by
Erika Slife Hostetler
| Nov 20, 2018
Your name is important. And when someone knows your name? Well, it can mean the difference between a stranger and friend, an insider or outsider, or, in the case of group exercise classes here at Galter LifeCenter, the extra encouragement someone needs to return to class again and again.
My name is Erika Hostetler, and I’ve been a member of Galter LifeCenter since the fall of 2013 – a relative newcomer compared to many of the decades-long members we have here at the gym. I’ll never forget the flattered surprise I felt when I first started attending group fitness classes and the instructors, and even other members, took care to remember my name.
It’s what sets Galter LifeCenter apart from other gyms.
Our group exercise classes are more than just a good workout. For many of us, this place is our home away from home, where our healthy habits are born, and friendships built.
There are so many benefits to group fitness classes, as well as ongoing events and activities here at Galter, that we’ve decided to start a blog about it. For example, did you know that registration is happening right now for Galter’s most popular annual challenge, the Holiday Survivor?
If you haven’t tried a group exercise class yet, or just looking for an extra spark to your routine, the Holiday Survivor Challenge is a great source of motivation. This year, half of your $12 challenge enrollment fee will be donated to the Cancer Center at Swedish Covenant Hospital through the Swedish Covenant Hospital Foundation.
These important proceeds will provide patients with massage, exercise and support through the Integrated Cancer Care Program, working in partnership with Galter LifeCenter.
The challenge runs from Nov. 18 through Jan. 12, with a goal of helping you manage your holiday stress, as well as motivate you to stay committed to your fitness routine through the - sometimes overwhelming - holiday season. All participants are entitled to a free body composition test at the beginning of the challenge and will be provided with a personal log to record workouts.
The goal is to maintain or reduce weight and measurements, which can be done with roughly 150 minutes of exercise per week to maintain, or 300 minutes of exercise per week for weight loss. If you succeed, you win a T-shirt!
But while it’s tempting to just keep track of our progress with numbers on a scale or wrapped around a measuring tape – which are important – there are other measures of success that aren’t always so tangible. Another meaningful, true achievement will be how we feel – in our spirit, as well as our muscles and bones. And the Holiday Survivor Challenge can help us get there. If you're interested, one of our friendly staff members can help you sign up.
In the meantime, my hope is that this blog will be a valuable source of motivation, inspiration and knowledge, as well as a place where we can all get to know each other better. If you have an idea, a question, or even want to write a blog entry of your own, please feel free to contact me at ehostelter@SwedishCovenant.org, and I’d love to have that conversation with you.
As a member, I was so inspired by what I was learning here at Galter that I decided to pursue fitness as a career. Beginning in 2016, I became certified to teach Group Fight, and went on to add Group Centergy and Group Power certifications, as well as recently passing the American Council on Exercise personal training exam. I’m so excited and honored to help lift this blog off the ground.
And in this process, we may even get to learn more of each other’s names.
This is me. If you see me, come say hi!