Now, we know there are some people who were on the fence about signing up to try their hand at 28 days of exercise – it’s not exactly an easy task. But we also know a little motivation can go a long way for next month. With the right mindset, you can accomplish anything.

That’s why we want to hear from you. We want to know how you stay motivated to keep moving in this busy world. And, because it’s still our birthday month, one participant will receive a $50 credit to use at the Apogee White Plains Spa. We think you deserve it after all you do – now let us know how you do it!

It doesn’t have to be about exercise, although if you’re a challenge participant we’d love to know how you keep going! Maybe you finally finished that book that’s been sitting on the coffee table. Or maybe you just found the time to sign up for night classes – whatever it is, we want to know what drives you.

For some it can be as simple as a line of poetry or a favorite movie scene. For others, it’s family and friends that keep them motivated. So do us a favor, spread the motivation and post pictures, type out your favorite poem or link to a video on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The key to life is happiness and the things that make us happy are what keep us moving. So why not share what drives you and win a $50 spa credit in the process? We can’t wait to see what you got. We’ll get things moving with this:

Always keep moving!

We’ve spoken about motivation in the past as well as the benefits of consistency when it comes to exercise and health. That’s why we’re happy to announce the success of our APOGEE Challenge.

If you’re not familiar with our challenge, it’s a competition where one member will win a Whole Foods gift card. Participants must complete 28 days of exercise within one month in order to be eligible. Not an easy task by any means – But that hasn’t stopped these motivated members from kickn’ butt and rocking steady! In no particular order, here are our challenge participants all of whom are still in the running to win:

But, if we had to guess, we’d say they were motivated by something more than just a gift card (although it doesn’t hurt!).  So keep up the motivation, guys! Every challenge becomes a stepping stone once we overcome it.

And, for those of you who need proof that consistency pays off, here’s a wonderful letter we received from a member, Allison who want’s everyone to know just how much Pilates has improved her already stellar tennis game.

“As a recreational and competitive tennis player, I am always looking for ways to improve my game. I started taking group tower classes at Apogee Pilates studio in White Plains. I started with a once weekly class. I quickly saw improvement in my core strength on the court and in daily activities. My posture improved and I realized that I needed more. I now do a minimum of two private sessions per week. The outcome is tremendous. I am capable of so much more on the tennis court with increased speed, endurance and accuracy. I also believe that Pilates has helped strengthen me and has saved me from injury. I highly recommend a commitment to pure Pilates for competition in any sport and for longevity.”

Allison McCarthy

White Plains, NY

So, just to be clear, we want there to be tons of names to choose from for this month’s winner and we want even more names next month. Great job, everybody!

Enter the Apogee Challenge – a dig deep competition of the willing. On the first of each month, participants can register at either our Bedford Hills or White Plains location to take part – All you have to do is sign in and exercise 28 days out of the month.

Easy right? Well for a little extra motivation, (not that you need it) participants who complete the challenge can even win a $200 Whole Foods Gift Certificate just for sticking it out.

Aside from the obvious physical benefits, consistent exercise can also reduce stress, increase creativity and brain function, allow for better relaxation and build self-confidence. So, if you’re looking to step up to the challenge, here are some easy ways to stay motivated:

Have a Goal – No matter how big or small, having a goal will help keep you focused. This can be done both in a daily goal and a monthly objective.

Surround Yourself with Motivated Peers – you know the saying, “Birds of a feather . . .” well, the same holds true for motivation. By surrounding yourself with positive energy and a little healthy competition, you’ll be creating a better environment to reach your goals.

Reward Yourself – Don’t be afraid to indulge after reaching one of your objectives. After all, that’s one of the perks!

Continue to Challenge Yourself – As you move on, you’ll find certain things you love and some that you’ve even mastered. Great! Now move on and face the next challenge. Keep your body, mind and energy fresh.

Now it’s time to step up to the Apogee Challenge. And, if you think it’s not for you, we want to challenge you to create a mini competition of your own. Set a goal and go for it! Only ours has a $200 Whole Foods Gift Certificate. Either way, you’re on your way.

