Congratulations on taking the first step to becoming a fitter, healthier version of yourself! Whether you’ve been a gym member before or are a first-timer, you’re in the right place. Here, you'll find like-minded folks who are striving to simply be better than they were yesterday. Welcome to the Anytime Fitness family!

With summer in sight, more of us are feeling self-conscious about our bodies -- and will enjoy the season less as a result. That's according to a new survey commissioned by Anytime Fitness.

76% of the 1,000 respondents said that they feel the same or worse about their body image this year. Another 53% plan to "cover up everything they can" at the beach. That doesn't bode well for fun in the sun.

"If You Think You Can't, You Can."

Warrior Dash is a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme running event. This fierce running series is held on the most challenging and rugged terrain across the globe. And now, it’s also a great way to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital save children from cancer and other deadly diseases.

How big a role is your Survival Instinct playing in your life?

In a world with more creature comforts, we see more impatience, discomfort, anxiety and depression. In a world that provides us tools for connection, the paradox is that we are technologically hyper-connected yet disconnected from ourselves. What is the effect of being on alert constantly-handling a barrage of emails, texts, and a never ending to do list?

Lately, there has been quite a stir surrounding the issues of artificial additives and food processing. And, just like every other issue pertaining to nutrition, there is a battlefield of conflicting information coming at us from every direction, like lasers from an alien aircraft. But before you put on your armor and settle in for a round of dietary Space Invaders, read this blog instead!

"You won't stick to a diet that omits your favorite foods"

Writing about the importance of sleep at 3am, or gaining 22 pounds while authoring a weight loss book might not make sense. But it shows that even David Grotto struggles to put his health knowledge into practice. A Registered Dietician and author of The Best Things You Can Eat, David says that a healthy diet doesn't have to mean sacrificing your favorite foods. He hosted a live radio show on health and nutrition for over 10 years along with a health-focused television show for 2 years. David calls himself an "Edutainer" - he enjoys educating people through entertainment.

"My body was telling me something. Hint: It always does"

Have a migraine? Upset stomach? Sore joints? It could be that your body is trying to communicate with you. Functional Medicine looks at the core problem of a symptom, rather than a "quick fix." Sometimes it requires altering your diet or cutting out certain daily items from your routine. Either way, its not easy but Katie Jasper is here to shed light on this new approach to helping people feel better.

I think I give people the wrong idea.

I always talk about how hard it was to put on a seat belt and wipe my butt when I was obese.

"A good personal trainer will listen to your story."

Shannon Fable, Director of Exercise Programming, shares her story about helping people achieve their fitness goals through personal and group training. She is changing the perception of personal trainers by helping them develop meaningful relationships with a "love your job or get out" attitude. Looking for the right personal trainer can take some time, but will pay off once you find that perfect connection. Shannon also explains why group fitness can be the happy medium between personal training and individual workouts.