gym

 -- This is a guest blog post by Christina Canterino -- I want to share a story with the world that has affected me in a way I never thought possible. Let me start by giving you a little background about myself…   I am a 29 year old woman, and I lost sixty pounds in two and a half years. I have kept the weight off and have gotten leaner, faster, and stronger as each day passes. I struggled with bulimia throughout my young adult years, going in and out of therapy and treatment. It was so bad, that i was forced to drop out of college midway through my second semester. It was one of the most difficult periods of my life. Now, I consider myself athletic, confident, and healthy. A few years ago, I was able to complete my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology. However, fitness and wellness have grown to become my passion. During the day, I am a working member of corporate America. At night I am a group fitness instructor. I am studying for the NASM...

Back in the day when you joined a gym, they'd throw in a few personal training sessions with your new membership. It was supposed to wet your appetite for personal training and help you ease into your new gym-life. Every trainer I got was just going through the motions, fully knowing I'd disappear on him or her once my free sessions were up. It was quite the self-fulfilling prophecy. I disappeared. But who wants to invest in personal training when your trainer doesn't give a damn? And can you blame them for not caring when they know new members are taking them for joyride? The world of fitness has changed a lot since those days, and so have gym-goers. People are investing more of their paycheck in health & wellness, and seem to be more committed to their workouts than ever. A few years ago The New York Times reported that some women were studio-hopping, taking more than 1 class a day to get their fix. Wow! Now that's a passion for fitness! It's the kind of enthusiasm...