Samantha Taylor : This Decade Can Be Your Best Yet!

Twice a year, the five Samantha Taylor Fitness studios host an appreciation party, celebrating the success of the studios’ members. At the last party, the women in this photo were recognized for losing a combined 597 pounds. Lora (red flannel shirt in the front row) lost 72 lbs. and reversed her Type 2 Diabetes. 

On the brink of not just a new year — but also a new decade — Samantha Taylor encourages women to think about what they want their life to be like 10 years from now.

She’s built a business from women’s success stories, like that of her client Lynn Smith, who will turn 80 in 2020, and has been a member of Samantha Taylor Fitness for more than 10 years.

“The investment Lynn made when she was 69 years old has totally transformed her life,” says Samantha. “She’s in amazing health and physical condition, has no medical issues and takes no medication.”

Samantha says it’s hard to imagine what Lynn’s life would be like if she hadn’t made the decision a decade ago to join Samantha Taylor Fitness.

Samantha is something of a local legend — a Certified Personal Trainer who began her career 27 years ago and launched her own business 20 years ago. Since then, she says she has trained more than 7,500 women. There are now five Tampa Bay-area Samantha Taylor Fitness studios, including Wesley Chapel and nearby Land O’Lakes, plus Carrollwood, Westchase and Palm Harbor.

The Wesley Chapel location has its own standalone building off of S.R. 56, near I-75, in the Cypress Ridge Professional Center.

Samantha moved the studio there in 2018 from its former location on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The new studio is bigger, with a larger personal training room, specialty rubber floors, and a private, first-floor entrance.

Linda Lack lost 32 pounds in just 6 weeks. 

It’s a women-only environment where clients choose Fitness Boot Camp classes for group training or private or semi-private personal training. All workouts last just 30 minutes.

But, Samantha Taylor Fitness is not just about working out.

“The only way to make lifelong, lasting changes is to learn to eat,” explains Samantha. “It’s not about diet or starving yourself, but figuring out how to eat in a way that you really enjoy that is simple and maintainable.”

She says people can diet temporarily, but if they don’t learn to eat in a way that’s realistic and sustainable for them, they won’t stick to it.

That’s why Samantha Taylor Fitness has a full-time, licensed nutritionist on staff. “It’s huge because in the state of Florida, it’s not legal to give out custom diets unless you have a license,” she says. 

So, Samantha hired Shannon Barker, R.D. (Registered Dietitian), to do just that. “We have a new menu plan every month with recipes,” says Samantha. “A lot of people like new ideas for what to eat, so we provide that.”

Shannon also works with any members who have specific dietary needs to customize the menus. For example, there are options for people who want to stick to a keto diet plan. “The keto diet is the most popular eating plan in the world right now,” Samantha says, “and we have easy, simple-to-follow plans for people who want to eat that way.”

Samantha says Shannon also offers webinars on nutrition topics, such as how to pre-prep food and understanding thyroid issues. She also offers weekly group nutrition coaching calls, where any member can call in and ask questions.

Members of Samantha Taylor Fitness also get monthly 3D body scans, where a machine takes measurements and analyzes body fat digitally.

“People have been loving it,” says Samantha. “It’s much better than only measuring your progress by the scale. You want to see the inches, too, and how your body is physically changing.”

Get Off Those Meds, Ladies!

While others may notice the physical differences, Samantha says there are other important changes, too, such as reversing disease and getting off medications.

She says Lora Burns is a member of Samantha Taylor Fitness who has lost 72 pounds and completely reversed her type 2 (adult onset) diabetes. She is now off all of the medication she previously needed to fight the disease.

At Samantha Taylor Fitness, women also find a supportive community, which Samantha says makes it fun and helps women stay on track.

“We are highly focused on the clients’ experience and helping them to have even more accountability, more recognition, more involvement in the program and getting the most out of it,” explains Samantha.

Heather Weaver has been working out at Samantha Taylor Fitness for the past 6 months or so.

“I love that it’s a community of women,” she says. “We all respect each other and are all there for similar goals – to lose weight or gain strength.”

