Get fit with Blaine in 2021

December 31st, 2020

By Blaine Ochoa

Every day is a gift and new beginning, the start of new decisions and opportunities. The beginning of a new year is liberating, exciting, and is often a motivating force behind going after goals. I hope 2021 is the fresh start you need to push yourself to greater heights and a better you; whether that may be pursuing dreams, starting a new career path, or living a healthier lifestyle. One of my personal goals this year is getting in the best shape that I can and continue to live a healthy lifestyle. I love trying and incorporating new workouts into my routine. These are my five favorite places to get fit in Houston!

9 Round Houston Galleria

I recently started going to 9 Round Houston Galleria because I wanted to improve my kickboxing skills and get back in shape. Needless to say, I absolutely love it and I’m hooked! I’m seeing incredible physical results, including weight loss, muscle definition, and improved skills. 9Round provides a 30 minute high intensity kickboxing and weight training circuit style workout. A new circuit begins every 3 minutes making it accessible for busy clients on the go. 9 Round Houston Galleria location is owned and operated by the beautiful boss babe and fitness expert, Crystal Saldivar. Go to 9round.com and view the Houston Galleria location tab to schedule a workout!

LJ Performance Training

This spacious and top notch gym facility is owned by Leo Johnson. LJ Performance Training offers athletic training, semi private training, and personal training. The atmosphere at LJ’s is inviting and refreshing, and you will also see some of the top athletes from around the United Stated and Houston coming in to train at LJ’s. Leo is someone who encourages and inspires you to conquer your goals and specializes in individual performance training. Leo helped me get in incredible shape while preparing for my Miss Houston USA swimsuit competition in 2019. Visit LJperformancetraining.com to find out more information!

Method Pilates

Houston’s premier pilates studio, Method Pilates is owned by the beautiful entrepreneur and Pilates lover, Ashton Verrengia. The studio is chic and has a vibe like no other. Whether you’re just starting out or a pilates veteran, you’ll love Method’s classes. Method Pilates 50-minute reformer workouts will define your core, sculpt your muscles, and improve your posture and flexibility. Move to the music with an upbeat playlist, and find a class that fits your vibe. From Restore and Stretch to Butts Tight AF, there is something for everyone. Visit Methodpilates.com to sign up for a class!

Sweat 1000

SWEAT stands for Specialized Weight Endurance Athletic Training. Owned by Ana Barron and Jordan Strouse, SWEAT offers intense and challenging full body workouts, sure to help you get in incredible shape. SWEAT integrates the components of interval training, functional training, core stability work, athletic training, and agility training. SWEAT is a 50 minute dynamic class that is different every single time. The instructors are amazing, and they will push you physically and mentally to help you achieve your fitness goals. Visit Sweat1000.com to book your workout!

Khango

Khango is a workout like no other in the city. The brand new recently opened gym facility has state of the art equipment that caters to the everyday workout warrior, mid life male, the house wife and even some of the top athletes in the world. The branding and wall art is a view in and of itself. It’s an atmosphere from the moment you walk in, combined with cleanliness and high class all in one. Khango is owned by Dose Khango. He is an incredible trainer who will push you to the limit and help you dominate your fitness goals. Visit theKhangoway.com to schedule a session!

I hope the new year inspires you to let go of the old and continue to move forward with power and confidence. I highly recommend all of these workout facilities, each is unique and one of a kind and will help you achieve your fitness goals in 2021. Happy New Year!!

Love, Blaine

TriFitness Gym – A Great Place To Be

February 27th, 2020

By Alisa Star

As we reach a certain age our body and metabolism change. It becomes harder to shed those unwanted pounds, and movement becomes more challenging. TriFitness will help you go through your fitness journey by creating your own personal workout program that is targeted for your needs. It is based on the mobility of your body. Their team of experts are there to help you achieve your goals in a safe and successful manner.

TriFitness gym is a functional aging specialist fitness center that specializes in small group programs that targets fifty plus years of age and older. The gym is an education based facility and provides training to increase balance, flexibility, endurance, strength and in other areas that focus on natural movement. This helps seniors live a more functional daily life. Age doesn’t define our capabilities, and everyone’s body ages differently. With the right instructor and proper health program, you can help your body slow down the rate at which we lose our functional capacity.

