Category Archives: Health & Fitness

By Maureen Werther

Full Circle Fitness of Colonie recently opened a second location at 3257 Route 9 in Saratoga Springs.

Owners Laurie and Dan Romand have been attracting people, who might shy away from the traditional gym atmosphere, to their more intimate-style facility where everyone ends up knowing each other’s name and sharing their journeys toward a healthier lifestyle.

There are never more than 15 people per class, the owners said. The company’s claim to fame is personalized attention and a commitment to helping each person realize their fitness goals and develop healthy lifestyle habits.

Laurie Romand, CEO of Full Circle, said their program is geared toward people who may feel uncomfortable or intimidated in what she calls the “big box” type of gym.

“Perhaps the person has never worked out before and doesn’t know how to operate equipment. Or, they feel that, if they ask a question about a particular exercise machine, they’re going to be pressured to sign up for expensive personal training sessions,” said Romand.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Beekman Street is now home to a different kind of skin care spa.

At Faces on Beekman, Crystal Cobert-Giddens is bringing a holistic approach to skin care that many people have not experienced before. Her approach is based on health and wellness, and she is confident people will be receptive to the detailed and careful type of service she provides.

Her office is at 30 Beekman Street, Suite B, in Saratoga Springs.

Cobert-Giddens, a native of California, said having rosacea— a condition that causes redness and often small bumps on the face—gave her an understanding of the self esteem issues people can experience.  It led her on a path to becoming a certified integrative nutrition health coach, as well as a licensed esthetician and certified oncology esthetician.

“My practice is always different than what people anticipate. I take the time to analyze each client because one treatment does not fit all,” she said.

She used to visit make-up counters seeking advice. Eventually those visits led to a job with a skin care and cosmetic company, which evolved into her business. Her approach to healthy skin goes beyond quick fixes. She approaches it from a medical standpoint, mixed with a holistic style.

As chairman of the Capital Region Heart Ball on Feb. 25, Dan Pickett, CEO of nfrastructure in Clifton Park, is bringing together organizations and businesses to help improve the health of Capital Region residents.

“The American Heart Association is one of the most impactful of its type in our community,” Pickett said.  “One of the foci of the Pickett Family Foundation is health care. I’m also a director at Albany Medical Center, which now has an affiliate agreement with Saratoga Hospital and Columbia Memorial Health. Chairing the Heart Ball puts a lot of our philanthropy into one area—health care.”

The Capital Region Heart Ball is set for Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs. Pickett said he plans to highlight the work of area hospitals, their leaders and the American Heart Association at the Capital Region Heart Ball.

By Susan E. Campbell

The greatest asset a business has is its people. Keeping both workers and the workplace healthy and safe directly impacts a company’s bottom line and more.

The Center for Occupational Health (COH), a service of Glens Falls Hospital, helps businesses throughout the region maintain quality workplace health care. Last year, COH served 31,000 individuals and 2,000 companies from its locations in Queensbury, Wilton, and at individual company sites, said COH director Cathy Reichen, PT, DPT.

“Companies want to make sure that new hires are fit and capable of doing the work they are being asked to do,” Reichen said. “Injuries hit the bottom line with increased workers comp costs, lack of work, and decreased productivity.”

By Jill Nagy

“We want to make sure that Saratoga County is one of the healthiest places to live,” said Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus, announcing the chamber’s third annual Health and Wellness Week, Jan. 17-22.

The county is already ranked by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as the healthiest place to live in New York state, up in the ranking from number 5 three years ago, he said.

During the week, businesses in the county will introduce the community to activities and resources to help them meet fitness goals for the New Year. All events are free but most require prior registration.

By Liz Witbeck

A good business owner knows how essential it is to keep employees healthy and motivated in the workplace. Recently, Travis Gil and his team at Fitness Artist, launched a new program to help other companies do just that.

Gil is the owner of Fitness Artist, a personal training studio. The program integrates highly customized, one-on-one sessions or “exclusive” small group classes to help clients achieve their goals. He founded Fitness Artist in 2010. He has three locations: Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park and Loudonville.

He saw opportunity to grow his business and help supply a fitness and injury prevention program to other businesses, which inspired him to launch Work Force Strong. It is a corporate wellness program designed to increase productivity and decrease injuries.

Michael Kurkowski, fitness professional, works with a young athlete at HealthPlex Fitness in Clifton Park, a specialized fitness facility offering customized programs.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill Nagy

HealthPlex Fitness in Clifton Park, one of the area’s first private fitness centers, is still going strong after 30 years.

Over the years, it has morphed into a specialized fitness facility offering customized programs for young athletes, middle-aged and older folks getting back into shape, and people recovering from illness or injury.

Recently, HealthPlex started a partnership with physical therapists from OrthoNY , an orthopedic medicine practice, in a program called MedX. The focus is on “functional movement,” according to HealthPlex manager Steve Kerkowski.

The program is designed for people who have completed physical therapy but still need to go somewhere to build strength and improve overall physical fitness.

“If the doctors don’t have to fix things or refer a patient to physical therapy, they send them to us to screen and develop a program of corrective exercise,” he said.

Jeanette Lang, a personal trainer at the Southern Saratoga YMCA, works with a customer in the facility’s wellness center, which has upgraded its equipment.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill Nagy

Members of the Southern Saratoga YMCA have been enjoying an upgraded wellness center, thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Capital District YMCA.

The branch, at 1 Wall St. in Clifton Park, was one of three chosen for upgrading. The others are Guilderland and East Greenbush. Funds for the upgrades came from membership dues from the Capital District YMCA, of which Southern Saratoga is a part. There was no separate fundraising campaign.

The Clifton Park facility was built in 1994. The project was the first major renovation of its wellness center, according to Executive Director Sarah Heslin.

In the process, the exercise machines were replaced. New flooring and ceiling tiles were installed, along with energy-saving lights. Everything received a fresh coat of paint.

In addition to the machines, which can be programmed for each user’s needs, the center has an area equipped with free weights.