In This Issue

We're Late. We're Sorry. And We Don't Expect It to Happen Again.

This issue of TitanUp Times is about three weeks late. We apologize — a newsletter loses some of its value when it's delayed this much.

We're improving our editorial procedures and expect that future issues will come together much more quickly, and that you'll have the January-February 2010 issue in your mailbox in early January.


A New Look
Hello all and welcome to the third issue of the TitanUp Times. Those of you who saw the previous two issues will notice that our newsletter has undergone a major design makeover. Part of a larger effort involving our brochure, business cards, and website, this long-awaited makeover will give the Titans family a consistent, professional look in keeping with the style of business we aspire to run. The makeover is the work of gym member Rebecca Marich, president of B Creative Advertising & Design.

Take a look at our new logos!

Celebrating Eight Great Years
December 3, 2009 marks the eight-year anniversary of Titans Gym! I want to give special thanks to those of you who have been coming to Titans for those eight years — and of course I also thank the members who have joined since then to help Titans grow in every one of those years.

Equipment Update Fee
As of November 1 we will assess an annual $25.00 equipment update fee on all members joining after October 31, 2008. From this money we plan to purchase a new Magnum Multi Station complete with crosscable, two low cable rows, and two lat pulldowns, and we will also probably bring in two or three Precor AMP Crosstrainers.

I know we missed the vast majority of affected members while we were switching our billing company. We apologize for this and hope to be caught up by the December cycles. Those we've missed will see a $25.00 charge on their December 2009 billing.

Our New Billing Company
We've contracted with Twin Oaks Health Club Management to handle our billing. (This should relieve the long waits at the front desk for purchases and member signups.) Members may notice a change in their billing dates: Twin Oaks bills on the 1st and the 15th of the month, so those who have been billed on the 10th and the 20th will now be billed on the 15th. This change is scheduled to take effect with the November billing cycle.

Christmas Party 2009
As we approach the holiday season, we also approach one of the most anticipated events of the year: the Titans Gym Christmas Party! This year's party will be held Sunday, December 20, beginning at 4:00 pm, at Fuji Steakhouse in Great Lakes Mall. We've reserved the entire hibachi section of the restaurant, and, dinner choices, cooked hibachi-style, will be chicken, steak, or red snapper. As always we will charge $10.00 for the party, which will cover not only the dinner but the 2009 Titans Gym T-shirt. And of course the restaurant will offer great cash bars for sushi and drinks.

Titans Downtown
Work proceeds on Titans at the Atrium, our downtown facility at 668 Euclid Avenue (click here for information about the Residences at Six Six Eight). Plans have been submitted to the City of Cleveland for review and approval and, if all goes well, construction will begin towards the end of November. The facility will be ~23,000 sq. ft. and will house not only Titans Gym but also TG Tanning and the TitanUp Café.

If you live or work downtown, this is a great opportunity to be a member of two great facilities. We will begin a pre-sale for members in January.

We hope you all have great holidays and look forward to the next edition. As always, special thanks to gym member and newsletter editor Lenore Collins, for without her, none of this would be possible.
Jana Stark

In her mid-forties, Jana Stark enjoyed an energetic life. Kickboxing lessons, daily sessions in the pool, at least an hour walking the dog every night, power volleyball, softball, snow skiing, sailing, bike riding, snorkel, scuba diving, water skiing: Jana could have been the role model for healthy, energetic middle-aged women.

Then, suddenly, she began gaining weight — 80 pounds in less than two months — and her energy level dropped out of sight. Health problems were diagnosed and dealt with but the weight remained and she couldn't regain her high level of fitness.

Jana turned to a personal trainer for help, and the results have
changed her life. To read Jana's story, click here.


Tip of the Month: Exercising with a Health Challenge, Part III

If you’re facing a health challenge — cardiovascular issues, breathing problems, bone or joint conditions, neuromuscular conditions, hearing impairment, pregnancy, psychological disorders, or mental handicaps — you can still enjoy the benefits of exercise. In fact, physical activity can help increase your energy, strength, balance, and coordination, not to mention easing your pain. But you need to find the best form of exercise and learn proper guidelines.

