Whole Body Fitness Strength & Conditioning Camp
THROUGH STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING, PLYOMETRICS, SPEED AND AGILITY TRAINING, AND MOBILITY WORK/TRAINING.
Join Whole Body Fitness' very own Taylor Catrett in an upcoming Strength and Conditioning Camp at Whole Body Fitness from July 10th- August 11th!
WHAT: All athletes and sports are welcome. This camp is for both Whole Body Fitness members and non-members. Taylor will start with basic strength-endurance training and gradually progress into power and explosive work with speed and agility intermixed.
DATE: July 10th - August 11, 2017
TIME: Mon./Weds./Fri. from 1:30 pm- 3:00 pm
WHO: Ages 13-18, open to both members & non-members
REGISTER: Enroll by contacting Taylor directly at taylorc@wholebodyfit.net, or by phone at 530-487-8123.
Athletes will be trained with barbells and dumbbells with emphasis on proper movement and technique prior to any major loading. Mobility training will be included for flexibility of the body.
Learn From A Certified Coach & Experienced Athlete
Not only does Taylor have a Master's Degree from Sacramento State University, with an emphasis in Strength and Conditioning, but he also has been training in the fitness industry for 7+ years. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and USA Weightlifting Level I Coach with 2.5 years strength and conditioning experience at Division I colleges (San Jose State and Sacramento State).
To sign up, you may contact Taylor directly at taylorc@wholebodyfit.net, or by phone at 530-487-8123.
4 Travel Tips For Your Summer Adventures
Summer is full of family fun, adventure, and time away from your kitchen and gym. Allow yourself to enjoy your vacation without completely going off the rails. It’s important to find the balance of embracing life while staying healthy. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are and you can have fun while still making good choices while traveling. Here are a few ways you can travel smarter and healthier this summer!
1. Continue to Snack
Don’t let your metabolism tank while you are busy exploring museums, lying on the beach, or riding that roller coaster!! Be sure to bring plenty of healthy treats when it is snack time or dinner is happening later than expected you will always be prepared.
Snacks that travel well:
• apples
• nuts
• jerky
• rice cakes
2. Be Active Wherever You Are
Is there a beach at your doorstep? A hike with spectacular views? Go explore! A lot of clients end up losing weight on vacation because they are on the go non-stop either hiking, paddle boarding, or walking on the beach. This list is endless! Make the workout happen and capitalize on getting your sweat on with a new view!
3. Get On-The-Go Workouts From Your Trainer
Let your trainer know when you will be gone, how much time you will have to workout, and what equipment you will have access to. Continue your routine even when on vacation! I’ve had clients go on cruises, to cabins, or stay in hotels and get at least 1-2 workouts in while they’re gone because they planned ahead. It’s easy for your trainer to text or email you a full routine. It’s better if done ahead of time so you can ask questions about the workout before you go!
4. Use What You Have
No gym? No Hikes? Body weight, a wall, and the floor are all you need to get a great workout!
Example Workout- Set a timer for 15:00 and complete as many rounds as possible:
• 1:00 plank
• 1:00 wall sit elbow touches
• 10 push-ups
• 20 wall triceps press
• 30 air squats
No matter where you’re off to this summer, we’re here to help! Part of making positive changes in your health is making an effort to fit healthy eating and exercise into your daily routine. At home and on the go, a healthy lifestyle and routine is possible. Let’s make this your healthiest summer yet!
Sweating for the Wedding: 5 Strength Exercises to Get You Wedding Ready
Now that you’re engaged and the wedding planning is in full swing, more than ever it's important that you maintain your health. Whether you want to lose weight, tone up, or just feel your best on your wedding day, we have comprised a guide of 5 basic strength exercises to help get you and your fiancé get wedding ready!
Similar to the wedding planning process, deciding on a weight loss strategy to prepare for your wedding day can be overwhelming. We find that a combination of a clean and nutritious diet paired with incorporating five simple moves – plank, pull, squat, push, lunge – into your workout plan is a great start to working your entire body effectively.
1. Plank
A plank is a ramrod straight top-of-a-pushup position, usually done on your elbows and held for time. Think you’re straight enough? Get in front of a mirror and you’ll see your hips are too high. Now squeeze your belly and hold it. 30 seconds too easy? Try it with one leg lifted. Still easy? Lift the opposite arm as well.
2. Pull
A pull is a move where you take hold of something and pull it towards your chest or abdomen: a row. A pull-down, a pull-up or chin-up. Often neglected, these moves — especially row variations — are a major key to improving posture and keeping your upper body strong.
3. Squat
A squat is a squat is a squat. Gym class-style, bodyweight only, is fine. Just make sure you drop down to a point where the tops of your thighs are parallel with the floor. Do it holding two dumbbells. Do it with a jump at the top. Then with a barbell on your shoulders, in front or behind your head. Good form is imperative.
4. Push
A push is anything where you... wait for it... push something away from you! Take two dumbbells overhead or one barbell while lying on your back — aka the bench press. Or the ultra-beneficial pushup. Can't do a full push-up yet? Start with modified push-ups on your knees and work your way up.
5. Lunge
A lunge is a lot like a squat, only your feet are in a staggered position, one in front of the other. Do them walking, or with your feet planted, or holding light dumbbells. Don’t let your front knee buckle inward. Keep your form tight.
Adding these 5 simple moves into your weekly workouts will help you get wedding dress ready in no time. If you are looking for more assistance and want the whole package – workouts, nutrition, and a support team cheering you on – let us know. We will be there to help you look and feel your best before your walk down the aisle!
Client Success: Greg and Barbara Overton
March 3rd, 2016 was a day that turned Barbara Overton’s life around forever. Barbara had planned 3 days of skiing in the Colorado mountains with her family... or so she thought.
Here Barbara was 56 years young, in good health and suddenly found herself in intensive care with a heart attack. This would be the first of two heart attacks she would experience in the same month. Barbara did not have a typical heart attack but a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) heart attack, an emergency condition that occurs when a tear forms in a blood vessel in the heart.
After being released from the hospital, Barbara was told she had to go through cardiac rehab. She eagerly searched for somewhere that would not only get her heart back in shape but also the rest of her body. A good friend of the family had success from their time at Whole Body Fitness, and Barbara was impressed by their results. “I thought I would give it a try and convinced the hubby to go with me, he could use a little shaping up also!” said Barbara.
A Journey Back to Health
And so, Barbara and her husband Greg Overton began their journey back to health. They first met with Natalie their nutritionist and were blown away by the diet program. Barbara loved how encouraging Natalie was and all of the advice she gave along the way. The couple felt that the program was very easy to maneuver through and had everything they needed to keep on track. Greg loved that when he had questions about the different phases, Natalie was there to help him every step of the way. “For me, the plan incorporates the right amount of food intake, so you don’t feel like you’re always hungry,” said Greg.
Next, Barbara and Greg met with their trainer – Taylor C. “I have never had a personal trainer before, so I was not sure what to expect.” mentioned Barbara. Waking up at 4 am and going to exercise was not Barbara's idea of fun, let alone convincing her husband to get on board. Barbara soon became inspired by how Taylor went above and beyond to help her get where she is today. He convinced her that you are never “too old” to get in shape. “He is always concerned about my heart and not overdoing it. He is always telling me to do what I can but also pushing me at the same time. I absolutely love working with Taylor C!”
