Los Angeles Convention Center Kicks Off the New Year Right with Fit Expo 2016

January 28, 2016

This year kicked off right with the LA Fit Expo, where nearly 60,000 expected attendees were on hand to share their love of fitness and health.  

The conference and exhibition was held Jan. 23-24 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. With so much going on at the show, it was hard to know where to go first.  And, with the two-day format, attendees packed the floor to get in as much as possible.

The showfloor had exhibitors, martial arts demonstrations and competition, group fitness classes, attendee competitions, such as body building and exercise, and the Healthy Eating Pavilion, where education classes on nutrition were held.

“I am already losing my voice, but the attendee excitement is great,” said Jackie Locascio, graphic designer of Healing Tree, a first-time exhibitor of the show. “We have seen great interest in our products as they are made of natural materials. The attendees here are looking for new items that can help them stay healthy, and so having a booth here made sense.”

Attendees had their overall health and wellbeing in mind, and also were looking for new products to assist them with their fitness goals. “I am looking for items specifically to improve my workout routine, such as a good pre-workout drink supplement,” Angela Gomez said. “At this show, I get to test a lot of new products coming into the market, and see what I like.  That makes this show so much fun to attend.”

The Healthy Eating Pavilion was a popular area on the showfloor.  Speakers Sean Torbati and Marc Lobliner of Tiger Fitness reviewed their take on nutrition.

“Nutrition is key for good performance and good health,” Torbati said.  Lobliner commented that “sometimes you need to go back to basics, reviewing your core strength, cardio and eating habits.”

There was also a strong focus on women’s health and fitness.  Speaker Tanji Johnson had standing room only at her nutrition talk. “The focus should be on striving for progress, not perfection, and as women, we sometimes feel we need to be perfect.  What I want to see is a message of empowering women to be healthy versus thin. If you focus on health, the body will come,” said Johnson. 

One complaint some attendees made was the competing noise of the different activities on the showfloor.

“Some of the educational sessions on nutrition were very hard to hear, with the attendee competition just a short distance away,” said attendee Allen Kim. “But I love seeing the demonstrations on new products, and being able to try them out. It gives me new products and techniques to take to my clients. It is a bit noisy, but there is plenty to see and experience.”

The exhibitors, however, were very happy with the hustle and bustle. “This has been a great turnout, and we are seeing a tremendous reception of our products,” said Mike Fransz, vice president of marketing at Pro Yo Frozen Yogurt.

He added, “Many consumers are looking for new ways to increase their protein intake, and our patented formula allows that in a liquid form without added suspension. This is our second time exhibiting at Fit Expo, and this show is such a natural fit for us.”

If you missed this show, you have not missed out on the latest fitness trends. There are two upcoming Fit Expo shows.

Fit Expo San Jose will be held May 21-22 at the San Jose (Calif.) Convention Center, and Fit Expo Anaheim will be held Aug. 27-28 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact