Summer Snacks

Don’t you just love summer; barbecues, picnics, and parties bring together friends, family, and especially food!  Quick, easy and yummy are the criteria for food selection but many of us are still looking for the opportunity to be stay healthy yet still indulge our taste buds during these hot summer months.

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So, for those who are trying to keep up with  all that hard work preparing for the summer , keep calorie intake low or even lose a couple pounds for a sexy beach body, then try spoiling yourself by eating healthy snacks between meals to curb cravings all while keeping taste buds satisfied.  These guilt-free and tasty snacks will help maintain your energy levels and stay slim.

Healthy Snacks for Summer:

1.  Homemade Frozen Fruit Bars (pineapple, oranges, and strawberries or any of your favorite fruits)

2.  Frozen Sherbet (preferably sugar free)

3.  Granola Bars (with nutritional dietary fiber and low amounts of sugars & fats)

4.  Fruit Smoothies (a blend of low-fat yogurt, natural soy milk, fresh fruit)

5.  Spring Rolls (versatile favorites in Asian cuisine; such as shrimp/chicken/vegetarian versions)

6.  Eggplant Parmesan (Appetizer serving and Baked not Fried!)

7.  Mini-Sandwiches/Subs (Can be paired w/ chips that are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories)

8.  Apple Sauce (cheap and readily available ~ remember “an apple a day keeps the weight away”)

The list could go on and on and on, there is no end to the variety and options of healthy food you can find and even make at home. Don’t forget these snacks are also great for those trips to the beach, trips to the amusement park and all those other trips you may take this summer for a quick, easy and satisfying bite to eat.

Stay Fit, Stay Healthy….and INDULGE!!!!!!

6 Ways to A Summer Stomach!

As the warm weather quickly arrives and we come out of  winter hibernation the beaches will be waiting for our arrival. With sand and
sunin mind while unpacking those summer clothes and swim suits, next on the to do list should be to unpack those extra winter pounds. Here’s a great start to getting that perfect summer stomach

HERE WE COME GRAD HOSPITAL!

Attention Graduate Hospital area!

City Fitness, voted Best Gym of 2010 by Philadelphia Weekly magazine, is proud to announce the opening of our second location in the heartofGraduate Hospital. Our new state-of-the-art facility, located at 21st and South Street, will feature similar amenities of our award winning Northern Liberties location and more. At City Fitness, our staff is dedicated to helping you achieve your personal fitness goals, while providing a fun, safe, and ultra clean facility in which to accomplish them.

Whether your own fitness goals are to lose weight, improve cardiovascular endurance, or increase muscle size and strength, our Fitness Counselors will always cater to your personal fitness goals, and provide you with the means to achieve them.  At City Fitness our #1 goal is to provide . In celebration of our new location, we are offering a limited amount of Charter memberships to our City Fitness Graduate Hospital location.

Become one of the exclusive charter members of our new location and enjoy the benefits of:

  • $1 to Join (Normally $99)
  • Deluxe Membership access at a reduced rate of $29/month (Normally $39.99 a month)
  • Unlimited Group EX classes, such as Yoga Spinning, Zumba and More
  • Unlimited Tanning
  • Towel Service
  • No contract (Normally a one year term required)
A black swipe card that identifies you as a charter member (shows you get access to both City Fitness locations).
Join today so you reserve your spot as one of our exclusive charter members!! “Are You Ready”?
Call 215-545-4114 and ask for Ryan to join today

Hurry on in…this offer Expires 5/31/11

Rates will increase on June 1st

Hope to see you soon!!!!

Open House Bash!

This is an invitation for all our amazing members to come celebrate  this wonderful spring time weather with an

Open House Bash!

Mark your calendars for this upcoming

Thursday, April 28th 4pm – 8pm.

We  invite all members to come Enjoy

FREE food and drinks

MASSAGES ~ relaxation for FREE!

FREE posture & stress screening

FREE  BMI screenings

Awesome giveaways

Raffles and much more!!!!

FYI: Members if you are associated with an organization that would like to participate in the BASH please inform the front desk.

We Hope you’ll come out and party with us!!!!

City Fitness Member Spotlight: Danielle Catanese

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Meet Danielle!

She has been selected as this month’s Spotlight Member!

