It's the most wonderful time of the year! This nutrition challenge is the most sought out challenge of the year and I have a feeling this year it will be even more popular! With the pandemic pounds and the last year of change and hardship NOW is the time to push the excuses out of the way and get to work, because whether you're ready or not shorts, tank tops and bathing suits are coming.

Change is going to happen on the inside AND the outside. There is no magic potion, pill or lotion that is going to help the fat melt off your body. WE,  us and you, together, WE are going to do the work. We are going to educate you. We are going to give you the tools, the accountability, the coaching, the cheerful love, the tough love, the motivation, inspiration and the pat on the back. This is a go team effort, because YOU, yes YOU matter. Your health matters. Your confidence matters. You matter and you deserve to feel exactly how you want to feel.

So, what does the Sizzling Summer Slimdown Contest entail, you ask?

First of all, let's call it S3, because that is a long name for a contest!

• This is a 5 week nutrition challenge
• You can choose to work with a partner or solo when you sign up
• You will get sample meal plans, a Google Drive full of recipes, a private Facebook group with fellow challengers on the same journey, daily habits and challenges sent to you via TrueCoach, a manual with all of the success tips, coaching (duh) and Laura Ascenzi, our on-site Registered Dietician, will be dropping knowledge throughout the entire challenge.
• We will use the Styku as our measuring/accountability tool. 
• We are going to teach you about macronutrients and how they fuel your body. 
• We are going to encourage you to eat a "free meal" weekly so that you don't deprive yourself and we are going to teach you how to get back on track after a free meal.

How to win 

• Get your Styku scans done
• Follow the plan
• Drop the most bodyfat
• Do your daily challenges 

What do I win

• $500 CASH to the top three performers. If a team wins then they will split the $500

Start Date: Monday, May 10th through Sunday, June 13th

Styku scans done: Now - Friday, May 7th

Disclaimer: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, expect Biggest Loser results. This is 5 weeks of your life to kickstart a lifetime of results. Sustainable fat loss is the key here. We want to teach you how to lose it and KEEP IT OFF.

​Sign up here

Although carbs  often  get  a  bad  rap  when  it  comes  to  eating  healthy,  it  is actually the  macronutrient  that  is  recommended  you  eat  the  most  of! Understanding  what  carbohydrates are, how they work in the body and which foods you should eat to get the  right kinds  of  carbohydrates will  help  you  make  more  informed  food  choices and  support your overall health. 

What are carbohydrates? 

Carbohydrates are the main energy source of the body. Carbohydrates provide your body  with glucose (also known as blood sugar). Maintaining glucose levels is very important for  optimum bodily function and ensuring you have the energy you need on a daily basis. 

Carbohydrates  fall into  two different categories: complex carbs and simple carbs. This is  an important distinction  to make, as  they  both contribute  to  bodily  function in different  ways.  You  should  always  aim  to  focus  your  carbohydrate  intake  on  complex  carbs because they keep you fuller for longer and are generally higher in fiber than simple carbs.  Complex carbs also don’t spike your blood sugar in the way simple carbs can. 

How many carbohydrates do you need? 

It’s important to know how much of this macronutrient you actually need on a daily basis  to help you feel your best. The general rule of thumb is that carbs should make up about  45-65% of your calorie intake for the day. Again, it is important that most of these come  from  complex  carbohydrates  to  help  you  stay  fuller  for  longer.  Your  body  relies  on  carbohydrates  first  and  foremost  for  any  energy  expenditure  during  workouts or  other  daily activities.  

CARBS = ENERGY (FUEL) 

Complex Carbs VS Simple Carbs

Complex Carbs

Carbs made up of sugar molecules  that are in long, complex chains,  which take longer to digest. These  help keep blood sugar levels  regulated. 

• Vegetables 

• Whole Grains 

• Beans, Legumes 

• Sweet potatoes 

Simple Carbs

​Carbs typically found in processed or refined sugars and  are broken down quickly by the  body. These tend to make blood  sugar spike.  

• White Bread or Pasta

 • Soda/Juice 

• Sugar (white or brown)

• Honey 

You have heard time and time again, if you want to lose weight you have to track calories. And as boring as it sounds, it’s true! Granted it is probably not as fun or enticing as one of those “slim belts” or “ab devices” that people try to sell you on, but hey it least counting calories actually works! So how does one go about tracking calories in the first place? There are complex math equations that we can use to give us an estimate of how many calories we burn given many different variables. There are now a plethora of fitness trackers that can help you as well! 

