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Health And Fitness Business Taking Shape

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By LAURA FRAZIER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

BRANDON - Robert Gregg said he believes people who plan to lose weight by doing nothing more than eating less food will, at best, see short-term results. At worst, he said, caloric and nutritional deprivation for long periods of time could lead to debilitating conditions.

'If you starve the body, the metabolism shuts down, and eventually the muscle wastes away. Keep it up, and you'll grow more fragile as you age,' he said.

Gregg and his wife, Cheryl, both in their 40s, built their marriage and their lives around a commitment to health and fitness. Now they're building a business - Absolute Fitness and Nutrition, a combination vitamin store and personal training studio on Brandon Boulevard - to share their experience and knowledge with others.
Cheryl Gregg earned the Miss Florida title in 2005 at a national amateur fitness competition for women older than 40. This year, the 44-year-old mother of two grown children took the Miss Central Florida title in an open-age contest, competing with many women more than 20 years her junior.

Robert Gregg's resume includes 14 years as vice president of a local franchise group of vitamin and supplement stores. He has competed on the amateur bodybuilding circuit for decades and still racks up wins, recently named overall champion in two older-than-35 contests - the Tampa Bay Classic and Mr. Tampa Bay.

Robert Gregg said fitness and nutrition go hand-in-hand, and you can't achieve one without the other. He's also a big believer in vitamins and supplements, but he doesn't endorse dieting.

'The body loves food. We want to show you how to enjoy Ben & Jerry's, and I'll be the first guy that beats you to the popcorn stand at the movie theater,' he said.

Most clients initially visit the studio two or three times a week for one-hour sessions, which include personalized workout routines and lifestyle and nutrition counseling.

The Greggs work with clients of all ages and experience levels. They create fitness plans for people who have never exercised as well as professional bodybuilders who want to sharpen their competitive edge.

The most important message Gregg strives to instill in his clients is the need to prioritize their lives and put exercise and nutrition high on the list.

'We all have families and busy lives. But you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others,' Gregg said.
ABSOLUTE FITNESS AND NUTRITION

WHAT: A vitamin store and personal training studio offering one-hour training and counseling sessions and a full line of 'neutraceuticals' - vitamins, supplements, herbs, homeopathic remedies and topical cosmetic treatments

WHERE: 742 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon

HOURS: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays

INFO: (813) 684-6148 or go to www.absolutefinessand nutrition.com

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523 or lfrazier@tampatrib.com.

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