And, while Heather says those were her two goals, she has found so much more.

She says she’s learned to eat in a way that is much healthier, such as avoiding sugar, that has become her lifestyle, so it’s not a fad. “Now my husband and children are on board with that, too.”

Heather adds that when she had previously tried other ways to lose weight, she would eat different things than her family. But with Samantha Taylor Fitness, she follows the menus provided by the nutritionist, which she says are so amazing that her family loves them, too.

“I was shocked at how I could take things out of a certain meal, and like it even more,” she says. Now, her whole family is eating good, healthy, nutritious meals together, skipping fast food and eating healthy snacks.

“It becomes a habit and it’s a good habit,” she explains. “It’s not work and it’s not weird; you’ve built that habit.”

Heather says she has gone from a size 16 to a size 10, but that’s almost an afterthought.

“I don’t even think about that,” she says. “I think about how I feel good all the time and have so much energy. I used to want to take a nap in the middle of the day and the thought of that now is bizarre to me.”

She says she loves the sense of community, too.

“Samantha does seminars and webinars and events, and I’ve never gone to a gym that does that before,” says Heather, who has even brought her husband along to events, such as a food tasting. “I like that it’s a women’s studio, but it’s nice for him to see the people I work out with and the people I cherish.”

Samantha is offering several programs for the new year, including a free webinar on Saturday, January 4, called “2020 Goal Achieving Master Class.” There’s also a four-week New Year’s Challenge that starts mid-January, and she has some free motivational tools to help get women ready for the new year.

To learn more about these programs, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com/2020.

“So many people have good intentions to set goals, but statistically, most fall off within the first two weeks,” Samantha says. “A way to make 2020 different is for you is to hire a proven company with a track record of amazing success.”

The Wesley Chapel Samantha Taylor Fitness Studio is located is at 2609 Ridgebrook Dr., Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com or call (813) 377-3739.

Medi-Weightloss Of Lutz Works On Results That Stick

Medi-Weightloss Clinics are all about results.

Shannon Terkoski says she came to the Lutz Medi-Weightloss weighing 250 pounds on Jan. 16, 2018. 

She now weighs 143.2 pounds, having lost 106.8 pounds.

“Week-to-week, they were encouraging but also made real suggestions on what I could do to improve things,” Terkoski says. “Like, the way I go grocery shopping and not just pushing their own products, even though I still take some of their proprietary products. I stopped going on a weekly basis, but I continue to maintain what they have shown and taught me about making better lifestyle choices.”

Shannon still pops in to buy Medi-Weightloss supplements. 

“I tried every diet and miracle pill under the sun and lost a few pounds,” says Ryan Cuddy. “This all changed at Medi-Weightloss. I have lost over 50 pounds and the weight is staying off. The staff and doctor are very knowledgeable and know what works. I would recommend Medi Weightloss to anyone who is looking to lose weight and to get a better, healthier life!”

Jodi Sullivan is another satisfied Medi-Weightloss client.

“I was ready to lose weight and found Medi-Weightloss,” she says. “After having a much-needed hard discussion with Dr. (Andrew) Weitzman, at Medi, it was like a switch in my brain was flipped and I was motivated to do it!” 

  • Jodi Sullivan says that Dr. Andrew Weitzman at the Medi-Weightloss of Lutz helped her to “flip the switch” when it came to finally doing the right things to lose weight.

These are just a few comments from patients at the Lutz Medi-Weightloss Clinic.

According to a survey done by Statista, the top three New Year’s resolutions for Americans in 2020 were: diet or eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight. 

An earlier survey, conducted in Dec. of 2018, said that just 16 percent of respondents stuck to some of their 2018 resolutions, while 13 percent said they kept none of them. While those three resolutions are obviously intertwined, in order to make lasting changes to one’s health via weight loss and diet, one must adopt lifestyle changes.

Those changes can be easier to make and keep when you have the help of professionals.

And, since 2006, Medi-Weightloss of Lutz, one of more than 100 locations nationwide, has helped clients make lifestyle changes that stick.

