Eatontown Fitness Studio Puts Women First

"Women don't take care of themselves," says Pamela Caputo, owner of a new fitness studio in Eatontown that caters to women.

Often, women put themselves at the bottom of their to-do lists, tending to children and family obligations and ignoring their own needs, she adds.

"Where do we fit ourselves in?" asks Caputo. "We deserve some time."

Fittingly, Caputo's new studio is called I Deserve: A Fitness Studio for Women and is right off of Route 35 at 30 Lewis St.

Caputo opened the studio at the beginning of December and already, it's becoming a gathering place for local women to focus on total well-being.

"There's a passion that develops when women work out together," Caputo tells Patch when we stopped by last week. "It goes beyond the exercise."

Based on interval-training akin to circuit workouts for women made popular by clubs like Curves, I Deserve uses hydraulic machines to help develop muscle mass and bone density, said Caputo. Exercisers cycle through a workout designed for their level of fitness based on an introductory workout with Caputo, which can be increased and modified as fitness levels improve.

She says the machines provide the "safest way" for women to work out because of the low-impact design.

"It's a comfortable studio to work out in," says Caputo, of the open-space layout that gives the space the airy vibe of a New York City loft. She says that most of her growing client base are in their mid-40s, but that they range in age from 14 to 80 years old. "There's a lot of acceptance and support."

Caputo knows a thing or two about the fitness biz, having run four clubs in Manhattan for 10 years before opening in Eatontown.

She also served as the vice president of sales at Priceline.com and is a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School. Her first career, lasting 16 years, was in broadcast journalism where she worked in various roles at CBS, NBC and local affiliates.

She's lived in Eatontown about two years and has become involved in the borough's Shade Tree and Economic Development committees, the Green Team and has just organized the Downtown Business Alliance.

Other than exercise, the studio offers clients a variety of products and services to enhance overall wellness, like massage, yoga, Isotonix supplements and inspirational clothing. There's even an affirmation wall to help clients set goals and celebrate taking control of their well-being.

"There's a lot of spirit here," said Caputo.