By Nic DeCaire | Guest Columnist

Maybe it was a health scare. Perhaps you looked in the mirror and didn’t like what you saw. Or you read my last article and simply want to make more money.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad you have made the decision to make your personal health a priority in 2015. If you put only a small percentage of the effort that you put into your career toward improving your health, you—and your body—will reap great rewards.

Just like in business, you want to spend the most time on what gives you the biggest return. So, walking slowly on a treadmill or taking a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood after dinner will not get you the biggest results—although both are still good for you.

When building your exercise program, ask yourself two questions:

How much time can I realistically dedicate to my fitness each week? This includes the number of days each week and also the amount of time you plan to spend working out on those days.

What do I actually enjoy when it comes to exercise?

I ask these questions because I never want to set an unrealistic goal, and nobody wants to do something they don’t enjoy.

Most of my clients are busy, so they give me about 30 minutes a couple times a week to work with them. Given those time constraints, I have to create something that’s going to give them the biggest impact and also add in strength training and cardio at the same time.

How is this possible in only 30 minutes? Easy—I make them lift faster.

Here’s an example of the kind of workouts our clients do at Fusion Fitness Center. The level of fitness experience or ability doesn’t matter; these workouts all have the same base. What changes is the amount of time, the types of exercises, and the intensity at which they are performed.

First, we start with a dynamic warm-up. This normally takes about five to seven minutes and includes exercises like jumping jacks, push-ups, lunges, planks and squats. During this warm-up, we are increasing your body temperature, working on range of motion and helping you get mentally focused for the workout.

Next is the strength-training part. This usually takes between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on the individual. Big muscle groups are the focus here, so exercises like goblet squats, pull-ups, chest press, and dumbbell lunges are performed. I want clients to get the most out of their movements, so bicep curls are not going to cut it.

Finally, we move on to a finisher. The purpose of the finisher is to exert any energy you might have left in your tank. A good finisher can last anywhere from three to five minutes and should leave you spent.

This style of workout is something that you can do in the gym, at home, or even in the office. It can be done with just your body weight, dumbbells or kettlebells. You don’t need all the fancy equipment of a gym if you don’t have time to get there.

For examples of 30-minute Fusion Fitness workouts, visit the Fusion Fitness website.

For videos of exercises mentioned above, visit the Fusion Fitness YouTube channel.

If you have any questions, contact me at nic@fusionfitnesscenter.com.

#ResultsAreEarned

Nic DeCaire is a 2014 DBT40 honoree and the owner of Fusion Fitness in Newark.

Source: http://www.delawarebusinesstimes.com/make-your-personal-health-a-priority-in-2015/

By Nic DeCaire

At some point in your life, you have likely set a goal. It may have been job-related, like working for Google. Or maybe it was a challenge, such as a plan to eat at every Cracker Barrel in the country. Perhaps it was fitness-oriented, like climbing Mount Everest.

Maybe these goals are pretty lofty, but whatever the scenario, the objective is the same. A goal, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is something you try to do or achieve.

As we begin 2015, I wonder how many people have actually set a fitness goal for themselves. Better yet, how many have set a SMART goal?

What’s the difference? There’s a big one.

A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

When I first start working with a client and we talk about what they want to achieve — and how I can help them — I talk about goals. Since my goal is to make sure they achieve theirs, I have to make it real for them.

I hand them a SMART goal template, and we being to write. I urge you to do the same here. Go to www.fusionfitnesscenter.com and print off our SMART goal template on the homepage.

First, think of a Specific goal you want to achieve this year. Not that you want to lose 10 pounds. More like: I want to fit into my favorite pair of Lucky Brand jeans again.

Second, it needs to be Measurable. So, you’d say something like: Every Monday, I’m going to try on these favorite jeans to see if I am getting closer to my goal. In my fitness goal, I will note how they feel and how I look in the mirror.

Third, make sure this goal is Attainable. You can do this. As in, I know I can achieve this goal because this time last year I wore these jeans and they fit perfectly.