The couple also really enjoyed the group of people that they worked out with, and how the program was more personalized due to the size of the group.
“The best part about this program is getting a whole new wardrobe and the double take from people when they see my results! I even had one person ask me if I was terminally ill because of my weight loss! Love it!” – Barbara Overton
The Goals
Barbara is a manager at a very fast-paced processing facility that has a lot of ups and downs, and at times is a very stressful job. This program has helped her focus more on her health and realize that being healthy and taking care of herself will help her manage her everyday life much better. “I have a better attitude and as my kids put it. I have learned to just relax and take time for me,” says Barbara.
Greg is an Almond Farmer, and like all Farmers, he is up very early. He loved how the 5:30 am class gets your body ramped up for the day's job ahead. “I had seen first hand at how successful the program worked for two family friends. My goal of reducing body fat, and increasing mobility have come true not like other programs I have tried,” says Greg.
“I have recommended this program to my brother and his wife. In fact the whole family is now going to WBF and the MetPro program!” – Greg Overton
The Challenges
For Barbara, the most challenging part of this program was sticking to it. “I have to say my wife made me do this class with her! Without my support, she would not have done this program. She is famous for starting something and not finishing it.” says Greg.
Barbara can’t thank her husband enough for being her driving force in all of this.
The Results
Today, Barbara has lost a total of 20 lbs and feels great! “I would and have recommended this program to family and friends as now most of Greg’s family is in the program today. They have seen the awesome results that Greg and I have accomplished and now know that they can also get there! Family and friends are amazed at how better we look and feel!” exclaims Barbara.
For Greg, he has lost a total of 37 lbs, has increased his flexibility and also feels great!
“Working with Taylor C our trainer is great. He is so informative. He helps you with solutions to correct problems in your posture or old injuries that I had acquired. He makes the class fun and challenging at the same time, while you rediscover those lost muscle groups.” explains Greg.
We are so proud of Greg and Barbara's success, and can't wait to see them continue to work toward a healthier lifestyle! Keep up the good work Greg and Barbara!
Client Success: Matt and Kelly Hock
We love hearing our client’s success stories. We recently had the opportunity to visit with Matt and Kelly Hock who have been with us since August 2015. Both have made amazing transformations!
When asked why they chose Whole Body Fitness they had this to say:
“We really liked the approach of having our posture analyzed and having a trainer work closely with us giving us feedback and correcting our movements. Also the nutrition plan was something we were looking for. We ate healthy before but understanding portion and how the metabolism works was something that was fascinating to us and to see our bodies respond in a positive way helped us have confidence that the decision was the right one.”
Matt’s goal was to lose 20-25lbs and Kelly wanted to tone up and change her overall composition. The results: Matt was able to lose 30lbs and is now the weight he was in college. Kelly was able to tone up and both are very pleased with the results.
Matt enjoyed working with his coach Kevin. “Whenever I worked out before my back/hips would flare up and cause pain. This would limit my workouts and I would quit because of the pain and try to figure out by myself what was going on. Kevin was quick to assess my limitations and ailments and taught me how my body and muscles work. Through the use of lacrosse balls, blocks and exercises I had tools to work on at home when my back/hips would flare up. What I treated as skeletal issues (and it didn't work), Kevin treated with pinpoint accuracy with exercises and we have had great success.”
Kelly really enjoyed her coach, Joel, loving the custom programs he was able to put together to help her reach her goals.
Both also followed our signature nutrition program, MetPro, and attribute their success to having this tool along with the exercise:
“Having our workouts coincide with our training was a plus but our favorite part was that we had something to do together. We are busy people and lunches are usually out and about or in meetings. With MetPro we were able to cook together on Sunday and Wednesdays and pack those lunches to eat during the week. Being disciplined with our food carried over to being disciplined in other areas of our life, that was an added bonus we didn't anticipate.”
Matt is the Area Director for Young Life in Butte County and Kelly is the Owner of North Bloom Floral Design Studio. “Incorporating MetPro into our daily life was easy as we packed lunches or, if we needed to be away at a Conference, we brought snacks that could get us through our snack time. We knew how much food to eat at the meals because we had been diligent about weighing our food and we had a good idea how much a portion should be.”
Both found that having the support of another person while on the program attributed to their success. Matt set the goal of getting below 200lbs and was able to do this and maintain his new weight with the help of his MetPro coach and regular workouts.
When asked if they would recommend this program to their friends and family they had this to say:
“Yes! It works and it isn't some crazy cleanse that isn't realistic of long lasting. There is no reason why we can't stay on MetPro the rest of our life. “
Are you ready to make a change? Give us a call today and schedule your free consultation!
Fixing Your Metabolism: 4 Steps to Permanent Weight Loss
Challenge what you know about your metabolism. The truth is, your metabolism works quite differently than you realize. I’ve dieted celebrities, bikini models, and pro athletes. I’m not talking about Jimmy-local either. I mean the guys and girls you can buy posters of at Wal-Mart. How’d they get those ultra-coveted physiques? Not how you’d think.
The Truth About Weight Loss Exposed
The key to long lasting weight loss is to build your very own Fire-Breathing, Mountain-Crushing, Badass Metabolism. Yup, if you want the pounds gone for good you’re going to have to build a metabolism to stand the test of time.
Everyone asks me how I get my bodybuilders and models to look like that. My tongue-in-cheek answer is —“boiled chicken, brown rice, and broccoli.” Then it comes -“Will I look like that if I eat boiled chicken and brown rice?”
In a single word —“Nope.”
Lets get real, if you’re used to ordering cheeseburgers by the dozen and drinking soda pop from a trough, making the switch to clean foods will help. However, the real reason my physique athletes get ultra-lean for competition isn’t the boiled chicken. It’s because we built a Fire-Breathing Monster Metabolism in the off-season while eating more and training. It’s easy to shed fat on 1500 - 2000 calories when you’re used to eating twice that.
See why puddle hopping from one diet plan to another isn’t going to work? If your metabolism feels like it’s running slow —it probably is. Going from one restrictive program to the next is only going to make it worse and lead to more weight gain.
Here are four ways to make sure this doesn’t happen to you
1) Break up your weight loss
If you have a lot of weight to lose or you’re already dealing with a slowed metabolism from dieting -you’re going to need to break up your weight loss. Trying to lose all your weight in one push will grind your metabolism into the ground. You’ll end up paying for your lighter body with a slower metabolic rate. Don’t do it. You’ll gain your weight back and it will be even harder your next attempt.
Break your weight loss up. Not sure how much you can lose in one push -no problem -your body will tell you. Reduce the amount of food you’re used to eating modestly. Track your weight and maintain objectivity. If you’re losing weight don’t try to speed it up by eating even less. Decrease food ONLY when weight loss stops, not slows.
