Fitness Together
For one-on-one personal training
By Nance Ebert Contributing Writer

Michael Cardoza, area director PHOTO/NANCE EBERT

Westborough - Fitness Together off ers one-on-one personal training in a private suite with state-of-the-art equipment. The facility differs from a gym because the clients are accountable to their trainer.

Michael Cardoza, the facility's area director, has been with Fitness Together for almost six years, first as a manager and then as a director. He enjoys watching clients come in, set goals and achieve them. He has a finance degree and he received an MBA in England and worked for a professional soccer team on the business end. Having always had a passion for training, Cardoza stepped in as a manager of the Dedham Fitness Together studio. He still occasionally trains when needed.

Steve Lichtman is the owner and president of the Lifestyle Fitness Corporation, which owns three Fitness Together locations: Westborough, Dedham and Norwell. The Westborough location was purchased one year ago. According to Cardoza, it changed his life in a very positive way.

"As a franchise, Fitness Together works on everything from nutrition, the training perspective, to the cardiovascular end of it," he said. "I love everything about it. I travel between the three studios but since the Westborough is our newest one, I've been spending more time here. I enjoy interacting with the clients. I'm such a people person."

There are three full-time trainers at the Westborough location and 15 trainers in Dedham and Norwell. The trainers are nationally certified as well as trained by Fitness Together.

"The training is very rigorous and includes a written test," Cardoza said. "All of our trainers 'shadow' another experienced trainer prior to handling clients on their own. Many of our trainers have college degrees in exercise physiology and exercise science. It's not uncommon for our trainers to give between anywhere from 35 to 55 sessions in a week. That is quite diff erent than what you'd get in a typical gym."

Most clients come in three to four times each week to work with their trainer in 45-minute sessions. Some clients choose to come in on additional days for more cardiovascular work, which the staff at Fitness Together encourages.

"One of the misconceptions people have is that fitness and training is not a necessity but a luxury. This is really not the case," Cardoza said. "It can be expensive, but good health and well-being are essential."

Cardoza explained how Fitness Together diff ers from other facilities.

"Clients purchase a group of sessions," he said. "We hold our clients accountable to come in. We tell them what they need to be doing. We're getting paid to get our clients into the best shape of their lives. So, therefore, we take it very seriously how we create their programs and make sure they're staying here and doing the right things through the training, nutrition and cardio."

Programs are based on the needs and limitations of clients.

"Our clients range from those who've never seen the inside of a gym to athletes in training," Cardoza said. "It's great for people with busy schedules. It's an efficient and effective way to work out."

Fitness Together is located at 36 East Main St. in Westborough.

Editor's Note: the preceding is not an endorsement and is presented for informational purposes only.