Chris Mendes will be the first to say that weight-loss can be an ongoing battle.

She’s the owner of Curves located at 1449 Historical Plaza Way, Manteca, along with the one in central Stockton.

No surprise that this time of year is often a busy one for Curves.

“Everyone has their (New Year’s) resolution,” she said on Thursday.

Curves, for starters, will be conducting a weight management class that’s open to the public beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at both locations. “There are items you can buy but the class is free,” Mendes added.

She’s earned owner of the year for Curves. Her clubs received Shining Star honors every year since 2005 for outstanding service and adhering to proving the methods for the ladies-only fitness center.

Curves’ focus beginning this year is “Stronger Together: Together we can make the world 1 million women stronger.”

Members are encouraged to bring a non-member friend to Curves for a free fitness assessment and a first-visit discount.

Mendes, who is a wife, mother and grandmother, knows the importance of health. She wants to continue sharing her life with her loved ones.

“As you age, your risks for debilitating disease increase, and being overweight or obese significantly adds to that risk,” Mendes said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inactive adults have significantly higher direct medical costs than those who are active, with the cost associated with physical inactivity that increases with age.

Curves offer programs for women of all ages. This includes weight management, regular exercising, and sensible eating.

But Mendes, who opened the Manteca Curves in 2001, noted that changing eating habits can be tough and costly.

The trick to keeping the budget in check, she said, is to make up a nutritional regime.

Mendes listed these tips:
•Try preparing pasta dinner using fresh ingredient to control the fat and sodium contents that’s unhealthy to the heart. Prepackaged meals or the frozen all-in-one meals may be quick and easy but also contain unhealthy ingredients to increase the shelf life.
•Purchase seasonal items. These fruits and vegetables are often priced lower due to their abundant supply. As a general rule, the summer harvest consists of beans, berries, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, peaches, peppers, plums and tomatoes. Apples, pears, pumpkins, and squash are grown in the fall. She added that frozen produce for unseasonal fruits and vegetables can also be the economical way to go since there’s no worry of spoilage.
•Buy whole fryer rather than the prepackaged chicken parts. The leftovers from the whole chicken can be shredded for soups, tacos, and salads.
•Purchase food in bulk, freeze and store when not in use. Some of the portions, in fact, can be prepared as meals, stored, and later served up as time-saving leftovers.

Meanwhile, Curves’ “no men, no mirrors” facility offers a comfortable workout setting for many self-conscious women.

“We’re also a support group,” Mendes said.

Membership is about 400 strong in Manteca and 600 at the Stockton Curves. Those members are often greeted on a first-name basis.

This gym doesn’t have treadmills but rather 14-station Smart equipment – installed in 2008 – coupled with the 14 recovery boards to make for a 30-minute workout exercising each of the muscle groups.

The Smart equipment is tailored to the individual and can be activated via scan card.

All told, Curves help women lose weight, gain muscle strength and aerobic capacity while raising metabolism thanks to a groundbreaking, scientifically proven method that ends the need for perpetual dieting.

More information is available by contacting Mendes or a Curves fitness trainer at (209) 824-2070, (209) 957-2099, or logging on to www.curves.com.