TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY!!!

Are ALL Your Friends in Shape?....

I used to get this question a lot. People would see me hanging out with people from the team or people from the places I worked out at or maybe see my sister or mother, who are both in great shape and ask if everyone around me was in shape. 

The answer to that...is NO. Your friends can be the WORST people to convert. They may approach you for advice but then question whether you know what you are saying. It's a struggle. lol

A good friend of mine approached me last fall about a program

Vic and I are really good friends. I have known him for over 10 years and when we first met, we used to get together and play racquetball, football, workout, etc. When I moved to NY we still kept in touch but I think his activity changed up some : o

He would tell me about different programs he was doing and would ask me about things before and I would tell make suggestions but it would never stick. He did the usual, P90x, Insanity, blah blah blah....until finally last November, he said he would stick to whatever I gave him.  FAST FORWARD to now...

Weight Loss 215lbs - 182.5lbs

Fat Loss 34% - 17.2%

I am so proud of him! When we started his program in Nov, I had to introduce him to the Vitamin Shoppe, Quest Bars (which he doesn't like btw -_- ) and a shaker bottle. Now this guy is giving other people advice and taking selfies in the gym. lol. 

Now you KNOW where I'm taking this guy next...hmmmmm?

Congrats Vic!!

What I love about these stories is much more than the body changes. Those can come and go, and some of you have been there. There are two main things I'm passionate about, which are my faith and people's well being. WELL BEING..not just being skinny or fitting into a dress. When you are able to take care of yourself, you take care of others. 

LIFE is short. LIVE your life!

To find out more about our programs or just drop us a note..email us! support@phoenyxfitness.com

Transformation Tuesday - Amanda

I Want to Compete.....

I hear this alot, being a coach of a fitness team, and exposed to many people in the gym, and in the fitness industry. Actually, what I get a lot is ' I would like to LOOK like I compete'. Sure, wouldn't we all, but a competitors body is not a suit you put on before you walk out each day. BUT, I digres...another blog for anothe day.

I met Amanda about a year ago. We had a meet and greet at Club Metro, in Jersey City. I train at this gym, had seen her there and spoken with her and seen her work out. I thought she was a prime candidate for the team. This is when she mentioned that she had thought about competing before.  My next question is always, what's stopping you?  Fortunately, this time, for Amanda, it was nothing.

We began training around September of 2014, not focused on a particular show, but thinking the spring if we decided to step on the stage. We decided and her 'want' becomes a reality in a little less than 3 weeks. 

Amanda has lost almost 15 pounds and come down almost 10% in body fat. 

I am a firm believer going after any dream, big or small, impossible ,etc. There are no guarantees in life, so why would you why would you assume something won't happen, and never try?

Amanda will compete in her first bikini show April 4th in Teaneck.  We are so proud of her and cannot wait to see what comes next!!!   Two and a half weeks out to showtime....!

Transformation Tuesday

I remember when Anny first came to me to train. She had expressed how much weight she wanted to lose, and her current condition. How active she used to be and her ideal body. We did an initial assessment and a small workout.  During the workout, I thought she was going to pass out. lol. She had to stop and lie down. LIE DOWN. Then, she asked about bootcamp, to which I replied, (thinking about Susy's class) 'I don't think that's a good idea.' We signed her up for class, and I called my trainers to make sure they would keep an eye on her, but this was the start of a very healthy beginning.

She started the Advocare 24 Day Challenge, which begins with a cleanse and is structured for 24 days. She was very serious, and did very well losing over 15 pounds in the first month. To date, she has lost over 20 pounds and over 10% body fat, but she is not done yet!

" My journey has been rewarding both mentally and physically. By doing the 24 day challenge, learning how to eat healthy and following the proper workout regiments, I have been able to lose weight and live a healthier life. I learned it is not about how many pounds I lose but about a different lifestyle. My health has improved dramatically and since then I am just a much happier person. "

Anny has become a key player within Phoenyx Fitness helping others out within the classes and others on the challenges. 

"My ultimate goal is to continue to learn, share my knowledge and guide others to do the same and of course obtaining my 100%"

What is that 100%? We will keep you posted on Anny's progress! Congratulations Anny!!!

Transformation Tuesday!!!!

All in the Family...

I don't believe in accidents.  I happened to see this quote before preparing this writeup, which fit the content to a tee!

First off, this duo is not a brother-sister combo. The woman in this picture is his mother!!! They DO say that exercise keeps you looking young, but we won't take ALL the credit for this one . ;)

Although this transformation story is about Malik, the story cannot be told unless we state how he got here.

Iesha has been with Phoenyx for over 3 years, attending boot camps and Zumba classes. She would go to other company's classes  from time to time but would always migrate back, so we've always considered her a 'regular'.  Not too long after, she started to bring her son to class as well and we soon grew accustomed to seeing them both in class. We have many referrals and lots of couples, so people start with us and then bring relatives, spouses, significant others, coworkers and friends. Iesha and Malik are currently our only parent child combination attending class, so they are a special pair. 

Like his mother, Malik is also very active in classes and different programs we offer. He participated in an 8 week challenge for the male warriors of our crew. We had a phone conference with each of the participants and I remember asking Malik what he thought of the food his mother ate and her now lifestyle. He said that was what kick started his journey to eating and being healthier. 

"People don't realize that how they act and what they do around their kids really does affect them, and luckily, that affected me in a good way. "

You never know who is watching. Especially those close to you. 

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY!!

We don't give a SQUAT

CLICK here for a quick demo!

Wednesdays are dedicated to workouts and exercises. We started the bootcamp season and thought it would be appropriate to go to the basics. The squat is one of  the foundational moves for most leg exercises.  The video above gives you a front and side view. I listed a few cues below for your reference. We will have different exercises every week so if you have anything you have questions on or want to see, please leave us a comment below.

HAPPY HUMP DAY!!

- Feet are about shoulder width apart
- Keep your weight in your heels
- Keep your toes behind your knees
- Keep you head up, and shoulders back
- Push through your heels on the way up
- Squeeze your hips at the top of the move and tighten your legs