Posts

LIVE LIFE FIT
CLIENT OF THE MONTH

client of the month weight loss transformations

Stephanie Aaron
June 2016

Stephanie has come such a long way in her time training at our studio. First thing you’ll notice about Stephanie is that she always walks in with a smile one her face and brings positive energy to each training session. Not only does she do a great job in the studio, but she also does a great job with her nutrition and workouts outside of the studio. Stephanie’s dedication to her workouts and nutrition has resulted in a total loss of 32 inches and her strength has gone through the roof! In a short four week period she increased her 1-rep max on bench, squat, deadlift, and push press by 10-35lbs. resulting in numbers of 110, 170, 150, and 75 respectively (who’s says ladies can’t lift heavy?!). She’s also been a great influence on her friends and getting them involved in exercise as well! Thank you for your motivation, encouragement and inspiration to others! Congratulations Stephanie on the progress thus far, keep it up!

CLIENT OF THE MONTH

fit pregnancy

Beth 
April 2016

We are proud to introduce you to our April 2016 client of the month, Beth Wellesley! Beth, 33, has been on a path to success since the day she walked in for her first session over 3 years ago.  When Beth first came to Brad Kolowich Jr Personal Training Studio she was preparing for her upcoming wedding. Since her June 2013 nuptials, Beth has continued to commit to two workouts a week AND (other than travel) she has yet to miss a single workout! Beth has sustained a healthy lean physique through regular strength training, walking, yoga and having a positive ‘can-do’ attitude!

Late last summer Beth announced she and her husband would be expecting their first child in May 2016.  At 35 weeks pregnant, Beth has continued to work full time and sustain her regular training schedule. Though step-ups, push-ups and bench dips might not feel as easy as they did nine months ago, you won’t hear Beth complain but rather you’ll see her smiling through the task at hand.  Her optimistic disposition and dedication to she and her growing baby’s health is nothing short of exceptionally inspiring! Thank you Beth for being a source of motivation and inspiration for us all! Congrats on your growing family and best wishes as you round the corner to the final weeks of your pregnancy!

LIVE LIFE FIT

Client of the Month

February 2016

We are proud to introduce you to our February Live Life Fit client of the month, John Dean! John, 33, has been on a path to success since the day he walked in the front door for his first session at Brad Kolowich Jr. Fitness Studio. In just four short months, John has completely transformed his body composition. With a goal of improving his overall health, wellness and physique, John has quickly seen and felt the success off his efforts and is still striving for more!

John has made a tremendous effort to go above and beyond what many of us would consider comfortable, as he wakes up before the birds to arrive early to his 6:00am workouts. John also consistently sticks around after his demanding workouts to complete extra high intensity interval training and core training on his own.

John’s amazing work ethic extends beyond our training studio. He tracks his caloric intake through MyFitnessPal on a daily basis and also sleeps in his basement on nights before training, as to not disturb his wife and three young daughters when he leaves for the gym in the morning. John’s current transformation is a true testament to his hard work, program adherence and lifestyle. Excellent job John! We are extremely proud of your efforts to Live Life Fit!

Suzanne McBride
December 2015

FullSizeRender-1

We’d like to introduce you to the December client of the month, Suzanne McBride. Suzanne, 62, is from Alpharetta, Ga and was one of Brad’s very first personal training clients. She has consistently been working out with our team now for NINE YEARS! Suzanne has followed the studio from beginning with Brad at The Pace Club, to his start-up private training business out of his condo gym, to our first private location at the Berkeley Lofts and will now follow us to our new location on Chattahoochee Ave! We’ve helped her prepare for weddings, recover and rebuild strength through two knee replacements and a variety of other goals. At the start of this year, Suzanne set her mind to achieving her all time lowest weight in her nine year endeavor of training with us. She has consistently made the morning commute to midtown from Alpharetta (alongside the rest of the ATLien commuters) to endure an hour of torture with Mandy. In addition to her weekly sessions at the studio, Suzanne commits to daily cardio sessions! The daily exercise and counting calories helped Suzanne reach and now maintain her lowest weight in nearly a decade. Each day Suzanne enters the studio with a genuine smile, abundance of optimism, and a competitive drive that has helped her dominate our leaderboard. Suzanne holds the studio record for push-ups, bench squats, an 8:14 plank, and the v-max. This month, we’d like to give two thumbs up to Suzanne for her ongoing commitment and dedication to bettering her health! Congrats Suzanne!