To date, Medi-Weightloss of Lutz owner Gerri Willett says the office located on S.R. 54 (two miles west of S.R. 56) has, to date, helped patients lose 118,877 pounds. 

Know Your Phases

The professionals at Medi-Weightloss focus on three phases.

The first is the acute phase, also known as the weight loss phase.

The initial visit is a 60-90 minute consultation. Professionals will take weight measurements, do blood work, take an electrocardiogram (EKG), present informational handouts that go into a binder and start a detailed journal where the client will log their eating, drinking and sleeping data. 

During the acute phase, clients come in once a week until they hit their target weight. Medi-Weightloss has many ways to help during this difficult phase. You’ll get two injections, one called a Methionine Inositol Choline or MIC Combo injection that puts B12 vitamins and amino acids right into your bloodstream. The lipotropic substances help with fat metabolism, liver function and fat excretion. 

“The MIC injections are good for everyone and we never charge for them if you’re on the program,” Willett says. “While you’re on the program, you can come in twice a week and get the MIC Combo for free.”

  • Ryan Cuddy says he has lost over 50 pounds since joining Medi-Weightloss of Lutz.

The second shot is a Vitamin B6 and B1 injection that helps reduce water retention and helps keep your energy up while battling food cravings. In the first phase, clients also will have help with vitamin supplements, a good multivitamin, as well as calcium and Omega 3 supplements. You’ll also receive a food scale to help with portion control and ketone sticks to detect your level of ketosis.

“Ketosis is a state where your body burns fat faster,” Willett said. “The ketone stick will reveal what level of ketosis you are in. Some don’t get there but it’s okay if they just get close.”

Once you reach your target weight, you’ll move on to Phase 2: the maintenance phase. Clients meet with Andrew Weitzman, M.D., who is Board-certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Weitzman’s goal is always for you to be able to get off any medications you may be taking. 

“One of my favorite things is getting someone off of blood pressure medications,” Dr. Weitzman says. “You lose 20 pounds and all of a sudden, your blood pressure goes down.”

Phase 3 is the wellness phase. During this phase, clients need only come in once a month.

And, it’s always okay to come back later. Medi-Weightloss has clients return after completing the program, sometimes 10 years later, sometimes to share their success, sometimes because they are in need of additional help.

“They can always come back,” Willett says. “If it’s 10 years or 13 years later, I want them to be able to come back in. We want success for our patients. They shouldn’t feel guilty about coming back in. Losing weight is a lifestyle change. If it was easy or just a pill you could take, no one would be overweight.”

A Staff That’s There for You

Some clients are so happy with their results, they join the Medi-Weightloss team, like Erin Jones.

“I lost 25 pounds in the first month-and-a-half and ended up losing 50 pounds overall,” Erin says. “I liked the program.”

Jones, who affectionately goes by “The” Erin Jones in the office, lost her husband in 2010 and then, “I ate for a year,” she says.

She started coming to Medi-Weightloss in late 2011. By April of 2012, not only had she met her goals but she took a job interview at the clinic after her weight loss appointment. She started off working 10 to 12 hours per week and is now a full-time medical assistant and the office manager at Medi-Weightloss of Lutz. 

“Patients can take comfort in knowing that we’ve been down their road before and that we can truly say we know what they’re going through,” Jones says. 

Medical assistant Patty Pinson has been with Medi-Weightloss for a decade and is a retired Registered Nurse (RN).

“This is a good place to work,” Pinson says. “Everyone gets along, we get to know the patients and it makes us feel good when we’re able to help them — it’s a win-win all the way around.”

Medical assistant Angela Wild is the newest member of the staff, but she comes to Medi-Weightloss with 14 years of experience in the radiology field. “This is definitely a happier field than radiology,” Wild said. “People come here because they want to be here and I don’t dread coming to work. I really enjoy it.”

Dr. Weitzman is a Board-certified Medical Doctor who earned his Doctor of Medicine Degree from Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel, and completed his residency in Long Island, NY. He operated a primary care practice in New York for three years and ran one out of Manatee County prior to coming on board at Medi-Weightloss more than three years ago. 

