What was your New Year’s resolution? Was it to lose some weight or to get in shape? Statistics show that the average resolution lasts 1.8 months.

Now that it is April and your 1.8 months have passed, perhaps it is time to rethink your resolve. There is still time to tone those thighs and make a real six-pack out of your abs before summer arrives.

Field tested by our staff, the Courier has checked out a wide variety of area fitness professionals. Whether you feel like stomping those feet to some great music, want more flexibility or seek inner peace, we have the program and the professional for you.

Editor’s Note: Due to the overwhelming response to our requests for fitness professionals, the Courier will present this feature in two installments. May’s issue will feature Kolesar Studio in Longmont, Deborah Thompson, Kathy Philipp and Dee Marie. 
 

By Helen Johnson 

When Cathy Shaver opened Synergy Health and Fitness Club in the Gunbarrel Square Shopping Center five years ago, it was a dream come true. The caring staff has succeeded in creating a warm, friendly atmosphere which makes getting and staying in shape a pleasant experience. 

Cathy has a passion for her work. "I want to help people in this crazy stressed-out world to feel better. I want to create a place where people can feel comfortable and cared about." 

She feels the current size works well in maintaining her goals of superior customer service and the friendly feeling of a smaller club. She is pleased that Synergy avoids the "machine greed" that is seen in some of the larger clubs. 

The cost of a membership is right, too. Cathy took an informal survey which revealed that Synergy’s prices are among the lowest anywhere. The yearly rates have only increased once in five years, and that increase was just $3 per month. Synergy offers the following range of services which underline Cathy’s philosophy of total well being.
 •  Aerobics 
 •  Full cardiovascular area •  Weight training 
 •  Personal Fitness Training 
 •  Spinning 
 •  Tanning 
 •  Therapeutic Massage 
 •  Physical Therapy - Alta   Physical Therapy, P.C., 
 •  Fitness and Flexibility   Testing
 •  Neuromuscular Integrative Action (NIA) 
 •  Yoga 

A sauna, pro shop, clean dressing rooms, full size lockers, showers and towels are available for customers.

Synergy Health and Fitness Club is located at 6565 Gunpark Dr. in the Gunbarrel Square Shopping Center. The club offers six and 12 month memberships, as well as punch cards. There is a one-visit drop-in option for $10. Hours are Monday through Thursday 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. For further information or to arrange for a tour, call 303 530-7648.

Photo courtesy of Cathy Shaver
Cathy Shaver is the proud owner of Synergy Health and Fitness Club.

By Ron Goodman 

"Pilates is an exercise program which utilizes the entire body, offering a unique way to develop suppleness in the body and restore muscular balance. The exercise method was developed by German-born Joseph H. Pilates. He studied eastern and western philosophies of movement and developed a unique method of physical and mental conditioning known as the Pilates Method"

Sandra vonMilhoan recently moved her Peak Body Sculpting to the little building on Niwot Road which, for several years, housed the Elysian Fields Antique store. vonMilhoan offers an introductory package of three private lessons. This introduction to the Pilates method includes a physical history, posture issues, body flexibility and a series of exercises.

 vonMilhoan studied the Pilates method under Michael Miller. Miller has maintained a studio in the Table Mesa area for more than 20 years. She first opened her studio in the Cottonwood Shopping Center six years ago, then moved to the Village Corner Building for two years. 

"Pilates is a physical conditioning system," von Milhoan explained. "We begin by strengthening the core muscles first, then we work our way out. We start with the abdominal region." 

The Pilates method is non-invasive, low impact exercise. "It realigns your posture, stretches muscles, increases flexibility and leads to a longer leaner look," which is in contrast to the muscular look, obtained from weight training.

"The longer, leaner look is what probably makes it popular with women," vonMilhoan explained. "In our studio we do not have a gym atmosphere. It is quiet and calming. Men often come for rehab work, (after) a car accident. (We also have many) bikers and rock climbers."

Classes are small for individual attention. Sessions are by appointment only. The studio is located at 
7915 Niwot Road. Call for an appointment at 303-652-4192.

Photo by Ron Goodman
Sandra vonMilhoan of Peak Body Sculpting in Niwot.

By Mary Wolbach Lopert 

 It was like a quantum leap back in time for me. I had originally started Jazzercise with a friend 20 years ago. We both wanted to lose weight after having babies. So it felt like old home week when I walked into the large gym of the Memorial Building at Longmont’s Roosevelt Park, and saw 25 committed souls, who had braved the icy weather to stomp and dance their way to physical fitness. Since it was Fat Tuesday, the last day before Lent begins, the class had a New Orleans theme. Everyone had on Mardi Gras beads and the music was from The Big Easy.

Taught by Margaret Hix, Jazzercise is one of the oldest and most established physical fitness franchises. Margaret is a Dallas, Texas native, who moved here with her husband Charles 13 years ago. 

Beside selling advertising for the Courier and the Longs Peak Communicators, Margaret started Jazzercising eight years ago when a friend recommended it to her. "I have been teaching it for five years," she stated.

Becoming an instructor takes commitment. "You have to audition and then become certified," Margaret said. "You have to take physiology and anatomy testing. (It) is a franchise which you have to buy into."

For Margaret, Jazzercise is a great way to get fit while having a lot of fun. "All the routines are choreographed. The music is fun and upbeat. We do all kinds of music, pop, classical, top 100, jazz and rhythm and blues.… The routines (make it) easy to follow the instructor. We consider Jazzercise a total body conditioning program, because you not only get the cardio-vascular (conditioning), you also get the weight training when we go to the floor and do the strengthening and toning instruction."