TriFitness is one of a kind gym that has a dynamic set of instructors that are there to cater to your personal workout needs. Jake Trione, co-owner, is a functional aging specialist. Trione loves connecting with people and inspires his clients to meet their goals through his aging fitness and health programs. Trione is dedicated to his clients and makes them feel encouraged that they are working out in a safe way according to their body’s needs. Co-owner John Adelletta, loves his community and wants all the people who enter TriFitness doors to feel comfortable.

Some of TriFitness clients were eager to share their stories. Jerrye, who has been going for two months now said, “I come twice a week, I’m here to save my life”. And Brenda who’s been going faithfully says, she feels great when she arrives, and even better when she leaves. One of their daily highlights is seeing the trainers, feeling important, working out in a safe way and reaching their daily goals.

With the right fitness and nutrition program you can live a longer healthier life. TriFitness gym specializes in caring, connecting, and coaching. They are here to give you the right information, walk you through your personal training program, and get you started to a happier, healthier, better you! “TriFitness gym is buying into you, you’re not buying into us” stated Trione.

TriFitness Gym is located at 2417 Bay Area Blvd in Clear Lake. Visit www.trifitnessgym.com or call (281) 786-1189 for more information.

Preparation Meets Opportunity

April 1st, 2019

Blaine Ochoa and Leo Johnson, owner of LJ Performance Training.

By Blaine Ochoa

“You don’t have to be great to start. But you have to start to be great.”

This is one of Leo Johnson’s favorite quotes. Leo (LJ) is the owner of prestigious gym, LJ Performance Training located in Houston.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Leo and training with him for the upcoming beauty pageant I’m competing in, Miss Houston USA. Fitness is 1/3 of the competition score, and I am thrilled to be training with him to help me achieve my fitness goals.

I am a firm believer in following your dreams and never giving up. This will be my third time competing for Miss Houston USA. When going after a dream or trying to accomplish a goal, there will be ups and downs, setbacks and mistakes. However, if you believe in yourself, persevere, work hard, and never give up, there are no limits to what you can achieve. My life is a testament to this and so is Leo’s.

Leo is from Amarillo, where he started training high school and college students. He played college football at Texas Southern, played basketball and ran track. Health and fitness has always been a passion of his, and he knew he wanted to train professionally. He traveled to Miami, then to Los Angeles to get certified and pursue his dream of training professional athletes. He eventually moved to Texas and called Houston home.

Leo Johnson trains one of his clientele on the rings.

“Fitness has been huge my whole life. Coming from a sports background, I had to maintain living a healthy lifestyle for one, and I grew to love it. I’ve always had aspirations for having my own facility for years. Finally preparation met opportunity, and I got the chance to open my own gym on Feb. 1, 2018. I’ve had huge support from Houston; their support has been astronomical. Not being from Houston and to have gotten the support that I’ve had is amazing.”

He loves owning LJ Performance Training and finds joy in helping others. “It’s refreshing and fulfilling to help people reach their goals and help people accomplish what they’re trying to do. I love the atmosphere and the clientele. The clientele is so diverse and I love that people will not only come to workout but to hang out and chill.”

Throughout life’s journey there will be tough times and difficult moments. Focus, perseverance, and patience plays a great role on the journey to success. “Never give up. I’ve been through so much in life, and, literally, the only reason why I’m still here is because I never gave up.”

He remembers the day he told his children that he wanted to pursue his dream of training professional athletes. Years later, one of his proudest moments was when his daughter called him crying, telling him she was so proud of him when his dream came true and he became a gym owner and personal trainer to some of the top professional athletes in the business.

Ultimately what matters is not about how many times you fall down, what matters is getting back up, deciding what to do next, and moving confidently forward in the direction of achieving your dreams.

“Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”

Getting Fit in 2019

January 2nd, 2019

By Blaine Ochoa

Welcome TO 2019! It is the beginning of a new year and the start of new goals. Let’s take a minute to reflect upon the previous year. Did you accomplish what you wanted to accomplish? Was it a great year? Did you step outside your comfort zone? Did you live and love more?

Moving into the new year, I encourage you to start every day with a grateful heart and to step out in faith, believe in yourself, and live life boldly and courageously. You can achieve any goal and anything you set your mind to. Embrace change and embrace that every day is a fresh start.

A common goal most people have at this time of the year is getting in shape. I would love to share with you a few tips that have helped me and my fitness journey.

Blaine’s 5 Fitness Tips:

Balance and discipline
Balance exercising into your lifestyle. Find an appropriate time of the day that works best with you and your schedule and dedicate that time to working out. It can be in the morning, evening or even during a lunch break. Set time aside and make it a priority. If you want change in your life you are going to have to do something you’ve never done and you will have to practice discipline. You will have to make certain sacrifices, but it will be worth it.