healthy holiday eats

For us, the Fourth of July has always meant pool parties, watermelon, fireworks, barbeques and popsicles. As with most holidays, the fourth comes with its share of care-free attitudes, food celebrations and overindulging in heavy foods, which ultimately can make waistlines explode along with the firecrackers. Our clients admit that this is a time they tend to go a bit overboard. The good news is that while some of the food choices can be a real doozy for your summer beach body and for your health, if you simply concentrate on foods that are naturally red, white and blue, your meal will actually be lower in calories, artificial colors and in preservatives. You’ll also arm your body with the nutrients it needs to fight assaults from pollution, sun damage, stress and other toxins like alcohol, grilling carcinogens and less-than-healthy food choices.

To leave the BBQ feeling as good as new, ditch the items below—and their negative effects on the body—and replace them with foods that are naturally red, white and blue.

Most holiday foods (think fatty chips and burgers, creamy macaroni salads and rich desserts) are high in fat, calories, sugar and sodium, and low in nutrients. This means they ultimately damage your health and cause weight gain and bloat.
Foods high in salt increase blood volume, making you bloated. These foods also increase your risk for heart attack and stroke, increase inflammation, add more pressure to joints (making arthritis worse) and contribute to many other health issues.
Fatty foods are high in calories and lead to weight gain. They also take a long time to digest, so the food sits in your stomach for awhile, making you bloated. Plus, most of the fats at barbecues are saturated or contain trans fats, which are not good for your heart or your cholesterol level.
Sugary foods are also typically high in calories and they seem to weaken the immune system by reducing the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria.
Avoid fatty, high-calorie, salty and sugar-laden foods (such as the ones mentioned above) and instead choose foods that are naturally from the red, white and blue family—foods like berries, watermelon, tomatoes and cherries; bananas, mushrooms, pears and onions; and blueberries, blackberries, grapes, purple cabbage. (Check out all of the options below.) And then round out the rest of your barbecue with grilled, steamed and raw veggies and lean grilled protein (such as chicken breast or fish). And if you want a carbohydrate, go for fruit, corn on the cob, beans or whole grains.

Here’s why these red, white and blue foods can keep you healthy:

They fight damage and toxins. These plant-based foods are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that help to neutralize toxins and prevent inflammation that leads to disease and accelerated aging. This damage can be caused by overdoing it on less-than-healthy foods and drinks.
They keep you lean and bloat-free. Typically packed with fiber, these foods are naturally low in calories. Fiber prevents constipation and helps keep you regular. After your body extracts nutrients from food, fiber (think all vegetables, fruits and high-quality carbohydrates like red quinoa, red kidney beans and navy beans) helps to flush out the remains (waste and toxins) from your colon to give you a flat stomach.
They are 80 to 90 percent water and provide potassium to restore normal fluid balance and work against sodium to flush bloat.
Instead of artificial colors and flavors, get your red, white and blue from these scrumptious and health-promoting beach-body friendly meals:

For the grill:

Instead of a cheese burger, try a Portobello Burger
Skinny Turkey Meatballs with Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce
Barbeque Salmon
Homemade Veggie Burgers made with Red Peppers and Mushrooms
Chicken Caprese Sliders
Healthy alternatives to creamy, fatty side dishes:

Instead of classic deviled eggs, try Skinny Deviled Eggs or Skinny Egg Salad Sandwiches
Instead of Classic Mashed Potatoes, Try Cauliflower Mashed potatoes
Egg Salad Tomato Poppers
Strawberries and Feta
Skinny Creamy Artichoke Dip Bites
Balsamic Drizzled Roasted Red Pepper & Eggplant with Feta
Veggie Chips