All students need to do is to show up. While many long-time students bring their own, "We provide weights and mats," Margaret said. "Good (support shoes) help. And water. There is a water fountain, but it helps if you bring a water bottle."

Most of all, Margaret enjoys her students. "Jazzercise is for all ability levels. The reason why I encourage my students to exercise is for the health benefits and stress relief. The weight loss is just an added bonus."

Having fun and losing weight as a bonus, sounds like a deal to me.

During renovations, enter the Memorial Building from Longs Peak Avenue through the southwest door. The first class is free. A variety of rates are available. Contact Margaret Hix at 720-890-8451 or by email at Margarethix@aol.com. For more information about Jazzercise and class information, log onto www.jazz-ercise.com.

Photo by Mary Wolbach Lopert
Margaret Hix (center) and a few of her very committed students. (l to r) Janella Rosenthal, Bruce Pizzimenti, Margaret Hix, Phylis Van Thuyne, Lois Zender and Susan Scruggs.
 

By Laura Whildin

Michelle Zellner grew up as a gymnast and all around athlete, so the world of fitness was a natural choice when she thought about possible careers. She has worked at Synergy Health and Fitness In the Gunbarrel Shopping Center for three and a half years as a personal trainer. She also helps clients lose weight, train for events, work on rehabilitation or get in shape and stay healthy. 

"One-on-one training makes people accountable," Michelle said. "There is someone to push them a little harder than they would do on their own. The trainer can make sure they have proper form and can introduce them to exercises they might not be aware of." She believes everyone should use a personal trainer at least once to make sure they have proper technique. "A lot of people don’t realize, even if they have trained for a long time, that there might be a more effective way to exercise." 

Michelle has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in nutrition from the University of Hawaii and received her masters in kinesiology from the University of Colorado. Originally from Wisconsin, she has lived in Gunbarrel since 1996. When she is not at work, Michelle enjoys snowboarding, running, and other outdoor physical activities.

Last year Michelle developed a Daily Health and Fitness Calendar, which she hopes to market worldwide. The calendar gives a fitness tip for each day, a Monday goal for the week and tips for new weekend exercise activities. Next year the calendar will be available at Synergy.

Michelle says her job encompasses the three things she loves, "fitness, nutrition and people." She enjoys developing personal relationships with her clients. Her biggest challenge is overcoming the misinformation that circulates about diet and exercise. "It’s a challenge to convince people there is no quick fix. It’s hard to keep people motivated when they don’t see results the next day."

Michelle summed up her philosophy as one of both fun and fitness. "I think life is short, and it’s much better to be fit, to be healthy, and to have strong bones and muscles, than it is to be a certain size. My philosophy is work hard in the gym and eat sensibly, but if you want dessert - have it."

Sessions for personal training costs between $40 to $50 in the gym and $45 to $65 for at home training. Call Michelle at 303-516-1278 or view her web page at <www.betterbeings.-com>. Synergy Health and Fitness is located at 6565 Gunpark Dr. in the Gunbarrel Shopping Center.
 

Photo by Laura Whildin
Michelle Zellner offers in-home and at the gym personal training through Synergy Health and Fitness in Gunbarrel.
 
 

By Mary Headley 

Gunbarrel resident and yoga teacher Miriam Austin has made a big splash with her new book, "Yoga for Wimps – Poses for the Flexibly Impaired". The book was published in May 2000 and has sold more than 60,000 copies. It has been a Book-of-the Month Club selection and will soon be published in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. 

The book has been successful because of the popularity of yoga. According to "The Yoga Journal", there are 10-to-12 million Americans doing some form of yoga. But since so many people who have tried yoga find it intimidating, Austin’s book appeals to the less-than-Gumby types among us. It addresses the needs of those who cannot wrap our legs around our necks. It’s yoga for the rest of us; it’s yoga that middle-aged joints can say yes to. 

"Fifteen years ago when I first tried yoga, I was a runner, a bicyclist and a skier. Yoga was the most difficult exercise I had ever tried," Austin said. After sustaining several injuries during her first few yoga classes, Miriam quit. She returned a year later after an injury when surgery prevented her from pursing other athletic pursuits. 

She found a teacher who helped her heal her injuries instead of causing more. The book profiles the poses she learned during her recovery phase. "The postures are modified for those who are not very strong or flexible," Austin stated. 

Another attraction to the book is the models themselves. While the models in most yoga books look like rubber-limbed supermodels, Austin chose models who are ordinary people. People can relate to the models. "If they can do it, so can I. In fact," stated Austin, "seven of the 10 models had never done yoga before modeling for this book."

As for the term "wimps," Austin said that when she first started taking yoga her brother, who was very athletic, said "Yoga! Yoga’s for Wimps." It became a joke between the two of them that one day she would write a book called "Yoga for Wimps" just for him. It was 12 years before she finally gave it a try. "Things just fell into place." 

"It has been great fun," said Austin. The book has received nothing but terrific reviews both here and abroad. She has been a guest on radio shows both here and in England and Australia. She has also been a guest on local and national TV. 

What may be the force behind yoga’s popularity is that it brings a peace of mind that far surpasses any other discipline. "The way the muscles work in yoga helps both the body and the mind to relax more fully than they would be able to do otherwise. The yoga postures help your mind quiet more than simply sitting in meditation does." So for those who have tried meditation with no success, yoga is a great alternative.

Miriam Austin is currently teaching her "Yoga for Wimps" classes at Synergy Health & Fitness in the Gunbarrel Square Shopping Center. For more information call 303-530-9532.
 

Photo courtesy of Miriam Austin
Miriam Austin both teaches and writes about "Yoga for Wimps".