Fitness trainers partner with rehab center
For many, the Fourth of July weekend was spent lounging waterside or at the barbecue. But for a group of Pembroke Pines women, it meant jumping jacks, mountain climbers and a round of tug-ofwar.
As part of a three-month program, the women of the Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center received free physical fitness sessions from GYMGUYZ Fort Lauderdale— a mobile personal training company.
The partnership was the brainchild of Kathy Schottke, CEO of GYMGUYZ Fort Lauderdale. “Thecenter didn’thave any type of exercise program before us,” she explained. “We try to make it fun and exciting but they still get a full workout. It’s been rewarding.”
Through the program, about 15 of the center’s residents took part in bi-weekly, hour-long training sessions with Schottke and her team. And since the center, a 5.5-acre campus in Pembroke Pines that can serve over 60 families at a time, is dedicated to helping families, Schottkewanted todo the same by catering her program toward recovering mothers and their children. Fifteen minutes of each session was centered around “Kidz andMomz” physical fitness, with actives like wheelbarrow races.
“One of our most important goals is to aid our residents emotionally, mentally and physically as they strive to stop the cycle of addiction,” the center’sCEO, DeanA. Dalbery, said. “We do this by providing the most important protective factor of all, a healthy parent… This program is a wonderful example of how families can integrate healthy habits into their daily life nowand for years to come.”
And for Schottke, who is also a mother, a family’s healthy habits extend past the gym. That’s why she and GYMGUYZ personal trainer Michael Plante accompanied the women on one of their weekly shopping trips to WinnDixie.
“During a regular training session with our clients, a meal plan is part of the package,” Schottke said. “We give them healthy choices to choose from. A lot of the girls asked us ‘what should I eat to lose weight?’ There are healthy options on a budget and we wanted to showthem that.”
Schottke and Plante arrived at the Palm Johnson Shopping Plaza early in their red GYMGUYZ van with printouts in hand. They had scoped out Winn-Dixie’s weekly circular and made the women a shopping list of recommended products. Value packs of chicken breast on special for $1.99 per pound and mixed melon chunks on sale for buy one get one were among the over 20 items listed.
They also provided an additional handout with tips for shopping on a budget and label reading. “Stick to the perimeter of the store as much as possible,” one of the tips read. “This is where the fresh, whole foods are kept.”
Whitney Hughson, director of marketing for the center originally met Schottke at a local non-profit meeting. They quickly got to talking about a partnership and eventually, Schottke took a tour of the center. “We strive to provide as many opportunities as possible for our mothers to experience healthy living,” Hughson said. “We are so grateful to GYMGUYZ for being so generous and assisting our women with fitness and nutrition.”
Hughson also liked that the sessions showed residents that it was possible toworkout without agym membership or home equipment.
“We just hope that they choose one addiction over another,” Schottke said of the partnership. “And by choosing a healthier lifestyle, hopefully they’ll pass it along to their children.”
ebloch@sun-sentinel.com