No, it’s not just a corny song you hear at weddings.  Empower is celebrating its fifth anniversary!

Join us for our red carpet event on September 20th and 21st.  Details can be found here.

We’ll be celebrating all the way through September with some great promotions as a means to reward our outstanding clients.  You can purchase a 60 minute massage for $50 or purchase a 5 class pass card for only $50!

Finally, look out for our new Flip camera as we’ll be recording footage of our clients giving testimonials and doing exercises (with permission of course).

Co - Owners of Empower Personal Training

Before we look forward to the future of Empower, I wanted to take just a few minutes to look back at the last 5 years. For those of you who were around in 2005 you may remember how it all started, but for those of you that have joined the Empower team in the last few years you may not know much about our history. So here it goes…

The concept of Empower Personal Training is the long time vision of Jessica Bottesch and Ronda (Michaels) Williams. We started way back in 1993 as freshmen year suitemates at UNC (Go Heels) and we became fast friends and study partners. We used to spend late nights studying together and our study sessions would often drift to conversations about opening a sports medicine facility once we were out of school. Fast forward a few years – Jessica received her Master’s degree in Sports Medicine, and I went on to get my Master’s degree in Sports Management. In 2003 our vision really started to come together and we started to brainstorm having our own facility. By this time our experiences had taken us both in the direction of personal training and overall wellness so our concept shifted a little from an outpatient rehab facility to a studio environment that focuses on total health and wellness.

The next year or so we brainstormed names for our company and worked with a close friend to design our logo. Finally in early 2005 we got really serious about realizing our dream. We cranked out a business plan and began searching for an ideal location. We found our current location, and it immediately felt like the right fit for our business. We went through the process of lease negotiations and studio up fit and by Sept. 2005 we opened our 3000 sq. ft. studio with two employees – Jessica and me.

If you were around in 2005, you’ll remember that Jessica and I did everything ourselves – we trained, we marketed, we answered phones and we even served as the cleaning crew (albeit for only one week). You might remember that we used to schedule appointments the old fashioned way – with good ole paper and pencil and date book at the front desk. My how things have changed and we are now able to leverage technology and provide online scheduling and billing services through our state of the art, industry leading software MindBody.

Slowly things started to pick up and we were in need of additional staff to handle the increased business. Let me just throw in a side note here, but Jessica and I personally think we have the best staff in the area. If it were not for our dedicated team of professionals we would have never made it this far, and we are eternally grateful for the loyal staff members we’ve had over the years. At this point we have 12 personal trainers, 2 registered dietitians, 1 massage therapist and 2 group fitness instructors on our staff for a total of 17 employees.

At our two year mark in 2007 it started to become apparent that we were running out of space in our current digs so we expanded into the contiguous 1000 square feet. We added a few more pieces of equipment, but mostly what we needed was more space for our expanding client base. If you currently train at Empower you know that the long runway in front of the cardio equipment can seem endless if you are pushing the sled or doing inchworms or walking lunges the entire way. Again we owe it all to our wonderful clients for making the first expansion a reality.

Jessica and I are excited as we pause and reflect on Empower’s growth and success over the past 5 years. We thank you – clients, staff, family and friends for supporting us as we realize our vision to “Empower people and communities to lead stronger, healthier, happier lives.”

Stay tuned for more details about the 5 year Red Carpet Celebration and for more information about Empower’s plans for growth as we pass this milestone anniversary.

Same goes for our kids who eat from the school cafeteria. Few of them can say they love the food options they have. Is it worth it to rethink your lunch situation?

I think so, if :
1. You enjoy a good meal – definition of a good meal: satisfying, flavorful, and with a fresh look and taste.
2. You look at meals as the perfect pick me up for your day – wondering why your energy level heads for a nose dive in the middle of the afternoon?
3. You are health-minded – you want to eat better to feel better and promote optimal health.

Let’s take a fresh look at packing our meals first by breaking out of the mindset that packed lunches are ‘what I do when I’m dieting or trying to save money’.

While you may lose weight and save money if you go from a drive-through lunch to a packed lunch, I’d like you to consider packing your lunch primarily because you like to eat well. Eating well should be something we experience most days of the week rather than something reserved for only a couple of days of the week. After all, eating well nourishes our bodies, leaves us feeling energized, mentally alert, and ready to continue our day with a good attitude rather than a heavy stomach.

I’ll give you two other reasons why packing your lunch is the way to go. First, you get to eat what you like or at least what you say you like and how you like it. What am I talking about? So many of my clients report liking to eat good tasting, fresh food yet their days are filled with heavily processed meals in which we’d be hard-pressed to find a fresh veggie or a piece of fruit.

