Exhibit 99.1

Investor Contact: John Heller – 952-229-7427 or ir@lifetimefitness.com

Media Contact: Jason Thunstrom – 952-229-7435 or pr@lifetimefitness.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LIFE TIME FITNESS ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2012 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Revenue Grew 11.6%, Net Income Grew 23.2% and Diluted EPS was $0.62, up 21.6%

CHANHASSEN, Minn. (April 19, 2012) – Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: LTM), The Healthy Way of Life Company, today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012.

First quarter 2012 revenue grew 11.6% to $268.4 million from $240.6 million during the same period last year. Net income for the quarter was $25.7 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, compared to net income of $20.8 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, for 1Q 2011.

“Once again this quarter, I am pleased with our operating results, which are highlighted by strong revenue, net income and EPS growth,” said Bahram Akradi, Life Time chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We remain on track with our strategic growth, programming and branding initiatives for 2012. Our growth will continue to occur through square footage expansion, price and mix optimization, and our in-center and ancillary business revenue. Additionally, we are focused on delivering consistency and excellence in our member programming. We have made great strides in this area and we see additional opportunities to drive strong growth in member participation and retention. Finally, we will continue building our Healthy Way of Life brand, with the goal of ensuring that our brand position is of the highest possible quality and value across our businesses and programs. By executing upon our healthy way of life vision, programs and services, we believe Life Time has tremendous opportunity for continued growth and success.”

During the quarter, Life Time opened its first Canada-based center in Mississauga, Ontario (Toronto market). The Company also continued the integration, remodeling and rebranding activities associated with the acquired Lifestyle Family Fitness facilities in Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina. On April 12, 2012, the Company opened a new center in Tulsa, its first location in Oklahoma. In May, the Company plans to open its fifth center in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 2

Three Months Ended March 31, 2012, Financial Highlights:

Total revenue for the first quarter grew 11.6% to $268.4 million from $240.6 million in 1Q 2011.

Memberships grew 8.2% to 704,467 at March 31, 2012, from 650,784 at March 31, 2011.

Total operating expenses during 1Q 2012 were $220.1 million compared to $200.4 million for 1Q 2011.

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Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 3

Net income for 1Q 2012 was $25.7 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, compared to net income of $20.8 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, for 1Q 2011.

EBITDA for 1Q 2012 was $75.7 million compared with $64.2 million in 1Q 2011.

Cash flows from operating activities for 1Q 2012 totaled $73.9 million compared to $60.1 million in 1Q 2011.

Weighted average fully diluted shares for 1Q 2012 totaled 41.7 million compared to 40.9 million in 1Q 2011.

Updated 2012 Business Outlook:

The following statements are based on the Company’s current expectations for fiscal year 2012 and incorporate 2011 and early 2012 operating trends. These 2012 expectations are subject to the risks and uncertainties further described in the Company’s forward-looking statements:

As announced on April 12, 2012, the Company will hold a conference call today at 10:00 a.m. ET to discuss its first quarter 2012 results. Bahram Akradi, Michael Robinson, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and John Heller, senior director, investor relations & treasurer, will host the conference call. The conference call will be webcast and may be accessed via the Company’s Investor Relations section of its website at lifetimefitness.com. A replay of the call will be available the same day via the Company’s website beginning at approximately 1:00 p.m. ET.

The Company also announced on April 12, 2012, that its Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held at the Life Time Fitness headquarters (2902 Corporate Place in Chanhassen, Minnesota) at 2:00 p.m. ET today. The meeting will be webcast and may be accessed live via the Company’s investor relations section of its website at lifetimefitness.com. A replay of the webcast will be available beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m. ET today, and remain available for 30 days.

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Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 4

About Life Time Fitness, Inc.

