In This Issue
Hello all!
One of my favorite classes while attending The Ohio State University (shameless OSU plug!) was Greek Mythology. So when I took over Results Fitness, I renamed it Titans Gym.
The days of the Titans — talk about a crazy family dynamic! Sons killing fathers, fathers eating children, mothers plotting against husbands to save their children. A whole world of classic stories came out of this time — Prometheus creating man, Atlas carrying the world on his shoulders. What good times those were, filled with constant wars and battles and changes that spanned thousands of years of history and storytelling lore. For sure, the one thing that remained the same is that things were always changing!
We current-day Titans are always trying to change too. We are trying to lose that last ten pounds, lower our blood pressure, add another inch to our biceps, even tearing walls down to expand our aerobics room. We change to improve ourselves, and while we know change is something that not everyone understands or likes, our goal is to make all changes for the greater good.
One of the major changes for 2011 is the way we process all payments and collections. In an effort to make life more consistent between Mentor and Cleveland, we're switching to the full service option from our billing service, Twin Oaks. If you are current on all dues and receivables, life will go on as normal, but if your account happens to be declined, Twin Oaks will be making the calls and sending the letters our front desk personnel have handled until now. We're very excited as this will free up MANY HOURS of paperwork and staffing time that we now will be able to dedicate to better serving our customers.
The next change, as many of our Mentor Titans are seeing and feeling, is that we're almost finished remodeling our aerobics room, adding another 900 square feet, and about 6 inches of insulation to combat the winter BRRRs. We'll now be able to cram more classmates into those crazy packed classes that Erin and Jayne keep tossing in there.
Next up for change is the ladies' locker room. We are going to hit the shower area hard and fast, eliminating the middle shower and adding larger stalls with fresh tile and changing areas, then installing new flooring throughout. Much to my chagrin, these changes have more than blown through our upgrade funds, which I generally like to use on equipment. (But let's be honest here: there isn't a ton of extra room in Mentor at the moment.)
Cleveland Titans should be soon see four new Hammer Strength pieces: a heavier leg press, a unilateral row, a sweet ab/oblique crunch, and a incline press. We are also going to be welcoming some new staff in both locations.
Finally, we'll be altering our website so it will easier for us to update (yippy for us — we'll be able to add class schedules). We also will be reopening the Mentor café in the coming weeks as we complete some changes in operating procedures. You'll find our product will be more consistent and training will run more smoothly. We look forward to welcoming you back!
As always, we appreciate all your suggestions and hope to see some change out of you in this new year of 2011!!!
Thanks!
Geoff DelGrosso, CSCS
President, Titans Gym
Ready to try a new look for the new year? Or maybe you just want to keep looking your best.
In either case, get to know Dannielle LaFaye, stylist at Pierre's Hair Salon, 7663 Mentor Ave (two doors down from Titans Gym in Mentor). Dannielle's a specialist in color, women's and men's cuts, and clamp fusion extensions.
If you're a Titans member, you'll save 10% off any of Danielle's services now through February 28, 2011. Call and schedule your consult with her today at 440.269.1773.
Kristina Biondolillo
What do you do when you decide to begin competitive bodybuilding — knowing you'll be facing a field where most of the competitors are younger than you are, some of them by fifteen or twenty years?
If you're Kristina Lange-Biondolillo, you ramp up your training. You pay close attention to nutrition (controlling a tremendous sweet tooth) while limiting your food intake — you want to get your weight down to 126 pounds. You work hard on conditioning, because you know your results will be judged by professionals.
Kristina was well prepared for her initial competition, October 2009's NPC Natural Northern Bodybuilding, Figure, and Bikini: in a field of eleven in the Bikini Tall class, most of them half her age, she placed sixth. Click here to see the results. Besides her results, she was most proud of her figure. As you can see, she looked great! To learn about Kristina's training regimen and the background she brought to her preparation, read the rest of her story on the Titan Up Times web site.