Next, your goal should be Realistic. Set yourself up for success, like this: My goal will be met because I am working with a personal trainer twice a week and started meeting with a nutrition coach again. They will help hold me accountable.

Last is Timely. This goal will be met in two months because I have planned a vacation and don’t want to buy new clothes.

Post this piece of paper on your refrigerator so you have to look at it everyday. You can also take a picture of it and post to social media so your friends can see your goal.

When taken seriously, this SMART exercise can be the difference between achieving your goals in 2015 or just talking about them.

What happens when you don’t follow a SMART plan? I know firsthand.

Last year, I set a goal to start playing soccer again. After 20 years of not playing soccer, I thought I could just walk back on the field. A pulled groin and planter fasciitis later that week told me my goal wasn’t SMART.

I hope you have an epic year now that your goals are SMART.

Nic DeCaire is the owner of Fusion Fitness Center on Main Street.

Source: http://www.newarkpostonline.com/features/article_2fa7287b-4d18-5719-b95d-40bfe9e8421a.html

STEVE WOOD, CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY, COURIER-POST

Perhaps your closet is filled with reminders of healthier times and resolutions gone by the wayside.

Perhaps the last hole of your belt is hanging by a thread.

If you’re pledging once more to lose pounds this New Year, find a gym that fits you.

Choosing a gym could be the first step on the weight-loss journey – right after announcing your resolution.

People who make serious resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t, according to a 2014 study by the University of Scranton.

Don’t dawdle: Our desire to keep resolutions seems to wane with age, according to the study. Only 14 percent of people over 40 achieve their resolutions each year, compared with 39 percent of twenty-somethings.

Here’s how to make the most of your gym membership.

Endure the crowd

Your obliques won’t be the only thing cramping in the New Year.

The hardest part of working out is the beginning, when your conditioning is nonexistent and the gym is stuffed with newbies.

“It’s picking up a little bit, but we’ll be jam packed for a good two weeks,” says Dawn Doherty, general manager at Retro Fitness in Moorestown, New Jersey.

The crowd eventually thins out, she adds.

“People realize what times work better.”

Get the personal touch

To learn the proper techniques and varied routines, consider starting with a personal trainer.

You don’t have to hire one for a year, says Nic deCaire, owner of Fusion Fitness in Newark. While some people do, others hire one to get started, to refresh their workout routines or to reach specific goals. A trainer’s ultimate goal is to educate people, he says.

“Personal trainers are going to be great for a couple of different reasons,” says deCaire. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, you need some guidance. You don’t want to start a fitness routine without knowing what you’re doing because there is a chance you might be injured. Another is boredom. If all you know to do is walk on a treadmill, that’s going to be boring. You won’t keep it up. A presonal trainer can help you develop a routine where it’s interesting every time and you’re not going to be bored and stop.

“And, if you’re going there for results, fitness changes all the time with the science we understand. You could have learned something 30 years ago in gym class and that’s all you know, but if you go in and start doing it, the science is all different from what you did 30 years ago.”

Trainers know people often can’t afford to hire them for a year.

“I want to make sure you know what you’re doing and can go out and repeat it without a trainer,” deCaire says. “If I didn’t do that, I didn’t do my job.”

Many gyms offer a personal training session with each membership. Some run specials through the year. And there are often specials offered on websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial.

Take advantage of trials

If you’re unsure of what gym is best, make sure you spend a little time and money trying it out. Many gyms will offer you a visit or two free, but there are other options and perks.

DeCaire’s Fusion Fitness ran a special in December offering one month for $19 so people could try it out. Retro Fitness on Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington is offering a $10 Amazon gift card if you sign up or refer a friend this month. Through Groupon or LivingSocial, Retro Fitness in New Jersey offers a one-month membership for $15 or a three-month membership for $30. As a whole, joining Retro Fitness means a monthly fee.

