I have never felt better!
Lifestyle/Pilates Testimonial by Dina Del Monica

I have been taking Pilates classes from Bridget for 5 years now. Wow! Who would have thought?

I was told that Pilates was something I might enjoy doing and the fates brought me to Bridget. In fact, I was one of her very first clients. I found Pilates to be something I could really commit to, and as the years passed, I found it almost addictive.

Bridget played a big part in that. She makes classes motivating and challenging, but also fun and inspiring. I have never felt better, but have also never been so consistent showing up for classes in my life. I love her, highly recommend her and will always be a loyal fan ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Dina Del Monica

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Staying Fit In Retirement
Lifestyle/Pilates Testimonial by Paul Mariano

After 30 years of practicing law, both my wife and I retired. We joined the Lafayette Health Club ... mostly because my wife wanted to stay fit.

We started taking Pilates classes with Bridget, and I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that we did. I feel healthier and more fit than I have in a long time.

Bridget is an incredible instructor. She is patient (I need that), attentive and incredibly informative (I now know where my vastus medialis is located). She has made me conscious of my core and happy about my health. She is a wonderful instructor and an even better human being.

My wife and I have been taking a duet Pilates class from Bridget for about three years. The classes involve excruciating pain and continuing humiliation (since my wife does everything better than I). In spite of the pain and humiliation, I wouldn't give up these classes for anything ... except for maybe a muffin and some Chai tea.

It is Bridget's joy for Pilates, and for life in general, that make each and every class a pleasure to which I look forward. I can't imagine taking Pilates from anyone other than Bridget.

Paul Mariano

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Desperation caused me to join the Lafayette Health Club
Lifestyle Testimonial by Milton Schroth

I had chronic sciatica for years and it was greatly affecting my life style. This occurred despite the fact that I exercised all the time playing tennis, intermingled with jogging and vigorous walks. This did not help, as it was painful running, standing in lines, and even sitting.

My wife and I decided I had to do something so I joined LHC in 2008. I think my claiming I was unable to do any housework motivated her. Within months my sciatica disappeared and has not returned.

I appreciate the hazards of making hasty conclusions but I nevertheless attribute my cure to strengthening my lower back, butt, and thigh muscles by the religious use of the stair master and the elliptical machine at least three times a week for a total of 25 combined minutes.

I also likely was helped by attending two classes every week -- stretch and core balance taught by Debbie Swigert, the owner, and strength and conditioning taught by Laurie Muggee. For sure, these two courses over time greatly improved the flexibility of my shoulders. Previously, I was unable to fully extend my arms over my head because of scar tissue from playing eight years of football.

I am absolutely positive that no physical condition can be helped if one does not fully commit to a purposeful physical regime and makes it a top priority in one's lifestyle. I seldom miss a session if at all possible. My wife Nancy is as dedicated as I am, having switched from another health club.

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Pilates with Bridget is so much fun!
A Testimonial by Sarah Bishop

I had always wanted to try Pilates and last year began taking Bridget's group reformer class twice a week.

I have noticed a huge change in the strength of my body. My yoga practice has greatly improved as a result of my increased strength. Poses that I thought were impossible have become possible.

I work arranging flowers, which may sound glamorous, but is often lots of hard work, including standing all day working on arrangements and carrying heavy objects. Every time I lift something, I think how grateful I am that I go to Bridget's Pilates classes and the injuries that have probably been prevented.

I had noticed some imbalance in my body with the passage of time. Bridget has been able to identify the source of the imbalances and help me fix them. She notices the most minute details and draws my attention to them. The attention that she pays leads me to trust her completely in class, and gives me the confidence to know I will not injure myself. I truly cannot recommend her enough. Oh, and she is LOTS of fun to work with!

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Gordon Mills, an 82-year-old Superman!
Gordon has been a member of LHC since 2006.

Gordon had been a regular user of the bike trail in Lafayette and had seen an older gentleman doing pull-ups on the bars that are randomly on the trail. One day he tried to do a pull-up and he could not even come close to completing one.

Three years ago Gordon finally came into the club, after some coaxing from Debbie. He started out working on the weight assist machine to get stronger at doing chin-ups and pull-ups.

He was working on a ladder at home the other day, cleaning the leaves out of his gutters, and he reached too far to one side and the ladder fell away. He had one foot barely on the ladder and one arm on the gutter. He was able to pull himself up with both arms and get the ladder back under both feet. So many accidents happen on ladders. This one was averted by some simple strength exercises.

He came into LHC a few days later and said THANK YOU!!
But no thanks to me, he did it all on his own. Way to go GORDON!

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Carol Lu Is Excited!
When she got serious about exercise she lost 35 lbs!

Carol Lu is so excited about the progress she has made. She has been a member of Weight Watchers for the last three years.