Now awaiting the birth of her first child this coming St. Patrick's Day, Kristina scaled back her training when she became pregnant, and had hoped to limit her weight gain to no more than twenty-five pounds. At twenty weeks, however, early contractions necessitated complete bed rest, so her workouts have stopped for the time being.
The lack of exercise has slowed her metabolism, so she knows her weight goals are out of the question. But with her obstetrician's approval, she anticipates resuming light workouts at thirty-six weeks, and looks forward to being back at Titans and her favorite elliptical machine. And Kristina still plans a return to competition with the October 2011 NPC Natural Northern.
When she's not competing or preparing for competition, Kristina is Executive Director (and founder) of Marilyn's Voice, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on rescuing, rehabilitating, and placing severely neglected and abused dogs from commercial kennels, puppy mills, and other unfortunate situations. Her advocacy group speaks in schools and with civic groups about the puppy mill and commercial dog breeding business and is active in current legislation surrounding the issues associated with puppy mills. Click here for more information about Marilyn's Voice.
April NPC Natural Northern
For Titans Gym competitors, spring means Dave Liberman's April NPC Natural Northern USA Drug-Tested Bodybuilding, Figure, and Bikini Championships. This year's event will be held Saturday, April 2, at Lakewood Civic Auditorium (in Lakewood High School), 14100 Franklin Boulevard in Lakewood, 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Click here for map and directions.
You'll find more information about Dave's NPC Natural Northern USA Drug-Tested Bodybuilding, Figure, and Bikini Championships, including the April 2 and October 1, 2011 events, on his web site: http://daveliberman.com.
From the Titan Up Café: Turkey Patties Parmesan
Pockets of seasoned turkey burger, cheddar cheese in the middle, covered with your favorite spaghetti sauce and topped with mozzarella — just the entrée for a healthy wintertime meal!
Combine:
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey breast
- 1/4 c. plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Shape mixture into 5 thin patties, each about 5 inches in diameter. Slightly off-center on each patty, place:
- 1 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese
Gently fold each patty in half over cheese and press edges to seal.
Spray large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
Place patties in skillet and cook over medium heat 4–6 minutes per side or until turkey is no longer pink in the middle.
Spoon over patties:
Cover pan and heat 5 minutes or until sauce is hot.
Top each patty with:
- 1 Tbsp. shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
Let stand until cheese begins to melt.
Serve with additional spaghetti sauce, if desired.
Yield: 5 servings
Nutrition Information (per serving): Calories: 266 / Fat: 6 g / Carbs: 16 g / Protein: 35 g
The holidays are over, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy your food, especially when the Café offers these special guilt-free taste treats. Except where noted, special prices are good through February 28, 2011.
Special Promotion for January and February: 50¢ off our heart-healthy, heart-warming Turkey Chili. Lean ground turkey in a tomato-based sauce with chili seasoning, chopped carrots and celery, and a touch of jalapeño for extra warmth!
Breakfast of the Month: Pineapple Not-So-Upside-Down Oatmeal
Oatmeal, crushed pineapple, and vanilla protein — a satisfying and healthy way to beat the winter chills! Enjoy it for breakfast or any time — like everything on our menu, we serve it all day.
Special price $5.00 (normally $5.95).
Entrée of the Month: Tuna Taco Melt
Slightly crunchy, all good for you — tuna and cottage cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla, topped with all the goodness of chopped fresh salad greens! Special price $6.95.
Snack of the Month: Low Fat Almond Rice Cookies
These delectable flourless vanilla-flavored morsels are full of surprises: almond slices, cashews, and dried cranberries make every bite a treat! Special price $2.00.
Shake of the Month (January): Post-Holiday Healthy Nog
While you might think of nog drinks as holiday fare, they've historically been an all-occasion winter drink. So you won't be offending the Ghost of Christmas Past when you enjoy this great recovery shake. Packed with Deep Vanilla Cream, Bio Whey Vanilla Protein, and Chai Tea, it puts 29 grams of protein into your healthy body.
