Mike Balenzano
PTS

Email: mikebal@refinefitness.ca

Having lived a very active lifestyle since childhood I am thrilled to be in a position to assist clients at Refine Fitness with obtaining their fitness and lifestyle goals. I decided to pursue personal training on a fulltime basis not only to become more serious about my personal fitness goals, but to also share my knowledge of the benefits of health and wellness with others. I’m a firm believer that a healthy body creates a stronger and more vibrant mind and soul; together they go hand-in-hand to create a quality of life that is unsurpassed. My recent studies and successful completion in Massage Therapy give me a comprehensive understanding of the body and how it works.  I believe that with my education and personal experiences, combined with my continuous reading and research in regards to exercise, nutrition, and overall health and wellness, I have the ability to teach my clients how to make healthy strides in life, be they big or small.

Sarah Aldridge
PTS, FIS, NWS

Email: saraha@refinefitness.ca

I’ve been involved in physical activity all my life. I grew up playing travel lacrosse, and every sport they offered in school. After obtaining my first gym membership, I fell in love with working out, the atmosphere, and the people. It’s the people that make my job enjoyable.

My love for the gym and dream of being a personal trainer lead me to the Health, Fitness, and Nutrition Consultant course at Everest College. I also found a newly acquired love for group fitness. I currently work as a Group Fitness Instructor teaching a variety of classes: boot camps, kickboxing, tabata protocol, aqua fitness, spin, etc. I love teaching a variety of classes, but I especially love teaching spin.

Dee Shuttleworth
PTS, Certified Mad Dogg Spinning Instructor

Email: dees@refinefitness.ca

Being the daughter of a competitive boxer, fitness was instilled in me from a very young age. During my school years I really focused on track and figure skating. At the age of eighteen I purchased my first gym membership and absolutely fell in love with weight lifting.

However, after so many years of being physically active and really never having to deal with weight issues it came as quite a shock when I was left to lose 70lbs after the birth of my first son. I used the knowledge that I had about proper nutrition and working out and lost the weight. I then gained another 70lbs during my second pregnancy. I was back to square one, but I was determined to bounce back. Through clean eating habits and, of course, a strict workout regimen the weight came off again. 

I decided to make a career change and become a part of the fitness industry. I was happy with my results and I wanted to help others get to the same place. Becoming a personal trainer has truly been one of the best decisions of my life. There is no better feeling then to be a part of someone’s life changing journey and to be able to help them reach their ultimate fitness goals. I love what I do.

Manuel Guadario
RMT, Fellowship in Traditional Chinese Acupuncture, Honours in Homeopathic Medicine, N.E.T. Practitioner

Email: manuel@refinefitness.ca

By way of introduction, I am a duly qualified licensed healthcare practitioner in the field of massage therapy in the province of Ontario since 1995. I attended three years at the University of Windsor with a major in sociology. I attended The Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy in 1994, fast tracking the program and finishing in 1995. In 1998, I attended the Academy of Traditional Acupuncture and received a fellowship in acupuncture. I also attended the Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine in 1999, graduation the program in 1994. I am a member in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario.

Dr. Jason Loken
RMT, ND, DOMP (cand.)

Email: jloken@personalshifts.org

Dr. Jason Loken is passionate and dedicated to the art of healing and sustaining a wonderful quality of life. He celebrates a successful and extensive career in the areas of Naturopathic Medicine, Registered Massage Therapy, and Osteopathy. Currently a DOMP Candidate completing his thesis in Osteopathy, Dr. Loken continually researches and blends leading edge technology with a sense of traditional care and a true belief that people have the ability to care for and maintain their bodies, minds, emotions and spirits. 
His areas of study and interest include digestive health, children's health, hormonal balance, allergies, weight management, musculo/skeletal injuries and mind/body medicine. In his expanding efforts to bring care and ease into people’s lives he has co-authored the inspirational book, “The Letters that Moved the World” Intentional Acts of Gratitude. The vision of this book is to create a focused moment for positive change in our world.  His most recent book "Top 10 Lab Tests and Solutions" is a true testament to his continued efforts to provide people with information, support and empower them to make informed choices. Our blood and bodies can tell the story of where we are in terms of our health. “Top 10 Lab Tests and Solutions” is your “encyclopedia” of sorts to support you in getting to the “heart of the matter”. In today’s world we face the challenges of mental, emotional, physical and environmental stressors. The results can often show themselves in the forms of anything from food and chemical sensitivities to more invasive imbalances as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, depression and metabolic syndrome just to name a few. 

Our bodies are wonderful at letting us know what's going on...we just need to know how to ask them the right questions!

Elaine Weeks
East West Pilates Instructor

I began competing in track and field at the age of 7 and competed at the National level in University.  I was named University of Windsor's Best Female Athlete 2 years in a row and was inducted into the University of Windsor’s Sports Hall of Fame.  For 3 years I’ve helped run GM's employee fitness program and continue to compete in track and field at the Master's level.  I discovered Pilates as a member of Refine Fitness and completed a Pilates Mat instructor’s course in early 2011. I truly enjoy helping Refine members learn and experience this unique system of exercise with its incredible benefits for the body and mind.

Edie Curtin
WaterART Certified Land Instructor, PTS, Reebok Certified Spinning Instructor

I have been physically active most of my life; however after experiencing a family loss I found I had lost 25 pounds and looked very weak and frail. I returned to the gym and with assistance started building muscle and increasing my strength – I was hooked!

In 2009, I completed the WaterART Group Fitness Instructor Certification and began teaching weight lifting, weight-loss workouts and core fitness classes. Shortly after that I began the CanFitPro Personal Training Certification and successfully completed the course in January of 2010. I then decided I wanted to be certified in a form of cardio and added a spinning certification to my resume; it was important to me to be able to provide a multitude of options to help others stay healthy through exercise. I love continuing to learn about health and fitness to make the experience fun and challenging for everyone I work with.

James Zedd
PTS, NWS. Personal Trainer & Instructor for On Guard Control and Defensive Tactics International

As a kid, fitness was always part of my life. I had a lot of great friends who liked to play sports and they kept me playing baseball and soccer for a lot of my younger years.

The real breakthrough for my fitness though was when I first got started in the martial arts. I had a passion for studying martial technique from all the crazy kung fu movies I would watch as a kid, and I tried many different martial arts seminars (usually 10 - 12 weeks long) in my younger years. When I was a teenager, I studied jiu-jitsu at a local dojo for 16 months until I had to move to a different city.

Once I got into weight lifting and cross country running, I realized that exercising is something that will be a major part of my life. I've kept up with all of these activities, and today, I study martial arts full time plus run cross country and keep a steady workout routine. Mainly I do this so that I am ready for anything life can throw at me, and so others can be encouraged to keep on top of their fitness goals ... to live life healthier and happier.