Break from weight loss before breaching the “gimmick” threshold. “I can lose more weight if I stick to pickled eggs and seltzer water or eat everything in a 25 minute window.” You’ll be turning your metabolism into a Flea Catcher, not a Whale Hunter (pun intended). Instead, pause the weight loss, eat slightly more food and up your exercise. A few days later, rinse and repeat. Once your weight is stable at a high calorie range (for you), you’re ready to push for more weight loss - not before.
2) Eat more frequently
The key is getting your body used to more food without gaining fat. There are two tricks here. First, increase food slowly. Second, increase meal frequency rather then adding more calories to the same meals. It makes it easier to add calories without storing fat.
3) Prioritize your time
I’ve been a weight loss coach for almost two decades. I can tell you the secret for people who are successful long-term verses short. Here it is —Time Management.
I’d bet with one glance at your phone you could tell me exactly what you’ll be doing tomorrow at 10AM. I’d also bet if I were to ask you what you’re planning to eat for lunch tomorrow you wouldn’t know. Fix that —and while you’re at it, prepare a couple snacks along with your lunch in advance -it will change your life.
Oh by the way, if you’re taking time to exercise but not yet implementing the above strategy, you’re doing it wrong and you need to adjust your priorities.
4) Think locomotive, not bow and arrow
As an industry we need to move away from short-lived get-thin-quick solutions that treat the symptom and not the cause -I’m pointing at you mainstream medical care. We need to move toward truthful and transparent education surrounding how the metabolism actually works -I’m pointing at you weight loss industry.
Currently, the prevailing weight loss model is a bow and arrow approach. The arrow shoots out of the bow with speed and enthusiasm but in a few seconds it crashes to the ground. Now it’s a stick in the mud. Diets act the same way.
Learn from the locomotive. It takes a lot more energy and effort to get it moving but once it gains momentum it’s unstoppable. Focus your efforts on building that MonsterMetabolism and you’ll eventually gain enough momentum to transform in a lasting way.
Life On Shuffle
Every morning I get in the car to go to work at Whole Body Fitness and the first thing I do is plug in my iPhone to hear some good music on my commute. The coolest thing happened to me the other day when I plugged my phone in: during the software update I must have accidentally switched the music play mode to SHUFFLE.
Instead of the same playlist that I am used to hearing over the course of the last few months, with the same songs, the same mood being set, I heard selections that I haven't listened to since I don't know when. I was instantly struck by the contrast in my morning routine and was refreshed by the realization that I had been in a RUT.
That’s the first step to getting out of a RUT or, for that matter, making any kind of change. We have to recognize where we are at before we can set a course for change or behavior modification. I am speaking to all of you creatures of habit out there.
Variety is the spice of life-no? “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got!” Insert fifteen more quotes here about the importance of variance in life……
Here is where my Life on Shuffle relates to your health and wellness-
As the seasons change and the weather plays its usual winter-spring-summer games with our climate, I encourage you to shake it up a bit. Work on an area of health and wellness that is NOT your strong suit. Here are a few common areas that most folks can improve in:
Flexibility- Do you stretch your hamstrings, shoulders, and neck often enough to maintain proper posture and range of motion? If not, get to it! Come to one of our group classes at WBF that focuses on these areas.
Cardiovascular Endurance- When was the last time you broke a sweat in steady state exercise? If the answer is longer than a few days, get to it! Again, come to one of our group classes. We are constantly building new classes into our schedule to meet the needs of our members.
Body Composition- Meal prep and quality nutritional coaching are the way to get your body fat down and keep it there. Metabolic Profiling is a sure fire way to reach your body composition goals, come in to speak with Natalie or Stephanie ASAP. Swimsuit season is around the corner!
Now take a good look at your “playlist” of health and wellness activities and hit SHUFFLE. You will enjoy the variety and your mind and body will thank you for your new groove.
Attitude is Everything
Is your mind right? What is that one thought that keeps circling in your consciousness? Let me make a suggestion:
You can do it. Better yet, I can do it.
A few months ago Crystal wrote an article about Self Talk and it hit home with several people that I consider influential to my life. A few of those folks are trainers here at Whole Body Fitness. Echoes of their encouragement float through the gym like the sweet-sweet scent of hard work, as I prepare myself for my own workout and that has me PUMPED for my “Me Time”.
In that moment I recognized that I have eaten a healthy meal the night before, packed my meals in the morning, and took a gloriously warm shower to start my day. I am filled with gratitude as I hear myself reflecting on the past 24 hours. It strikes me that my preparation for this workout started with a simple decision I made Sunday afternoon; I chose to turn off Netflix and make a weeks’ worth of healthy breakfasts.
In that moment it was affirmed that a positive thought (I can do this, not that) carried momentum forward into the preparedness of my workout. Good decisions stacked upon good decisions had prepared me to continue actions that lead towards habit. It is for this reason that I suggest monitoring your thoughts in order to set small mental goals that will eventually “ripple” towards actions that will help you build character in the form of physical, mental, and emotional strength.
Start here. Start now. YOU CAN DO IT!
Misinformation in the Health and Wellness Industry
Where did THAT come from?
Addressing misinformation in the Health and Wellness Industry
Here at Whole Body Fitness we have heard it all! Eat this not that, cardio makes you fat, eggs are bad for you, eggs are good for you, stretching is bad for you, and my all-time favorite:
“I am a lady and I don’t want to bulk up by lifting weights. I just don't want to get too bulky.”
Helping clients sift through the onslaught of information that is poorly presented, poorly researched, or learned out of context has become one of the key components of ensuring that a client sets appropriate expectations as they kick start their health and wellness improvement process.
Let’s call it like it is: most people get their health and wellness information through WebMd, Facebook posts, sound bites on the news, blogs, or through conversations with self proclaimed fitness specialists. The challenging part about hearing the content from these well-intentioned sources(second hand) is that the information that they are sharing is generally a half truth or its effectiveness depends on detailed variabilities amongst the population.
Eggs are not bad for everyone, nor are they good for everyone. Women come with varying amounts of testosterone, the more testosterone you have the more likely you are to add muscle mass and more quickly. Stretching effects performance of premier athletes in a specific motion(the bench press) and is generally understood to be productive for the average population.
The bottom line is simply this: ask more than surface level questions before you take information as THE ULTIMATE TRUTH. If the person that is sharing the information is truly knowledgeable about the subject, they will welcome your inquisitive nature in that it will validate their intention for sharing in the first place. Be wary of the “because I said so” crowd or the person that will not quote their source. Even those that DO quote their source will have some answering to do when it comes to how they understand and interpret research articles.
At Whole Body Fitness, we let our experience and our results do the talking for us. Having dieted thousands of individuals over the past decade, we have come up with our own conclusions on what will and what won’t work in your health and wellness routine. At Whole Body Fitness, the proof is in the pudding(which is healthy for you according to WebMd).
Toes to Nose
At Whole Body Fitness we do things differently. We literally train your whole body in ways that may seem simple to the untrained eye. In this article I am going to use an exercise that seems SO SIMPLE and yet is crucially important to training your entire body from where the rubber meets the road. Today I want to look at foot and ankle care through the “Ankle Circle”.
