Member Spotlight | I Felt Like a Broken Man

Member Spotlight | I Felt Like a Broken Man

by | Aug 6, 2018 | All, Fitness, Home, Member Stories

The sun rises and a new day begins. You get up, get dressed, and take on the day’s varying tasks. Some days are good, and some days are less so, but nonetheless, the day passes. You get ready for bed, close your eyes, and the cycle continues.

Until one day – a question hits you and breaks you from the routine of your everyday life. It’s as if the ticking of a grandfather clock suddenly stops. You’re left standing in the middle of a typical day, and yet it’s like your eyes have abruptly opened. You ask yourself, where has the time gone?

Meet Michael R., of Baton Rouge, LA, who joined LA Fitness in September 2016 after suddenly realizing that he felt like a broken man. He had let himself go, ignored the problem, and procrastinated until it all amassed to a breaking point. He knew it was up to him to take action. And so, the change began.

While the beginning of any journey has its uphill climbs, Michael was lucky enough to find support and motivation through the team of staff at his local LA Fitness. He began by sharing exactly what it was that he wanted to accomplish, and the very next day he met with another associate named Kale.

Kale listened intently, took notes during their meeting, pictures, and measurements that very same day. Michael recalls Kale saying “You will never look like this again”, which helped fuel a fire in him and generate an excitement knowing that his goals were obtainable and that he had a team that was confident in him.

In exchange for Kale’s confidence and support, Michael committed to listening and doing everything in his power to do his part, even outside of the gym. This included making changes to his current diet. Michael recalls that this is when the fun began.

He was teamed up with an LA Fitness Pro Results® personal trainer, who knew exactly what Michael was wanting to accomplish. She had him engaging in a variety of weight training exercises, isolating specific muscle groups on designated days, and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and cardio on non-weight training days.

After some time, Michael was then paired with another Pro Results® trainer who took training to the next step. Patrick V., Michael’s current trainer, made sure to have Michael focus on form, positioning, and the mental aspect of working out.

“The thing I like about Patrick is that he understands what I am wanting to accomplish and he is providing me exercises to get me there. Some mornings, I may not like his methodology, but I know he knows best and I trust him.”

Michael R.

LA Fitness Pro Results® Client

When Michael first began this journey in September 2016, he weighed in at 238 lbs. He knew he was overweight, and he felt out of shape. Cut to just a little over a year later in December 2017 –  Michael weighed in at 195 lbs. and is leaner than ever!

By working day by day, week by week, and month after month, Michael’s goal of becoming a healthier version of his old self has finally come true. There’s no turning back now. Michael has made his new healthier routine a lifestyle and he shared how overjoyed he is with the success he has achieved with LA Fitness.

“Much of [my] journey consisted of exercise and making smart food choices and the incorporation of fresh fruits, vegetables, and berries as part of my meal plan.”

Michael R.

LA Fitness Pro Results® Client

“If nothing changes, then nothing changes! Dare to get out of your comfort zone and take suggestions from trusted people who have done what you are trying to do so you can create your own success story! Now, that I have accomplished just a few goals, health and fitness wise, I feel confident sharing my experience with others.”

Michael Roberts

LA Fitness Pro Results® Client

Social Handles:

Before: September 2016

After: August 2017

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Could Your Gym Membership Equal a Tax Break?

Could Your Gym Membership Equal a Tax Break?

by | Aug 3, 2018 | All, Fitness, Home, News

On July 25, 2018, the 2018 PHIT Act was passed by the U.S.  House of Representatives. Now PHIT heads to the Senate.

If written into law, this bill would allow for some fitness expenses to be deemed a write-off, meaning your gym membership could be one step closer to qualifying as a tax break.

Aside from a gym membership additional activities and expenses that would be covered if the bill becomes law include safety equipment used in an exercise program performed in either a formal setting or self-directed.

Additional eligible fitness expenses would include:

  • Exercise Classes
  • Personal Trainers
  • Dumbbells & Free Weights
  • Medicine Balls
  • Race & Fitness Event Registration Fees
  • Resistance Bands
  • Treadmills, Elliptical & other equipment
  • Martial Arts Classes
  • Yoga accessories
  • Training Aids
  • Fitness Trackers

According to an article released by CNBC,

The tax break would be limited to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for heads of households and couples who file joint tax returns.

To receive your tax break, you would need to count your medical expenses against your income and itemize your deductions. The eligible health care costs would need to exceed a certain amount of your AGI (adjusted gross income) in order to be a deductible. “For 2018, that threshold is 7.5 percent. In 2019, it goes to 10 percent,” as stated by CNBC.

Gym memberships, weight loss programs, and fitness classes are currently only deductible for taxpayers who have a qualifying medical condition that meets certain criteria.  If this new bill becomes law, it could help the many others who are looking to make an investment in their health.

For those unfamiliar, in 2017 a nearly identical bill was proposed known as PHIT America which promoted individuals to get active and encouraged healthy physical activity.

You can find the full PDF version of the bill here.

Sources:

  1. O’Brien, Sarah. “That Gym Membership Is a Step Closer to Being a Tax Break.” CNBC, CNBC, 12 July 2018, www.cnbc.com/2018/07/12/your-gym-membership-is-a-step-closer-to-being-a-tax-break.html.
  2. Erb, Kelly Phillips. “Congress Considers Bill To Make Gym Memberships, Fitness Classes Tax Deductible.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 19 July 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2018/07/14/congress-considers-bill-to-make-gym-memberships-fitness-classes-tax-deductible/.
  3. Smith, Jason. “Text – H.R.6312 – 115th Congress (2017-2018): PHIT Act.” Congress.gov, 19 July 2018, www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6312/text.

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Member Spotlight | The Accomplishment of Getting a Little Healthier Every Day

Member Spotlight | The Accomplishment of Getting a Little Healthier Every Day

by | Jul 23, 2018 | All, Home, Member Stories

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 R.

LA Fitness Member

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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LA Fitness Welcomes Service Animals

LA Fitness Welcomes Service Animals

by | Jul 19, 2018 | All, Community, Home, News

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!

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On Air: Welcome to The Living Healthy Podcast

On Air: Welcome to The Living Healthy Podcast

by | Jul 18, 2018 | All, Community, Fitness, Home, Member Stories, News, Nutrition

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.”

What Are You Interested In?

Nutrition

Fitness

Motivational

We Want to Hear from You!

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!

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