Reviews
Smart Workout: Traveler Reviews
"My Fitness Vacation in NYC"
Reviewed April 28, 2012 tripadvisor.com
I was looking for a jump-start on a fitness plan without traveling too far from home. Smart Workout offered just the right program. I had never done anything like this before so I didn't know what to expect.
I loved the Smart Workout Fitness Vacation!
For me the highlights were:
- all meals at the spa or on the town were pre-planned to be nutritious and 1,200 calories per day, they were delicious and more than satisfying (I am much more aware of my daily calories now and came away with some great new recipe and snack ideas)
- the gym is a boutique style, very warm and welcoming
- the staff is professional, caring and lead outstanding classes!!!
- wide variety of classes to choose from
- challenging exercise program, that can be easily modified to suit your needs
- hotel accommodations are spacious, comfortable, upscale and very convenient to the gym, you are in the heart of NYC!
- informative nutrition and cooking class (great fun!)
- NYC entertainment, it varies with each program, but we experienced a limo ride, trendy NY bowling, salsa dancing lessons, a guided walk through Times Square, etc
We worked hard and were exhausted by the end of each day. The variety of classes made the hard work manageable. I loved being in NYC, I felt like a New Yorker while I was there and I came home with many calories burned and a refreshed state of mind ! I will definitely return!
~Kathie
see full review at http://www.tripadvisor.com
Smart Workout Fitness Vacation in New York, New York
Julie Register experienced this urban "destination" spa in March, 2012
by Julie Register of Discover Spas
Sunday
"It's Sunday morning. I'm on the train heading into NYC for a three-day Fitness Vacation at Smart Workout, which had been described to me as an urban destination spa experience by Elaine Platt, the owner. She had given me my itinerary over a week ago, but this was the first time I actually read and thought about what I had committed myself to doing. I knew if I thought about it for too long before now, I would chicken out. I am overweight, out of shape and over 50. The photos on the Smart Workout web site are filled with thin, in-shape and young women - not exactly my demographic.
Yikes!...14 fitness classes over one and two half days. That's more classes than I've taken in the last 5 years combined. I have no doubt I will be challenged. .......
*At precisely 12:45 pm, we are invited to descend the spiral staircase to the lower level of the gym. There we meet Elaine who has prepared lunch for us at a table set up in the exercise area between the office and kitchen. This is the area where TRX and Helix classes are held. Elaine explains that the approach to eating for this vacation is a 1250 calorie/day, four course/meal diet based on Volumetrics, which uses low-density foods such as fruits and vegetables that are low in calories but high in volume to help fill you up and feel satisfied. Elaine compares meal planning to a bank account. She has a budget of 1250 calories (350 for breakfast, 400 for lunch and 500 for dinner). From that she sets aside calories for a minimum of 60 grams of protein and 40 grams of fiber, makes sure fat stays below a total of 40 calories and then gets creative. We would be eating a lot of fish and seafood because they are "good deals" on calories for the protein they provide. Elaine tells us that variety fights boredom and
Docks Oyster Bar*** 1/2 of a 3-lb lobster at Docks Oyster Bar* increases the likelihood of weight loss success. She also explains that she simply does not cook and is a fan of "buying and laying down" where she plans out the menu, buys the food already prepared then lays it out in a nice presentation. This lunch is an example of this style of meal (the first of four styles). Over four courses, it includes salad, shrimp cocktail, poached salmon, sweet potato, grilled asparagus, cantaloupe and rice cakes topped with banana and peanut butter. It is - like all of the meals we were to have - tasty, filling and satisfying. She provides us with a food journal and the lunch menu that provides the calories, fiber, fat and protein for each item. Similar menus would be provided for each meal of the vacation.
As soon as we finish our meal, it is time for our first exercise class. All of the ~30 different types of classes last 45 minutes and have no more than 6 participants, which allow personal attention from the instructors as well as camaraderie with the other participants. Half of our group stays downstairs to do TRX. I go upstairs for the Wedge class - a first for me. Our instructor leads us through a series of exercises using this wedge-shaped foam block on the incline and decline positions to work the abs, butt, thighs, triceps, chest and lower back. By the time it is over, I am reacquainted with muscles I forgot I had. I am impressed with my instructor. She - like every instructor we have throughout the vacation - is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and keeps us focused and motivated.
The next class - Boxing for me and Helix for some of the others of the group - begins immediately after our first class. This is another first for me. Our instructor shows us how to tape our hands and put on the gloves. While she doesn't have us use the punching bag or heavy bag, she does use hand pads for us to aim at as we go through an aerobic workout with leg work, cross-punches, jabs, hooks and upper cuts. I feel a sense of accomplishment when the class ends. I didn't know I had it in me.
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Read the Full Review at http://www.discoverspas.com
Just Spas & Adventures™
Jill Radin-Leeds newsletter June 16, 2012
www.justspasandadventures.com
A continually growing number of women are seeking a fitness vacation, but where do you find one filled with hands-on fitness classes, culture, healthy, proportionally served meals, and dining out with delicious food? Believe or not, in New York City at Smart Workout, an “inclusive fitness destination”. No matter what your fitness level…whether you are a couch potato or are super-fit, Smart Workout offers something for you.
I had the opportunity to do a mid-week two night get-away that had me going with non-stop (my choice) activities, from arrival time for Sunday lunch, to departure after lunch on Tuesday. If you are looking for classes that challenge, you will certainly find them here. Classes run for 45 minutes and include Yoga, and Pilates on the Reformer machine, and the “new” variety of classes; Wave, TRX Suspension Training, and Helix. Classes have a maximum of six participants, really offering the feeling of personal instruction.
Everyone knows how many choices there are for you for getting in shape and losing weight, which run the gamut from mountains to beaches. But New York City offers so much. Smart Workout offers a great concept with so much to do and see while you are getting fit. The schedule changes as the seasons do, and you can be sure you can never be bored.
Clients also burn calories with non-exercise activity, by exploring New York City. Smart Workout owner Elaine Platt, a NYC native, takes guests on excursions that might include a Broadway show, Central Park, the High Line or the orchid show at the NYC Botanical Gardens. Overall I was impressed with the quality of the instructors and classes, food quality and choices and variety of excursions in New York City.
Jill Radin-Leeds Just Spas & Adventures
Weight Loss
Review: Smart Workout Fitness Vacations
By Malia Frey, About.com Guide
Updated April 09, 2012
There are plenty of places to go if you want to lose weight and get in shape. Spas and weight loss retreats are dotted across scenic beaches and wooded landscapes in almost every state. But who would imagine going to midtown Manhattan? After spending a weekend on a Smart Workout’s all inclusive Fitness Vacation, I would.
Classes and Activities
Part of the program philosophy is that it’s good to have small tastes of many things. As a client, you’ll have the opportunity to take short classes in a very wide variety of fitness formats. While there, I took Spinning, Zumba, Pilates, Wave, TRX Suspension Training, and Helix classes, just to name a few. The company offers over 30 types of classes…
Read Article at http://weightloss.about.com
SMART WORKOUT FITNESS VACATION IN NYC
10.22.2012
by GRACE GOLD HeavenSalon.com
Who doesn’t love a vacation?
While everyone enjoys days off, holidays can mean packing on extra pounds – which makes getting back to your normal routine even more difficult. But what if you actually lost some weight while away, while having a fantastic time? That’s the concept behind Smart Workout Fitness Vacation.
The brainchild of Elaine Platt, Smart Workout Fitness Vacation takes place at the gym’s midtown base in Manhattan, and incorporates engaging workout classes, healthfully fulfilling meals and sightseeing all together for a holiday that will leave you feeling both physically and mentally revived.
What’s Included
All-inclusive packages feature accommodations at a hotel just a block away, all the day’s meals and snacks totaling about 1400 calories, workout classes and socially active outings. The days are fully scheduled, with about a couple of hours of downtime before dinner – though you’ll likely use those to rest your feet and then get ready for the evening!
The Experience
Surprisingly, the dining is divine; 400 calorie meals at Smart Fitness are served in three to five courses that leave you feeling satisfied; in a session I attended, an example of lunch was a delicious chopped salad, salmon with sushi sauce, roasted asparagus, sweet potato, shrimp with cocktail sauce and two mini rice cakes with banana slices and peanut butter. Dinners are arranged at well-known NYC restaurants and feature indulgent foods like lobster, in cooking preparations that fall within your allotted caloric intake for the day.
And this isn’t your usual gym workout experience. Class offerings are meant to engage and offer variety (and arguably even entertainment!) as a means to getting fit. Some of the rotating offerings include Pilates Reformer, Zumba, TRX Suspension and trampoline-based cardio. Classes never contain more than about four people, so the experience is very personalized, with each instructor able to pay attention to your form and progress through each class.[…]
Read Full Review at HeavenSalon.com