Then, two years ago Alyssa joined APOGEE White Plains, started doing Pilates and found out what was missing: Intensity, focus, and core strength.  “Pilates has made me strong and lean,” says Alyssa. “The trainers here really understand how to train a woman’s body.”

In September, Alyssa tried the new TRX class and found a whole new way to challenge her body.  In TRX class, Alyssa puts her hands or feet through ropes attached to the walls: She must use her core to stabilize her body as the instructor directs the class to do squats, modified push-ups or other moves. “Instead of weights, you’re pushing or pulling your own body weight,” she says. The ropes are unstable; it takes strength and control to keep aligned. “It’s really hard!” says Alyssa. As with Pilates, there’s no boredom or rut, the instructor is always switching activities and effort. “You might do ab work then jumping jacks,” says Alyssa. “Your heart rate is always elevated.” These intense intervals deliver huge fitness benefits in very little time.

An added benefit is the mental workout that Pilates and TRX provide, says Alyssa. “During Pilates and TRX you have to be focused on what you are doing; you really understand what you are doing for your body,” she says. Such awareness has helped Alyssa clean up her diet, knowing what she eats will affect how her body works. “I feel so much better eating lots of fruits and vegetables and fish,” she says.

Alyssa realized just how fit she is when she was hiking outside of San Diego recently. The hike was straight up a mountain trail for one hour. “The guys on the trip were saying, ‘How do you make it look so easy?’” she says. “I realized how strong I am and that I know how to use my core.” For Alyssa, that’s a change worth the investment.

Find a TRX class in White Plains or Bedford Hills.

“It’s calm and friendly,” she says of the APOGEE studio on Mamaroneck Avenue. “And I’m getting a complete workout—toning, cardio and strength with weights.”  In early July, Angela took her first Pilates mat classes and private Pilates training sessions.  A former gymnast, she found herself calling on core muscles in ways she never had before. “Now my stomach is flat, and I also have curves at my waist,” she says.

When  APOGEE introduced Functional Integrative Training (F.I.T.),  Angela signed up for IndoRow and Kettlebells, eager to add intense strength and cardio to her routine.  And has she ever! “In IndoRow, Lesly Levy takes me places I’d never go on my own,” she says.  Lesly synchronizes the class, so everyone is rowing at the same pace, then repeatedly takes the group to peaks of intensity, alternating with short periods of recovery. “I always think I’m not going to make it,” Angela says. “But I do!”

In her weekly Kettlebells class, Angela challenges her body in a different way.  “It’s really works  my backside,  especially my butt,” she says. Lunging and squatting while keeping a 5- or 10-pound kettlebell weight in motion is a challenge that builds total-body strength.  “I’d never even seen a Kettlebells class,” Angela says, “but after five minutes I said, ‘This is amazing!’”

“I’m getting a complete workout every week,” says Angela. She’s doing Pilates twice a week, usually one mat and one Tower or Reformer class, and one IndoRow and Kettlebells class, for a totally of four weekly visits.

As much as her body is challenged, Angela has found that time at APOGEE also creates a mindful awareness that benefits her outside the studio. “I go in all stressed, but come out feeling calm and refreshed—that is something I didn’t expect,” she says. She now has tools that help her in her daily life. For example, a Pilates teacher  pointed out that Angela holds tension in her shoulders and tends to take shallow breaths. “Now I am aware,” says Angela, “I’ll be in the car and notice that my shoulders are up around my ears. Or if I’m at home in a stressful situation, I can ask myself, ‘Am I breathing?’ and remember to take a breath.”

“I feel better in mind, body and spirit,” Angela says. “APOGEE is my own personal oasis.”

Find a Pilates or APOGEE F.I.T. class in White Plains.
Find a Pilates or  APOGEE F.I.T. class in Bedford Hills.

Zara had tried strength training once before and was a bit dismayed by the results. “I had worked with a trainer in high school and gotten really bulky,” Zara says. “I didn’t want that again.” This time, she asked for a recommendation from her APOGEE Pilates instructor and began personal training with Jane Nielsen at APOGEE Bedford Hills.

Jane started Zara with weight training and ab work based on Pilates moves. “I was kind of cocky going in,” Zara remembers. “But I could hardly lift the weights!” she says. Zara is now working out six days a week, mixing three or four different activities: Each week she sees Jane for personal training once, attends three Pilates classes, and Spins or runs once or twice. Zara works her abs daily.