“There aren’t as many dissimilarities as you’d think (between primary care and weight loss clinics),” Dr. Weitzman says. “The main difference is with primary care, you’re already treating a patient’s disease. Here, we’re working strictly with prevention.”

He stresses the three legs to the weight-loss process: diet, exercise and appetite suppression. 

“The diet we choose for you is sensible,” Weitzman said. “It’s not some newfangled diet. It should be possible for you to eat this way for the rest of your life.”

Dr. Weitzman and the staff at Medi-Weightloss also will help develop an exercise program that fits your capabilities, and he has a lot of experience prescribing appetite suppressants.

“You must do all three in order to succeed,” Weitzman said. “Journaling helps a lot with diet. We also have supplements to help you.”

In the office and also in the startup bag clients receive is a menu of different supplements. From flavored powders for shakes, to snacks and vitamins, you’ll have all the tools for success at your fingertips. 

While not at the Lutz location, Medi-Weightloss also employs a full-time Registered Dietitian who works at the corporate office in Tampa.

Jeff Cervero is available for consultations and has added valuable information to the company website, like recipes, exercise tips and other information. Cervero even went through popular restaurants’ menus in the area and came up with a list of options that fit with the Medi-Weightloss program. 

“We have no competition that does all of the things we do and we do them very well,” Willett says. 

From the research and development coming out of the corporate office, to the experienced and well-trained staff, to the emerging technology in the field like a step counter called the Fit-Stik and the Ree Vue Metabolic Testing, all of the tools you need to finally reach your weight loss goals this year are available at Medi-Weightloss of Lutz.

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents are invited to stop in at the Medi-Weightloss Clinic located at 24420 S.R. 54 in Lutz. 

The office is open five days a week: 6:30 a.m.-noon on Monday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tuesday, 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday; 1 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday; and 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m on Friday. For more information, call (813) 909-1700, visit MediWeightloss.com/locations/lutz/ or see the ad in our latest issue.

Potential Tenants Set Sights On Former Sweetbay Building

Long before Tampa City Council member Luis Viera had his code enforcement eyes trained on the AMC movie theater at Highwoods Preserve, they were focused like a laser on the long-shuttered former Sweetbay grocery store right across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the theater.

The Sweetbay building was filthy, and the parking lot was not only overgrown with weeds and other vegetation, but sometimes, it was virtually overflowing with tractor-trailers and parked storage trucks.

Sometimes, it was a dumping ground for people’s cast-off furniture, appliances and clothes.

Efforts to clean the area were sometimes successful, but little by little, the parking lot adjacent to Home Depot would revert to its former rundown status. “What it needs,” Viera has said, “is a new tenant.”

For the first time since the Sweetbay store closed in 2013, that is actually a possibility — although it won’t be anytime too soon.

According to John Neukamm, the attorney for KNK Tampa, Ltd., the California-based owners of the building, prospective purchasers and tenants have begun reaching out to his client in advance of the property becoming available in November 2020.

There have been countless stories swirling about the reasons behind the building staying empty for the past seven years. The Sweetbay store is practically a New Tampa landmark, but not in a good way. Viera has argued that it is arguably New Tampa’s most notorious eyesore.

“That’s unfortunate,” Neukamm says. “My client didn’t want it to be that way.”

Here’s the story:

In February of 1999, the property, then owned by Walter Property Investments, LLC, was leased to Kash ‘n Karry Tampa, Ltd., for a 20-year term, beginning with the completed construction of the building, which was in November of that year.

In 2001, KNK Tampa, Ltd., which has no relation to Kash ‘n Karry, bought the property, which is currently worth $1.54 million, according to Hillsborough County property tax records.

Kash ‘n Karry continued to operate under the lease until June 14, 2006, when its Belgian parent company Delhaize America Inc. converted it to a Sweetbay Supermarket, where whole pineapples and cookies were handed out to customers at its happy New Tampa grand opening.

