Connecting with others is part of the culture at Life Time. Beyond being a place to pursue your fitness and wellness endeavors, it brings people together, often sparking friendships and, sometimes, even love.
For Karina Wait and DJ Zmachinski, and Deni and Jona Visconti, all of whom work in the fitness industry, Life Time played a significant role in their personal and relational growth. These are their Life Time love stories.
Love at First Lift
Many successful romantic partnerships develop from a foundation of lifestyle compatibility and shared interests. That’s the case for Karina Wait and DJ Zmachinski, Dynamic Personal Trainers at Life Time Southdale in Edina, Minn., and Life Time in Rosemount, Minn., respectively.
Wait was still healing from a previous relationship when she decided to go on a date with Zmachinski, whom she met on a dating app in 2020. During their first meeting, she was touched by his earnest questions and interest in getting to know her more deeply.
“In previous relationships, I usually had to be the one to continue the conversation, and it felt one-sided,” says Wait. “DJ was very eager to get to know me. I appreciated the effort he put in.”
Their mutual passion for fitness was also a major draw. Zmachinski had been working as a personal trainer at Life Time since 2014. “I really appreciated his commitment to that lifestyle and [how he] encouraged me to be a healthier person, too,” says Wait.
The first seven months of their relationship was long-distance, since Wait lived a couple hours away. During that time, she began searching for opportunities to further her own career in the fitness space.
In early 2021, a possibility arose. “DJ told me about a great opportunity to join the Life Time Edina team as a Dynamic Personal Trainer and Alpha coach,” says Wait.
Zmachinski encouraged her to apply and attested to her talents as a fitness professional. “He told me that I was more than capable, which was very enlightening and calming for me,” says Wait.
Wait got the job and in April 2021, moved to Minnesota. While she and Zmachinski worked in separate Life Time locations, they loved working for the same mission — championing healthy, happy lives — and credit that commonality as the being the springboard for two successful careers and a strong relationship.
“When I first started, I relied on DJ for guidance — I had no idea how to run my business under the umbrella of Life Time and navigate client relationships,” says Wait. “He relayed his experiences and what helped him become successful, which helped me grow, too.”
Both Wait and Zmachinski also coach Alpha, one of Life Time’s signatures group training programs, and they often share ideas and support each other in becoming the best fitness professionals they can be.
“Working at Life Time together has made things in our relationship easy and natural — it’s like we speak the same language,” says Zmachinski. “What we do enhances each other’s jobs, rather than taking away from it. And it’s allowed us to build the life we want.”
Wait wholeheartedly agrees. “We’ve been able to grow as a couple in our relationship, get married, buy a house, have our animals, and still be able to travel,” she adds. “Our careers have given us that stable foundation.”
From the Workout Floor to the Altar
Dumbbells and kettlebells are commonplace at Life Time athletic country clubs, but wedding bells? Not so much.
In September 2025, though, Life Time served as the wedding destination for Deni and Jona Visconti. Deni, a Dynamic Personal Trainer at Life Time in Shenandoah, Texas, and Jona, who trains clients at another gym in the area, took their passion for fitness to a new level by getting hitched at Life Time.
The couple, who’ve been together since 2022, decided that they’d rather invest in their honeymoon than the actual wedding. But they still needed a venue that could bring their vision to life in an elevated way. That’s when Deni’s daughter, who then worked at Life Time Shenandoah’s LifeCafe, got an idea.
“We began to inquire with the Life Time Shenandoah events team around having an intimate wedding in the club,” says Deni. It was a first-of-its-kind request for the club.
“At first, there was surprise — hosting a wedding in a club isn’t something you hear every day,” Deni recalls. “But that quickly turned into enthusiasm and genuine support. They worked with us to make sure everything flowed smoothly and truly made us feel celebrated.”
For the couple, Life Time Shenandoah wasn’t just a venue: “Life Time is a place where so much of our life already happens,” says Deni. “It represents our shared values, our daily routines, and the community that has supported both our individual growth and our relationship. We wanted our wedding to reflect who we are, not just look beautiful, and Life Time felt deeply personal and aligned with that vision.”
The Viscontis chose an enchanted forest theme, with rustic touches and fairy-like accents. Under clear skies, the ceremony took place on the club’s rooftop, with 45 of their closest family and friends in attendance. The guests then migrated to the Life Time Work lounge spaces for dinner, before hitting the dance floor near the concierge space. “The team did an amazing job when it came to bringing our vision to life,” says Jona.
“I’ll never forget how special that day felt,” adds Deni. “It felt vulnerable but incredibly exciting. Life Time has played such a significant role in our journey, so being able to celebrate with colleagues who have become friends made the day even more meaningful. The response was overwhelmingly supportive — it reminded us that the relationships built here go far beyond the gym floor.”
Footage of Deni and Jona Visconti’s wedding at Life Time Shenandoah
5 Tips for Maintaining a Successful Relationship
Here, both couples share advice that’s helped make their relationships successful.
1. Schedule non-negotiable quality time together.
With busy schedules, it’s easy for quality time with your partner to slip off the radar. That’s why Deni and Jona Visconti make eating lunch together every day a nonnegotiable in their schedule.
“We have that window for each other at 1 p.m., when we eat and have a reset to get ready for the second portion of the day,” says Deni. “Remaining consistent with that has been important for us.”
2. Support your partner’s goals.
While striving for shared goals is important, supporting your partner’s individual goals and aspirations is just as integral in a relationship. “We’re a team,” says Wait. “If DJ succeeds, I succeed, and vice versa.”
The two choose to support each other wholeheartedly, according to Zmachinski. “Even if each other’s ideas seem ‘crazy,’ that support doesn’t waver,” he says. “This is important so we can both be our true selves without having to hide details or our thoughts from each other.”
Wait adds, “A relationship is a commitment to one another, so helping the other feel happy while also focusing on your own happiness is important.”
3. Set boundaries between work and personal.
This means creating a strong system of organized communication, both with the necessary people at work and with your partner, says Deni. “Find a system that works for you,” she says.
For instance, the Viscontis prioritize being clear about communications hours with clients, especially when it comes to personal events. “We communicate expectations early, ensure coverage when needed, and trust the systems we’ve put in place,” Deni adds. “That clarity allows us to fully show up for our clients and protect our personal life. Respecting those boundaries has made us better professionals and stronger partners.”
“It’s easy for business and personal priorities to blend together,” says Jona. “This makes it important to take time for us. Following through with your clients is important, but you must prioritize following through on yourself.”
4. Respect each other’s differences.
In a relationship, being replicas of one another doesn’t necessarily signify a stronger relationship, according to Wait. In her relationship with Zmachinski, their differences are a pillar of strength.
For instance, Zmachinski tends to be more objective and cut and dry, so Wait helps him tap into his emotional side. Wait brings a lot of passion and energy into the things she does, and Zmachinski reminds her to remain disciplined and advocate for herself.
“In our relationship, love is a two-way street,” says Wait. “It’s important to know that your partner respects who you are as much as you respect them, and that you’re meeting each other where you’re at.”
5. Remember that you’re a team.
“It isn’t just one person running everything,” says Jona. “You can’t think that you’re the one who knows best — relationships are a two-person operation.”
He adds that there’s a balance required of being able to listen to your partner and support their needs while also prioritizing your own. “At the end of the day when you clock out, you’re with each other,” he says. “If something isn’t working, the focus must shift to, ‘How can we fix this together?’”
