Name: Dave Hoffman
Hometown: I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky
How long have you been a friend of uforia? Just over a year now
Your go-to class: I love uCycle — that’s what I started with, and that’s the class I attend most frequently. I don’t have a preference for a particular instructor — they all bring something different to the table.
Why else do you * heart * uCycle? In my opinion, the best thing about uCycle is simply that the instructors accommodate people of all fitness levels seamlessly into the class. I was really out of shape when I started, and I felt just as much a part of the class then as I do now that I’m much fitter, and training hard for the Death Ride in July.
Why do you choose uforia over other gyms or studios? At first, I chose it for two reasons: the convenience (I live a couple blocks away, so it’s easy to roll out of bed and head over to class) and the fact that I could attend without having to either pay a large initiation fee or get locked into a one-year contract. Now I keep coming back because it has become an important part of my weekly routine, and I’ve made some wonderful new friends at the studio.
How do you try to maintain a healthy lifestyle? In a few different ways: first, I do a lot of cardiovascular exercise (uCycle 4 to 6 times a week, occasional running, and lots of road biking this year) balanced with some strength work (uDefine TRX twice a week with Lizzie); second, I keep a food journal using an iPhone application called My Fitness Pal; and third, I cook for myself a lot. Cooking frequently means I don’t eat a lot of processed or prepared foods (though I still eat out often) so it’s much easier to make sure my diet is lower in bad stuff (processed sugars, salt, and trans fats) and higher in good stuff (fresh fruits, vegetables and heart healthy fats and oils). I still have a sweet tooth and enjoy foods that aren’t particularly good for me, but in moderation. And the food journal is a complementary tool — it helps me pay closer attention to my total calorie intake so I can continue losing weight for now, and so I can maintain a healthy weight going forward.
If you had to describe yourself in one word, it would be: Friendly
If you had to describe uforia in one word, it would be: Awesome!
What’s your favorite uforic moment? I have two: (1) Uforia had a Friday evening happy hour uCycle class last fall sometime. I left work a little early to make it there on time, and about halfway through the class I realized that I was happier to be at the gym than I would have been if I’d gone to Happy Hour after work instead; and (2) listening to Mama Cheng sing along to the music at the top of her lungs in uCycle.
Favorite place to go to treat yourself in the Palo Alto area? I’m a fan of Three Seasons restaurant. The food is great, the wait staff and bartenders are really nice, and the owner is incredibly generous.