Second, you can enjoy more of your lunchtime to EAT, TAKE A BREAK, AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. In our hurried lives, we find ourselves yearning for ways to carve out a little bit of time to take care of ourselves. Have you considered doing this in the middle of the day? Try it and you may find how renewing it is. Think of what you can do with that extra time during the middle of the day – you can go for a walk, schedule a workout, spend some time in thoughtful meditation or simply just BE. Packing your lunch could give you more time to enjoy eating your meal and take an actual break during lunch free of driving or waiting in line.

Join me on Saturday, August 28th at Noon to get fresh ideas on how to pack a satisfying meal for you and your family, what to pack, and most importantly how to tailor this practice to fit into your life. Reserve your spot by registering online or call the studio at (919) 401-8024.

Monica Gulisano, LDN, RD
Monica is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist at Empower Personal Training. She has extensive experience formulating evidenced-based nutrition interventions for people of diverse backgrounds, varying health status, and across the lifespan.

Yes, it is that time of the year again. Time to put away the boogie boards, board shorts, and suntan lotion, and dust off the trusty backpack and trapper keeper…do people still use those? Got all of your school supplies and new school gear? Pens, pencils, and the biggest pack of Crayola crayons you can find? I remember back when I was the first kid in school to get the 128 pack. I thought I was so cool with my robin’s egg blue and burnt sienna. Good times. But I digress.

Anyway, the point is that the beginning of the school year usually brings about a great deal of change, and change, while often good, can be quite stressful. The stress and anticipation about the upcoming school year, if not managed properly, can pose quite the challenge to one’s health and wellness. This is true whether you preparing for your first day of kindergarten, middle school, or even your senior year. And parents, I probably don’t have to go out on a limb to tell you that you’ll probably be feeling some of the anxiety too.

Therefore, it’s important that we do our best to manage back to school stress by focusing on things that we can do to improve our well being. But that’s easier said than done, right? If you are looking for a few cool tips though, then check out this article. (link) It discusses back to school health and how parents can take steps to ensure their children are well rested, energized, and fully prepared for the rigors of the school year – just like our friend Billy Madison.

"Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight. Oh! Back to school... back to school... back to school."

Jamie Ives MA, CSCS, Master Trainer

Jamie has several years of experience in the fitness industry, working with clients of various ages, ability levels, and health conditions. He enjoys using his knowledge as well as his experience in exercise prescription and program design to help each of his clients reach their individual wellness goals and improve their quality of life.  For more information about Empower Personal Training, please call (919) 401-8024.

Some call Mike Babbitt the Drill Sargent.  One of his clients sarcastically asked Mike “wouldn’t it be great if we did an entire workout with just the air dyne, burpees, and spartan tire flips?”  Mike made him do it in their next session.

At first glance Jamie Ives seems like a quiet, reserved fellow.  Get to know him a little better and you’ll discover he has a wicked sense of humor.  He’ll deploy an awesome workout while he has you in tears laughing at his jokes.  It’s common to see Jamie lip-syncing the lyrics to music playing on the radio.  His favorites are Creed and Savage Garden.

Gena Coleman is a character like no other.  Look over while she has a client doing a set and you may see her correcting form.  Look again when the form has been corrected and you’ll probably see her break out some sweet dance moves.

'N-Sync lyrics? Jamie's got 'em

Tom Stafford is a funny dude eager to hit you with a funny joke or a magic trick.  He’ll ask you trivia questions in the middle of a hard set.  He’ll tell you about how tennis shoes are ruining the world.  He’ll play you a funny answering machine message featuring his daughter growling.  Tom likes medicine balls, TRX straps, and full contact crab walk soccer.

Julie King is the queen of charisma.  She’ll teach you proper exercise mechanics and then translate something into Mandarin for you.  I’ve seen her have a group of kids exercise for an hour and love every minute.

We don’t see her very often but Katy Harris has been here longer than any other trainer.  She sets the standard for customer service and dedication.

Come to Empower in the morning and you’ll find Patty Shoaf.  Patty is bursting with personality and training knowledge.  Greet her and you’ll receive a smile and a devastatingly hard handshake.

I haven’t known Aaron Hornstra for very long but I can tell he’ll fit right in here.  This guy is clean-cut, punctual, witty, and the second all time leading scorer on his high school basketball team.

Michael Whitehurst runs many of the day-to-day operations around here.  He’s fun, reliable, and knows how to brew a great raspberry cider.

Ronda and Jessica started Empower Personal Training five years ago.  They have established a fantastic environment for people to achieve their health and wellness goals.  We have a special team of trainers, nutrition counselors, massage therapists, yoga and pilates instructors that are educated, certified, and ready to provide great service.