In January of 2013, however, Publix and Walmart had each only strengthened their respective holds on the Tampa Bay grocery market, and Delhaize announced it would be closing 22 stores in the Tampa Bay area, including its New Tampa location.

In October of 2013, Jacksonville-based Bi-Lo Holdings, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, paid $265 million for 72 Sweetbay stores, plus the leases to 10 other underperforming Sweetbay supermarkets that had already been closed, one being the New Tampa location.

The New Tampa lease had six years remaining at the time. However, if there were attempts by either Delhaize and Bi-Lo Holdings to negotiate its way out of the lease, they failed. 

Subleasing would have been another option, but with such little time remaining on Sweetbay’s lease, it was likely a tough sell considering what it would have cost to properly renovate the building.

Bi-Lo Holdings has continued to pay the rent at the New Tampa location. Those monthly lease payments will come to an end in November. 

“Because we are a year out from that day, we have started to open up a dialogue with prospective purchasers and tenants,” Neukamm says. “We have been contacted already by a number of folks who are interested.”

Over the years, a number of brokers have inquired about selling the property, but Neukamm says his clients felt talks were premature because of the existing lease. 

He says there will “likely” be a new owner or tenant in place by this time next year.

And, what does Viera, who says he has been asked countless questions about the old Sweetbay since being elected in 2016, think about the possible elimination of the area’s most prominent vacant store?

“It’s about time,” he says. “It’s about time.”

Welcome To The Neighborhood (News), Bubba’s 33!

Even though it’s the latest link in Wesley Chapel’s chain of chain restaurants, the new Bubba’s 33 on S.R. 56 between Ashley Furniture and the affiliated Texas Roadhouse has a few advantages the others don’t:

1. It’s the first Bubba’s 33 in the entire state of Florida

2. It not only has crispy-crust pizzas, excellent sports bar food and reasonably-priced drinks; it also has…

3. …Texas Roadhouse-quality ribeye steaks and…

4. …Amazing brunch on Saturday and Sunday and most of all…

5. Owner Jeff (at right in top photo) and his wife Crista Dean and their expertly-trained staff making sure that everyone leaves Bubba’s 33 a fully satisfied & happy customer! 

Please tell Jeff, Crista & Co. that you read about them in the Neighborhood News!  

Wesley Chapel’s Learning Experience Is Open Off S.R. 54!

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel director Karen Mullen (left) and area manager Jennifer Tibbetts share a table in the center’s Make Believe Blvd. (Photos: Charmaine George)

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel, located near the front of the Lexington Oaks community off S.R. 54, just opened in August, but is already a busy, bustling learning center filled with happy children.

“We are quickly growing,” says Kristen Nyilas, the operating manager who oversees both the Wesley Chapel franchise and a Brandon location. “As of right now, though, we are still accepting new students at every age group.”

The center offers both full-time care for ages newborn to five years old and also VPK-only classes. VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) is three hours a day for students who will enter kindergarten the following year and it is offered at no cost to parents. Instead, the cost is paid by the state of Florida. Some part-time care is offered, such as three days a week or mornings only, based on availability.

Nyilas says The Learning Experience Wesley Chapel provides a foundation that gives students a jump start in elementary school.

The school’s director, Karen Mullen, adds, “When they come to The Learning Experience, they graduate with skills that set them apart from their kindergarten peers.” 

School History & Programming

The Learning Experience was founded by Michael and Linda Weissman in 1980 with a single location in Boca Raton, and was built on teaching through cognitive, physical and social principles; summarized in the school’s motto, “Learn, Play and Grow.”

When it comes to early childhood education, all of The Learning Experience centers use the proprietary Learning Experience Academic Program (L.E.A.P.) that Kristen says was written by educators who specialize in early childhood education. It guarantees that children will graduate with “exceptional core academic skills.” 

The curriculum was written around what the school’s founders believe are the six stages of development — Infant (6 weeks to 1 year old), Toddler (1-2 years old), Tawdler (2-2-½ years old), Prepper (2-½ to 3 years old), Preschooler (3-5 years old), and Kindergartner (5 years old, but it is not offered at the Wesley Chapel location and some others).