The daily workouts are remodeling Zara’s physique. “Jane knows how to train women,” says Zara. “My muscles aren’t bulky and I’m getting the definition I wanted.” She also has more energy for daily tasks.

Zara needs mental and physical energy: She’s just starting her second year of law school. “I have long lectures, and even exams last four hours,” she says. Zara credits Pilates with helping her focus. “I need to be consistent and persistent and set tangible goals,” Zara says. “I’ve definitely learned that through Pilates.” Pilates even helps with the stress of sitting while studying—“I don’t cramp up from being in one position for so long,” says the Armonk resident.

Now, Pilates, cardio and strength training are part of Zara’s life—she’s even training to become a certified Pilates instructor. And while her newly defined muscles are nice, Zara says the benefits of her new exercise habit go deeper. “I’m healthier and happier because I’m working out,” she says.

Save up to 30 percent on private Pilates and personal training through August 31. Learn more about this special offer!

Patti had made some attempts to deal with the 30 pounds she’d put on over 20 years. “I tried Jenny Craig and lost weight but gained it all back,” she says. She went on Weight Watchers, joined the Y and started walking. “Nothing worked,” she says. Weight became more of a struggle when Patti was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer 10 years ago: She retained a lot of fluid due to the chemo.

Then in late 2009, Patti’s cousin, Dr. Howard Sichel, made a comment. “He told me, ‘Movement heals,’” she says, “and that rang the bell.” The statement made sense for Patti: It was motivating without being punitive, and it was about the process, not a pie-in-the-sky end result. Howard told her about APOGEE and suggested she start private Pilates sessions with Dorothy Polanowska.

In January, Patti walked into her first class. “I told myself, ‘I don’t know where I’ve been for 20 years, but now it’s time to take care of me,’” she recalls. She began Intro to Mat classes with Dorothy, then added Intro to Tower with Lisa Klasner and Beginner Mat with Deborah Slade. When Patti balked at trying a cardio class, Dorothy walked her to the Cardio Circuit class and rode on the bike next to her. Patti tried her first Pilates group class during the Open House in March. “It was helpful because I broke out of my safety zone and did a group class on the Tower and the Reformer. I had only done those privately. I now know that I am capable,” she says. “It was a whole new level for me!” Now Patti is taking three or four Pilates classes a week and fitting in at least one cardio session.

Pilates makes Patti feel “taller, stronger, thinner and more toned,” she says. “I’m more grounded on my feet; I feel more symmetrical.” In March, Patti slipped on some ice but didn’t fall—with her strong core, she was able to regain her balance quickly. “When I walk outside I feel lighter, I don’t have that exhausting feeling,” she says. Emotionally, she’s healthier, too. “I feel more relaxed,” she says. “Maybe it’s because I’m doing something for myself.”

By early May, Patti had lost 11 pounds—“without dieting!” she says. “I’m just making better choices.” Upon joining APOGEE, Patti met with APOGEE nutritionist Jennifer Vagios, who gave her a handout detailing high-energy snacks such as nuts and yogurt. Patti has also learned a lot from the APOGEE Café: she now drinks lemon water and green tea at home. “I take my cues from APOGEE,” she says. “It’s such a peaceful place, it even smells good. It’s like a spa!”

Patti feels as if she’s reclaimed her body and her life. She’s introduced her daughter to Pilates and they’re both “addicted,” she says. She hopes to be a model for others who have gotten in a rut. “I felt sad,” she says. “I hope I can inspire someone who felt sad like I did.” Her own inspirational phrase might just work: “No matter what you do, keep moving!”

Not so, says Jennifer, a four-time national champion in the pony hunter division who is now wining ribbons in the professional hunter division. “I have a baseline level of fitness, but my body is so used to riding that I feel I don’t get fit from that alone,” she says. Jennifer had a cardio habit, but wondered what a total fitness regimen would do. So five years ago Jennifer began training twice a week with Jane Nielsen, fitness manager of APOGEE Bedford Hills. “Jane has me doing things I never would have thought of,” says Jennifer, “and I work so much harder than I would on my own.” The personal training paid off: Jennifer is stronger and has more energy and less back pain—even after hours in the saddle.

