From the time she was born, Dana R. of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, struggled with an illness that her parents and doctors were trying to figure out. At the age of 4, Dana was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia where she underwent genetic testing and was diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome. A few of the key characteristics of this disease are weak muscle tone, poor growth, and chronic overeating due to lack of an enzyme signaling that the body is full. In some cases, children can eat themselves to death.
Because of this, Dana has struggled with weight her entire life.
For a young girl, this can be particularly devastating. Now at 17 years old, Dana has managed to find a way to combat the disease by incorporating fitness into her life.
A New Approach
Dana and her mom, Darlene, had searched around their local area at several different gyms but still hadn’t selected one. Shortly after their initial search, an LA Fitness team member was passing out 1-week guest passes at a school event. Dana decided to take advantage of the opportunity and gave it a shot for a week. She immediately fell in love with the Zumba® classes and signed up for a membership.
Dana started attending group fitness classes regularly along with watching her diet and has succeeded in losing a remarkable 20 lbs. since she first started her journey towards a healthier life!
“Going to L.A. Fitness has made me feel so much better. I have gone from 140 pounds down to 120. I had surgery on my leg several years ago and it feels much better when I exercise and stretch it. I also have scoliosis and will most likely have to have surgery within the next year. The classes and machines make my back feel much better, and they also get me prepared for surgery by strengthening my core and muscles.”
Dana’s excess weight came from a body fighting itself, but Dana has found a way to fight back harder. With the motivation she receives from group fitness classes and encouragement from those around her she now “has more confidence, looks great, and smiles more often!” shared her mom, Darlene.
Advice from Dana
Dana’s advice to all is never give up. She may have more difficulties than most, but that hasn’t stopped her from accomplishing remarkable achievements. Dana is an honors student who secured straight A’s last semester. She plays clarinet in the concert band and sings in the chorus at her school. She has her driver’s permit and has now lost 20+ lbs.! She never gives up, has defied many odds, and continues to surprise others with her steadfast hard work and optimism. Dana plans to attend college within the upcoming years.
With all of these accomplishments under her belt and many more still to come, we can’t wait to see just how far Dana will go!
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By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
A special message from LA Fitness:
Transcription:
Do you or someone you know have a service animal? Then LA Fitness welcomes you. Our service animal practices are located at the front entrance of our gyms. So simply come on down to any LA Fitness location nationwide with your service animal and you’re all set. No further information or documentation is required. So come on down to the gym, we’ll see you here!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
I’d like to know if using Apple Cider Vinegar an hour before eating does indeed burn stored body fat. And also, does the body acclimate to this after a period of time, so would NOT taking it for a week or so make it effective again?
– Michelle
The answer is that perhaps apple cider vinegar (ACV) may help in human weight loss, but it is not proven as effective. Several small studies (mostly on animals) point to some success but they don’t make a body of evidence to say that weight loss from taking ACV is research-backed. The specific timing you mentioned is supported for insulin sensitivity, not weight loss.
Please read our previous article on ACV here: Apple Cider Vinegar – Hype or Helpful?
Almost ALL reports of apple cider vinegar and weight loss are anecdotal and inflated. Of note, one Japanese study of 155 obese individuals taking a tablespoon or ½ ounce ACV (diluted) twice a day resulted in a modest 4-pound average loss over 3 months. * It may be the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar that boosts fat metabolism in addition to suppressing appetite. All vinegars contain acetic acid and would have similar effects. Look at healthy Mediterranean-style food patterns with their higher intakes of balsamic and red wine vinegars.
As to the concept of acclimating to daily ingestion of ACV, I could not find anything in the scientific literature that indicates such specifically. Although it’s said one can refrain from caffeine for a month to reduce tolerance, I’m not sure the same would apply to vinegar.
* Vinegar Intake Reduces Body Weight, Body Fat Mass, and Serum Triglyceride Levels in Obese Japanese Subjects. Kondo T, Kishi M, Fushimi T, Ugajin S, Kaga T. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 2009 (73) 8; 1837-1843
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
Have you heard? LA Fitness has officially launched its first ever podcast!
The Living Healthy Podcast acts as an extension of the Living Healthy blog but in an audio format. It’s the perfect entertainment for your drivetime commute, or for those who would rather listen to health and fitness advice rather than read about it.
Listeners will get on-demand health, nutrition, and inspirational advice to better assist them in reaching their personal fitness goals.
The inaugural episode focuses on the Top 5 Myths of Nutrition and features LA Fitness registered dietitian Debbie James.
Episodes can be found on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Stitcher, and many others! Download the free LA Fitness mobile app to stream the podcast directly from our Living Healthy blog.
Jill Grueling, Executive Vice President of Operations at LA Fitness shared,
“We want to help cultivate a larger fitness network that would be able to help support and encourage each other to maintain healthier lifestyles. We believe the launch of the Living Healthy podcast will aid in providing another platform for our members and future members to stay motivated and inspired to live their best lives.”
How are we doing? What do you want to hear about? Do you have an inspirational story you’d like to share with us on air? Send us your thoughts, questions, and stories to blog@fitnessintl.com or reach out to us on one of our many social platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) and use the tag #LivingHealthyPodcast.
You or your question could end up on the air!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!
Hi. I am trying to lose weight. Could you please give me examples of 4 ounces of protein and 1 ounce of green vegetables? Grilled chicken and broccoli every day isn’t appealing long term. Also, what would some snacks with 15 grams of protein be? Thanks.
– Mike S.
Here are some examples per your request:
| Protein equivalent to 4 oz meat/poultry | Green Vegetable | Snacks | |
| 1 can of chili beans + 1 oz. cheese | peppers (+onion, tomato) | ½ C. hummus, crudités, pita chips | |
| 2 eggs + 4 whites | spinach (+mushroom) | ½ C. cottage cheese (+pineapple) | |
| 8 oz. plain Greek yogurt | cucumber salad (+onion, tomato) | 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, celery, raisins | |
| salmon or halibut | asparagus (+garlic) | 1.5 oz. jerky (+watermelon) | |
| ahi tuna | mixed salad greens (+avocado) | ½ C. tuna salad (+crackers) | |
| pork tenderloin | green beans (+red pepper) | 1.5 oz. [50 gm] zone-type bar | |
| beef eye of round | zucchini (+ cherry tomato) | 2 oz. [1/2 C.] almonds (+apple) | |
| chicken breast | kale slaw (+cabbage, carrot) | small bean & cheese burrito | |
| turkey breast | Brussel sprouts | hard cooked egg + 3 C. popcorn |
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Are you searching for “kickboxing near me”? Stop the search party because you’ve struck fitness gold with Kickbox Cardio classes at LA Fitness. These classes aren’t just a workout, but an experience. With classes designed to kick, punch, bob, and weave your way to...
The Holiday Season can get stressful, so we may stick to a routine for the sake of easy planning. Try any of these 10 simple ideas to bring new life to your Thanksgiving celebrations.
By now, you may have seen some donation boxes at your local LA Fitness. If you haven’t been entirely sure what those boxes are all about, you’re in the right place!