The three words that changed Susan Ritter’s life were, “Enough is enough!”
With this declaration, Ritter decided to take her life, including her personal fitness, into her own hands and begin the journey toward a healthier existence.
“I clearly remember telling myself that back in the fall of 2014 when I decided that, once and for all, I was going to make the necessary changes to start living a healthier lifestyle,” she says. “My first step was to join a gym. I had joined gyms in the past and usually would start out strong for about a week or two and then the excuses would set in and I would fizzle out. I told myself this time would be different. I was going to see it through and give myself enough time to get over the hump of hating to work out.”
The program she chose to accomplish this feat: Orangetheory Fitness. The program, which began as a high-intensity interval fitness concept in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in 2010, has grown into a global phenomenon.
Presently, more than 400 studios across the world—spanning from South America and Canada to the United Kingdom and Australia—have embraced Orangetheory. In 2014 alone, Orangetheory nearly doubled its size by adding approximately 100 new studios. Beyond that, the company is slated to open more than 300 new locations this year.
Such tremendous growth speaks to not just the popularity of the world’s hottest fitness trend but also the efficacy of the Orangetheory workout.
“I started by recruiting a friend to help hold me accountable to the commitment of at least three days a week,” Ritter recalls. “The beginning [was difficult]! I was totally out of my element. The trainers at Orangetheory made me feel comfortable, and the format tells you exactly what to do so I stuck with it. I pushed through the pain and little by little it wasn’t torture anymore, but I was actually starting to enjoy exercise.”
This highly effective total body workout features sessions led by skilled personal trainers that guide students through the use of varied equipment, including treadmills, rowing machines, TRX suspension training and free weights.
“At the six-month period I had lost almost 20 pounds,” Ritter shares. “I could see a huge change in my energy level and was starting to see noticeable changes in my body.”
Ritter’s story is all too common. After all, the workout is scientifically designed to help clients achieve a remarkable calorie burn of 500 to 1,000 calories per session, on average, including the time known as “after burn.”
Orangetheory workouts feature cardio and strength intervals specially developed to maximize heart rate. By getting a client’s heart rate into what’s called the “orange zone”—also known as 84 to 92 percent of one’s maximum heart rate—the metabolism is boosted to an extremely high level, thus allowing for the optimal calorie burn. Such a heart rate needs to be achieved for 12 to 20 minutes to produce the greatest positive effect. Orangetheory workouts are designed to achieve such a heart rate for exactly that amount of time, with an 84 percent—or higher—of one’s maximum heart rate during each one-hour session.
Orangetheory’s calorie-burning science is backed by what’s known as “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption,” which relates directly to the body’s heightened rate of oxygen intake following intense physical activity. By measuring an individual’s heart rate during a session, Orangetheory is able to lead a client into his or her own personalized target zone, thus maximizing calorie burn and ensuring the workout is tailored to the client’s individual needs.
Additionally, Orangetheory—the No. 1 fitness trend of 2014, according to the American College of Sports Medicine—combines the best qualities of group workout activity with the personalized attention of personal training. In other words, clients are closely monitored during each workout session to ensure the body is working its hardest for maximum results.
Ritter notes that now, approximately 18 months into her training, she has lost more than 55 pounds and lowered her body fat by 22 percent.
“The three words that I tell myself now: ‘I’m worth it!’” she continues. “I want you to know that you are also worth it! Your friends and family want you to prioritize yourself. They want a healthy mom, wife, sister, friend, etc. So many times when people contemplate making a change, they focus on what they have to give up. I have gained so much more than I have given up. I am surrounded by positive people who love life and encourage and inspire. I now have the energy to live life. … You are stronger than you think!”
Bob Ferrall, Orangetheory Fitness Area Developer, brought the unique fitness concept to the area in 2013, opening his first studio in Willow Grove, followed by his Doylestown location in 2014 and, most recently, Center City, which opened in April of this year. Ferrall’s region will have 14 studios in operation by the end of this year, with another seven planned for 2017. His career has been mostly spent in the corporate world, but he has always had a passion for fitness.
“We are changing people’s lives every day, which you can’t say in most businesses,” he says. “Those who invest their precious time in their health by regularly working out at Orangetheory Fitness will see results like Susan. We are so confident, we guarantee it. What a fun and exciting brand to be involved with.”
Orangetheory Fitness
1661 Easton Road
Warrington, PA 18976
215-792-7952
www.orangetheoryfitness.com
Photograph by Allure West Studios