Our trainers

Paul Piracci, CSCS Professional Trainer

Paul brings a background of athletics and education to the Empower team. He believes that wellness should be viewed as a blended lifestyle that balances nutrition, a healthy mind, and fitness which incorporates fun recreational activities. For more information about Empower Personal Training please call (919) 401-8024.

Exercise hard at least 30 minutes, three times per week.  This can be anything that gets you out of breath, sweating, uncomfortable, and just plain working hard.

Do something to elevate your heart rate five times a week for an hour.  Walking, cleaning the house, washing your car, playing with the kids, sports, or basically anything that doesn’t involve sitting and watching TV.  And no, lifting the remote does not count as bicep curls.

Cut out the following foods from your diet: sugar, alcohol, refined starches, and anything that comes from a container with more than three ingredients.

Consume 75% less dairy and the bread, cereal, pasta, and rice section of the food pyramid.

Eat two or three servings of fruit everyday, no more and no less.

Eat lots of vegetables (don’t do bicep curls with the ranch dressing bottle either!).

Follow these rules and I’m certain you will lose fat.

Paul Piracci, CSCS Professional Trainer

Paul brings a background of athletics and education to the Empower team. He believes that wellness should be viewed as a blended lifestyle that balances nutrition, a healthy mind, and fitness which incorporates fun recreational activities. For more information about Empower Personal Training please call (919) 401-8024.

Anyway, with all of the opinions out there, where does one turn for good fitness information? Well, I’m a big fan of checking the literature, the empirical studies, yes the good ole’ scientific research. While I don’t think it’s necessarily the best idea to form an opinion based off of the results of one single study (after all not all research is good research, and one can usually find holes in just about any study ever done), analyzing research is ultimately the most effective way to separate the good information/advice from the bad. Or in this case, the good fitness tips vs. the bad fitness myths.

With that said, I browsed through some of the literature in the fitness field to see if I could find anything that sounded somewhat appealing. You can do it too. Simply google exercise research or something like that and scan through the results. Or, if you have a few minutes, browse through a research search engine such as pub med . Journals like the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise are great sources as well.

Here are just a few links to studies that address certain “fitness tips.”

1. Is it possible to lose weight by lifting weights? Check out this study published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. (link)

2. Always take the elevator at work? This study may have you thinking again about the benefits of the infamous stairwell. (link)

3. Can’t remember what your spouse told you to buy from the grocery store? Maybe taking a walk will help you to remember. (link)

4. Having trouble achieving the fitness results that you desire? Sometimes all you need is a little extra motivation from someone special. (link)

Jamie Ives MA, CSCS, Master Trainer

Jamie has several years of experience in the fitness industry, working with clients of various ages, ability levels, and health conditions. He enjoys using his knowledge as well as his experience in exercise prescription and program design to help each of his clients reach their individual wellness goals and improve their quality of life.  For more information about Empower Personal Training, please call (919) 401-8024.

Hiking the Inca Trail

Lori in Waynapicchu, Peru

Lori started training with me over ten years ago and because she is a bit of a daredevil – she has always been one of my favorite clients to work with.  There isn’t much she won’t do or at least try.  In fact, her love of adventure has taken her to places like Chile, Peru, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Kingdom of Bhutan, China and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to hike, scuba dive, and explore.  I have also worked with all four of Lori’s children and even though they were all athletes (in one way or another) Lori was usually able to hang with them during some group training sessions.  However, over the years she has encountered a couple orthopedic injuries and more recently (2009) she received what she called a “horrible health report.”  On a normal routine physical she discovered that almost all of her numbers (i.e. weight, body fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels) were all elevated and some even in an unhealthy range.  This was a hard pill to swallow for someone who has been in great physical health most of her life.  But, instead of wallowing in self pity or starting some crazy crash diet, Lori got to work.  Over the past year she became diligent about watching her portion sizes, making smart food choices but never depriving herself of something she really wanted, being consistent with her Empower workouts and yoga sessions and in general just leading an active lifestyle.  And, last month on her 1 year follow up the results were in and WOW was I impressed – all of her numbers had dropped back within normal healthy limits!  This was a true testament to the fact that simple lifestyle behaviors have a large impact on our overall health.  Here is what Lori has to say about her work with Empower and reaching her goals:

Age: 54

Occupation: Housewife

Why do you train with Empower Personal Training?

I chose Empower Personal Training because training here has allowed to me to achieve my goals and reach new heights. I have had the opportunity to do things that I never believed I could do, such as trekking in the Himalayas, horseback riding, mountain biking, swimming, skydiving and more. I am able to attain a high level of health with the help of the whole Empower Team.