Most of you already have a MyZone belt when you come in to train. Which will show you your heart rate, calories burned, and MEPS for your workout. For anyone who would like one, just ask us next time you are at the gym. You can even wear it on the go or doing other fitness related activities! Personally I rock a fitbit, which helps me track my steps, calories, heart rate, and even sleep quality. Regardless of what you use, having a fitness tracker to give you a better idea of your activity level and calories burned on a daily basis, can help you in your fat-loss endeavors. Now let’s burn some calories!

Coach Dylan

We just wrapped up youth training this past Saturday. The weeks FLEW by and kids had a total blast. They got to spend 6 Saturdays moving their body, engaging with other kids and having fun. What more could you ask for?

 Our kids have been forced to work in front of a screen for the last year for education, pair that with leisurely screen time and we are setting our kids up for a lifetime of harmful habits. Kids need to move and they need interaction with other kids AND other adults. I think every parent ever is blown away by how their child  conducts themselves in the absence of mom and dad calling the shots, am I right!?! 

 The youth program is any chance to learn new ways to move our body and package those movements in different ways that are exciting and competitive within themselves. Youth training is a great way for your children to build confidence and crave movement. 

 Think obstacle courses, games and circuits that keep them on their toes and working hard. Hard work in the gym translates into strong work ethic and builds character. This round we are taking ages 6-16!

Parents, feel free to reserve your spot for your 6-11 year old child here. They will train at 9 AM every Saturday for 6 weeks starting April 3rd.

12-16 year old signs up are here. They will train at 10 AM every Saturday for 6 weeks starting April 3rd.

We can only take TEN kids per class. There is a minimum of 5 kids required in order to do the class. If we do not meet the minimum we will refund promptly! I do expect the 6-11 group to fill up quickly so make sure you reserve your spot!

Protein is a crucial macronutrient that you should be including in your diet. If you’re  familiar with macronutrients, you may have heard that protein is what you should be  eating lots of to grow muscle mass. While this is true, protein plays many other important  roles in the body to help you thrive. 

What is protein? 

Protein is made up of amino acids. There are 20 different types of amino acids total, but 9  of these your body cannot produce itself and must be received from food. Protein helps  to build and repair tissues in the body, and is vital in helping produce important hormones  and enzymes that your body uses for immune system health. Protein will help recovery,  therefore reducing soreness after strength training. Protein also helps maintain body  tissue including, organs, nervous system, blood, skin and hair, while serving as a transport  mechanism for oxygen, fats, vitamins and minerals.  

How much protein do you need? 

How much protein you need depends on several factors: your age, gender, and activity  level. For women over the age of 18, the recommended daily intake is 0.75g of protein per  kg. However, if you are very active, you may need 1.2 - 2 times more. The more strength  training you’re doing, the more protein you may need in your diet. The rule of thumb to go  by is to have 10-35% of your daily calorie intake made up of protein.  

Protein is a slow digesting macronutrient, helping keep you satiated for longer! Eating  protein will reduce cravings and prevent late-night snacking, therefore helping with  weight management.  

https://www.sweat.com/blogs/nutrition/macronutrients#Protein 

What foods are high in protein? 

Knowing which foods are high in protein will help you when choosing what to put on your  plate. These are some of the most protein-dense foods you can eat: 

• Meat (chicken, beef, turkey) 

• Eggs/Egg Whites 

• Nuts and seeds 

• Legumes 

• Soy products (Tofu) 

• Dairy products (Cheese, Milk and Yogurt) 

• Seafood 

The Rock'n Race is a fantastic community 5K that has been running for years! Get Fit NH always gets behind this event, because it supports the Payson Center here in Concord. I think we have all been affected by cancer in one way or another. Cancer sucks and we will get behind a organization dedicated to caring for those who need it most. 

This year the race will be in person or virtual. When you sign up with the Get Fit NH team we will pick up all shirts and bibs the week of the race so you can pick them up from the gym. We typically do a team picture just before the start of the race.

BIG CHANGE, this year the race is on a Saturday morning at 8 am and will begin at Memorial Field in Concord.

Obviously, this race was completely virtual last year. This year is looking more promising as COVID numbers decrease and vaccinations are distributed. If you wish to participate on the day of the event or participate on your own time, but still be apart of our team then we invite you to sign up here. Once you go through your information you will have the opportunity to select the team you are joining. I included a screenshot below so you know what to expect.

The race is great for families as you can run or walk the course! The race is is on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 8am 

​SIGN UP HERE

Ask and you shall receive....most of the time....within reason. Don't get crazy on me 😉

Many, many, many years ago, I am sure some of you can still remember, we used to do a "test day." This was a day where we would set a timer for say one minute and RECORD as many goblet squats. deadlifts, push ups, pull ups and knee grab as possible. Then 6 months later we would do it again and measure our progress and see our strength gains.