A staple in the WBF exercise catalog, the Ankle Circle involves dozens of muscles that effect your balance, your ability to walk, your ability to jump, and your ability to travel laterally. For all of you movement nerds out there(like me), the ankle circle effects the Posterior Chain of muscles that starts on the underside of your big toe and ends at the base of your skull.
Did you know that the muscles on the bottom of your foot can effect your lower spine? Did you know that the muscles on the front of your shin can effect your hip? Here comes your favorite existential quote- “It’s all connected!”.
By making sure that we warm up, challenge, and integrate the muscles around your ankles, we are literally training you from Toes to Nose. Can you say that about your current exercise program? If not, come check out how and why we do things differently here at Whole Body Fitness. If so, focus on the slow, smooth circle of your ankle and be grateful that you have the awareness it takes to keep all of the connected areas of your body working harmoniously towards efficient, pain free movement. Now, go do some ankle circles!
Client Success Tips: Debbie
Debbie recently premiered her wonderful transformation at Whole Body Fitness. Previously gyms intimidated her, she hadn’t been successful at sticking to exercise. Initially coming to WBF, Debbie felt embarrassed by her weight and poor fitness level; she committed herself to 3 months of “sticking with it”. In talking to her trainer, Kevin, about goal setting she expressed her desire to be a healthy fit grandmother. What she quickly discovered was she was losing weight easily, getting noticeably stronger every week.
“When Debbie was training to ride the 50 mile race up mountains (a bike race over table mountain) in September” says Kevin, “ Debbie has consistently impressed me with her ability to take things one step at a time and held true to one of the first things she said ‘I’m a worker bee’ and she does everything and anything I ask of her. She is willing to do whatever it takes to reach her next step. Takes things one step at a time willing to work towards her goals.”
She made a true lifestyle change from couch.
When I caught up with Debbie she was thankful she held true to her goal and was grateful her trainer gave her the knowledge to exceed her own expectations. I asked Debbie to share what guided her along her journey. Here are some tips that she found helpful!
Thank you for sharing, we are all so proud of you Debbie!
• Positive Self Talk I would tell myself both in training and bike riding“every time I do this I get stronger” Because of the expertise of my trainer, it was the truth. I'm lifting weights I would never have dreamed I could lift.
• Give Yourself Permission When I was training to ride the 50 mile race up mountains I would give myself permission to stop. I would tell myself " just get to that tree, or to that stop sign etc. and I can turn around if I need to". Well I never turned around and every time I rode I got better.
• Make it a Lifestyle I had previously dieted many times and had a pattern of gaining the weight back. The difference for me was viewing MetPro was a lifestyle change, which meant it took some adjusting. Which leads to my next tip….
• Lose the ALL or NOTHING Mentality At first when I struggled staying on the diet my trainer would tell me it doesn't matter if I cheated and to just get back on track. That really helped me reset my all or nothing way of thinking. Funny but once I wasn't so worried about never cheating I found I didn't really want to cheat as often. Now when I do eat something I shouldn't it’s easy for me to go back to eating right.
• Be Prepared I always pack my food for the weekdays. I have every meal and snacks planned out and take it to work on Monday for the whole week. Most of it is stored in my office with just a few things that need to be refrigerated
• Never Let Yourself Get Hungry Always have a backup plan in your car, gym bag, or at work. I never let myself get hungry because that's when I make bad decisions about what to eat. I have prepackaged snacks that I can grab and go if I have to.
• Don’t Lose Sight of Your Goal Remember why you began in the first place. When I wanted to quit I thought about my goal to be a healthy, strong grandmother. Because of the expertise of my trainer Kevin, I'm lifting weights I would never have dreamed I could lift.
• Trust Your Team Surrounding myself with a positive support system and, most importantly, people who have the expertise to help me reach my goals was great. But I found success because I truly trusted my team; my trainer, my nutritionist and following the plan led to results that surpassed my expectations.
Improve Your Desk Posture
You owe it to yourself to take breaks for posture, so many benefits! Equally true is that performing daily tasks that encourage bad posture can lead to several negative effects on the mind and body. Long hours seated at a desk staring at a computer or driving causes some negative posture. Loosely speaking, shoulders rounded with rounded back and head forward. Technically speaking; lengthened rhomboids, tight pecs, traps, and cervical spinal erectors.
Good posture affects so much more than just standing taller.
• Optimizes breathing
• Alleviates back pain
• Increases self confidence
• Affects how people view your self confidence
• Increases core strength
• Increases metabolism
• Lowers cortisol levels
• Increases testosterone levels
• Improves core strength
In order to counter the multitude of hours that we sit, work, drive, stare at a computer, and text, doing our posture daily is crucial. To achieve that positive posture we need to awaken these muscles that are taking a vacation while we are hard at work. We can accomplish that by engaging rhomboids to support the upright torso and pull shoulders and head back, engaging glutes to counter tight hip flexors from sitting, and get the scapula moving!
Below is a short posture routine you don’t even need to take your bum out of your seat to do! Our focus is on NO EXCUSES!
Also try to enable a 20/20/20 rule in your workday. Every 20 minutes take a 20 second break and look at something 20ft away from your computer screen.
3-Minute Posture Break
Shoulder Rolls: 10 forward 10 back
Foot Circles: 10 in each direction (internal, external, point and flex)
Arm Circles: 20 forward 20 backwards
Seated Hip Stretch: 20 seconds per leg
Note: While many of the linked videos are done in the standing or lying positions, they can also all be done in the seated position.
4 Tips to Better Desk Posture
1. EYES Computer screen should be just below eye level and 18-24 inches away.
2. ARMS Forearms should comfortably rest on desktop, no shrugging of shoulders or arching of wrists to reach for the keyboard.
3. BACK Lumbar support chair, with 2degree tilt forward ensuring back of thigh isn't on chair edg
4. FEET Thighs parallel with floor and shins perpendicular to floor ensuring flat feet on the ground!
You, Inc.: A Practical Guide for Setting Fitness Goals
Want solid returns on your fitness investment in the new year? Get down to business — with a smart, strategic plan worthy of an MBA.
In business, planning is paramount. Whether lining up logistics, attending strategy meetings or digesting quarterly reports, savvy executives treat time as an ally, surveying the past for clear-eyed lessons about what worked and what didn’t, and looking forward for a chance to do it better next time.
At the gym, planning is too often an afterthought. Many of the same ambitious, practical people who divide their workdays into five-minute time blocks may amble aimlessly through their workouts like an office temp without a supervisor. They don’t know what tasks to perform, when to perform them or how to gauge success from day to day, let alone next week, next month or next year. “Most people never really get focused about fitness,” says Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS, co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training in Indianapolis. “They switch programs every few days or not at all. They miss workouts for weeks at a time.”
As a result, no matter how earnest our intentions, many of us miss the mark. Not for lack of trying, but because we don’t have a winning blueprint or a strategy. “It’s only when you focus on one or two well-defined goals and follow a clear plan to accomplish them that you start to make real progress,” Robertson says.
