The New Year is approaching and along with it comes the hope of new beginnings, new promises, and new possibilities. Included in this sometimes very personal and lengthy list are the new and exciting things that are coming to Midtown.
One of the first things you might have noticed is the big green flag hanging outside the Group Exercise studio that says “Group Core.” Group Core is the newest addition to our Body Training Systems class line-up. It’s a 30-minute class that focuses exclusively on your mid-section (abdominals and back).
Since they work as a unit, it’s important to work them together and that’s exactly what this class helps you do. The class launches the week of January 9, 2012.
Another new program coming soon is ViPR. ViPR enables full-body movement so you are entirely unified as you move. Whole-body integrated exercises are tailored to your body and fitness level. Members of our Atlanta club have been enjoying this workout for months. Here’s a sneak peek.
The personal trainer training class will be held January 14, 2012, and sessions for members are soon to follow so be on the look out!
We also have a few cool events planned to get you on the right track to health and fitness in 2012.
Nutrition 101: New Year, New You! takes place on January 9, from 6-7 p.m
During this hour I’ll talk about some nutritional basics you can incorporate into your every day life, the benefits of a food diary, and we’ll answer any questions you may have about how to make small changes in your eating habits.
F.I.T.-Functional Interval Training on January 16, from 6-7 p.m
F.I.T. teaches the muscles to work together rather than independently, using your core to hold your body, and not relying on a machine to do it for you. Guy Petruzzelli will help you incorporate this into your workouts and show you how it can benefit you more than traditional weight training.
Raw Food Demos on January 19, at 6:30 p.m. and January 23, at 9:30 a.m
Guest instructor Heidi Geiger will speak to the advantages of a raw food diet and will have a few dishes for you to try. Raw food is a great way to eat a more pure and natural diet.
Want more? Here is the entire event list for January so mark your calendars today!
Remember, there is always a newer and better version of yourself just waiting to be discovered.
Happy New Year from Midtown!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with it comes big meals, extra glasses of wine, and scoops of ice cream that
magically appear on your plate. (Hmmm, where did that come from? Yummy!)
We consume between 2,000-3,500 calories during our Thanksgiving lunch/dinner with a total of 4,000-4,500 calories total for the day. That’s two to three days’ worth in one meal!
Fortunately, we are open on Thanksgiving Day, 5am-2pm, and are here to help you pre-burn off some of those calories. Besides your normal routine of cardio and a bit of weights, you can join any of our seven group exercise classes to get your metabolism revved up for the turkey stuffing (pun intended).
Want to know how many calories you’ll burn off in these classes?
Group Step
You burn 360-660 calories in a one-hour step class. So join Frank at 8:45am, and you’ll blast away a 6-ounce serving of turkey (340 calories) and a 6-ounce serving of ham (300 calories).
Mat Pilates
You burn approximately 360 calories in Mat Pilates. Do the The Hundred and more with Diane and one piece of pumpkin pie (180 calories) and 1/2 cup gravy (150 calories) are gone.
Turkey Buster Cycle
Best yet, take our special 75-minute Turkey Buster Cycle class and burn a total of 800-1000 calories. If you finish that class on a high note you’ll have pre-burned your 1/2 cup serving of green bean casserole (150 calories), 1/2 cup stuffing (180 calories), one roll with butter (155 calories), 1/2 cup cranberry sauce (150 calories), and 1/2 cup mashed potatoes (150 calories).
So what have you got to lose but a few pounds?
What are your fitness plans for Thanksgiving Day?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 
Pink is everywhere: in retail stores, on NFL players, and even the lights on our downtown Chicago buildings are pink.
As our show of support, Midtown is holding an exciting fundraiser to support breast cancer research.
I am fortunate in that I don’t have any family members or friends who have battled the disease. But since I am a woman, and do my best to stay healthy, I thought I would start with the basics: to learn more about this disease and why we need a full month to create awareness.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month celebrated its 25th anniversary back in 2009. The organization is a partnership of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to screening services.
According to the NBCAM, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S., aside from skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the US this year. An estimated 40,170 women are expected to die from the disease in 2009 alone.
Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the U.S.
And it doesn’t just affect women.
Men can also develop breast cancer. Although men have less breast tissue than women, they do have breast cells that can undergo cancerous changes. Male breast cancer makes up less than 1 percent of all cases of breast cancer, and is usually detected in men between 60 and 70 years of age.
So if you’re like me, and you want to do more than wear a pink t-shirt and socks but you’re not sure how to help, you’re in luck!
We have a few different events coming up at the Club that you can participate in. The first one is our special Zumba class, Get Your Pink On. It’s taking place on Wednesday, October 26th, at 9:30am. It is open to the public and our members are encouraged to bring a friend. Donations for the class are accepted from 10/22 – 10/28.
All proceeds go to Open Arms, the breast cancer outreach and education fund supported by Hinsdale Hospital’s Foundation. Open Arms focuses on sustaining programs designed to support breast cancer patients and their families. Their goal is to bring hope and healing by helping families navigate the difficult journey through cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. So you know your donations will help local patients.
If you cannot attend the class or are just not ready to shake your stuff in Zumba, you can also make a donation anytime at the front desk between 10/22 – 10/28.
You will receive a balloon to put on the window of the group exercise studio to show your support. You can also purchase raffle tickets for baskets that were donated by Whole Foods, Hinsdale Hospital, and the Club, including a Pilates basket and a personal training basket. The raffle tickets are $5 and can also be purchased at the front desk.
So support breast cancer research and survivors.
And let’s kick this disease in the butt!
