StrongFit — Local services in Cincinnati

I'm a working mom with two kids (4 & 2), and after having babies, I developed all kinds of problems . . . I was underweight, had pre-diabetes, was getting back spasms, and was generally tired and run down. My doctor offered me two options: start medication for diabetes, or do something radical. She suggested weight training.

Enter Anne. I've been training w/ Anne for about 7 months, twice a week. I went in with two goals: 1) Gain 10 pounds, 2) get my fasting blood sugar to normal levels. It only took about 8 weeks for me to get there . . . kind of amazing, right? But in addition to these things, I have had all kinds of other great improvements: my posture is better (people comment on it all the time), I have tons more energy (and drink less coffee), no more back problems, my balance and coordination is better. Oh? And bonus? BIKINIS. I went in to this for health and not aesthetics, but it sure is awesome to have visible abs after two babies and two csections. I look better than I did when I was 19!!!!!

I've always been a pretty active person, but I've never had these kinds of results so fast. The secret weapon is Anne. She is an amazing trainer. Anne has spent a lot of time working with me on the mechanics, rather than emphasizing weight or reps. She wants to make sure that I do things correctly, and really emphasizes the progression, instead of the max. I think it's also extra helpful to train with a woman, because . . . well, she's a woman. Anne has spent a lot of time working with me on building core strength and proper alignment. Those basics make such a big difference in everything else. She's smart, highly educated, and goes to workshops/trainings so that she can continue learning. I basically think everyone in the world should know Anne!!!!

Other things to know about StrongFit, more generally: Location is fantastic. Facilities are good. The environment is friendly and approachable. I go in the mornings, and the other morning trainers (Luke & Steve), as well as the regulars are all awesome people. Friendly, but not cliquey. No smarmy gym guys (that matters when you're a woman) - everybody is respectful and supportive. But, really, if you are a woman, you want to go there and see Anne. She's pretty...

A little over a year ago, I consulted with Joe Policastro to help me overhaul my health and fitness. I had struggled for years to implement a work and food regimen that worked, so I looked for professional help. I am very grateful to have found Joe as he has been instrumental in my transformation to a healthier, stronger, and happier person. He takes a thorough approach to setting goals that meet my needs, as well as keeping me motivated and focused to improve myself everyday.

I consulted Joe at the height of my unhealthiness at 5'10", 285lbs. I was developing chronic back pain from being so overweight. At the time, I was very unmotivated to improve the situation as everything I personally tried didn't work. Be it diets or exercise, I needed help. Joe started by giving me a great foundation in physical training exercises that where challenging but well within my capabilities. He also provided a reasonable diet to help me reduce calorie intake, that wasn't a ridiculous restriction to food. In 3 months I dropped 54lbs and shredded 9% body fat.

As I gained more confidence lost more weight, Joe worked to develop good core strength and endurance, eventually implementing more weight training and lifting exercises. He taught me the movements and correct form to exercises I never thought I could ever achieve! Now I have the confidence to correctly perform these movements on my own (squats, bench press, deadlifts, etc.), and understand how to push myself safely. And when things are not feeling right, he is very quick to intervene and modify a workout, avoiding any chance of being uncomfortable or injured.

After a year of training, I have now lost 100lbs and 17% body fat (See Pics Below). I feel better than ever and have never been as motivated to continue this journey. This is all thanks to the help from Joe Policastro. He has a true passion to see you succeed and knows how to bring out your true potential. He has always been very professional and a genuinely kind, enthusiastic, and positive person....

I started at StrongFit in November 2014, which is SO crazy (I had to look it up just now and I cannot believe that it’s been that long!) At the time, I wanted to “try” a personal trainer for a few months before my wedding. So I looked around, read a lot of reviews about different places and I truly remember thinking “Just for a few months, 4-5 tops! Too expensive!” (plus I wasn’t particularly excited about working out )… Joe reached out and seemed the most genuine so I went with it.

I hadn’t been pushed physically since High School so I was nervous but I LOVED it. I saw results I didn’t know I could. I lost 18 pounds for my wedding the following June (I don’t even think Joe knows that because I didn’t do an eval right before,), around 2% body fat and, most importantly, felt AMAZING!! To top it off, I actually looked forward to going!... well, as much as us normal people can look forward to the gym lol

I totally surprised myself and decided to spend the money to continue going well after that, because I just felt so great! After a while, I started going through one of those rough patches in life that we all go through… I was insanely busy and focused on grad school, I had a lot of mental breakdowns and weird slumps & started going to the gym less and less. Joe (& his team) were SO supportive the entire time. They encouraged me but didn’t push too much, reached out when they didn’t have to, and truly made me feel like they care about me and were there for me. I finally just took like a 6 month break to focus on school, because I knew I wasn’t committed and was wasting my money and their time.

I graduated in December and started back in January and I feel like I never left! (except I’ve got a lot of work to do to get back to where I was!! Haha) It’s just such a great, positive environment, and I KNOW I’m going to see results because I’ve already lived it!

If you’re considering a personal trainer, I promise you the pros outweigh the cons… at least in my...