As The Healthy Way of Life Company, Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM) helps organizations, communities and individuals achieve their total health objectives, athletic aspirations and fitness goals by engaging in their areas of interest — or discovering new passions — both inside and outside of Life Time’s distinctive and large sports, professional fitness, family recreation and spa destinations, most of which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Company’s healthy way of life approach enables customers to achieve this by providing the best programs, people and places of exceptional quality and value. As of April 19, 2012, the Company operated 98 centers under the LIFE TIME FITNESS^® and LIFE TIME ATHLETIC(SM) brands in the United States and Canada. Life Time also operated six additional acquired facilities, which are in transition to become Life Time centers. Experience Life Time on the web at lifetimefitness.com and facebook.com/lifetimefitness. Learn more about the Life Time Foundation and the Company’s work in the community at ltffoundation.org.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s actual results in the future to differ materially from its historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. Among these factors are attracting and retaining members, risks related to our debt levels and debt covenants, the ability to access our existing credit facility and obtain additional financing, strains on our business from continued and future growth, including potential acquisitions and other strategic initiatives, risks related to maintenance and security of our data, competition from other health and fitness centers, identifying and acquiring suitable sites for new centers, delays in opening new centers and other factors set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Diluted earnings per common share could also be affected by the number of shares outstanding, which depends on factors such as the number of shares issued upon exercise of stock options and future grants of awards pursuant to equity-based incentive plans as well as stock offerings and repurchases. The Company’s expectations for fiscal year 2012 exclude any additional unusual items that might occur during the fiscal year, such as litigation matters. While the Company has determined that achieving the 2012 diluted earnings per common share performance criteria required for vesting the remaining stock related to the June 2009 performance share-based restricted stock grant is probable and anticipates recognizing additional performance share-based compensation expense in 2012, the Company may not be able to meet those criteria due to risks and uncertainties, including those factors described above.

The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date. All remarks made during the Company’s financial results conference call will be current at the time of the call and the Company undertakes no obligation to update the replay.

Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 5

LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)

Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 6

LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 7

LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 8

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release and the related conference call disclose certain non-GAAP financial measures.

EBITDA. Earnings Before Interest, Income Taxes and Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) is a non-GAAP disclosure consisting of net income plus interest expense, net, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization. This term, as the Company defines it, may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure used by other companies and is not a measure of performance presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses EBITDA as a measure of operating performance. The funds depicted by EBITDA are not necessarily available for discretionary use if they are reserved for particular capital purposes, to maintain compliance with debt covenants, to service debt or to pay taxes. EBITDA should not be considered as a substitute for net income, net cash provided by operating activities or other income or cash flow data prepared in accordance with GAAP. Additional details related to EBITDA are provided in the Form 8-K that the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date of this press release. The following table provides a reconciliation of net income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA:

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO EBITDA

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 9

Free Cash Flow. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure consisting of net cash provided by operating activities, less purchases of property and equipment, excluding acquisitions. This term, as the Company defines it, may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure used by other companies and does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses free cash flow as a measure of cash generated after spending on property and equipment. Free cash flow should not be considered as a substitute for net cash provided by operating activities prepared in accordance with GAAP. Additional details related to free cash flow are provided in the Form 8-K that the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date of this press release. The following table provides a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to free cash flow:

RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH PROVIDED BY

OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO FREE CASH FLOW

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

Non-GAAP Average Center Revenue Per Membership. Non-GAAP average center revenue per membership is a non-GAAP financial measure consisting of average center revenue per membership excluding the impact of the Lifestyle Family Fitness transaction. The following table provides a reconciliation of average center revenue per membership, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to non-GAAP average center revenue per membership.

RECONCILIATION OF AVERAGE CENTER REVENUE PER MEMBERSHIP

TO NON-GAAP AVERAGE CENTER REVENUE PER MEMBERSHIP

(Unaudited)

Life Time Fitness First Quarter 2012 Results – Page 10

Non-GAAP Average In-Center Revenue Per Membership. Non-GAAP average in-center revenue per membership is a non-GAAP financial measure consisting of average in-center revenue per membership excluding the impact of the Lifestyle Family Fitness transaction. The following table provides a reconciliation of average in-center revenue per membership, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to non-GAAP average in-center revenue per membership.

RECONCILIATION OF AVERAGE IN-CENTER REVENUE PER MEMBERSHIP

TO NON-GAAP AVERAGE IN-CENTER REVENUE PER MEMBERSHIP

(Unaudited)