Robertson, along with many other leading trainers, is articulating a fitness truth grounded in the basic tenets of business: If you want to accomplish any complex, challenging objective, you have to set clear goals, approach each of your hurdles systematically, routinely assess progress, and course-correct when necessary.
“When you go to the office, you don’t just show up and putter around. You go in with a plan, a series of tasks oriented toward a long-term goal,” says Chicago-based personal trainer Jim Karas, author of The Business Plan for the Body (Three Rivers Press, 2001) and The Petite Advantage Diet (HarperOne, 2013). “That’s how you should approach your fitness program as well.”
The payoff? If you walk through the gym doors armed with a solid strategy like the one outlined on the following pages, you’ll not only leave feeling satisfied with your efforts, you’ll also find yourself looking forward to moving your fitness game plan forward — week by week, month by month.
The best part: You’ll get the benefits of working for the world’s best boss. You.
1.CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT
Just as Ben and Jerry probably would have blown a gasket building computer software, and Bill Gates might have imploded dishing up ice cream, your fitness plans will most likely fizzle if you try to follow someone else’s dream or template. You need a big-picture approach that matches your interests, goals, lifestyle and passions.
The first step along the fitness path, then, is to create a fitness mission statement. What, exactly, do you want to accomplish, both in the short term (up to three months from now) and in the long term (a year or more from now)?
“Figuring out where you want to go with your fitness is hugely significant,” says Jolie Kobrinsky, CEO of ThePrimeMethod.com and co-owner of Prime Personal Training in Monterey, Calif. “You’re taking a vague inkling and making it concrete.”
Your vision can be athletic, aesthetic or both: You can set your sights on running a half-marathon or losing 25 pounds, earning a black belt or gaining slabs of lean muscle. You can choose almost anything, but it’s essential that you choose something, since the mission statement is your road map for success. It’s the “true north” toward which every workout, meal, food choice and recovery session should ultimately lead.
To get started on the process, think “S.M.A.R.T.” — a goal-setting acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. In the business world, those are the goal-definition standards that help executives set well-defined agendas.
For instance, “getting fit” is a commendable ambition, but it’s vague. Fit in what way, and by when? You’ll have a better shot succeeding if you aim for a clear and achievable target, like losing a belt size by summer or attending a fitness class twice a week for the next six weeks.
The other thing your mission statement needs is passion. What gets you excited? What are you fired up to accomplish, learn or participate in? If you’ve always wanted to dance the tango, learn to fence competitively or complete a mud-strewn adventure race, find out what sort of regimen is required and get to it.
“What you want in any fitness program,” says Robertson, “is skin in the game.” If you can’t come up with a substantial list of reasons why you want to realize a given goal, choose something else that pushes your buttons right now. In business, passion drives profits; in the gym, it drives progress.
2. TAKE INVENTORY
Once your mission statement is in ink (or stored on your hard drive), take some time to clearly look at your assets and liabilities: What do you have going for yourself, and where are you now, relative to where you want to be?
If you’re trying to change the way you look, take a “before” photo. If you want to finish stronger in your next 5K, use your heart-rate monitor’s stopwatch function on your next run and get a baseline. If you want to deadlift 300 pounds, get a clear sense of what your muscles can heft now.
While taking stock, consider not only your present physical condition but also what has worked for you historically. “A lot of answers can be found in your past,” says Linda Spangle, RN, MA, author of 100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan (Thomas Nelson, 2007). So reflect on those periods when you’ve found success and enjoyment in your pursuit of fitness: Was it the era when you hit the gym every day before work? When you played on a team, worked out with a partner, trained for a competitive event?
It’s also wise to take inventory of any recurring injuries, pain and other functional limitations that might hold you back. Some of these problems might be obvious; others (like stiff hips or a tight back) might not be as evident, which is why doing an initial evaluation with a professional trainer can ultimately save you time and unnecessary setbacks. It can help you identify and remove any physical barriers to progress. “If a new client has movement or postural issues,” says Robertson, “I’d rather address that at the outset, before we jump into intense training.”
Finally, take stock of your available resources, including time, equipment and personnel: When do you have time to work out and prepare meals? Where can you find the necessary equipment? Do you need the support of a group, professional trainer or healthcare practitioner to help you get there? If so, who are those people and when can you see them?
At this stage, Karas also recommends that you “go public” with your goal: “Get your family and friends on board,” he says. That way they’ll do things like “bring you something healthy on your birthday instead of a triple-mocha cheesecake.”
3. MAKE AN ACTION PLAN
“The world gets out of the way for a man — or woman — with a plan,” says Karas, whose client list includes a host of Chicago’s most successful CEOs, plus celebrities like Diane Sawyer and Hugh Jackman. Just as a chief executive has to keep an eye on both short- and long-term goals, you need to think about daily to-dos and the big picture to make serious strides in your fitness objectives.
Whether you get the help of a pro at this stage or go it alone, always strive to break larger fitness goals into several smaller, more manageable bits. If you plan to do a triathlon this summer, start increasing your swim, bike and run distances now. If you’re trying to lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks, focus on dropping 5 pounds in five weeks.
A well-constructed fitness program is systematically progressive: You’ll gradually lift a little more, run a little farther or learn more skills over the course of time.
Remember, though, that progress is never completely linear. Improvement in any physical endeavor resembles the stock market during a bullish period: a general trend upward with peaks and troughs appearing throughout. So it’s not important that you set a personal record every time you work out, just that over the long haul you get closer to achieving the objectives outlined in your mission statement.
As with almost any truly fruitful investment, you want to take the long view, and keep your focus on working your plan, week in, week out.
Ignore the get-fit-quick schemers who promise instant, spectacular returns — the kind that almost always end in injury, regained weight, undermined health or loss of interest.
“Too many people approach their fitness plan looking for the quick and easy payoff,” says Karas. “But the best results come when you’re slow and steady. Don’t be Bernie Madoff; be Warren Buffett.”
Remember, too, that a well-thought-out plan includes not just what to do in the gym, but also the smaller, behavioral strategies that make getting to (and through) your workout as easy as possible. “You want to remove the obstacles,” says Spangle. “I call it figuring out your ‘What It Takes’ list.”
For some people, that might mean laying out workout clothes the night before an early run or finding a gym that’s on the way home from work.
Elite-level ISSA trainer Angelo Poli, owner of Whole Body Fitness in Chico, Calif., requires his weight-loss clients to pack and carry an ice chest of food with them every day. “In my experience,” he says, “that’s the single action that makes the biggest difference for anyone trying to get and stay on a healthy eating plan.”
4. DO YOUR ACCOUNTING
Ultimately, success in any health and fitness program depends on hard data: mileage logged, weight lifted, nutrition consumed. By keeping track of the relevant numbers in a journal, you can celebrate successes, pick apart setbacks, and course-correct as you go.
For instance, maybe you’re dropping unwanted weight but you’re also feeling listless and struggling to build strength or endurance. If you’re keeping a food journal and a workout log, you can use the information and make small tweaks to your program, adding a little food, swapping some cardio for strength training to see what happens. But unless you have a decent record of what you’ve changed and how, you’ll have no clue what really worked, or why.
