Thank you to everyone who came out to our quarterly charity training last week! We had a great time training at a different intensity than our daily norm. We were able to raise over $400 for Azimuth Check Foundation. This money stays in NH for our veterans and first responders who suffer from PTSD. Azimuth Check Foundation uses funds to take them out and give them the opportunity to build camaraderie while being active. Please check out this quick video donated by Jonathan Stallsmith of Purple Finch Productions!

Exercise is such an important part of our health. Our bodies were made to move and be active. So it’s no wonder why we can experience numerous benefits from exercising, both physically and mentally. As exercise doesn’t just improve our physical fitness but our mental well-being as well. 

For starters, exercise can help improve our overall mood and happiness. As it helps our brains control feelings of depression and anxiety. We also increase the production of hormones called endorphins when we exercise. Our bodies release this hormone to produce positive feelings and help us deal with pain. I know I can speak from experience on how exercising helps our moods. As I feel a lot better about myself when I workout, compared to when I don’t for an extended period of time. 

Exercising also helps us build muscle. Which can help increase our metabolism and the amount of calories we can burn. This helps us burn fat and lose more weight. Regularly exercising can also help build bone density which can help prevent osteoporosis as we get older. Contrary to what we might think, exercising can actually improve our energy levels as well. Helping people who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and other illnesses and chronic diseases. 

One of my favorite benefits of exercising is the improvement in sleep quality. As the energy we expand during our workouts can help our bodies in the recuperative processes that take place when we sleep. Helping us recover and repair muscles, organs, and other cells in our body. Which will help us feel and perform better during the day. 

There are so many more benefits to exercising and a lot of ways we can be active in our lives. Try to find the things you enjoy doing to help you stay active. Like going on walks, hiking, playing a sport, biking, skiing or snowboarding, etc. Anything to get you moving more and help improve your health and quality of life.

-Coach Dylan 

We all know it’s important to stay hydrated when we work out, but it’s just as important to make sure we drink water every day regardless if we workout or not. Our bodies are mostly comprised of water and it is used during every cellular process throughout our system. So it is extremely important that our bodies get the necessary amounts of water it needs to function at a high level. 

The benefits of hydration are numerous. Hydrating helps flush out the toxins within our bodies. It helps lubricate our joints. As well as helps promote cardiovascular health. It also can help reduce your desire to eat. A lot of times when we think we are hungry, we are actually just dehydrated. So try drinking some water next time you feel the urge to snack. 

Speaking of hydration, it is important to realize when we are dehydrated as well. As there are a lot of side effects that come with it. You can start feeling dizzy or lightheaded, especially when exerting yourself. You may experience sleepiness and fatigue, dry mouth, and even headaches. All the more reason to drink water and make sure we stay hydrated!

So the big question is, how much water do I need to drink? I’ve heard of the 8x8 rule, drinking eight glasses of water that are 8oz each, daily. The answer though really varies from person to person. Factors like the climate, how much you exercise, and if your sick in the bathroom can cause you to lose more fluid. Which will require you to hydrate more than usual. The most important thing is to trust your body and listen to the signs. Try bringing a water bottle with you throughout your day to make sure you are drinking more water periodically. That way we can stay well hydrated and healthy.

-Coach Dylan 

Unfortunately, shoulder issues are all too common.  Many shoulder issues can be related to poor posture.  Therefore, it is important to learn how to “pack your shoulders” in order to protect the shoulders and put them in optimal position.  By packing the shoulders it places the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) in the most centered position of the socket. When the shoulder is not properly aligned it causes stress on the muscles and they become shortened.  The human body is fantastic at compensating. Despite having misalignment, your body will usually continue to perform what you ask of it. When you learn how to pack the shoulders before an exercise the stabilizers of the shoulder are activated.  This allows for better movement patterns. You can pack the shoulders by bringing them down and back. This allows the shoulder blades to rotate down and come closer together. Packing the shoulders is important in just about every upper body exercise.  Some examples are pushups, rows, overhead pressing and chest press. You may hear the coaches tell you to keep your shoulders out of your ears and avoid shrugging. This helps reinforce proper position for the shoulders during each exercise. Often times when we perform planks or pushups we are not focused on our shoulders.  We are more concerned with just keeping our body up.

 The following videos show what it looks like to pack your shoulders during a plank and pushup hold. Remember, if you are allowing your shoulders to roll forward you are causing excessive stress on the muscles. If you have any further questions regarding your shoulder position please do not hesitate to ask one of the coaches

Do You Have a “Bad Back”?

It is not uncommon for people to experience low back pain sometime in their life.  However, because the human body is so complex, the problem area is generally not where the pain seems to point.  Unless you have disc herniation or fractures it is important to look at other areas of the body to reduce the low back pain.  It is important to understand the function of the low back, or lumbar spine.  Physical Therapist, Gray Cook, promotes the Joint By Joint Theory.  This theory states that joints alternate between mobility and stability as their primary functions.  The lumbar spine primarily serves as a set of stability joints. The thoracic spine (upper back) and the hips are joints that are meant to provide mobility.  When these joints are no longer as mobile as they should be then stress is placed on the low back and core stability is compromised. The low back muscles tend to be overactive and overworked because the glutes, hamstrings and abs are not being used efficiently.  Often times we are not using our glutes therefore the hamstrings are working overtime. Not only do we need to focus on increasing our mobility in hips and thoracic spine, but we also need to work on core stability. You can’t work on one and not the other or else the problems will persist.  Here are some suggestions on exercises you can perform to increase mobility and stability:

Mobility:

-Use foam roller or lacrosse ball on glutes and hamstrings

-Pinwheel or Pigeon Stretch

-Foam roll upper back

-Bretzel Stretch

Stability:

-Planks

-Deadbugs

-Birddog

-Leg Lowering

If you are experiencing a “Bad Back” talk to the coaches at GFNH so that we can help you determine the best exercise to promote mobility, stability and function.

-Coach Erin

We are excited to team up with Dean and Nancy Carlson again over at Cr8 Health & Fitness for our FINAL nutrition challenge of 2019! That is crazy talk! 

I am going to attach the link to the FULL blog written by the Carlson's to explain the excitement, but first let me tell you this...

I have looked through these recipes and they look delicious! The meal plans, grocery lists and recipes are done for you so take the guess work out. The Facebook group support is there for you. Your coaches are there for you and this time there are prizes for winners so let's do this thing! 

​Click here for full blog with the sign up link!

I had the absolute PLEASURE of meeting Stephanie Jefferson, owner of Intuitive Touch, a couple of weeks ago. We talked about referring to each other to keep our community a happy and healthy place.

I was SO hoping that she would be able to convince one of her massage therapists to come on site once a week to do massage, but they are pretty comfortable up there on Chennel Drive. She did agree to give Get Fit NH active clients a $10 discount on any service, which is a fabulous perk.

 So, if you are in need of a massage (who isn't) then give them a ring and get your massage booked or check out their online booker here. She has a list of all active clients so you just let them know we sent you and you save - score!