Previous issues have discussed the need to work with your healthcare practitioner before staring an exercise program, and ways to communicate with your fitness professional about your health challenges. (You’ll find the previous issues in our newsletter archives.) In this issue, we'll consider communication between your fitness professional and your healthcare provider.

Sometimes Health and Fitness Professionals Need to Talk

Ideally, you will work as a team with your fitness professional and your healthcare provider. If your fitness professional feels a need for more information about your condition, such as guidance on a safe range of motion for your joints, or a proper approach if you have risk factors for heart disease, he or she should feel free to get in touch with your healthcare provider. Similarly, changes in your condition may make it advisable for your physician to alert your trainer to a need for changes in your fitness routine.

These discussions may take time, but communication will mean better results for you.
To read the entire first part of this article, including a detailed list of conditions that may require special exercise guidelines, click here.

This information is furnished courtesy of the American Council on Exercise and is reprinted with the Council's permission.

Coming up: Progression - The Importance of Having a Plan.




Niki Takes Runner-Up at US Cup Natural

On September 26, in her first pro contest and just eight weeks after winning her pro card, Niki DelGrosso took second place in Women's Figure Tall at the WNBF competition in Sacramento, California. Niki is next slated to compete in the 2009 WNBF Pro Natural Nature's Best World Championships in New York City on November 14.

In our next issue, we'll catch up with the October 2009 NPC Natural Northern USA in Lakewood, Ohio, and other competitions involving Titans members.

Ten Weeks to a Healthier Life

Fitness isn't just about exercise: to be truly healthy, you need to put the right foods into the body you're building.

Niki DelGrosso's ten-week NutriFit Clinic will show you the ins and outs of healthy eating — not fad diets, not starvation routines, but a life-changing approach to eating the foods that do the right things for your body.

The ten-week program includes:

  • individual meal plans and food log assessments
  • weekly weigh-ins
  • instruction manual covering class subjects, including recipes and workouts

This is your opportunity to learn from an expert in a small-class environment where you can share questions and experiences with your fellow students. You'll discover:

  • techniques for motivating yourself to make lifestyle changes
  • tips for reading labels and menus and making healthy choices
  • ways to address common health challenges

Classes meet Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 10:15 (plus time for individual weigh-ins, body fat measurements, and food log assessments) in the meeting room at the rear of the TitanUp Café.

The current series of classes began Saturday, November 7. While the classes are taught in sequence and weekly attendance is desirable, attendees can feel free to miss a class and make it up during the next sequence. The next series will begin in late January or early February, upon completion of the current classes. Cost for the full program is $355.00, payable in two installments of $177.50.

For more information or to reserve your spot (space is limited), call 440-974-5727 or
E-mail Niki at NikiDelGrosso@yahoo.com.
 


Holiday Cooking Classes: Great Techniques for Making Healthy Holiday Treats

Cooking with whey protein can turn holiday favorites into tasty, nutritionally sound dishes like these:

• healthy pumpkin pie
• tofu-green bean casserole
• healthy garlic mashed potatoes
• healthy cookies and baked goods


Niki DelGrosso will be teaching her Healthy Holiday Cooking and Baking classes on:

• Saturday, December 5
• Saturday, December 19

Classes are held in the TitanUp Café and begin at 11:00 am.

These classes are free of charge but space is limited. Please call 440-773-5727 to reserve a spot, or sign up at the front desk at Titans Gym.


Recipes from the TitanUp Café

If you're at home in the kitchen, you won't need to make the trip to the café for some of that healthy, delicious food. Starting this month, we'll be offering select recipes in each issue of TitanUp Times. In this issue:

Protein Brownies
These little beauties not only taste great — they're carb-free and loaded with protein.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Try this seasonal update of a favorite comfort food.

Pumpkin Chai Muffins
Serve these for a quick snack or as part of a healthy, satisfying breakfast.

Pumpkin Soup
Start your meal with a cup of this hearty and colorful soup, or serve it in a bowl with slices of whole-grain bread for a light meal.

Tofu Green Bean Casserole
We've updated this Thanksgiving classic with healthy tofu and slivered almonds.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Add a little garlic and vanilla soy milk, and mashed potatoes become a gourmet treat.

Pumpkin Pie
The perfect ending to a holiday dinner, without the guilt!