If keeping a journal helps, try ways to make the data crunching an enjoyable exercise. Spangle’s clients employ stickers on a calendar to keep themselves on course: “At the end of every day, put a green sticker on the calendar if you’ve adhered to your nutrition and fitness plan, a yellow sticker if you made a few mistakes, and a red sticker if you fell off completely. For best results, no fewer than 19 out of every 20 of those stickers should be green.”
Often, even the act of keeping notes is enough to effect a behavior change.
“Just keeping a precise food journal, without even trying consciously to change anything, can make a huge difference in your diet,” Robertson says, “because it makes you think about what you’re doing.”
Think of it this way: If you’re at a party and faced with a big bowl of tortilla chips, you’re less likely to overindulge if you’re keeping track of every chip you pilfer.
5. MANAGE THE CLOCK
Lack of time is one of the main reasons people cite for not exercising. They can’t see any way to fit a few hours a week of exercise into an already-crammed schedule. Generally, though, that’s bunk.
“When people tell me they don’t have time to work out,” says Robertson, “I’ll ask them for a daily schedule in which they account for every 15-minute chunk of time during waking hours. Most people don’t even have to fill it out before they realize their real problem is too much Facebook and TV.” By trading lower-value pastimes for top-priority self-care, he notes, most people stand to gain not just vitality, but also an enhanced sense of focus and self-respect.
How many minutes, hours and days you need to train also depends on the contents of your mission statement. For most people with general fitness-improvement and weight-loss goals, three hourlong workouts a week on nonconsecutive days, including some intensive interval training, does the trick, Poli says. “With those types of workouts, you’re combining cardiovascular training and strength work. You’ll stimulate your largest muscle fibers while deriving a huge cardiovascular benefit at the same time.”
If you have serious, sports-specific performance goals, you may need to commit more time. But contrary to popular belief, unless you’re training for an endurance event, long, slow cardio exercise generally isn’t necessary and may actually work against building muscle mass. “Muscle mass is your fitness capital,” says Karas. “You want to do everything you can to preserve it.”
When you are seriously strapped for time or low on energy, Spangle suggests the “10-Minute Solution”: “Tell yourself you’re just going to exercise for 10 minutes. Often, after 10 minutes you’ll have overcome your resistance and will want to keep going. But if you stop for the day at that point, that’s fine, too. Either way, you’ve been successful.”
6. REASSESS AND RECOMMIT QUARTERLY
In fitness, just as in business, you have to take stock at regular intervals. Once a quarter, either on your own or with a trainer, assess how you’re doing.
“Meeting a goal can be tremendously empowering,” says Kobrinsky. And periodic check-ins can spark a well-deserved mini-celebration.
Seeing that you’re falling short of a goal can be instructive as well. Was your plan itself ineffective? Was it too restrictive, time consuming and impossible to follow? Did work obligations, family stress or other distractions prevent you from fully committing to it? If so, don’t throw out the whole endeavor — simply rework your plan to better suit your current schedule and obligations.
“Perfectionism can be a real obstacle,” says Spangle. “People try to do these complex, time-consuming programs and decide that if they can’t follow them to the letter, they won’t follow them at all. It’s much better to be successful on a slightly less ambitious program.”
Whether you meet, exceed or fall a little shy of your fitness goals at any given time, it’s important to either recommit or thoughtfully reconsider your approach. Give some thought to what you most want to accomplish now, and how you might best be able to move toward that goal in the short term.
“After accomplishing a goal, most of my clients go through a doldrums period,” says Robertson. “They’re less fired up in the gym, less strict with their diet. That’s when I try to help them find something new that they’re excited about. If they’ve had a physique goal, for example, I try to get them to consider a performance goal.”
What’s important is that you keep your eyes on the prize, and your head in the game. When in doubt, go back to the mission statement that fired you up in the first place.
“Not every company can be Apple,” says Kobrinsky. “Just like not everyone will become an Olympic athlete. But companies that invest in quality, dependability and durability over the long haul typically find great success. By using that same strategic, committed approach to training, we can build great bodies, too.”
YOUR FITNESS MISSION Q&A
The first step toward accomplishing your health goals is to construct a mission statement — one that outlines who you are and where you want to go. Here are a few questions to get you started.
• What do I want to accomplish? (Compete in an adventure race, gain 10 pounds of muscle, cross-country ski competitively.
• By when do I want to accomplish this goal?
• Why do I want to accomplish this goal? (Try to list at least 10 reasons.)
• What are my physical strengths and abilities? (I’m flexible, have endurance, good coordination, solid strength, decent body confidence.)
• What activities do I enjoy? (Team sports, solo sports, endurance events, outdoor adventures.)
• What activities have been effective for me in the past? (Pilates, strength training, martial arts, dance.)
• What recurring injuries or pain do I have?
• How much time during a week can I dedicate to exercise? When can I fit in those workouts?
• Who can help me accomplish my goal? (Friends, family, coworkers, a support group, a professional trainer or coach.)
• What official events can mark my progression toward my long-term fitness goal? (Races, tournaments, competitions, group races or rides.)
• Five years from now, what would I like to have accomplished? How do I want my body to look, feel, perform?
• What will I need to keep track of in order to see progress? (Protein and veggie consumption, weight lifted, physical measurements, body-fat percentage, miles run or cycled.)
• What are some daily strategies I can incorporate to support my progress and overcome known obstacles?
By: Andrew Heffernan
7 Fall Food Essentials
Using foods in season are usually the healthiest way to shop for local fruits and vegetables. Harvest brings a bounty of crisp fruits, delicious roots, and vibrant squash. With fall flavor in full swing try fixing up a dish incorporating some of these ripe and plenty fruits and veggies!
1 Squash (winter/butternut)
• Harvest Season: October-February
• Health Benefits: Omega-3 fatty acids source of vitamin A
• Try This: Cube squash, spray lightly with olive oil (try the
Misto). Season with cinnamon, minced ginger, salt, and pepper to desired taste. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes.
2 Sweet Potato
• Harvest Season: September-December
• Health Benefits: More nutritionally dense than a white potato. Good source of iron, vitamin A, and provides anti inflammatory benefits
• Try This: Oven roasted sweet potato wedges. Oven roasting will maintain more vitamins than boiling. Cut lengthwise, lightly spray with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet, bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until soft, turning occasionally.
3 Pomegranate
• Harvest Season: August-December
• Health Benefits: higher antioxidant levels than red wine, vitamin C, folate.
• Try This: Add to cottage cheese, salad, or oatmeal for a tart pop of flavor and crunchy texture **Check with your MetPro coach for recommended usage depending on your current nutritional phase.
4 Brussel Sprouts
• Harvest Season: September - March
• Health Benefits: Source of folate, iron, and ½ C equals more than daily recommended intake of vitamin K. High content of glucosinolates, a phytonutrient responsible for a variety of cancer-protective substances.
• Try this: Balsamic Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts. Season 1.5lbs halved brussel sprouts with salt pepper and Misto with olive oil. Roast at 400° for 20-30 minutes, until tender and browned. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss.
5 Apples
• Harvest Season: August - November
• Health Benefits: High in antioxidants and full of fiber.