Goal setting and planning
Set goals that are attainable. Set a reachable goal for you and make weekly goals along with monthly goals. Get a calendar to plan out the days you work out. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. I would encourage exercising at least three times a week. This is a healthy amount of exercise for the average person.

Workout
Find fitness routines and workouts that you enjoy. Whether it’s walking 30 minutes a day, swimming, or joining a group fitness class – there are many options that aren’t strenuous and are enjoyable to do. I personally love Pilates, Yoga, dancing, and walking.

Attitude
It’s all about positivity, perception and how you look at your journey. Don’t think of working out as a burden or stressful situation. Look at it as a blessing and be thankful you can exercise, some people are less fortunate. Stay positive, and embrace the journey. It takes a strong minded individual to make a change and you will notice yourself becoming stronger daily, physically and mentally the longer you stay committed to your goal.

Accountability partner
Find someone who will push you and better you. Someone who will encourage you and uplift you. It is helpful to have a partner who will exercise with you or at least check in with you to make sure you are sticking to your workout schedule.

I hope these 5 Tips will help you succeed at your fitness goals! Nothing is impossible and always remember to rejoice in your victories, even the small ones! You CAN do it. Happy New Year and have an exceptionally blessed 2019.

If you have any fitness questions please contact me at www.beautywithblaine.com or follow me on Instagram @blainejanell\

Photo credit https://traineracademy.org

Remember Your Why

September 1st, 2018

Ana Barron and Blaine Ochoa

By Blaine Ochoa

What are your dreams and goals? Why?

The “why” to these answers is by far more important. “Why” is what drives and motivates you. The dreams and goals you have would mean nothing if you didn’t know why you wanted to pursue them. Every decision you will ever make is fueled by a “why.”

Life is a journey. During your pursuits and adventures in life, you sometimes tend to forget why you started something in the first place. The journey can be exhausting, heartbreaking and confusing when you loose sight of “why.” I have experienced this firsthand and had to pause, refocus and refresh, and really concentrate on my “why” along the road to following my dreams.

On a side note, I believe sometimes God allows you to break, in order to build you back up stronger than before. Personally, in these moments when I have been so weak, I have seen His power and grace revealed. When I let go and look towards Him, He picks me up right where I am and brings me to a better place. Afterwards I am stronger, wiser, more refined, and have a clearer meaning of my purpose and my “why.”

“Do everything with passion and authenticity,” says Ana Barron, co-owner of Sweat 1000 Houston. Sweat is the 1st studio in the United States of its kind. The gym is based on a concept originated from Cape Town, South Africa. Husband and wife, Jordan Strouse and Ana Barron are the proud owners of Sweat 1000 Houston.

Jordan Strouse and Ana Barron, proud owners of Sweat 1000 Houston.

Ana fell in love with fitness while living in South Africa. “It was a way for me to improve myself, and it helped me develop a healthy lifestyle. It has now become more than that. I enjoy inspiring others to live a better and healthy lifestyle and create a healthy environment.”

In 2015, Jordan and Ana meet the founders of Sweat 1000 in South Africa, Paul and Andrew Rothschild. Jordan and Ana decided to partner with them and bring the concept to Houston. “Sweat is a high intensity interval training workout session using treadmills as the base workout, and integrating components of functional training, core stability, and athletic training.” Sweat is a fun and healthy place to work out and achieve goals, and you can burn up to 1,000 calories in one workout class. It is very high energy, and Jordan and Ana typically play EDM, hip hop, and Latin music; Ana loves to incorporate her Hispanic culture into her workout classes. In the future the couple plan to grow and expand to new locations in Houston and beyond.

Fitness and working out reminds me a lot about life. It you want to see results, you have to stay positive, motivated, and consistent. When it gets hard, you have to remember why you started, tell yourself to keep going and push through. You may be sore the next day, but eventually the soreness leaves and you become stronger.

Ana’s advice is to, “believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams. Whatever goal it may be, there is no magic pill, you have to work really hard and stay very consistent.”

When life gets tough, pick yourself up and keep going. It may not get easier, but you will get stronger. You have to remember your passion and your purpose everyday, and never forget your “why.”

You can contact me at [email protected] or visit www.BeautywithBlaine.com

Bay Area Houston Magazine