Two for Tuesdays:
Buy any wrap, omelet, or pizza and get a small shake free! (Tuesdays only, through December 31, 2009)

Sunday Special:
Buy any omelet and get the second omelet (equal or lesser value) free! (every Sunday through December 31, 2009)

Caramel Apples:
The kids will love these — if you don't eat them first! (limited time: when they're gone, they're gone)

Shake of the Month for November — Fall Honey Spiced Chai:
This creamy shake has been designed as a great Performance Shake, with no hydrogenated fats, packed with 20 grams of protein. Its medium blend of honey, vanilla Bio Whey Protein, black teas, and spices are sure to soothe you on a crisp fall day. (available through November 30, 2009)

Shake of the Month for December — Frosty Holiday Mint:
Packed with all the aminos you need to build a new you and nutrients to melt the fat, this shake combines vanilla whey protein isolate, mint extract, milk, and Performance Food Center's Burn Fat Burn. This holiday season, please your tastebuds and slim the waistline with this festive and minty shake. (available December 1–December 31, 2009)

Coupon Specials:
This is your chance to get acquainted with About Time Whey Protein, the 100% all natural whey protein isolate. Sweetened with stevia, it's carb-, gluten-, and fat-free and contains 25 grams of whey protein isolate in every scoop. Redeem the coupons (they're at the end of the newsletter) at the Café for a free protein sample and 75¢ off any 2-pound tub of any flavor. Get the coupons here.
Feeling a little blue now that summer's gone?

As days get short and skies turn grey, it's not unusual to lose some of that summer energy and sunny outlook.

It's not just all in your head: lack of sunlight, shorter days with longer periods of darkness, and staying indoors can suppress your body's production of serotonin, the hormone that helps regulate moods, lessen anxiety, and relieve depression.

In serious cases this deficiency can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder, a clinical condition that calls for a physician's assessment and care. But if you're just feeling a little down, not concentrating well, having trouble sleeping, a tanning session could help you feel like yourself again. Like sunlight, the UV light from a tanning bed helps stimulate your body's production of serotonin — so the healthy glow from your winter tan not only makes you look better, but can help you feel better too!

Promotion of the Month
(Good through December 31, 2009)
If you're a gym member and you purchase a yearly EFT tanning contract (sign up for a year's contract and have the charge paid monthly through your credit card or withdrawn from your checking account), you'll receive a free sample of Sex Magnet tanning lotion and a coupon worth 25% off a future tanning lotion purchase.

Save Green While You Work on Your Tan
.If you tan daily and purchase a 1-year EFT tanning package (check out our rates at the Titans Gym web site — click on TG Tanning and then on Level I, II, or III to view the monthly rates), each session will cost you just 39¢, 63¢, or 88¢, depending on the tanning level you choose. (Note: in the September-October issue, we stated the Level I daily cost as 30¢. The correct cost is 39¢. We apologize for the error.)

Give a Healthy Christmas
TitanUp Café Gift Cards Are Available Now!

Simplify your holiday shopping — and give your loved ones a healthy start on the New Year — with our new TitanUp Café gift cards. They're available in any amount and can be purchased at the café.

And Get Help with Your Winter Tan!

For every $25.00 gift card that you purchase, you get one free mega tan bed session: an $8.00 value!

It's about time you tried About Time Whey Protein — 100% all natural whey protein isolate. Sweetened with stevia, it's carb-, gluten-, and fat-free and contains 25 grams of whey protein isolate in every scoop. Print your coupon and stop in today!

Coupons
 
 

Titans Gym will be open to members 24/7, as always. Non-member hours for the holidays will be:

Thanksgiving Day:

  • day before Thanksgiving: normal Wednesday hours
  • Thanksgiving Day: door will be locked at 1:00 pm (There will be special Thanksgiving spinning classes with sign-up sheets at the front desk.)
  • day after Thanksgiving: normal Friday hours

Christmas:

  • Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve): door will be locked at 2:00 pm
  • Friday, December 25 (Christmas Day): member access (scan card) only
  • Saturday, December 26: normal Saturday hours

New Year's:

  • Thursday, December 31 (New Year's Eve): door will be locked at 4:00 pm
  • Friday, January 1 (New Year's Day): normal Friday hours

For a complete list of Titians Gym, TitanUp Cafe, and TG Tanning business hours and contact information, please click here.
Email Marketing by