It was in the last year that she made up her mind to get serious about her exercise program. When she did she proceeded to lose 35 pounds.

Carol Lu comes to LHC and works with her Personal Trainer, Kathy, in order to stay injury free so she can hike on a regular basis.

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Fitness As A Lifestyle
by Bernice Fly

I have been coming to a gym for 43 years. Previous to Lafayette Health Club it was "Lafayette La Femme" and it was located on Mt. Diablo Blvd. It came to Lafayette Circle five years before Debbie bought it in 1981.

I took dance classes (ballet, tap and acrobatic) when I was younger. I taught tap dancing in my late teens and early twenties. I am now 82 and a widow. I have 3 sons and 2 granddaughters. We do a lot of hiking together. I have been taking the strength classes here at LHC for many years and it has kept me going so I can keep up an active lifestyle.

I take Laurie Muggee's classes and they are great! We touch on all the major muscle groups. Laurie is such an inspiration and ready to share all of her knowledge with her students.

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Emily's Weight Loss Story
What motivated Emily to make a change?

I have been overweight my entire life. Food seemed like it was in every portion of my life. I had been a basketball player throughout elementary school and middle school and when I didn't make the team my sophomore year of high school, my life really took a turn for the worse. My health took the back burner, and suddenly food and partying became my number one priority, as opposed to basketball. Slowly my weight crept up to almost 210 pounds! I knew that if something did not change I would be at serious risk for many other dangerous health problems later in my life.

I had a membership to the Lafayette Health Club that my dad had gotten for me in early 2005 as motivation to lose weight, so I decided to actually start using it. I hated the way that I looked, and it was now time to do something about it, before my senior year of high school. I started working out every day and changed my horrible eating habits. The weight came off much easier than I had thought.

Through my hard work and dedication, I was able to lose 50 pounds and gain my self-confidence back. The Lafayette Health Club helped me to lose the weight through their inspiring staff and fantastic array of classes. Since I had such a great experience, I decided to work here and I love every minute of my job.

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Pilates Success Story
by Erik

Pilates with Bridget McCarthy at Lafayette Health Club has been key to my recovery from sciatica nerve and chronic back pain.

A year and a half ago my sciatica nerve re-inflamed for the third time and the pain was debilitating. My doctors recommended surgery but with newborn twins at home, I chose to delay surgery.

I was taking high levels of pain medication so I decided to try Pilates equipment sessions to help me reduce the pain and medication. My sciatica started improving a few weeks after I began Pilates and the pain has steadily declined ever since.

A couple months ago I was finally able to stop taking the last of the medication and today I have 90% of the mobility I previously had. In addition, my chronic back pain, which I’ve had for a couple decades, is much better.

Accordingly, I’m optimistic that I can avoid surgery for good and I attribute my recovery to a strong core and improved posture, courtesy of my instructor Bridget McCarthy and Lafayette Health Club.

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Go Liz Roth!
How Liz shed those extra 27 lbs.

My weight loss journey began in May 2008. I saw an opportunity to go to a 2-day Mother-Daughter Soccer camp with my ten-year old in the summer. While I love the game, I was worried about my ability to keep up with the group and not injure myself. I was overweight and not in great shape. My regular routine at Lafayette Health Club is to attend the 6 am classes M-F. These include strength/ conditioning, spin and yoga. Though I am a faithful attendee, I was not seeing the results I desired. So, I turned my attention to what I was eating.

I started by drinking more water: 6-8 glasses a day. I felt more full and began to shed a few pounds. I then cut out the true junk food: soda, cookies and candy and lost some more weight, a total of ten pounds. We went to soccer camp and had so much fun! I recognized that with less weight to lug around, I felt better and could be more active. But, I knew there was more I could do.

The last phase in my journey involved examining my fiber intake. This required me to read food labels. I started buying products that were high in fiber including my favorites: pasta and tortilla chips. Now, everyday I begin my day with high fiber cereal and a banana, have a salad for lunch and eat whatever the rest of the family is eating for dinner. I am enjoying my exercise classes now more than ever, because I can do so much more.

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Kathy Wharton Got Serious
And got ready for Acapulco

I started to seriously address the weight issue on the plane on the way home from Acapulco January 9, 2008.

After a week of wearing a bathing suit I had had it with the chunky look. I cut out all starchy food and ate lots of veggies, fruit and lean meat or fish.

I went to the gym four times a week doing Pilates, Tuesday and Thursday circuit classes at 8:00 AM with Kathy K.and a workout that Laurie M. set up for me. I was also playing tennis, hiking and riding my road bike. Recently I have added Cheryl's class on Friday at 8:30 AM.

I lost 30 pounds in five months. We are going back to Acapulco this next January and look forward to a little less chunk!