By Breanna Lai, UW News Lab

Dozens of Ballardites are stepping up to challenge their bodies and way of life by participating in the third annual Ballard Fitness Fest hosted by Edge Personal Training.

The competition kicked off on February 20th, and over the next three months, participants will compete for better health, and a prize of a $250 gift card to a Ballard business of his or her choice and three free training sessions at Edge for the person with the most improved overall fitness.

The competition is open to all who live or work in Ballard and its surrounding areas, and it's not too late to join. Participants receive an initial fitness assessment that consists of a body composition test, circumference measurements and body weight assessment. Contestants will then exercise for three months either at Edge or on their own and will return to the gym for retesting between May 19 and 25 to determine how much their overall fitness has improved.

“One of the biggest things I wanted to do more of was to just get the community involved,” said Erik Hroncich, owner and personal trainer of Edge.It amazed me how many people joined. So many people did so well and only half of them trained with us.”

Hroncich said in the past two years they have had around 70 people participate each year,. Half of the participants returned for retesting after the three month period and every person saw improvements in their overall fitness, said Hroncich.

The competitiveness of the event has also intensified.

“Of the people that retested last year, their results were much more improved than the people that tested the year before,” said Hroncich. “Last year was way tougher; it was much more competitive.”

Brad Pease, last year’s winner, made the most progress in the short amount of time that Hroncich has seen in the competition thus far.

“For the competition he has done the best over the last two years. He has done one of the most effective and long lasting jobs of weight loss, especially on his own,” said Hroncich.

Pease said before the competition last year, he realized that he was putting his health down on his list of priorities.

His wife, Lindsey, was pregnant with their son Grant and when she started eating for two he found himself doing the same.

“Lindsey found the competition on the web and she had me signed up. Before I knew it I was getting my fat pinched and that hasn't happened since eighth grade on a wrestling mat in front of 30 peers,” he said.

Pease said going to Edge for the fitness assessment was a much more friendly experience than the one he remembers from a giggling middle school gym class. He said the numbers really spoke for themselves.

But he said he could not have done it alone. He trained with his wife and he said he is very fortunate to have her support.

“I couldn't have done it without her. The critical factor for success was we really went at it as a team,” said Pease. “It was typical that one of us would waiver, the other person would always be there to kick the other one into shape. I have to admit that my wife kicked me into shape more than I kicked her into shape.”

Pease’s workout regime wasn't drastic. He said he actually focused more on his diet with the help of technology. He used an iPhone application called Lose It to track what was in the food he was consuming.

“Being more aware of what is in something is half the battle,” said Pease. “Then you know the impact.”

Hroncich said staying healthy is all about choices. “Have a beer, live your life, but understand what you have to put in to combat those calories.”

As a fitness professional he said often times people assume trainers come out of the womb naturally fit.

“Most of us bust our butts for ourselves and follow what we preach,” said Hroncich. “It’s work, it’s not easy.”

Pease was able to keep the weight off since last year’s competition and he is excited to participate in this year’s contest again.

“I am a pretty average guy, I am not intensely focused on losing weight or being a gym rat. If you look at me on the street you never think that I work out. I think there are a lot of people out there like me,” Pease said.

He recommends making exercise more fun. “My wife and I love to go hiking. Putting your 18-month-old on your back and going hiking four miles is a workout and you don't even realize what is happening,” he said.

Hroncich said he has seen an overall transformation with his clients.

“It almost seems to bring out their actual true personality. That’s one of the best things about training regardless of the competition, people get an overall life change out of it,” he said.

“Once you’re in better shape, your confidence goes up, you feel better, it's a mental confidence, it's the professional confidence and of course there are all the health benefits.”

To enter Edge’s third annual Fitness Fest call 206-782-1505 to set up a fitness assessment. For details visit http://www.edgepersonaltraining.net/
http://www.edgepersonaltraining.net/Ballard_Fitness_Fest_2012.pdf