(Available now through January 31, 2011)
Shake of the Month (February): Chocolate Covered Strawberry
Chocolate and strawberry — sounds like love to us! With its combination of antioxidant-rich strawberries and strawberry puree, Bio Whey Chocolate Protein, and Healthy Heart, this delicious shake lets your heart know how much you love it. Enjoy it immediately following your workout or as a meal replacement.
(Available February 1–February 28, 2011)
Indoor Tanning — It's Good For Your Health, Too
That glow you get from a session on the tanning bed is good for more than just your morale: the vitamin D your body makes when exposed to those rays is one of Mother Nature's wonder drugs.
Just like sunshine, the controlled ultraviolet radiation exposure from a tanning session has been linked to higher levels of vitamin D and lower risks of colon, breast, and ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, influenza, and possibly even prostate cancer and heart disease.
While vitamin D supplements are available, they are, after all, only supplements: something added to make up a deficiency. And while vitamin D is necessary for maintenance of healthy bone structure, too much of it in pill form can cause an unhealthy buildup of calcium in the body.
A tanning session, on the other hand, provides vitamin D the same way you get it from natural sunshine: the skin makes it when exposed to ultraviolet light. Those lights in the tanning booth help fill the gap left by winter's shorter days, cloudier skies, and lack of outdoor exposure.
So let's add up what you gain from a session with TG Tanning:
- Your skin has a healthier look.
- Your mind can rest and relax for twenty minutes of peace and quiet.
- Your body enjoys a health-giving dose of nature's own Sunshine Vitamin.
Promotion of the Month (good through February 28, 2011): 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), and you'll receive a free sample of tanning lotion and a coupon worth 25% off a future tanning lotion purchase.
What Do I Do If My Child Is Obese?
Health professionals are doing a better job diagnosing childhood obesity, so more families find themselves trying to figure out what to do next. Strategies that may work for adults — or not — don’t do the job for kids. What should you do when you realize that your child is obese?
First, take a look at your child's current nutrition and physical activity. For kids, the goal is not necessarily weight loss, but rather decreased body mass index and, ideally, a lifelong interest in physical activity.
Nutrition
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following nutrition recommendations:
- As frequently as possible, eat meals together at home as a family.
- Limit consumption of 100% fruit juice to four ounces per day, and minimize
consumption of sweetened beverages and energy-dense foods.
- Control portions.
- Promote healthy, balanced breakfasts.
- Encourage daily consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Limit “screen time” (television, video games, non-educational online activities) to a total of less than
two hours per day.
Physical Activity
The most important predictor of whether a child sticks with a physical activity program is whether that program is fun.
Keep in mind:
- All physical activity counts — physical education classes, walking to school, riding a bike, recreational activities, sports, chores, or playing on the playground.
- Exercise does not have to be done all at once.
- Consider weight (resistance) training for general fitness and physical and psychological health — but consult a fitness professional to help you get started safely.
- Pay close attention to the activities your child enjoys, and help establish a regular routine for those types of activities.
Keeping the Weight Off
It's as true for children as for adults: once the weight's lost, maintenance is the challenge.
Help the kids stay on track:
- Make changes at the family level. Be active together as a family, and plan to give your kids your support, both verbally (e.g., encouragement) and instrumentally (e.g., transportation to physical activities).
- Empower older children and teens to become independent healthy eaters and exercisers. Teach them to make good choices.
- Lighten up! Making healthy choices is a way of life, but it doesn’t have to be a CHORE!
For more detail about these recommendations, read the longer version of this article on the Titan Up Times web site.
Free Whey Protein Sample
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!
For a complete list of Titans Gym, Titan Up Café, and TG Tanning business hours and contact information, please click here.
Newsletter design/production by Emily Oldiges of CulurCreative Design Studio
Newsletter copy by Lenore Collins, the Compulsive Editor
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