Lois Forte, NASM, ACE,

Triple Threat Trainer, Tone/Tighten/Transform

ActivewearUSA.com Ambassador

"Mindful Movement" is Lois's philosophy and the message she tries to spread to her personal training clients and group classes. She believes that all exercise and movement is mind/body and that staying present in the moment of movement and never losing sight of your intention within that movement, guarantees true targeted results. Lois is not a yoga instructor! She is more of a drill sergeant in her boot camp and muscle conditioning classes and can be sort of 'in your face' if she knows what your personal goals are, so that she keeps you true to them. I don't want to scare you away because she is also very sensitive, caring and funny - and certainly different rules apply between every class and every person. But the one constant is that she tries to educate people about themselves.

Her fitness teaching journey started at Syracuse University where she led a class in her dorm room. She learned then that her passion and knowledge can be contagious and inspirational, but still beleived that this was a hobby (at the time, full time fitness professioals were rarely heard of!). It was very 'Jane Fonda'.

After she married her college sweetheart and moved to Europe, she was lucky enough to continue her profession as a TV and Radio Producer at an Advertising Agency, but luckier still to teach group fitness classes part time and continue on her quest for more knowledge and certifications in her desire to help people help themselves through physical activity.

It wasn't until her daughter was born, that she decided to leave Advertising and pursue fitness fulltime.

She taught group classes and was a personal trainer at the American Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, local Portguese health clubs, choreographed for the American Internaltional High School of Lisbon musical productions, taught dance as an after school activity for the American International Elementary School, and worked closely with a local physical therapist who was already fitness forward in prescribing fitness as a tool to help people acquire their best health - and health insurance covered the sessions!

All these experiences have led to the realization that toal wellness encompasses so much more than going to the gym. It involves educating herself and her clients on the benefits of holistic medicine, the right nutrition, organic and mindful eating, meditation, breathing and proper alignment. It is a way of life. We are all a work in progress.

She continues to aspire to inspire people, at whichever step of the journey they are on at Canyon Ranch.