This month we are focusing on a pair who trains together. In just a few short months, Susan Pelter and Monica Rubi have motivated and encouraged each other to a combined weight loss of 25lbs, with a fat loss of over 12% and OVER 35 LBS OF FAT! The inches lost totals 29 inches! They have tremendously improved their cardiovascular health and are feeling better every day. With hard work, they are achieving their goals getting healthier every day. Congratulations Monica and Susan and keep up the good work!

Happy Holidays goes out to all of you from your family at Body Works Personal Training. We will be celebrating the holidays with our first annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 16th. The party will be at the studio and will begin at 6PM. Hors d 'oeuvres and beverages will be served. It's going to be a lot of fun and we hope to celebrate with all of you.

By: Candy Brandon, CPT It's that time again. When everyone begins to think about New Year's Resolutions. Some do it intentionally as part of a tradition and some of us just do it unconsciously, as a way to make ourselves feel better. I too, have found myself saying; after the first of the year I will do this and that. I find that to be especially the case when it comes to making time for things somehow not at the top of our priority lists. It's as if the turn of the calendar year will somehow grant us more time in our busy schedules. It's really about priorities and making time for ourselves. I know that you have all been told over and over that exercise and a healthy diet need to become part of a lifestyle change. It's not always that simple. Exercise and a healthy diet need to be priorities in your everyday schedule. Whether you are 125 lbs. or 325 lbs., you need to exercise and you need to eat healthy. Believe me, I know that everyone is busy and sometimes fitting in exercise is a challenge within itself. I love to exercise, but with work, kids, and other outside tasks, it sometimes gets neglected. I know better; we all know better. My suggestion is to find the easiest time in your day to get at least 30 minutes of constant physical activity at least 5 days a week. Until it becomes a routine and part of your daily schedule, make it as easy as possible for yourself. For some, that means getting up early and getting it out of the way before the kids are awake and you have to get to work. For others, the evenings are better. Whatever, your schedule looks like, only you can decide when the most convenient time for you is to exercise. Then, there is the matter of healthy eating. This, I know can be the hardest part. With office luncheons and meals on the go, busy lives can really hinder a good diet. My advice is to plan ahead. If you are going to be stuck in the office all day, pack some good quality protein bars and shakes, and try to eat a nice healthy breakfast before you leave the house. Trying to eat small, healthy meals every 3-4 hours will help to curb those sugar cravings that can lead to raids on office candy jars and vending machines. Dinner can also be a major source of problems for many. If you haven't found a lot of time to eat well throughout the day, then many people will go for a big dinner loaded with lots of extra calories and fat. In fact, evening meals should be your lightest, consisting of lean meats and lots of veggies or salad with a light dressing of course. With the new year impending, perhaps it is a good time for all of us to reflect on our priorities and realize that exercise and healthy eating really do need to be a the top of the list. It's never good to wait until there is a health issue, like high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol to drive you to making these changes. Prevention is the key. Make 2007 the year you decide to put your health first and exercise daily and have a healthy diet. Best wishes to all for a healthy and happy New Year!

The holidays are a fun and joyous time, but it is also the season for giving. To show our appreciation for all that we have been blessed with, Body Works Personal Training has adopted three families for the holidays through the Salvation Army's Adopt-A-Family program. Each family consists of a single mother with 5 young children. The children have all placed one Christmas wish on the families' lists. We are registering at Target so that you can all help us to give these families a very Merry Christmas. The registry will be listed under Candy Brandon. Thank you for your help!

The Gate River Run is a National Race that brings thousands of runners to Jacksonville. It takes place on March 10, 2007 which is just 12 weeks away. Many of you are already planning to participate. This is an intense run that will require practice and preparation. At Body Works, we are working to get a running group together to start some training runs. It is key at this point, to be logging in some mileage as this race is over 9 miles long. With the bridges involved, improving leg strength will help your pace and keep you going. Proper nutrition is also key when preparing for a race such as this. You want to be getting enough nutrients to get you through your training schedule and remember to watch the fats and calories, because the lighter you are, the more likely you are to have a shorter time. Drinking plenty of water is also important. Contact us for more information about training for the River Run as we are very excited about it and would enjoy helpling you train for it.