She is a  hardworking City Fitness member who has been hitting the gym to not only tone her body, but relieve her body of stress.  Check out our interview with Danielle, to find out what keeps her coming back!

How long have you been a member?

Since the gym opened I think 2006

When is your Birthday?

November 28, 1978

Where are you from?

Ridgefield, CT

How often do you come to the gym?

4-5 times a week

What is your favorite cheat food?

Pizza

What is your favorite body part to exercise?

I like running b/c it works the whole body at once.

Do you have a favorite class and or instructor at CF?

I like Spin classes. All the instructors are great and unique.

What is best/favorite part of your body?

I am not sure but my husband likes my butt.

What changes, if any, have you seen in your body from working out?

Changes in energy levels? I started a cross fit workout with a partner to get ready for my wedding and i have seen my body become more toned and defined. I like cross fit b/c it is never the same and does not get repetitive. Working out gives me more energy and is a stress reliever.

Keep up the good work Danielle!

Grab Some Friends and Get In Shape

The Benefits of Small Group Training

There are a wide variety of different ways to encourage you to maintain your training regimen, but a small group training plan is one of the best. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get in good shape, maintain your form or figure or achieve another goal, one of the keys to any exercise plan is consistency. However, the challenges of exercising can be daunting for many people, and it’s not uncommon for people to give up after only a short period of time.

Fortunately, a small group can help you to track your progress, maintain your efforts toward your ultimate goals, and have a lot more fun as you train than you would if you exercised by yourself.

Small Groups for Motivation

Most people find that it’s much easier to stay motivated if you do it with other people and not just by yourself. If you’re interested in getting in better shape, find a group of three to five other friends who are interested in achieving similar goals. You do not need to be approaching the exercise plan from the same place, nor do you need to be at the same level of fitness either. Establishing a set of group policies can help you to stay focused and on track.

Small Groups for Support

When you’ve entered into a difficult stage of your exercise program, having people there alongside you to share in your experience and encourage you along the way is oftentimes the difference between a successful exercise plan and one that tends to fizzle out over time. Share in your challenges and your successes with your fellow group members, and be supportive of their efforts as well.

Small Groups for Fun

Most anyone will agree that exercising alone can become boring and tedious. When your exercising is boring or tedious, you’re that much more likely to give it up before you have had the chance to reap the full benefit of the training program. To keep yourself going, make use of your fellow group members. For instance, try enrolling in a cardiovascular class at a local gym together. Alternately, you can work out at the same time each day. Having other people to talk to and share experiences with while you work out can help you to have a good time while you exercise.

Other Benefits

Small group reward systems can be much better than standard reward systems as well. Many people set up a reward system for themselves that is difficult to maintain or detrimental to their goals. With a small group, however, you can provide an incentive for maintaining your end of the exercise bargain; if one person doesn’t complete his obligation to exercise, the entire group will suffer and won’t receive a reward. This helps to keep people in check and encourages all group members to look out for one another while simultaneously maintaining a sense of personal responsibility.

Give City Fitness a call to inquire about our small group training plans, or ask any of our membership consultants.

5 Exercises to a Better Butt

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Who doesn’t want a better butt?

Are you trying to figure out where to start?  Great news! There is an excellent way to condition, tone and shape your buttock; as long as you are inclined to putting in the effort and comply with some fundamental concepts.

People always hear that gluteus workouts start with doing squats.  It’s true! Squats and other various multi-joint lower-level body exercises, such as: lunges and leg presses.  These exercises are important to fantastic firming of the buttocks and lifting methods.

What You May Not Know

The means to attaining a significant outcome in these activities is to go low.  More importantly, you should drop your buttocks below parallel with the ground. Also, “half-squats” don’t involve buttocks exercise to any notable degree.

If you have any knee issues, then the workouts should not be an problem.

The trouble with squats, though, is that the quadriceps are vigorously working throughout the exercise. And, when one muscle takes on too much of a burden in a lift, the other muscles automatically get shorted.  Most of the time, the quadriceps usually begin to fatigue before the buttocks. Therefore, the gluteus doesn’t fatigue to the same extent, and it eventually reduces the muscle’s development.

To gain the most excellent gluteus development, you need to engage in a variation of exercises that works out the buttocks from different positions.  The variation of exercises link to the development of all three gluteal muscles.  Did you know,  “the glutes” are made up of the Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, and Gluteus Minimus?

