NAME OF BUSINESS: Right on Fitness LLC.

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Personal training.

MAIN LOCATION: Clients’ homes or fitness centers.

WEBSITE ADDRESS: www.rightonfitness.com.

PHONE: 689-6868.

DATE BEGAN BUSINESS IN SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE: May 20.

IS THIS A FRANCHISE? No.

OWNER: Tom Mandra.

MANAGER: Tom Mandra.

DAYS/HOURS: Appointment-based.

NUMBER OF FULLTIME EMPLOYEES: One.

HIGHLIGHTS AND SERVICES: Right on Fitness provides individualized training in a comfortable setting, whether it be a gym, outdoors or at home. Workouts are performed on the best apparatus to which the client has access, including machines and free weights.

When those are not available, elastic bands costing the client as little as $15 per set provide for a good workout.

NAMES AND BACKGROUNDS OF KEY LEADERS: Mandra, who holds a B.S. in recreation therapy, an M.S. in education, and a New Hampshire school counselor certification, is certified as a Personal Fitness Trainer by the International Sports Sciences Association.

After a career as a therapist, counselor and educator, Mandra wants to continue to help people to use their strengths to overcome challenges and to achieve a happier and healthier lifestyle by improving their level of fitness. He believes that this will help our country to better manage health care by educating people on the importance of self-advocacy and self-care.

Although he will work with people of all ages, Tom especially enjoys helping his fellow baby boomers. His efforts include helping St. Joseph Hospital to develop its Fit and Young for Life program for people ages 55 and older.

While Mandra’s enjoyment of aerobic activity (especially bicycling and Nordic skiing) has helped him to stay in shape, he realizes the importance of strength training, nutrition and flexibility in maintaining good health. A baby boomer himself, Tom believes that seniors prefer to work with a trainer who, as a peer, understands their unique situations.

HISTORY OF BUSINESS: After completing a 2,000-mile self-supported bicycle tour from Ireland to Sicily, Mandra decided to combine his experience of helping people to help themselves and his love for physical activity to bring a “start where you are, train where you are” approach to fitness.

Although many gyms promote that they are friendly to non-bodybuilders, many people still prefer to work out in the comfort and privacy of their homes, where simple equipment such as elastics used in physical therapy clinics can be used for strength training.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR TYPE OF BUSINESS, AND HOW ARE YOU APPROACHING IT? While much is said in the media about the consequences of inactivity, I continue to see people who could benefit from my services. No doubt many of them have used dieting to try to control their weight.

Dieting not only results in the loss of weight but also the loss of muscle. The healthy way to decrease body fat is to maintain a healthy diet while engaging in aerobic exercise and building lean muscle.

I’m seeking clients who are concerned about their health and who are motivated to make the necessary changes to achieve fitness and overall health.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IN THIS AREA? I’d like to see and hear about more physicians and health care professionals promoting the importance of physical fitness, not just for our bodies, but for our whole selves.

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