Try these lightened up desserts:

Fruit & Cream Crepes
Coconut Fruit Pops
PB & Banana Frozen Pops
Lemon Wild Blueberry Mini Tarts
Fruit Tarts
Skinny Strawberry Mint Ice cream
Grilled Banana Split

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5499/a-4th-of-july-meal-that-won-t-sabotage-your/

LIVE LIFE FIT

brad kolowich jr top atlanta personal trainer

Rachel Moler
June 2015

We’d like to introduce you to the June 2015 Live Life Fit personal training client of the month, Rachel Moler! Rachel has epitomized hard work and dedication this year.
While balancing 12-hour shifts at the local hospital and moving into a new home, Rachel still made time to pursue her goal of getting great abs–and check them out!!
Rachel has been training hard to get in the best shape of her life and currently holds the studio records for squat, plank and v-max! Rachel is now beginning to train for the Berlin Marathon, which will take place at the end of September. She will also begin training for triathlons in the near future. Keep up the great work, Rachel! We are extremely proud of your efforts to live life fit!

Amanda Santiago

April 2015 Client of the Month

top atlanta personal trainer client of the month

We’d like to introduce you to the April 2015 Live Life Fit client of the month; Amanda Santiago! Amanda, 24, has been training at Brad Kolowich Jr. Fitness Studio since August 2014. As a producer for Fox Five Atlanta, Amanda works long, and scattered hours each day. Her work day begins around 4:00 AM and often doesn’t end until 8:00 PM. For the last eight months, on her short break between work shifts, Amanda has committed to getting in two personal training sessions a week at the studio, as well as four additional cardio sessions on her own. In the past eight months, Amanda has NEVER missed a session! Perfect attendance is just a small glimpse into the dedication and motivation she puts into reaching her fitness goals. Combined with a consistent workout schedule, Amanda has logged and monitored her customized nutrition plan on MyFitnessPal. Since August of last year, Amanda has lost a total of almost eight inches, completely transformed her body composition and in March reached her goal weight! Congrats Amanda on all your hard work and thank you for being a source of positive energy and inspiration for us all at Brad Kolowich Jr. Fitness Studio!

5 Reasons Couples Should Work Toward Their Goals Together

best personal trainers in Atlanta Brad Kolowich Jr Personal Training

Just a few months ago on New Year’s Day, we resolved to actually keep our resolutions…for real this time. We all do this. We start strong out the gate, but then willpower withers as we approach the late winter months and nearing of spring.

Why is this?

Is it because those ubiquitous and delicious Cadbury Eggs are just too tempting? Maybe.

But more likely it’s because we try to reach our goals alone, when really we should be recruiting our significant others to join us on our journey towards health and wellness!

Emotional support is vital for reaching your goals.

One of the keys to long-term behavior change is making your goals as attainable as possible, so having the support of your significant other is an important factor in successfully reaching those goals. It’s no surprise that couples who commit to changing together are oftentimes more successful than those who don’t work towards goals together.

Here are five reasons you and your partner should go for your goals together:

1. Partnership – By working together as a team to reach a common goal, your relationship is instantly strengthened. Stronger teamwork = stronger foundation.

2. Support – Committing to change of any kind includes both struggles and obstacles. Having a partner to help you face and overcome each challenge is a huge advantage.

3. Soundboard – As you embark on this journey together, you will continue to learn together. Sharing ideas and tips for what works and what doesn’t will help you stimulate each other’s minds.

4. Accountability – Having someone in your corner will hold you responsible for staying on track. They’ll also have your back, which is simply the best feeling there is.

5. Celebration – You know what’s better than celebrating your accomplishments? Both of you celebrating both of your accomplishments—together!

*There is no better person to coach you through this than one of Atlanta’s Top Personal Trainers at Brad Kolowich Jr. Personal Training!  If you don’t have a significant other to join in your mission, find a colleague, relative or close friend to recruit and get started!  Brad and his team of trainers will guide you on this journey and help you see the results you’ve been desiring.