“Even infants have a curriculum,” explains Kristen. “A lot of parents like that their children are learning as soon as they come to our center.”

L.E.A.P. includes sign language for infants and toddlers, a phonics program and even a foreign language program, teaching children Spanish or Mandarin (although currently, only Spanish is taught at the Wesley Chapel location). 

L.E.A.P. workbooks include a journal, an interactive book and Fun With Phonics, which is specifically designed to teach reading to 3- and 4-year-olds.

Imagination Blvd.

Children also take part in activities that promote a healthy and active lifestyle. The Learning Experience offers eight enrichment programs for children, including Suddenly Science, Dancing Feet, Talent Sprouts, Super Soccer and more.

“Our enrichment programs are included, and there’s never an added fee,” says Kristen. She explains that the programs are offered once a week for three months. Each student gets a kit to use in class — such as a yoga mat and CD for “Yippee 4 Yoga” — that the student takes home at the end of the unit.

The Learning Experience mascots, including Flexi Flamingo (P.E.), Lionstein (Science) and Bubbles the Elephant — the leader of the mascots — help lead the children through their day.

The Latest & Greatest

What truly sets The Learning Experience apart, says Karen, is its commitment to the newest technology and newest ideas in early childhood education.

“It’s colorful and bright and happy,” she says with a big smile.

Karen is a lifelong educator who has earned a Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed.) from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN, and a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from California University of Pennsylvania in California, PA. She has experience as an elementary school classroom teacher and as a curriculum specialist, among other roles.

“The Learning Experience is on the leading edge of what’s new in early childhood education,” she says. “So many places aren’t willing to take the chance to change, but not here.”

She says that’s evident not only in the school’s curriculum, but also in its technology. All classrooms for kids ages three and older have L.E.A.P. Interactive smart boards in the classroom. Students being taught a new lesson interact with their smart board to circle the correct answer, for example.

The Learning Experience also has a proprietary app — which can be used at home on a computer, tablet or phone — to continue learning. Called “BubblesU,” it allows students to reinforce lessons learned in school in a fun and interactive way.

But, that’s not the only app offered by the school. Kristen and Karen say parents love the Show and Tell app, which is how The Learning Experience’s staffers communicate with parents all day about what their child is doing in school. 

“We send notifications so the parents know when they were diapered, when they slept, exactly what they ate, or if they need to bring supplies, like if they’re running low on diapers,” explains Kristen, “and we send them at least five pictures every day.”

The school also emphasizes dramatic play and allows all students who are potty trained to visit Make Believe Blvd. daily, where there is a slide and a ball pit, plus storefronts and more to encourage imagination.

The outdoor play areas are covered in turf, not mulch, and feature a splash pad for cooling off in the summer.

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel provides all snacks and meals daily and is an allergy-friendly and completely peanut-free facility.

One other thing that sets The Learning Experience franchises apart is their commitment to cleanliness. Not only is the center spotless, but during construction, an air purification system was installed, similar to what hospitals use, with ultraviolet lights.

“It means our air is very clean,” Kristen says, “and that helps to reduce the number of illnesses.”

The cleanliness — including the air quality — is one of many things that Heather Barnhart loves about The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel, where her daughter Hailey, who is two-and-a-half, attends.

She says that’s just the beginning.

“I love that in art class, they do the art themselves and not have the teacher do it for them,” Heather says. “They use their imagination and their hands, markers, paint and crayons.”

Heather also has been especially pleased with the education being provided to her daughter, who comes home singing songs and counting, sharing things she’s learned at school.

The biggest compliment for The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel might be that even though Hailey spends all day there, she doesn’t always want to leave at the end of the day.

“Sometimes, she’d rather stay there and play,” says Heather.

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel is open Mon.-Fri.,  6:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. It is located at 5440 Post Oak Blvd., just outside the entrance to Lexington Oaks, off S.R. 54. To learn more, visit TheLearningExperience.com and search for the Wesley Chapel location or call (813) 994-3865.