• Try This: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal. Bring 4 cups water to boil. Stir in 1C. Steel Cut oats, 1 C. peeled and chopped granny smith apples. When oats thicken, reduce heat, continue to cook until desired consistency, about 25-30 minutes. Add cinnamon and serve!
6 Pears
• Harvest Season: August-February
• Health Benefits: Vitamin C, copper, 4g fiber/serving
• Try This: A delicious spinach, pear, pecan salad makes a yummy afternoon snack.
7 Tangerines
• Harvest Season: November-April
• Health Benefits: Good source of Vitamin C and beta-carotene.
• Try This: Juice them with oil, vinegar, and ginger for a delicious dressing.
Don't see your favorite fall food on the list?
Let us know your favorite fall food! How do you use it in your kitchen?
For Recipe Ideas Visit Our Recipe Page: http://wholebodyfit.net/blog/category/metpro-recipes
10 Habits For Better Sleep
Sleep. The most overlooked factor in overall health. Getting some good Z’s is a major contributor that is typically undervalued, especially when it comes to weight loss. I have personally always had a love/hate relationship with sleep. I love a good night’s sleep, but I hate going to bed!
Often times playing volleyball abroad our practices would end late at night, leaving me full of adrenaline taking me hours to wind down. That second wind of energy that occurs after an exhausting long day is related to a higher cortisol level. Calories may be stored as fat when cortisol is at higher than normal levels. Cortisol levels begin torise around 10:30 11:00pm so head to bed before that for 7 hrs of shut eye.
Sleep allows for the restorative process to occur within the body. My schedule as a trainer has taught me to value of sleep on health and fitness. Training clients at 5:30am means I need to be functioning and fully awake! Now I crawl into bed around 8:30, asleep well before 10pm.
This did NOT come easy. I started to try different routines and created habits to ensure I get a good night's sleep. By creating habits that encourage restfulness, relaxation, and rest I have been able to get better sleep and maintain productivity throughout my day.
Here are 10 habits I have found key to getting amazing sleep
1 Get Moving!
Regular exercise can relieve insomnia and make for more restful sleep.
Participating in aerobic exercise 4 times a week is ideal.
2 Dim the Lights
I come home and turn on a lamp and light a candle. The body’s circadian rhythm
is controlled by a part of the brain that responds to light and darkness. Light
travels via the optic nerve to the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) signaling the
internal clock that you need to be awake or asleep. The SCN then sends signals
to parts of the brain that release hormones, regulate temperature, etc which can
make us feel more awake. Exposure to bright lights when it’s bedtime can delay
the release of melatonin that assists with our sleepiness.
3 Wash Off the Day
Relax mind and body. Showering after work gives me time to process the day,
decompress creating a transition period from work mode to chill mode.
4 Dine
Take time to sit down and eat dinner, push pause and be still. Share your day
with your family, converse. I rush through my meals during the day, squeezing in
snacks and lunch, dinner is my time to sit down and enjoy my food.
5 Prep for Tomorrow
Preparing my food for the following day means it’s ready to grab in the fridge in
the morning allowing for a longer nights sleep and one less thing to worry about.
6 Setting a Bedtime
Having a regular bedtime and wake time keeps that circadian rhythm within your
body.
7 Make Your Bed
Pulling back the corner of my neatly made bed and crawling in! My routine for
getting a good night's sleep starts when I get out of bed in the morning! It’s like
you have a hotel maid.
8 Ban Devices in Bed
Blue light stimulation, caused by electronics, creates a block of melatonin which
signals sleep in the brain and body. Don't delay getting to that precious REM
sleep!
9 Read a Book
If you aren’t feeling heavy in the eyelids yet, a good relaxing read transporting
you into a story, not real news or stressful reading. Skip the device reading, find
some old fashioned paperback reads.
10 Channel Your Inner Caveman
Let your bedroom be a cave, cool and dark. I sleep with an eye mask on
ensuring complete darkness.
Client Success Tips: Alex
I love Whole Body Fitness clients because they understand it is not simply a diet, or a shape up 6 week bootcamp. It is a lifestyle change and they are committed to it.
Who better to give us the keys to finding success than those among us who have accomplished their goals and continued to thrive? I’ve been reaching out to clients who have found success to see if they’d have any advice, or tips for the WBF family that could enable us to find our success.
It’s been 3 years since Alex was rolling on the floor in agony. At 33 he was in unbearable pain caused by herniated discs in his lumbar spine. Work, sleep, and even holding his children became impossible without heavy medication. He was determined to get back his life and made an appointment at Whole Body Fitness. Focusing on posture, core strength, and a personalized nutrition plan in 3 months he lost 20lbs and 6in on his waistline.
Today Alex works 10-14 hours at his physically demanding job, holding his children pain free, and living an active life. With his postural and nutritional re-education he now understands what his body needs to maintain this physical level.
Tips from Alex:
I hope anyone who reads this understands with the right guidance, and motivation you can accomplish whatever you set out to do.- Alex
1.Work hard, you'll only get out what you put in, but don't push so hard you injure yourself.
2. Keep good form you'll get more out of clean full reps with lighter weight than ugly reps with heavier weight.
3. Don't get discouraged if you're not getting the results you want you just have to work a little harder.
We love hearing about ongoing client success.
Keep an eye out for Alex in our group classes and say hello!
The Importance of Positive Self-Talk
Talk yourself into your goals.
We all have dialogue happening within our own head everyday. This can be referred to as self-talk. Think of it as your own personal announcer, giving a play by play of your life. Criticisms, support critique, and cheerleading.
When I was playing volleyball in college you have announcers of other teams sometimes being impartial or cruel with the commentary, especially in close rival games where even the fans were yelling and taunting from the sidelines or directly behind you as you are serving. This can get into your head if you don’t have your own positive dialogue to drown them out.
This continued as I played volleyball overseas. The taunting fans and announcers were now speaking languages I couldn’t process. I could always tell when my teammates heard them loud and clear though, the effect of negative thoughts transferring to negative outcome are fluent in any language. It’s easier to channel your own voice in your head when the announcer sounds like the teacher from Peanuts “womp womp womp womp”.
My self talk, as an athlete competing became “You do this everyday. You know what to do. You have prepared for this challenge. You are good at what you do” You need to train the mind as equal as you train the body!
Remember, YOU have control over that voice.
Destructive self-talk leads to self-sabotaging outcomes. “I’m so stupid” “I can’t ever do that!” This leads you to question your ability, create insecurity, and fill you with doubt. The more you question yourself, others will follow suit.
Replace the dysfunctional self talk with a constructive statement. “You are good at what you do, accept praise for your hard work.” “I am strong. I can do this.” If you believe in yourself, and others will follow suit. Focus on positive statements and outcomes and give yourself permission to feel good about your accomplishments.
The internal thought process can snowball quickly. Starting with positive dialogue is key. Have a mantra or phrase that reminds you what you are capable of. That way, when the announcers in your life are critical and doubt your ability, your voice is louder.
Begin creating positive uplifting self-talk and you’ll find not only will you be able to inspire and influence yourself and others in a positive way everyday.
