Lifestyle Family Fitness

Get a life!

If all the above is true, then why didn't anyone go to the HR dept? It says numerous times that there is proof. I currently work at LFF at the Henderson road location and have seen some staff go that should have, but I just don't see a bad work environment, etc... If anything the upper management kept these managers in place too long to give them a chance. Again, if you or anyone has proof, then I would encourage you to prove it rather than continue to write negative emails. I just can't believe this as this sounds a little to outrageous to me. It sounds like some of the previous employees need to move on and get a life.

BTW-My mom is a member and works out with a trainer. She has lost 55 pounds and has improved her past health condition a lot. She is a new woman and I owe this to LFF as they have motivated her to improve her health. Its expensive, but whats the cost of health? Did I forget to mention that she is off of all her medication (high blood pressure pills, etc)? My family will continue to be proud members and I am a proud employee. I would suggest that someone give LFF a chance before believing some crazy past employee. They probably got fired for a reason!

Lifestyle reaps as venture capital investing drops in Florida

Of the $115.5 million invested by venture capitalists in the first quarter of 2008 in Florida, just $6.5 million of it landed in the Tampa Bay area.

According to numbers released by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Reuters, Lifestyle Family Fitness in St. Petersburg received the region's largest investment, a $3.8 million later stage investment from Ballast Point Venture Partners, Quantum Capital Partners and an undisclosed investor.

Skyway Software Inc. in Tampa picked up $2 million in expansion capital from Armada Venture Group LLC, Imlay Investments and an undisclosed investor. Also in Tampa, Acclaris Inc. grabbed $750,000 in later stage investment from Derwent London plc and Updata Partners.

Lifestyle operates a fitness chain with 34 locations in Florida and 56 total locations. Skyway develops software and deployment for business. Acclaris develops business process services.

Florida's investment market is down 29 percent from the first quarter of 2007 when $162 million was invested in 14 companies, representing an average investment of $11.6 million. The $115.5 million in the first quarter of 2008 was distributed among eight companies, marking an average investment of $14.4 million.

Nationwide, more than $7.1 billion was invested in 922 deals in the first quarter, the fifth highest since 2001.

"Venture capitalists still have large amounts of money in their coffers, therefore it's no surprise to see a solid level of investing continue," said Tracy Lefteroff, global managing partner of the venture capital practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, in a release. "VCs have weathered numerous economic cycles and will continue to fund companies with innovative ideas and solid business models while they also stand behind their portfolio companies for the long term."

Florida still trails the nation's top five states that receive venture funding. California accounted for more than half of the nation's total at $3.5 billion, or $8.5 million per deal. Massachusetts picked up $697.9 million in funding, representing nearly $7 million per deal.

New York had 51 deals worth $406.9 million, averaging just under $8 million per deal. Texas and Colorado rounded out the top five with $361.4 million and $297.7 million, respectively.

Exercise - Heart Study Casts Doubt on 'Fit But Fat' Theory

CHICAGO - New research challenges the notion that you can be fat and fit, finding that being active can lower but not eliminate heart risks faced by heavy women. "It doesn't take away the risk entirely. Weight still matters," said Dr. Martha Gulati, a heart specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Previous research has gone back and forth on whether exercise or weight has a greater influence on heart disease risks.

The new study involving nearly 39,000 women helps sort out the combined effects of physical activity and body mass on women's chances of developing heart disease, said Gulati, who wasn't involved in the research.

The study by Harvard-affiliated researchers appears in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

Participants were women aged 54 on average who filled out a questionnaire at the study's start detailing their height, weight and amount of weekly physical activity in the past year, including walking, jogging, bicycling and swimming. They were then tracked for about 11 years. Overall 948 women developed heart disease.

Women were considered active if they followed government-recommended guidelines and got at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week, including brisk walking or jogging. Women who got less exercise than that were considered inactive.

Weight was evaluated by body mass index: A BMI between 25 and 29 is considered overweight, while obese is 30 and higher.

Compared with normal-weight active women, the risk for developing heart disease was 54 percent higher in overweight active women and 87 percent higher in obese active women. By contrast, it was 88 percent higher in overweight inactive women; and 2 1/2 times greater in obese inactive women.

About two in five U.S. women at age 50 will eventually develop heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems. Excess weight can raise those odds in many ways, including by increasing blood pressure and risks for diabetes, and by worsening cholesterol. Exercise counteracts all three.

"It is reassuring to see that physical activity really does make an impact," said lead author Dr. Amy Weinstein of Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. However, she added, "If you're overweight or obese, you can't really get back to that lower risk entirely with just physical activity alone."

University of South Carolina obesity expert Steven Blair, a leading proponent of the "fit and fat" theory, said the study is limited by relying on women's self-reporting their activity levels. That method is not as reliable as a more objective Fitness evaluation including exercise treadmill tests, Blair said. These tests include heart-rate measures to see how the heart responds to and tolerates exercise.

In Blair's research, overweight people deemed 'fit' by treadmill tests did not face increased risks of dying from heart disease.

Dr. Laura Concannon, who specializes in treating overweight patients at Chicago's Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, said the study's message that exercise can help reduce Health risks isn't new, but it's important.

"Anything that can motivate the public is useful because heart disease is becoming a bigger and bigger problem as levels of obesity increase," Concannon said.