Additionally, the multi-joint lower-level body workouts requires executing targeted “isolation” movements that directly refine the gluteus.

Let’s forget about doing billions of repetitions! All of the unlimited donkey kicks and side leg raise exercises are pretty pointless.

Get Your Pump On!

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CityFitness is proud to introduce the new dotfit NO7Rage.

What’s different about the new NO7Rage?

Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Alpha Lipoic Acid- nutrients that can help allow a higher level of nitric oxide longer!  Palatinose (isomaltulose)- Palatinose (Isomaltulose) This new source of energy lasts over a longer period of time compared to quickly absorbed carbohydrates

Beta Alanine- Beta-Alanine is the new muscle building super star. Benefits of Beta-Alanine as supported by scientific studies:

  • Increase Muscular Strength & Power Output.
  • Increases Muscle Mass
  • Increase Anaerobic Endurance
  • Increases Aerobic Endurance
  • Delay Muscular Fatigue- Train Harder & Longer
  • Beta PEA – Phenylethylamine (PEA) helps produce hormones that create positive feelings including mood enhancement.

AstaReal – AstaREAL astaxanthin is the most studied brand of astaxanthin in the world and supplementation has demonstrated improvements in muscle endurance, eye fatigue, gastric health and reduction in recovery time.

Pine Bark - Pine bark has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the circulation, primarily through its effects on nitric oxide thus adding to NO7 already insane pumps!

Questions? Feel free to ask us!

WeFit Weight Loss Challenge

The countdown to beach body has begun. Are you ready? Are you? Need a little help?

This is not your Nintendo WiiFit!  The WeFit Weight Loss Challenge is a 6 week weight loss competition in which members will be competing against other members!  Think of it as peer pressure, companionship, a support system, and good old-fashioned American competition all rolled into one!  Each participant will be part of a team of 5 that will be coached both individually, and as a team, by a Personal Trainer. Participants will be challenged with the task of completing at least 3 WeFit classes a week, (amongst other fitness challenges) as a way to reach their fitness goals and score points!

The contest kicks off on April 15 and runs until May 27. Registration ends on April 14th.   Day 1 of the contest you will receive the following:

  • A list of your team members
  • Personal Coaching for education and motivation
  • A personal nutrition plan
  • A 6 week workout plan
  • 6 weeks of unlimited WeFit, (mandatory 2 times per week)
  • Free subscription and set up on DotFit (Personal Online Fitness and Nutrition Tool)
  • DotFit starter kit (includes multi-vitamins and nutrition bars)
  • Body Measurements, Body Fat Testing and Weigh-ins at the beginning, midway & conclusion of contest.
  • 5 free Protein Shakes from the Juice Bar
  • Coupon for discount on Diet To Go

A  Q & A session with Food, Eating and Body Specialist and Psychotherapist Susan Daly

Points will be awarded for: weight loss, inches lost, and lowering body fat percentage. The individual who scores the most points at the end of the program will be declared the OVER-ALL winner. The team that scores the most points overall at the end of the program will be declared the winning team.

The competition will end the week of Memorial Day Weekend, so just in time for bikinis and muscle shirts!!

Please see front desk for details, including pricing.

WE CAN ONLY ACCEPT THE FIRST 50 PARTICIPANTS, SO ACT FAST!!! ARE YOU READY?

A one-time entry fee of $179.99 is required (provided you are one of the first 50 to sign up).

Buy Early And Get Rewards!

Attention Graduate Hospital Folks!

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As you may know, we are going to be opening up a new GYM in your neighborhood!

Now, to get your juices flowing, we have started to sell memberships to our new location!  Yup! You can be the first in you

r block to be a member!

First 100 people to enroll for a CHARTER MEMBERSHIP in the new club, will get $1 enrollment, and a first and last month payment of $29.00.  (And you can work out at both gyms! Start working out right away on Spring Garden) Or wait till we open the doors and then you start paying your monthly!

But, say you can’t get to Graduate Hospital to work-out! Your not out of luck.  You still get to enjoy some perks!  Our original location is having a special to celebrate.  If you SIGN up NOW – before the end of the month – you will have $0 enrollment fee at our classic location!

Have more questions about our new gym or membership deals – give us a call at any time!