By Nancy Brumback. Contributing Writer
Business name: Get In Shape for Women
Address: 45 East Main St. (Rt. 30), Westborough and 318 Main St. (Rt. 20), Northborough
Owners: Jody Chaffee and Toni Parr
Contact Information: 508-329-1406 Westborough, 508-466-8529 Northborough, www.getinshapeforwomen.com
Get in Shape for Women combines weight training, cardio training, nutrition counseling and accountability in a program to help women change their lifestyles and improve their health.
Jody Chaffee and Toni Parr, who are sisters, opened the Westborough location five years ago and added a second location in Northborough two years ago. The two locations offer scheduled morning, evening and weekend training sessions for small groups of women.
“We'se family-owned and operated, not just another franchise. If you sign up for our program, I say “welcome to the family,”” Chaffee said.? She emphasized that Get in Shape's trainers make the small group program a success.
What do you like best about your job?
Andrea Longo, trainer, Westborough:? “It brings me joy to help women feel better, look better and be better. The hardest part is sometimes wanting results for them more than they want it for themselves. Knowing they can do it but seeing they don's have the confidence to push, you want to give them that confidence.”
Marijane (Mj) Powell, trainer, Northborough: “I like working with the older women; I can relate to them and motivate them more. It's all women so they'se not intimidated, they just let go and try, and they find out they can do it. They feel good about themselves when they leave and that brings them back. They finally see the results, and their health is a lot better.”
Mj lost 45 pounds as a client. “That motivated me and made me want to do this.”
Julie Pluymert, Westborough trainer: “I would do this whether I was paid or not. I absolutely love what I do. It's the most rewarding profession. I teach people how to love, how to respect themselves again by putting their bodies first and using their bodies the way they are intended to be used.
“The community here is incredible. The clients encourage each other and work really hard. We teach them to eat well and that starts the ball rolling. Their whole life is enhanced just by coming through the door.”
You emphasize nutrition as well as exercise?
Andrea: “We have a prescribed six-day blueprint of meals that is easy to follow, makes sense and is nutritionally sound. You don's have to go out and buy strange foods. There's an online tracking program to help clients follow through.”
Jody: “If you want to change your body, you'se got to change what you fuel it with. We'se teaching women how to make a lifestyle change.”
How does a client get started?
Toni: “After a physical assessment, we measure their weight and body fat.? From there, we discuss their goals??”including weight loss, toning and building muscle.? We emphasize how important the nutrition piece is and see how committed they are.? We tell them the program works 100 percent of the time if they follow it.? Accountability, weight training, interval cardio training, nutrition and body transformation lead to our clients getting amazing results.”
