Readers' Choice Poll: What's Your Favorite Fitness Center?

We've placed your nominations in a poll. It's time to vote!

This week's Readers' Choice asks you to vote for your Favorite Fitness Center in Plum, Oakmont or Verona. So where will it be? An overwhelming amount of you have submitted nominations, and now it's time to vote! You've nominated Steel City Rowing Club in Verona, Cycling Fusion in Oakmont and the East Suburban Family YMCA in Plum. Voting ends on Friday at noon. The place with the most votes will receive a certificate from Patch. If you think we're missing a location, tell us in the comments and we will add it to our poll. Ready. Set. VOTE. _______________________ Plum-Oakmont Patch is on Facebook and on Twitter. Don't forget to sign up for our daily email newsletter by clicking here.

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Readers' Choice: What's Your Favorite Fitness Center?

Plum, Oakmont and Verona have a variety of gym and fitness facilities—where do you like to sweat?

Summer—and bathing suit—weather is around the corner, so we're sure you want to look your best. We want to know, where in the Plum-Oakmont area do you like to work out? Do you prefer a larger and more public fitness center, or a smaller setting where you can get personalized attention? Or perhaps a little bit of both? This week's Readers' Choice asks you to vote for your Favorite Fitness Center in Plum, Oakmont or Verona. So where will it be?  We have a YMCA, a yoga studio, CrossFit, an indoor cycling studio and many other facilities in our area! Nominate a gym or fitness facility by leaving a comment below! On Wednesday, we'll create a poll with your nominations. A winner will be announced on Friday. Ready. Set. Go! …

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April Events at Plum Senior Center

Here's a roundup of some events this month.

Check out these events that will be held at the Plum Senior Center during the month of April. For more information about the senior center, see www.plumseniorcenter.org. Poetry Cafe April is National Poetry Month. Stop in to the senior center and join the Poetry Café on Thursday, April 5, at 1 p.m. to listen to recitations, discussions from famous poets, or to read your own poetry if you’d like.  All ages are welcome. Call 412-795-2330 for more information. Healthy Steps Program This is a Falls Prevention Program to help to teach how to prevent falls and stay healthy and active. This class is for adults ages 50 and older.  There is no cost for this program, and there will be many incentives to participate in this workshop.  Registration …

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Exhale Yoga Opens Jan. 28 in Oakmont

The new yoga studio located on Allegheny River Boulevard will offer many classes.

A new yoga studio is opening in Oakmont this month. Exhale Yoga will open on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 636 Allegheny River Boulevard. The studio is located in the space formerly occupied by Hippie House Coffee. Opening day will kick off with 101 Sun Salutations followed by a meet and greet of the instructors, prize giveaways and more. Classes include Vinyasa Flow and Pilates. All are welcome for the activities. "I'm so excited to bring hot yoga to Oakmont," said Melissa Rodden, Exhale Yoga founder. For detailed information including a class schedule, like Exhale Yoga Oakmont on Facebook or click here for the January/February schedule. The schedule also is attached in the photos section of this article.

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Heidi Dezayas

1:21 pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012

There will be a Sur Namaskr (101 Sun Salutations) donation class at 9:15 a.m. From noon to 2 p.m., there will be a meet-and-greet with the class instructors. More information can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Exhale-Yoga-Studio-Oakmont/189491884469769.   more ›

Regency Park Elementary Hosts Family Fun Night

Parents and students participated in fitness fun.

Regency Park Elementary School families stepped it up on Friday night during family fun night. "Witness the Fitness" was held in the Regency Park gym. Families participated in several different fitness stations, including corn hole, jump rope, bosu balls, hoola hoops, hot potat, Wii Dance Party 3 and spin the fitness wheel sponsored by the American Heart Association They also got to make trail mix and healthy potato chips, they received information about EB4K (Energy Balance For Kids) presented by Maryann Lazzaro and Cory O'Brien, watched a C.S. Kim Karate demonstration and participated in a line dancing program hosted by DJ Blake Lipinski.  All guests left with a fitness treat bag at the end of the evening.

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Regency Park, Pivik Receive Fitness Grant

The school received the grant through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge initiative.

Regency Park and Pivik elementary schools in Plum have each been awarded a $9,534 grant from the Highmark Foundation through its Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge initiative. The grant will be used to implement a physical fitness challenge by providing students with enhanced nutrition and fitness education. Schools will focus on physical education activities that develop teamwork and improve physical fitness, according to a Highmark press release. Lessons also will focus on team building activities, while helping students achieve greater levels of fitness. Students will be given a fitness pre-test, a mid-year test and a post test evaluation to monitor progress.

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Looking on the Light Side

New Year's Resolutions: Try, Try Again

Now is about the time resolution-makers start to lose momentum. Take a step back, plan your path (again) and refocus on those goals.

One of the most popular resolutions for the new year is promising yourself better health in the form of losing weight, exercising more or eating healthy. Research has shown that by the end of January, however, a third of you have abandoned these goals. I understand. Life gets in the way when things ramp up again after the holidays, and we put ourselves lower and lower on the priority list — or we’re just tired and lacking motivation. I do it. I know you do it. For me, all it takes is a little regrouping to trigger another try at reaching my goals. You don’t need the beginning of a brand new year or even the beginning of a new week to start again. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, change is …

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Doing Whatever it Takes in 2011

However you figure it out, strive to do whatever it takes to get and stay healthy this new year.

Every morning at 6:30 I see a man running down New Texas Road in Plum. He wears his running shoes and not much else, no matter the weather. The other night, I was at Plum Senior High School and heard the footsteps and heavy breathing of someone running around the track in the dark. My dear friend, Courtney Duzyk, often tells me of her 5:30 a.m. gym adventures. She's there bright and early with the body builders, who grunt, groan and pose while she diligently completes her sets.  "A lot of people think I'm crazy," Duzyk said, "Maybe I am, but for where I am in my life it suits me perfectly to be at the gym at 5:30 a.m." I'm one of those people who thinks she's crazy, but at the same time I'm terribly jealous of her whatever-it-takes …

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Looking on the Light Side

Fit in Fitness this Holiday Season

There are plenty of local opportunities to fit in fitness during this hectic time of year.

It's the beginning of December, and it's official — we're deep in the holiday season. The turkey leftovers are gone, and gifts are piling up in all the secret hiding places. Now might be the time of year to put fitness gear and good health goals aside to celebrate the season, but it's not necessary to throw everything (your goals and your progress) out the frosted window until the new year to get everything done for the holidays. It's not hard to fit in workouts during this busy time of year. I take my lunch break at work to sweat all the holiday treats off to a workout DVD. I used to eat lunch at my desk and continue working, but I decided taking a half an hour to work out would greatly benefit me; especially with all the goodies I'll be …

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