In post-celebration of World Health Day (which was on April 7th), Leandra Faber of Retro Fitness in Wellington answered some critical questions about making the most of your fitness routine.
AW: How often should an individual exercise and how long should the workouts be?
LF: In general, a minimum of 2-3 x per week, 30 minutes to one hour. Everyone has a reason to start – could be doctor recommended, improved training, or just inspired by looking in the mirror. Everyone’s workout routine should be based on individual goals, so that they are set up for success. It is recommended to rest 1-2 days per week at a minimum and on those rest days, or even after a good workout, we have our Zen Den, which offers recovery with our Human Touch Massage Chairs, Red Light Therapy and Tanning.
AW: What is your advice for staying motivated during your fitness journey?
LF: It’s important to have realistic goals and a realistic time period. It’s important to celebrate the small wins. Sometimes the scale doesn’t reflect things because muscles are heavier than body fat. You might find that your clothes are fitting better, even though the scale doesn’t make you 100% happy. It’s all about consistency…as long as I keep going, I know the results will come. You stay motivated when you feel welcome and feel part of a community. Everyone who joins Retro Fitness gets scheduled for a “Welcome Workout” – and members can follow up with that personal trainer one time per month. We have fun classes too like puppy yoga.
AW: How can someone tailor their workouts based on what they want to achieve, such as losing weight, improving strength or building endurance?
LF: The great part of Retro Ftiness is we have something for everyone – beginning, intermediate, advanced. We have Selectorize equipment, we have loaded plate equipment, we have group fitness classes and a functional training area. We also have – back to the Welcome Workout – personal training. We have a Retro Fitness app which offers people the ability to work out from home and track their progress there too. We have a full-service Smoothie Bar, offering healthy protein shakes that can be catered to one’s fitness goals, as we have slim down shakes including fat burners or muscle ups including extra protein to help build muscle.
AW: How can individuals continue their health journey beyond the gym? What are some nutritional and mindfulness tips that you share with your members?
LF: So, the great thing…members get access to our Retro Fitness app. This way you can track your at-home workouts. We have the Retro Fitness kitchen with Elizabeth Makos, who went to the Culinary Institute of America. We offer nutrition tips with licensed nutritionists including Marcella Benson (an authority in the conscious-eating movement). She provides exclusive insights on our app. And beyond nutrition, it’s important to also ask… do you feel good mentally? We have different breathing/ meditation exercises you can do at home. We also have a partnership with the Art of Living.
AW: What is your advice for those looking to begin going to the gym?
LF: The biggest thing to realize is…people procrastinate. Don’t procrastinate. We realize that people are gym shopping – so we offer guest passes. It’s really important to find a place where you feel welcome and can be a part of a community.
AW: What is a good sample workout schedule?
LF: It all depends on one’s initial goals. If training for an event, you might have different needs, for example. Or you might be working out because a doctor recommended it, and you need to lose weight and control your cholesterol. No matter what the reason, we recommend a good combination of cardio and strength training. All of us have a passion for fitness and for seeing people succeed, especially at our Wellington location.
AW: Do you have any upcoming events or promotions that our readers should know about?
LF: Yes, we do have Puppy Yoga on April 26th, one from 9am to 10am and another from 10am to 11am; we are asking for a $15 donation. The funds go to Barky Pines Animal Rescue, which focuses on the needs of homeless, unwanted, special needs and senior pets in Palm Beach County.
We also have Mud Girl in Boca Raton May 17th and May 18th at the Sunset Cove amphitheater coming up. The idea is 3 miles long with 20 obstacles; it’s something everyone can do. The funds give back to the Pink Army Foundation for breast cancer research.
Use this code to sign up at Retro Fitness: MGRetroFitness and you get 15% off registration.
This April we offer an Ultimate Membership, which includes nationwide gym access, the option to bring a friend every single time, access to group fitness classes, as well as access to our Zen Den (massage chairs, red light therapy and tanning). We are waiving the enrollment fee, as well as issuing 2 complimentary personal training sessions.
The Shoppes at Isla Verde
816 S. State Road 7
Wellington, FL 33414
(561) 408-5323