This was a very powerful and visual way to show results. We stopped doing it, because we used to do it IN training and there was a lot of mixed reviews about the process.

Years later we introduced FitRanx in hopes to make that an appealing testing opportunity, I am sure many of you remember that as well. The problem with that was our training program didn't align to help prepare our clients to test through the levels. For those of you who don't know what I am referring to just disregard 🙂 If you know, you know!

So recently we were asked to introduce some form of strength measurement. I really had to think about this and how we could do it to make sense with our training and our demographic and I think I have the solution so tune in...

On Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 8 am we are going to offer a testing day. This way if you want to measure your strength progress, you can. If you don't care then you don't have to play....everyone is happy! 

April 3rd will be the Saturday immediately following a recovery week so you will come to us in your freshest form and ready to perform. We will offer testing days the Saturday after each recovery week so that we are consistent in the way your body is prepared. 

The testing day will always look the exact same. You will come in for a warm up and we will do 5 exercises for one minutes. You will count your reps, record your reps and the weight you used on our testing forms and that will be it. The next time we offer a testing day, we will bust the forms back out and you will see what you did last time and see how you progressed. You can expect 20 minutes of time for a testing day. It will be simple, efficient, visual and measurable- that's what it is all about! If there is an exercise you are currently unable to do then you will skip it all together. The measurable exercises will be:

Goblet Squat

Deadlift (trap bar or KB)

Push ups

Pull ups

Knee Grab Abs or in and outs

1000 m Ski Erg

This is absolutely free, of course and spots are limited to 30 clients. If we reach 30 then we will open up an additional time! Sign up is required.

​You can sign up here

One of the best things we ever put into play that WORKS is our milestone monthly weigh in. It is so important for us to see your progress and even more important for YOU to see your progress and let us help you before you are super frustrated.

Today I was reminded that I need to talk about the importance and the power of planning and preparing your meals. If there is any secret to success out there it is absolutely planning and preparing your food. Failing to plan is planning to fail- that is the truth.

Let's work through the things that may come up when you think about why you may not be planning or preparing...

1.)  My family won't eat what I eat and I don't want to cook two meals.

I am WITH you! My family does not eat what I eat. I let that get me down for way too long. You can't always control what other people too. You can control what you do and maybe it will take a little extra effort, but your results are worth it, am I right?

So here's what works for me. Do YOUR cooking on the days that work for you. For me, it is Sunday and Wednesday. Cook and portion out your food so it is a an easy grab and go. That way when you are cooking other people's meal you don't feel like you have to have the comfort food that they like. 

Or use your crockpot- for you OR or them. I know some of you LOVE to cook (I do not) so throw your or their food in the crockpot and leave room for lefts overs to make your life easier.

2.) I don't want to eat the same thing everyday 

Then don't. Get in the habit of freezing pre portioned meals so that you can grab it out and interchange it as this becomes habitual. 

Get comfortable with quick and nutritious grabs like tuna and hardboiled eggs

Having a plan, preparing the plan and following through with the plan will reflect in your results. i have NO doubt. I am here to help you and so is our onsite Registered Dietician, Laura Ascenzi. I am happy to make an email introduction on your behalf. Just let me know!

Let's make it happen and get results,

Coach Meagan

​When it comes to fitness, a lot of people will use the number on a scale to determine their success in training. We become so fixated on a number, and allow ourselves to get frustrated or disappointed just because we aren’t seeing a significant change on that scale. Truth is that is not your only tool to measure your progress. An even better one is a body composition test. So what’s the difference between body weight and body composition? 

Understand your body weight is just your body’ total mass. Which consists of your bones, organs, muscles, fat, and water. All those things contribute to your total mass. Even though you can get an idea of what your weight is based on those components, you really don’t know how much each of those components are contributing to your weight. That’s where body composition comes into play. When doing a body composition test, which there are many forms, you will get a better understanding of what percentage of muscle and fat you have on your body. This is where your focus should really be. As most people whose goal is to lose weight, really your goal is to lose fat. Now you may be asking, aren't those the same thing? Well, yes and no. Through proper training and good nutrition, you can burn fat off your body. At the same time though, you can also gain muscle in the process. Seeing how muscle is more dense than fat, that means it weighs more. So if you lose fat and gain muscle, you can see your weight actually go up on the scale. And that can be a good thing! But the only way to know what that increase or decrease in weight on the scale means, is to do a body composition test. Hopefully I have broadened your horizons to see past the number on a scale and start seeing the bigger picture. Soon we will have our STYKU which will help show you your body composition. Also our dietician Laura can help you as well so feel free to reach out to her! Let's keep getting after it! 

Coach Dylan