But there are other trials to consider once you’re in a gym: a series of nutrition, yoga or weight training classes are often offered at special prices in gyms to give people a taste of something different that might keep them interested in varying their routines.

“Trials are great,” DeCaire says. “Every facility is different. You can go in risk free and try places out and try to make sure it fits you and you like it without being afraid of being locked into a contract … We want you to come in and make sure it’s the right fit.”

The same applies for classes.

“We do a lot of personal training in big classes,” he says. “We offer trials that make sure it’s right for you. If you’re at a facility where they offer Zumba or Pilates, you might want to try it.”

Compare the costs

If the lack of bench presses at Planet Fitness doesn’t deliver the message, the signs surrounding the basic no-frills gym will: “No lunks allowed.”

With “no gym-timidation” and no judgment, Planet Fitness charges only $10 a month with a low sign-up fee that’s often waived. A basic membership grants access to only the gym where you signed, while the monthly $20 Black Membership allows you to work out at other locations.

Others have higher rates, but they often offer more in terms of classes, trainers and facilities.

After a $99 enrollment fee at UFC Gyms in New Jersey, a $79 monthly membership grants you access to both Turnersville and Cherry Hill locations, which include basic gym equipment and a fighting ring.

“I always tell people, you can get a steak at Ruth’s Chris or you can get one at Sizzler. They’re both steaks, but they are not the same,” says DeCaire. “You get what you pay for at $10 a month. If you’re a person who needs guidance and support, that’s probably not the right club for you. If you’re a person who knows what they’re doing and you just want to use the equipment, that’s a good club for you.”

He believes the hands-on service at Fusion Fitness sets it apart.

“The higher ends like us and the others are service based,” he says. “You come to us because you have some kind of result you know you want to achieve, and our model is based on making sure you get the results you’re looking for.”

Catch a movie

Instead of enjoying a popular movie with your hand in a potato chip bag, watch it on a stationary bike, elliptical or treadmill in one of Retro Fitness’s signature movie theaters.

As you work on cardio, blockbusters from the ’80s to today play nonstop in each theater. But Doughtery says the classes are a bigger hit than the movies.

“We love our movie theater,” Dougherty says. “We’re about to swap rooms because our classes are more popular.”

It’s another example of making a wise choice to get the most from a gym membership. DeCaire’s not a big fan because he thinks workouts should be short and intense and send people on their way into the day.

“You shouldn’t be going in and watching a two-hour movie and walking, but where I personally don’t agree with it, if that’s what is going to get you moving – great, do it. I’m all about movement,” he says.

Get some class

Do you get bored easily? Better stick to a facility boasting many classes, since they’re usually the only things that change regularly at a gym.

Retro Fitness allows members to take any class, and, thanks to on-demand technology, mostly at any time.

“You can take any class,” offers Dougherty, referring to spinning, Zumba Step, kickboxing, P90X and other activities offered in class format, too. “There’s a computer right by the room; the projector drops down. It’s almost lifelike.”

Several gyms have classes focusing on TRX, a total body workout based on suspension and resistance training.

While new workout programs may sound just like leftovers reheated and renamed, they serve an important function, says Peter Pernice, who owns Vitality Fitness in Collingswood, New Jersey.

“You can say it’s gimmicky and it is, but everybody loves variety and that’s what keeps people going. If you do the same thing, you get bored. The body stops responding if you do the same thing every time,” he says. “You got to mix it up.”

Know your limits

Going from couch to Crossfit may bruise your muscles and motivation.

“That’s the mistake people make,” according to Pernice, who doesn’t cater to bodybuilding. “They either get hurt, it’s too hard and they don’t stick with it.”

Then again, people also underestimate their abilities, taking themselves out of such classes as boot camp.

“They get fearful of the word boot camp,” he notes.

But Pernice has seen people in their 60s or who weigh 350 to 400 pounds thrive in these courses, thanks partly to considerate instructors.

“They modify everything,” he explains. “People do well in the boot camps.”

This is an area that full-service gyms can make a difference in.

