Glenwood couple, personal trainers, share resolution tips

For anyone with a goal of losing weight and getting fit in the New Year, Vicky and Victor Tringali have two words for you.

Start small.

The Clarksville couple, nationally recognized body builders and fitness athletes, own two gyms and have seen plenty of people start out strong with their goals only to burn out fast.

When it comes to making New Year's resolutions, most people set themselves up for failure by making unrealistic goals, said the Tringalis, who own American Fitness Express, in Glenelg, and Team Vic Fitness, in Elkridge.

"That is mistake number one," said Vicky, 37. "January comes around and they think 'that is it, I am going to exercise every day this year.' "

It is just like the couple's 9-month-old daughter, Gianna. Before she can run, she must learn to walk. Before she can walk, she has to learn to crawl.

"How about taking baby steps?" Vicky suggests.

"When you set unrealistic goals and they don't work, it gives you an out to say I knew it wouldn't work and it failed.'

"Start small and go from there," she said.

A relationship, and hobby, develop

Vicky holds a master of science degree from Wilmington University and is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a fitness instructor. She worked as a police officer in Ocean City for six years and was the physical training instructor for the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Training Academy when she began competing in bodybuilding contests in 2000. It was during that time that she met Victor.

"Everybody always said to me 'you should try bodybuilding.' I was like 'no, no, no.' " Vicky said.

Meanwhile, Victor was training for a bodybuilding competition himself, having started a bodybuilding career in 1994. The two belonged to the same gym in Ocean City.

One day, Vicky approached Victor and told him she wanted to try a competition. He became her trainer and oversaw her workouts three times a week. In 2001 they went on their first official date.

After Vicky won her first competition, "I have been hooked ever since," she said.

Nine years and a baby girl later, the couple are husband and wife and owners of the two fitness facilities. They also own a line of nutritional supplements.

Vicky said she loves pushing her body to the limit as she prepares for a competition or bodybuilding event.

"I enjoy pushing myself to the max that I can. There is always still more in the tank that I didn't think was there before," she said. "I love seeing how diet and exercise can transform myself."

She plans to get back to competing this spring.

Victor, 39, earned a Bachelor of Science in exercise physiology and a minor in biology from Salisbury University. He was certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a strength and conditioning specialist.

Victor retired from bodybuilding in 2007 after winning numerous regional titles. He was a finalist of the National Physique Committee National and USA Championships five times during his career.

The couple opened American Fitness in January 2009 and Team Vic Fitness in July 2009.

New businesses, rocky economy

"I am not going to say it was easy," Vicky said about opening two businesses in the midst of a bad economy. "But we both kept an extremely positive attitude about it."

"Everybody but me thought I was crazy," her husband added. "There were 99 opinions that said 'don't do it' and one that said 'yes' and that one was me."

"I am an entrepreneur. If I am going to do a business why not do a business I really have a passion for?" he said.

The Tringalis pride themselves on being a small mom and pop gym and on knowing their members by name.

If they notice someone has not visited the facility in a while, they send an e-mail to check in on the member.

The couple also offers free seminars for the community on fitness and nutrition topics. Participants need not be members of their gyms.

On Saturday, Jan. 16 at American Fitness at 1 p.m. Vicky will discuss ways of making New Year's resolutions a reality.

They post fliers for the event at the such places as the Giant in River Hill, Roots Market in Clarksville and David's Market in Columbia.

Victor agreed with his wife that high expectations are a recipe for disappointment when it comes to resolving to lose weight and get fit.

"People set goals for themselves that are not realistic," he said. "They have a lot of misinformation and they rely on that. Success begets success."

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