Interviewed by Wendy Friedman
Photos by Jerry McGaghey

The goal at Lifestyle Family Fitness is to ensure all members have a fun and friendly experience while getting in shape and improving overall health. Part of what makes this possible is the team of highly trained Certified Personal Trainers. Every Lifestyle Family Fitness member receives “PT 123” or three free introductory personal training sessions. It is during this time, a new member meets a personal trainer to set goals and learn how to properly make use of the fitness center. The trainer’s sole purpose is to improve member’s health and physique. One such trainer is Daniel Graveel from the Lifestyle Family Fitness North St. Petersburg club. Lifestyle Magazine sat down with Daniel to talk about his passion for exercise and a new hobby.

Daniel, 26, has been training for five years, including two at Lifestyle Family Fitness. A native of Indiana, he holds a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Sports Medicine from Ball State University in Muncie, He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

LM: Where did you get your start in training?

DG: I got hands on experience at the International Performance Institute in Bradenton, Fl. In school, you learn physiology, anatomy and how systems in the body work, but you don’t learn about training itself and ideas such as program design, which means “how to progress someone from start to finish.” I learned so much about training that can apply to athletes as well as the general population.

LM: What do you say to someone new to the gym who may be intimidated by the prospect of working out?

DG: I would ask them if they have taken part in the PT 123 program. If not, I would encourage them to do so. They will gain insight and have an opportunity to work with a trainer for three sessions. The member will learn more about themselves by using this tool.

LM: After participating in the PT 123 program, how can a member take most advantage of a Lifestyle Family Fitness facility to get the best results?

DG: I believe consistency, whether training or with a nutrition program, is the key. The reason is, one must be diligent and understand that results won’t happen overnight. If you have a strong desire to achieve a goal, it will happen – but it will take time.

LM: So is it safe to say that you will not see as good of results from your workout plan if your diet is not proper?

DG: You have to look at how many calories you are taking in and how many you are exerting. Evaluate yourself each month. Ask “am I losing weight or body fat consistently” If not, you may need to adjust your calories on intensity and duration of the exercise whether it is resistance or cardio or a combination. I’d also say – don’t eat out as much as there is no portion control. If you are at a restaurant, ask for a box at the beginning of a meal so you do not over eat.

LM: How does one avoid falling to the frustration of not seeing results right away?

DG: Exercise is not an exact science. Everyone is different and you must adjust the training and diet as such. Don’t get discouraged – push past that and look at what you are trying to achieve. Also, don’t be afraid to come up to a trainer and ask for advice. That is why we are here. Some people think because they are not working with a trainer they can’t ask question – that is not the case.

LM: And speaking of working towards a goal, I understand you are currently training for a bodybuilding competition?

DG: Yes, I’ve got two bodybuilding shows in September, the Hurricane Bay and Lakeland Classic. LM: Is this the first time you are competing?

DG: I got into it in college – I did two shows. I am a really competitive person. I always try to play some recreational sport. I’m not playing anything right now, so I thought this is something else to compete in.

LM: How do you prepare to compete?

DG: I start about eight weeks out from the competition. A big part of the training process is diet. I started out by lowering my carbohydrate and fat intake. I focus my training on staying in shape to bring out more muscle definition.

LM: What has a typical workout been as you train for the competition?

DG: I’ve been doing two sessions of cardio for a half hour, one in the morning and the other in the evening. Then I weight train in the afternoon. I’ve been doing a pyramid, which means starting out with lighter weights and more repetition and increase the weight as you decrease repetitions. Next week, I will add in heavier sets of 10 repetitions and drop the weight down to two sets of 20 repetitions.