 

 

Adapted from:  http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5291/5-reasons-couples-should-work-toward-their/

blog-fitlife-021615 Atlanta Personal Trainers Health Coach

Eating healthier can be tough, but that task becomes extremely difficult when temptations from within the kitchen seem to beckon you. Squash those diet-breakers with these five strategies recommended by top personal trainers and health coaches to help you stay focused on your goals ahead.

1. Begin at the Grocery Store

Your grocery cart is the first point of entrance for tempting foods to reach your home. If these foods don’t make it into your kitchen, they’ll have a much more difficult time tempting you. So before shopping, it’s best to create a listof all the items you’ll need including snacks. This requires a few minutes of planning each week; however, the amount of time you invest now will save you the effort and disappointment in the long run with having to re-start another program. Keep in mind that your list is only effective if you stick to it. Unplanned purchases can prove disastrous, so minimize them by buying only what is on your list and making sure that you don’t shop while hungry.

2. Put Your Pantry on the Program

Troublesome foods exert much less temptation power when they aren’t within your immediate reach. Remember the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”? Give away or discard all the foods that will make it more difficult for you to stick to your plan. If you have to go to the store to buy a tempting food, you will have extra time to consciously think about whether this is something that’s really important to you or just a momentary whim. Once the tempting foods are out of your pantry, you’ll have an opportunity to reorganize items in a way that puts the healthy stuff up front, visible and within easy reach.

3. Shrink Your Dishes

Oversized glasses, bowls and plates tend to make us feel like we need to fill up the entire space with food or drink. This translates into consuming much more than we originally planned. We often eat first with our eyes, so to speak, and then with our stomachs—meaning that if a meal appears small at first glance because it’s served in a larger plate, chances are we’ll likely eat more to feel satisfied. By choosing smaller-sized dishes, your meals will naturally appear larger and you won’t feel slighted in portion size.

4. Plan It Out

Planning is key to making many healthy changes. Whether it’s creating a grocery list, organizing your pantry or having dishes that make your meal look satisfying, planning helps you prepare in advance to be successful in your endeavors. A great way to plan ahead is to have healthy snacks ready to go. Whether its individual containers of light yogurt, cut up fruits and veggies, or snack-sized bags filled with pre-measured amounts of nuts or whole-wheat pretzels, prepared snacks can serve as important tools to helping you stay on track between meals. They are easily portable and may be brought to work as a great alternative to mid-day vending machine options.

5. Get Out of the Kitchen

Finally, one of the best ways to avoid kitchen temptations is to simply engage in an activity that takes you away from that room in the house. A distraction that takes the focus off the kitchen can help minimize unplanned eating. This could mean engaging in a hobby or craft, reading or even scheduling a little time for physical activity. By participating in other enjoyable activities that benefit you mentally and physically, you’ll likely have the motivation to eat healthier and avoid those kitchen temptations.

By Gina Crome
Gina M. Crome, M.S., M.P.H., R.D.

AceFitness.org

LIVE LIFE FIT
CLIENT OF THE MONTH

 Atlanta Personal Trainer

August Hammonds

March 2015

We are proud to introduce you to our March Live Life Fit personal training client of the month; August Hammonds! August, 37, has been on a path to success since the day she walked in the front door for her first session at Brad Kolowich Jr. Fitness Studio. Committed to waking up before the birds for her 6:00am sessions, August has yet to miss a single workout! Since the turn of the year, August has built a tremendous amount of healthy lean muscle by training efficiently and having a ‘can-do’ attitude! Her goal each and every workout is to train harder than her last and expend lots of energy, which she monitors through her Polar heart rate monitor. She has grown substantially stronger by working towards her goals; one of which was to complete a full-push-up. In the month of February alone, August increased her push-up record by 400%! August is also well on her way to achieving her fat loss goals due greatly to her efforts in the kitchen; as she has been eating healthy nutritious foods! She also monitors her daily caloric intake through MyFitnessPal. Great job August! We are extremely proud of your efforts to live life fit!

-Sean Runyan