Health & Fitness: Losing Weight the Maplewood Way

Memorial Day is just two weeks away. Before we know it, we'll be donning shorts and showing skin—and spending all our spare hours at the Maplewood Community Pool.

Wearing bathing suits.

If that thought sets you in a panic, don't worry. There are many groups around town, all lead by Maplewood residents, that will help you get into that bikini in no time.

Alissa Gardenhire-Crooks, who calls herself The REAL Fitness Diva, has been chronicling her own weight loss journey on her blog size10chronicles.com. "Just two years ago, I lost over 80 pounds in 13 months. All my clients, their friends and family read about my experiences through my blog," said Gardenhire-Crooks, who was seriously considering lap band surgery to end her weight struggles.

Gardenhire-Crooks has taken her experience and is parlaying it into a new career: she is devoted to empowering others to live a healthier lifestyle. With seven years as a personal coach and a certification in personal training (not to mention a PhD in urban planning), Gardenhire-Crooks has developed a weight loss group at East Side Fitness based on what she calls the Size 10 Chronicles Method. 

"Members in the group will, with my support, learn to see and value themselves differently, set tangible goals, receive guidance and tips on nutrition and effective rapid, safe, fat loss, fitness guidance and planning," said Gardenhire-Crooks.

It is her belief that changing one's mindset is critical if you want to change your body. "It wasn't until I stopped associating myself mentally with plus sizes and 'big girl' that I left those behind." Groups meet on a weekly basis for 10 weeks for $125 per person and receive email, phone, and text support during the week between meetings. Gardenhire-Crooks also created an online community called FitBitch where clients can blog, post videos or photos of their journey. 

Alistair Williams, of Dance Yourself Skinny Program, is hosting his own weight loss program, Summer Body Challenge, right across the street at Stories In Motion. His challenge, which began on April 11, ends in 4 weeks. According to Williams, most adults already know how to lose weight. "The issue of weight loss for many is due to a lack of consistency, plan, motivation, and accountability," said Williams, who has worked in the Health and Fitness field since 2006 and will be receiving his Personal Certificate training in July.

With this challenge, consisting of 12 participants, many local residents, he helped devise a diet and exercise plan for each participant, who were split into teams. The teams are instructed to contact each other for support through out the week. There is a weekly weigh in and the results are posted on the Dance Yourself Skinny Facebook page.

Williams also provides additional support to the group by contacting the groups through out the week by Facebook, phone, text, or in person.  He also takes an additional step by contacting friends and family members of the teams to get an understanding of what goes on at home and outside of our meetings. The weekly walk in rate for the competition's meetings is $15 and $10 for students.

"The children of the participants have my number and contact me about their parents eating foods that aren't on their diet plan,' revealed Williams. "For me, there's nothing better and for the parents, there's nothing worse than getting an text message saying... 'My mom just swallowed a spoonful of whipped cream!'"

Team members must also contact Williams by phone if they break their plans.  In addition to a slimmer body and increased energy, the team with the lowest body fat percentage will win a cash prize.

Certified Personal Trainer, Master Trainer, Yoga Instructor, and Wellness Coach Carlos Sanchez of Maplewood Boot Camps has also added competition to his already challenging fitness classes in order to get his clients into tiptop shape. Any enrolled member of his Boot Camp can participate in a month long program called Game On! Diet Challenge. The Challenge is based on the book The Game On! Diet: Kick Your Friend's Butt While Shrinking Your Own. Sanchez has 9 people currently enrolled in this latest challenge. 

Each team wins points by performing activities such as exercising at least 20 minutes a day, sleeping seven hours a night and drinking three liters of water a day. "Participants get one day off a week and one meal off a week, so it's not about total deprivation," claimed Sanchez.

Sanchez will provide a $50 Boot Camp gift certificate to all the members of the winning team.  However, the best prize comes later: the losing team will take out the winning team for dinner!

In March, Risa Olinsky created a weight management support group called For Women Only (sorry guys). Olinsky is a Licensed Certified Wellness Coach and has been in the health & fitness field for over 30 years. Each of the three groups meet once a week at Olinsky's office in Maplewood Village.

"This isn't therapy," said Olinsky "but it can be very therapeutic." The group members share whatever struggles or issues have come for them during their weight loss journey. "My mission of the group was to provide a warm, safe environment where women can strategize and take positive action that will help them create a lifestyle they can live with," said Olinsky. The fee is $150 for 10 sessions good for three months. The drop-in fee is $25.

Stay tuned for a follow up story on participants' results in these programs.