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GIME Fitness celebrates positive growth

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Klint Lowry
Published: August 18, 2012

SPRING HILL - Anyone who's truly into healthy living knows it isn't about reaching "goals," but a continual commitment to a lifestyle. But there are occasional milestones – hitting a certain weight, competing in an endurance event for the first time – that affirm you're doing things right.

Kim and Herson Garcia, owners of GIME Fitness, recently celebrated two milestones at once: the third anniversary of their wellness center and its relocation to a bigger, more customized facility.

On Aug. 13, they held an open house at that new facility, at 19832 County Line Road, just west of the Suncoast Parkway.

"We used to be a little more centrally located in Spring Hill, but we have clients who travel from Hillsborough County, Pasco County, so we wanted to be closer to the expressway," Kimberly Garcia said as guests were beginning to arrive.

Current friends and clients came to congratulate the couple, while potential new clients got an introduction what the Garcia Institute of Modern Excellence – much better known by its acronym "GIME" – has to offer.

"Anything dealing with the human body and living physically well is what we specialize in," she said. "Or main goal is to help people feel well."

The institute is a reflection of Garcia's personal health and fitness journey, which began 19 years ago.

"I started exercising; in the beginning I did a lot of things incorrectly, and I had very poor self-esteem," She recalled. Three different people would tell me three different things, and I wouldn't know who was right. So I started seeking out information."

Garcia decided she wanted to do the same for others. She became a certified fitness trainer, but soon realized simply "getting in shape" was only part of the equation. People have chronic health issues, they have postural problems. Then there's a whole world of nutritional issues most people in our culture need to overcome.

Kim and Herson continued their education and certification so they could teach a holistic approach to healthy living. reflects that.

When a new client comes in to GIME Fitness the first step is an initial consultation. Some people prefer one-on-one training, others like to work in small groups while others can work out on their own with occasional check-ins with a trainer.

Besides the workout area, the center has a lounge-meeting room where clients can socialize, relax and talk about their routines or whatever else is going on in their lives.Next to that is the therapy room.

"This is where if someone wants to get away from the hustle and bustle – just stretch and get in some core work," Garcia said. "Or if they are in chronic pain, we can bring them in here and help them get out of pain and help them learn new postural exercises."

Gime Fitness also offers a kids' after-school program called Gime Youth, aimed at fighting against the growing rates childhood obesity, Type II diabetes and other illnesses. Children learn how the body works and how certain foods can make the body's systems work better.

Nutrition is such an important component to one's well-being, and it's the area where most people in this country need to overcome a lifetime of bad habits and misinformation. Trying to transition to a healthy eating style can seem very confusing and difficult.

"We try to teach them how to make it convenient," Garcia said. The center offers a grocery shopping workshop that demystifies and simplifies how to eat healthy.

The center also carries a line of products called Wholota Wellness, including snacks like cookies and the signature Wholotas, peanut butter-based truffle-type snacks.

It's unrealistic to expect a person is never going to want a cookie or a piece of candy," Garcia said. Wholota products are an example of being able to have those treats with no artificial ingredients – no fake fat, no artificial sweeteners – and yet no guilt.

"We use no supplements. We believe the human body was made to survive on real food, so that's what we try to promote," she said. It's also cheaper. In the long run it costs less to buy real food than to buy supplements.

Nineteen years ago, Garcia began reshaping her lifestyle. The goal at GIME Fitness is to show people how to do the same. To find out more, visit www.gimefitness.com or call (352) 428-6368.

Klowry@suncoastnews.com (727) 815-1067