Get in the habit of being aware of your self-talk.
Do you hear your voice? What does it say?
Stop Working and Workout!
Make your workday a workout with 8 easy circuits!
I have a highly motivated client who is willing to put in extra work to reach his goals. He had the brilliant idea of breaking up the monotony of emails, spreadsheets, and conference calls with some movement!
Here are 8 circuits that should to be completed in about 5 minutes while you are at work! He works from home and has cardio equipment as well. So if you have cardio equipment as well supplementing that in place of a few of the circuits.
These are all body weight exercises and all you need is yourself, some wall space, and floor space! This workout focuses on posture and core. The emphasis is on moving, getting the heart rate elevated, but not “lets get drenched in sweat in my cubicle” status.
The goal is to keep moving, so something is always better than nothing. Don't be discouraged about not doing EVERY workout. Leave a check mark next to rounds workouts you complete.
Keep track of how many you squeezed in during the whole workweek and have that as a benchmark or goal to match/beat next week! My client has been completing between 4-6 per day on average.
After Lunch
2:00 PM 3 Rounds
20 Table Top Cruch
10 Push Up
20 Arm Circles Both Directions
3:00 PM 4 Rounds
20 Wall Sit Elbow Touch or Pullover
20 Ice Skaters
20 Clamshell Per Leg
4:00 AM 3 Rounds
20 Total Plank Taps
20 Total Alternating Reverse Lunges
5:00 PM 2 Rounds
1:00 Jump Roap
1:00 Wall Sit
30 Active Back Crunch
Before Lunch
9:00 AM 2 Rounds
1:00 Air Squats
1:00 Wall Sit Elbow Touches
20/20 Arm Circles
10:00 AM 2 Rounds
20 Total Plank Taps
20 Total Bird Dogs
20 Total Hero March
11:00 AM 3 Rounds
25 Wall Tricep Press
15 Jumping Jacks
12:00 PM 3 Rounds
20 Air Squats
20 Tiny Taps
20 Lying Reverse Presses
90/10: Committing to the Process
A certain level of dedication is required when striving to see fitness and nutrition results. In the case of nutrition this means committing to the process of meal prep, planning ahead for your week, designing a menu, making good choices on business trips and lunch meetings, or long weekends at sporting events for your kids.
Often times in the gym when discussing nutrition with clients we get questions like:
“How much do I need to be nailing it in order to see results?”
Or statements like:
“I AM doing it … 65% of the time.”
Sound familiar? The truth is in order to see real results and make your hard work pay off you need to be adherent 90% of the time allowing only a 10% window for non-adherence.
Recently I have had a few clients who had tremendous success right off the bat! They nailed it, lost weight fast, got complimented on how great they are doing, and then nailed it less. With others we get close to the goal, and then results begin to slow. It can be discouraging when you aren’t losing 2-5lbs a week anymore. We’ve all been there.
We tell ourselves that we are nailing it, tell our coaches we are nailing it, and then there’s that Ah-Ha moment. We realize our adherence to the program hasn’t been as spot on. We’ve lost a bit of that excitement we had when we first started.
It’s important to follow through fully with the plan, to eat ALL your meal carbs, all your snacks, etc. It’s important to do some extra work, add cardio, etc. It is important to do all of these things effectively, when we get close to a goal or experiencing a plateau, BEFORE you want to adjust your nutrition. Commit to your process. It’s important to be 90% on track and stay committed to the process.
Realize, when striving for weight loss, the more weight you lose the less body fat you have to lose. So when you near the end and the finish lines in sight, which is when the extra push comes.
The hardest work of all comes in the end, and in the end it is worth it!
Stay committed. We are all pulling for your success!
Get More Out Of Your Trainer
Whether you’re a long time client, or just had your very first session, why not maximize your time? At Whole Body Fitness we endeavor to help each client get results. While our amazing trainers work hard to enable each client is successful, a lot of it depends on you, the client.
Here are 7 tips to maximize your fitness and personal training experience.
1. Have Clear Goals
What and Why. It’s important to know what you are working for and why you are here. Is it to stay in shape and accomplish your daily activities pain free? Is it to be pushed like an athlete and build muscle? Perhaps you’d like to lose weight and lower your cholesterol levels.
Regardless, your goals should be attainable and need to be discussed with your trainer and/or nutritionist. If you are told your goal is unrealistic, don’t despair. Your trainer and/or nutritionist is there to provide you with professional guidance, and can help you focus on a goal that is attainable.
Setting goals exponentially propels your success in the gym. Visualizing yourself accomplishing these goals can help you commit to them even further.
2. Be Vocal
Communication is crucial. Don’t be afraid to speak up! While Personal Trainers can be very perceptive, they are not mind readers. Speak your truth. That means being honest about an injury. Speaking up if you feel you’re being worked too hard or not hard enough. Being open and honest about your motivation levels, needing a new goal, etc.
Your trainer wants you to have a positive experience and suffering in silence helps no one. Clear the air so you can keep moving in the right direction.
3. Respect the Time
Show up on time and be focused while you’re there. This can be extremely challenging. Every minute counts in a 45-minute session. Arriving even 5 minutes late can throw off your trainers programming for you. Checking email, visiting with others in your group, and answering calls and texts, can mean you miss important instruction from your trainer.
This is time for you, and your health and fitness goals. Distractions can limit your productivity, motivation, and can lead to injury as well. Devote this time to your health and make the most out of it by being 100% in the moment.
4. Be Honest
Lying slows your progress. It’s hard to manage a clients program when there’s no transparency. Sure, your trainer knows you well enough to see that you didn’t eat breakfast before coming, or that your shoulder pain is back although you say it isn’t.
By claiming to be eating better or drinking less than you actually are, you’re bound to be frustrated that you aren't reaching your goals. If you’re in pain, hiding that injury could lead to a much longer recovery. Trust that you’re in good hands and remember your trainers want you to succeed. Our trainers are still able to program challenging workouts around injuries. Be open. Only then can your trainer can be honest with you about the results you can expect.
5. Be Mindful
Put your heart into it. Wanting to have a good workout comes from your mindset. Your attitude is just as much fuel for your success as your nutrition. Make the most out of your time with a professional by showing up ready to work!
Focus on the reasons you came, why you’re there, why your hired a personal trainer, and what your goals are.
Sometimes a personal mantra such as “I’m here, I’m ready, I’m all in!” can help you get in the right mindset before your workout even starts, and remind you why you’re there to begin with.
6. Manage the Other 23
Your personal trainer typically sees you a few hours a week. That’s all they truly have control over. What you do outside the gym will have a much greater effect on your progress than the efforts you make in the gym. Whether that is a positive or negative result is up to you. The negatives outside the gym will always outweigh the positives in the gym.
Ask yourself; do you want to spin the tires or actually go somewhere?
7. Ask for Homework
Make the most of your off day! Many clients exercise on the days they aren’t in the gym, or jump in an extra group class.
You hired trainers to be motivators, but you are the one putting in the work! Is your goal to have more glut definition? Do you need more posture work?
Ask your trainer what series of exercises you could do on your off day to work toward your goal outside the gym.