“If someone walks through the doors, the last thing I want to do is see them do a workout where they can’t move the next day,” DeCaire says. “A good trainer will make you better, not just tired. The club needs to let people know their limits, and that’s by doing assessments and talking to them about their fitness history. What have you done? Are you the kind of person who likes to get beat up and lay on the floor, or do you want to be pushed just a little? You need to know your client when you’re working with them.”

Dive right in

Gyms with pools are helpful to people dealing with sore muscles and weak bones. Most YMCAs and many other gyms offer a pool in addition to racquetball courts, gym equipment, an indoor track and a basketball court.

The pools give members another exercise option: swimming, and there’s usually a series of classes offered in the pool, too. Those classes can help people get ready for tougher work that’s more high impact, uses weights or uses the cardio or weight machines in the other part of the gym.

Pools are expensive to maintain and require a lot of space, so many gyms don’t have them, DeCaire says. But they can be great for the right clients.

“For someone who’s in rehab or maybe has really bad arthritis or joint pain, they can go in and exercise in the pool and probably be pain free,” he says.

The bottom line in getting the most from a gym membership, DeCaire says, is to take advantage of everything a gym offers.

“If they offer classes, try them. If they offer some complimentary personal training, take it. Nutrition? Take advantage of it,” he says. “The more tools you have in your tool box, the more chances you’re going to be successful at achieving the results you want.”

The News Journal’s Betsy Price contributed to this story.

Source: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/2015/01/02/make-gym-membership/21188405/

By Christi Milligan

The Delaware Business Times hosted its first event last month, honoring 40 of the state’s young achievers and innovators who comprise the 2014 class of DBT40.

Nearly 250 people attended the evening reception at the Delaware Art Museum, including parents, spouses and coworkers of the honorees, who were selected based on their work in business, civic and nonprofit organizations—all are under 40 years old.

“We selected this project as our first because we understand the impact this group of innovators and achievers will have on the future of our community,” Michael J. Mika, executive editor, told the crowd.

DBT, a division of Today Media, launched in September offering a biweekly tabloid publication, an online presence and twice weekly email newsletters. Events like the DBT40 provide a forum for celebration and discussion of the state’s news and newsmakers.

The compressed time frame from launch to DBT40 selection meant nominations were taken by phone interviews from more than 25 sources throughout the state.

“They’re involved in technology, yes, but also business, finance, fitness, health care, nonprofits, professional services, marketing, real estate, education, legal, and the arts,” said Mika. “They are entrepreneurs creating new products and services.”

Honorees, made up of 21 men and 19 women, also included a chamber president, two mayors and a city councilman. Their average age is just 33.

“Any of us ‘more senior’ business and civic leaders who may be inclined to fret a bit about the future of our community can enjoy a healthy dose of reassurance that our future is in good hands when we meet a group of sharp rising young leaders like those among the DBT40,” said Sam Waltz, DBT publisher.

“I’d known a few of the honorees, I’d heard of some of the rest, and about half I met for the first time. This group of DBT40 honorees is people of enormous promise in growing our community to the next level! They are smart, hard-working, focused and energetic, and genuinely nice people.”

“It’s such an inspiring group of people,” said honoree Jen Sheridan, who works at Gunnip & Company and volunteers for the Miracles for Molly Dunne Foundation.

“For me, getting exposure for Camp Molly is the biggest reason why it’s such an honor—we’re a small foundation and to get them publicity is huge.”

For Stephanie Adams, communications specialist at the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover, the size of the reception was a surprise. “I was very impressed by how many people turned out,” she said. “It was an exciting night, humbling.”

Mika called the honorees ambassadors for creating new events for Delaware’s 2015 calendar. “They’re all disrupting their workplace and making a difference —and they’re all just getting started.”

Source: http://www.delawarebusinesstimes.com/delaware-business-times-hosts-dbt40-event/

Robert Kalesse, Special to Delaware Business Times.

