsey running right alongside of me. It was the beginning of my new way of life. Since I was working so hard in the gym I decided to make changes in food choices for both my family and I.  Pretty soon my entire household was feeling and looking better than we’ve ever have. It’s been one year since I started training with Lindsey and I’ve not only met each goal I setup on that initial evaluation, but I’ve exceeded my own expectations. Today, I am proud to say I’ve lost 10% body fat and met my goal weight. I no longer feel the need to step on that scale every day.

I now take 3 morning group exercise classes offered at the gym and have incorporated functional training with Lindsey two times a week. I work out between 4-5 days a week and am the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life. I am thankful everyday to work in a company that not only gives me a great fitness facility but has a great staff that cares about us and guides us to lead a healthy life every day.

*Weight loss claims or individual results vary and are not guaranteed.

Help your employees be successful like Marisol. 

Check out our webinar series below for our quide to successful corporate fitness centers. 

The scale is the most common method to measure your weight loss goals, but is it the most accurate way to measure your success? It is a relevant method of assessment when tracking your weight loss, but the number on the scale doesn’t always reflect your achievements. Have you ever stepped off the scale feeling hopeless and discouraged because the number didn’t display how hard you have been working? This can be very frustrating. The good news is there are other, more effective ways to measure your wellness accomplishments that may leave you feeling more encouraged than the scale does.

You may ask yourself, “Well if I am working hard and feel like I’ve lost weight, why is it not showing on the scale?” Well, the human body is made up of 60% water. So depending on the day your body can be retaining more water than others causing your weight to fluctuate up to 10 pounds. Instead of letting the trickery of the scale prevent you from your future goals, let’s take a look at more accurate methods of measurement. As an employee, these alternative measurements are offered to you at your Corporate Wellness Center by your fitness management staff.

If the scale is staying stagnant, but you feel good, how could that be possible? It is probable that you are losing fat, but gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. The way to determine your body fat composition is by calculating your body fat percentage using a body fat caliper or bioelectrical impedance analyzer. One of the many benefits of corporate fitness is having access to these tools at your Wellness Center. 

Another method of measurement is body circumference. A pound of lean muscle takes up less mass than a pound of fat. So if you are gaining muscle, chances are you are losing inches on your body. If your jeans are fitting bigger around the waist and hips, does it really matter what the scale says? Ask your Wellness staff to measure your body circumferences so you can track your inches lost!

Personally, I think the best way to measure your wellness gains (pun intended) is through setting wellness goals. A wellness goal can be anything from quitting smoking to walking your dog without losing your breath. Tracking your wellness goals will allow you to see improvements, keeping you motivated to achieve your long term goals. When you focus on overall wellness goals rather than the number on the scale you will better yourself and your quality of life. Think about what is important to you.  Would you rather be able to walk up and down the stairs without feeling winded, or lose 2 pounds on the scale? It is more important to look at your overall wellness, rather than a fluctuating number on the scale. You will find yourself to be more satisfied, more empowered to keep working toward your wellness goals and a better quality of life. 

So ditch the scale and ask your Wellness Center staff how you can better measure your hard work and success!!