What are/were are your specific training goals?

My specific training goals include increased endurance, lowering my cholesterol, lowering my blood sugar and taking preventative measures against osteoporosis.

How many times/week do you workout?

5 to 6 times

How did you achieve your specific training?

I achieve my training goals with portion control, healthy eating, increased yoga practice, and working with my Empower Personal Trainer to achieve my fitness goals given my age.

Have you incorporated any of our other services into you health and fitness routine?

Yes, I have done massage, yoga and nutrition with Empower and all have contributed to my success. They have a wonderfully balanced and expert staff that worked together to create a total wellness program designed specifically with my goals in mind.

What have been the results?

1. Decreased my weight and more importantly decreased my body fat percentage.

2.  Maintained my core strength and flexibility

3.  Most importantly – Lowered my blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar back to within normal limits, since all my numbers had crept up in the last few years.

How does achieving these results make you feel?

More than anything I feel more healthy and energetic.

Do you have any words of advice to others that are interested in attaining specific health and fitness goals?

My advice is to keep an open mind. The most important thing to consider is consistency coupled with a willingness to change your regimen based on age, injury, etc. Don’t get in a rut. This can only hold you back. Listen to your trainer, fitness instructor and nutritionist.  If you don’t have one call EMPOWER – they know their stuff!

YOU TOO CAN BE AN EMPOWER SUCCESS STORY!

To learn more about Empower visit www.becomepowerful.com or to schedule a FREE Initial Consultation click HERE

The TRX strap is a high quality piece of equipment that will last you for years even with heavy usage.  It’s an adjustable strap that enables you to perform exercises for all body parts.  You control the resistance by walking your feet closer or further away from the anchor point of the strap.

Dumbbells will complete your at home gym.  Dumbbells give you more freedom isolating muscles in weak areas.  They will also complete your exercise arsenal with a few exercises that you can’t perform with the TRX strap (dead-lifts and Turkish get-ups to name two).

Here is an example workout you could do with dumbbells and a TRX strap:

On TRX strap:

1. 20x squat to row
2. 10x lunge to fly each leg
3. 15x body pike to overhead raise
4. 10x lunge to overhead raise each leg
5. 20x pushups
6. 20x hamstring curls
7. 20x jackknifes
8. 30x floor wipers

With dumbbells:

1. 20x dead-lifts
2. 10x Turkish get-ups each side
3. 30x prone pull-in

If you enjoy pain do this circuit two times.  If you’re feeling especially masochistic do the circuit three times.

If you need help planning exercises to do on your own call (919) 401-8024 to set up an appointment with a qualified professional.

Paul Piracci, CSCS Professional Trainer

Paul brings a background of athletics and education to the Empower team. He believes that wellness should be viewed as a blended lifestyle that balances nutrition, a healthy mind, and fitness which incorporates fun recreational activities. For more information about Empower Personal Training please call (919) 401-8024.

Yoga stretch for rotation

Yoga for golf is by far the best method of increasing your flexibility and staying loose. There aren’t many better feelings than making smooth, unrestricted golf swings are there?! Using yoga will make your entire body respond effortlessly to the demands of your golf swing and keep you loose throughout your round. It is one of the fastest growing areas of fitness in golf today.

Staying flexible and loose is an issue for golfers of all ages. This is why yoga and golf are perfect for each other. You can choose the level involvement of yoga stretches you wish to do. As we age our need for flexibility is arguably the #1 issue that affects one’s golf game.

Yoga allows you to maintain a suppleness in every area you choose to focus on. And what’s really great about yoga is the benefits to your mind as well. Perhaps no game is more wrought with mental hazards than golf. The sport introduces a constant struggle between the conscious mind—analyzing, alert, logical—and the subconscious mind—the well of intuition and long-term memory. Though golf fundamentals like body stance and stroke are learned in the conscious mind, they are stored in the nether regions of the subconscious. This clash between subconscious and conscious mind presents an opportunity for the awakened athlete to override the mental strife created by the overanalyzing conscious mind and reach toward the wakeful, clear mind state accessible through the intuitive subconscious.

Golfers who don’t learn the nuances of the mental game of golf remain frustrated or give up before mastering the sport. Yet by incorporating elements of yoga practice, you can develop the mental discipline that golf demands.

So while you’re doing the right thing by improving your flexibility you are also gaining the side benefit of a peaceful state of mind. A true win win situation. From a mental game/peak performance coach’s perspective, this is the ultimate combination!

Come to an EMPOWER YOGA CLASS and see for yourself how it can benefit not only your golf game but your LIFE!

Anisha Desai
Empower Yoga