When I was contacted about some freelance work for the newly launched Delaware Business Times, I was excited about the opportunity and eager to get to work. Little did I know the first project would be quite the undertaking.

The task? To scour the state and find nominees for their first 40 Under 40 class, a diverse group of achievers, entrepreneurs and go-getters all under the age of 40, who represent the best
of what all three counties have to offer.

Finding a legitimate group of nominees took weeks of calling and emailing industry executives, heads of business and state, directors of commerce, community leaders and curators of the arts. When the list was finally compiled, one thought came to mind as I looked over myriad résumés and LinkedIn accounts: I was impressed.

I was impressed with the fact there are leaders in business, technology, education, non-profit, politics and the arts, right here in our home state. I was impressed that these people, despite their relatively young age, really have it together, know what they want, and know how to get things done.

I was also impressed with how these leaders, whose schedules and calendars are seemingly filled at all hours of the day with different projects and full-time work responsibilities, still mange to find the time to give back to their communities and partake in charitable organizations and functions.

Although each of the DBT40 honorees are well deserving of the award, there were several that stood out during the reporting process. And so, I’d like to take some time (and space) here and recognize a few that left impressions
on me during the interview process.

First, there’s Bryan Shupe, Mayor of Milford, and Justin King, Mayor of Camden-Wyoming. Whether or not you want to consider the towns they run as “small” really doesn’t matter. To run a business (Shupe as owner of Milford Live, King as president of Kent Propane) takes time, patience and perseverance. To run a town takes all three and presents the challenge of keeping fickle constituents happy on a day-to-day basis. No easy task, for sure.

Todd Roselle, a partner at Blue Rock Financial Group, gets up at 6 a.m. six days a week to do CrossFit, an aggressive strength and conditioning program, while most of us are just inhaling our first cup of coffee.
Mona Parikh spends most of her days running Start It Up Delaware, but in her “free time” teaches at both Widener University and the University of Delaware, while representing a handful of clients through her own law practice.

Sasha Aber and Nic DeCaire have a firm footing in the City of Newark, Aber with Home Grown Café, a restaurant she has co-owned with her husband, Eric, for more than a decade, and DeCaire through Fusion Fitness, which he opened in 2006 to “help clients and the community feel better about themselves.”

But both have more to offer than just their business acumen. Aber is involved with Local Flavor Fundraising, in which she reaches out to area public and private schools to help students and their families improve their diets. DeCaire, on the other hand, took his love of physical fitness and started the Main Street Mile, which this year raised more than $15,000 for the Newark Police Department’s canine program.

And then there’s John Fannin IV, executive director of the Delaware Safety Council, whose job is to put the safety of others first, something that
carries over into his personal time as a 15-year veteran of the Claymont Fire Company. It’s one thing to talk the talk when it comes to one’s career and job responsibilities, but to walk the walk – sometimes through a burning building, no doubt – is truly inspiring.

In all, from 1 through 40, these folks take the approach that just being good at their jobs is never enough, and they spread their infectious personalities and abilities to their communities at large.

For us at Delaware Business Times, being able to highlight these folks who make a difference in our community is an honor and privilege we take seriously. In fact, throughout the year, we plan on keeping up with our first class of 40 Under 40 to update how they’re doing with particular projects, and to get their input on qualified candidates for the 2015 class.

Some projects we’re excited to see come to fruition include Wilmington City Councilman Darius Brown’s “TweetMyJobs” program, Michael Vanderslice’s participation in Delaware’s Brownfields Development Program, Dr. Dan Young’s TEDxWilmingtonUniversity program, Jeni Barton’s work with the 2015 Fringe Wilmington Festival, and Laura Stimson’s role in the next installment of the MidAtlantic Wine + Food Festival.

Their work and the work of our entire first annual 40 Under 40 is a testament to what Delaware has to offer. It’s our pleasure at Delaware Business Times to be the ones who tell their stories in the coming year.

Source: http://www.delawarebusinesstimes.com/interviewing-40-achievers/