Personal Training
Personal Training, Nutritional Counseling & Emotional/Mental Well-Being
At Activation Fitness, our personal trainers utilize resistance, cardiovascular, and range of motion exercises to help improve overall endurance, strength, stability and flexibility. We offer:
• One-on-One Personal Training
• Muscle Activation Techniques™
• Small Group Personal Training
State of the art fitness
for your state of the art life
Strategically selected equipment
Private shower available
Towel service and filtered water provided
A safe and personal workout environment
Facility close to The Glen/Metra
Supporting Mental and Emotional Well-Being
At Activation Fitness, we recognize that physical strength, emotional health, and identity are deeply connected, especially during periods of transition. Many people seeking strength training are also navigating stress, anxiety, relationship changes, or shifts in how they experience their bodies. Having access to thoughtful mental health support can be an important part of feeling steady and well.
Activation Fitness is excited to partner with SpringSource Psychological Center, a North Shore–based mental health practice with deep roots in treating eating disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, and life transitions. Their clinicians work with children, adolescents, and adults, offering individual therapy, group support, family work, and higher levels of care. SpringSource is especially known for its clinical leadership in eating disorder treatment and for supporting people through complex relationships with food, body image, and identity.
Many clients navigating GLP-1 medications, changes in body composition, or midlife transitions find that physical changes can happen quickly, while emotional adjustment takes more time. Shifts in appetite, energy, muscle mass, and body image can bring up unexpected feelings. Having both targeted strength training and psychological support in place can help people feel more grounded, resilient, and connected to themselves as these changes unfold.
For individuals who need more structured support, SpringSource offers a Hybrid Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for adults, combining evidence-based therapy with a small, relationship-focused model. The program includes in-person care in Northbrook and Chicago, along with virtual sessions offered statewide in Illinois. This hybrid approach allows clients to receive consistent, intensive support while remaining connected to their daily lives. Individual therapy is also available for those seeking one-on-one care tailored to their specific needs.
SpringSource clinicians work collaboratively with clients to address the emotional and relational aspects of physical change. Their approach integrates evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT, ACT, and other skill-based models to support emotional regulation, self-understanding, and sustainable well-being.
SpringSource provides in-person therapy in Northbrook and Chicago, as well as virtual care across Illinois. Clients interested in learning more about mental health support alongside their strength training are encouraged to contact SpringSource or speak with Steve Dam for additional information.
We also recognize nutrition is a HUGE component of each client’s health and wellness. We are excited to partner with Karen Raden, MS, RD, CCN of Raden Wellness Center!
http://karenraden.com
Karen is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, with a with a Masters of Science degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University in Seattle, one of the country’s most prestigious schools for holistic natural medicine.
Karen recognizes that One size does NOT fit all!
Nutrition programs must be designed based on the science of one’s individual body chemistry. In order to achieve your total wellness goals (including weight loss, vitality and increased health), you must look inside your body before you look out.
Put simply, we all may want to look great, but if we don’t feel great then we are merely half way there. By taking the time to listen and learn about each client’s health and wellness history, Karen is able to guarantee optimal results. This is absolutely the key reason why people who work with her achieve quick and long lasting results. In learning about your individual body chemistry, she will create personalized eating plans that are unique to you! As a functional nutritionist, with an extensive knowledge of the science of nutrition (including recommended lab testing and the addition of the highest quality supplements)…..
Karen will provide you with a simple step by step plan to easily gain balance, remove obstacles and allow you to achieve vibrant health.
“Karen Raden has given me back my self esteem and control….if it weren’t for Karen’s knowledge, support, her compassion for healthy life style, I would not have seen this result….Karen is genuine and my guru in health. She is truly an expert in her field and I recommend her to anyone who needs a healthy life style nutritionist.”
—Robin M.
Karen Practices Functional Nutrition
Why are you having trouble losing weight even though you are eating moderately? Why do you suffer from heartburn or bloating every night after dinner? Are you really absorbing all the nutrients you need from your meals? If you’ve ever asked yourself similar questions, functional nutrition testing can give you clarity about the root causes of certain health conditions.
By focusing on your biochemical individuality and specific metabolic needs, Karen can utilize these tests to create targeted nutrition therapy that can help prevent disease and promote healing in your body.
Fees for testing are based on individual tests, some of which may be covered by your medical insurance.
Some options for functional testing:
Digestive Wellness Profile – For those with chronic digestive disorders such as reflux, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, IBD and/or IBS.
Nutritional Wellness Profile – For clients who want more objective information about their health through nutritional assessment of their blood chemistry. Specific supplement recommendations and meal planning will accompany this extensive written report.
Adrenal Stress Index – For those who feel that the stress-response hormone cortisol and chronically elevated stress levels may be wreaking havoc on their weight loss and energy. (Cortisol can impact emotional well-being and the tendency to pack on pounds easily. Imbalanced levels of this hormone are also linked to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and cancer).
Food Sensitivity Testing – For clients who experience a myriad of health related symptoms, this test can identify the root cause of those issues. By identifying food sensitivities, you can help mitigate weight gain, headaches, skin disorders, digestive disorders and mood issues.
Digestive Stool Analysis – All health starts in the gut, and this test will help you get to the root of your digestive issues by going straight to the source.
Athletic Performance Testing – This test explores core nutrients in five key areas: Antioxidants, B Vitamins, Digestive Support, Essential Fatty Acids and Minerals. Additionally, this test looks at oxidative stress (free-radical damage) that may be present. Based on results of the tests, optimal supplementation and dietary interventions will be recommended.