Jennifer’s personal training sessions focus on strength training with weights. In addition, the North Salem resident takes Pilates or Spinning class twice a week, for a total of four weekly visits to APOGEE. Jennifer has found that Pilates especially helps her on horseback. “You use your core muscles so much in riding,” she says. “They help you maintain your position in the saddle.” A rider’s back absorbs the shock of every hoof beat, and the core strength from Pilates has helped alleviate the lower back pain that can result. “It’s definitely not as bad,” Jennifer says.

The personal training has helped Jennifer take on new riding skills, too. “Last summer I started reining—a type of Western riding,” she says. “In English you use your inner thighs, but Western calls on your outer thighs—totally different muscles.” Jane helped Jennifer build the strength she needed, switching to different weight machines. “Jane opened my eyes to how creative you can be during a workout,” Jennifer says. “Adding strength training to my cardio has made a big difference in my day-to-day strength and energy.”

APOGEE instructors can create a personal training program just for you. Take advantage of our special pricing on personal training and private Pilates sessions.

When a friend told Carolyn about a new place to work out that was just a few blocks from the courthouse where they work in White Plains, Carolyn didn’t think much of it. After all, she’d had a gym membership before and it hadn’t made a difference in her life. Still, she was intrigued. “It’s fun,” Meredith Byrne told her.

That conversation was a year ago and now, stronger, straighter and 40 pounds lighter, Carolyn knows that the right place can make a huge difference. “APOGEE isn’t just a gym,” Carolyn says. “It’s a whole wellness center. I was never successful with a straight-on gym.”

With Meredith, Carolyn became an APOGEE member—one of the first at the White Plains location, which opened in March 2009. She started taking a beginner’s Pilates mat class, added more mat classes, then expanded to the MVE Chair and Tower. “There are new classes on the schedule all the time and that makes it fun,” Carolyn says. She recently added a yoga class. 

With her membership, Carolyn received a free consultation with APOGEE dietitian Jennifer Vagios, who advised Carolyn on calorie counts and incorporating more fruits and vegetables. Carolyn often stops at the APOGEE Café for a healthy meal. “It’s easy because the food is there, already prepared,” Carolyn says. “I can grab it and take it back to work.”  Jennifer also recommended that Carolyn add more cardio to her schedule—now she does 30 minutes on the bicycle and treadmills after her evening Pilates or yoga classes.

Everyone at APOGEE contributed to Carolyn’s transformation, she says. “Even in a group class the instructors give individual attention,” she says. “They are very motivating and make the classes fun.”  When Carolyn mentioned to her Tower class instructor Dorothy that she wants to tone her arms for her July wedding, “Dorothy gave me five exercises that I can do right away,” Carolyn says. Just as important are the wellness concierges who know her name and check her in quickly. “That’s so important when I’m coming to class during my lunch hour and don’t have much time,” she says. “And they create a friendly environment.”

Carolyn experiences the change in her body every day, at work and at the wellness center during class. “My core in stronger and my posture is straighter,” Carolyn says.  Now she knows how to achieve true wellness. “I feel a lot stronger and healthier all the time,” Carolyn says, “even just walking down the street!”

With her skeleton in mind, Gerst started training three times a week with Lynn Ozzello, a personal trainer at APOGEE Bedford Hills. Now the 67-year-old Gerst has progressed to doing weighted lunges, explosive moves with a heavy medicine ball, squats using the Smith machine and upper-body work on the Gravitron. “I got so much stronger and my balance improved, I no longer experience back pain,” Gerst says. She is able to lift her 4-year-old and 18-month-old grandchildren with ease. “This is functional—it’s not just for looks, it’s for health,” Gerst says. “It’s definitely made a difference in my daily life.”

Of course, Gerst was hoping to slow or even halt her bone loss and a recent visit to her doctor showed something completely unexpected: “The osteoporosis was gone,” Gerst says. Her bone density had improved so much that she was out of that dangerous category altogether and her doctor told her she can take a break from the medication (she will need to test her bone density twice a year). With improved strength and balance from the personal training, Gerst moves with confidence—she knows she’s strong, inside and out.