Meagan Sbat
Author Archives: Meagan Sbat

Can you believe 2014 is coming to an end?

newlifeIt is hard to believe another year has come and gone.

Have you sat and reflected on your year?

  • What goals did you meet?
  • What were some of your accomplishments?
  • What goals didn’t you meet? And is it still a priority?

I am not a big fan of “New Year’s Resolutions,” but I am a big fan of creating goal to stay accountable. Each year I come up with 3-5 goals that I want to accomplish that year. Here were some of mine for 2014:

  • Find a school to begin my small business management degree
  • Get my shoulder surgery and recover
  • Broaden my horizons in the kitchen

I spent some time reflecting this weekend and realized I kind of let my goals slip. I let life get in the way of some of the things that are important to being the best me I can be. Yes I got my shoulder surgery, yes I am on the mend, and thanks to this detox I have experimented much more in the kitchen than ever before. This week, after reflecting and realizing I let one of the most important goals slip, I applied to SNHU and start in January. So yes, I would say I met most of my goals, but I did procrastinate and here is why…

I had no plan. I knew that those were the three things I wanted to get done in 2014, but that was it. And now here I am half way through November and I am just “getting to my goals.” Which means for 11 months I put what I wanted for myself on that back burner…

So why am I sharing this with you? To remind you that you are in control. No one was going to apply to school for me, I needed to make that happen. Your coaches can email, call, text you until the cows come home, but if you don’t get in your car and drive here then we can’t help you take control of your goals. Stop putting your goals on the back burner. If you’re human, you have done that for long enough and it’s time to buckle down. No more excuses. Set goals, make a plan, and make moves

Make It Happen!

Coach Meagan

Student Spotlight: 5AM Laura!

lauraIt is my pleasure to announce this weeks edition of our Student Spotlight. I have had the opportunity to watch this woman transform herself over the past six months. Laura has changed her life style and for that I am so proud of her. She gets in here and she trains hard then she goes home and she takes care of “The Other 165”. She understands that nutrition plays a major role in results and she has proved that she is making it happen!

Here is what Laura has to say:

“Alienated. That is how I felt six months ago before I started coming to Get Fit. My body just did not respond. I had aches and pains here and there. My heels hurt and I wondered, is it plantar fasciitis? My back was in pain, did I hurt it?  I had constant headaches, is my cancer back, but now in my brain? That is how I felt before I started Get Fit NH. I did not know where to start. I timidly decided to try the two weeks, keeping it a secret. I did not even tell the closest people in my life. I feared their support would feel like pressure. In those first few days it felt like I couldn’t do anything! But everyone was supportive and I started feeling better right away. I started to have more energy and my mood improved, I wasn’t chasing the evil illness behind every sore muscle!

It’s been almost six months since I started at Get Fit and I feel better than I have in years. I would like to say I’ve lost all the weight I wanted to lose, but I lose my keys, I lose my head a lot, but the weight I am evicting I never thought I would feel better while working to get better, I thought I would have to wait until I lost those pounds to feel like myself again. Now my face is starting to peek out again and I am more myself than I have been in a long time. And it’s all thanks to the people here, all the smiling people at the break of dawn. Who knew there were so many people outside their beds at that time?! All the ones that nudge me every morning to keep pushing. They are the backbone of my improvement, from coaches to all the “hellos” and “good jobs” and of course Marie, who loves to scold me when I miss a day, or two. Thanks to all of you Get Fit crowd for making all these necessary things happen.”
We are so proud to have Laura with us at 5 AM! Laura has lost 45 pounds in 6 months- hard work, dedication, and discipline! Great job, Laura!
 
-Coach Meagan

 

Please RSVP to the GFNH Christmas Party and Awards

reindeerredAre we really talking about Christmas already?

We can’t believe it either, but we do have some very exciting news so get your calendars ready! On Saturday December 13, 2014 @ 10 AM Get Fit NH is hosting a Christmas brunch for you and your family! We are bringing in some of Concord’s most delicious catering from Baked, owned by Peter and Nadine Jennings! We are looking forward to spending some quality family time together at our Concord location.

Here are some of the reindeer games you can expect:

  • Delicious food (of course)
  • Yankee Swap- if you wish to participate please bring something 🙂
  • Raffle- remember the Pampered Chef and 31 party we had? Yes- we are raffling off the awesome things we earned for free!
  • Games for the kids
  • Superlative awards for our students
  • And a jolly ole time

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Can’t Wait To See You There!

One Stop Shopping

pamperedchefThe holiday season is creeping up on us. Who is ready for frosty windshields, snow, and slippery roads?

….No? Me either!

Here is what I am ready for, though! Holiday shopping. I love the holiday spirit and all the joy it brings. We want to help you out with your shopping list this year. On Saturday November 8, 2014 we are hosting a Pampered Chef party AND  a 31 party- that’s right- a double party! Men- if you have women  to shop for then you don’t want to miss this event! I can assure you there will be LOTS of ladies here to help you pick out something great for your lady and ladies, do you I even need to tell you that you don’t want to miss this? C’mon, we all know how awesome these products are.

31It’s not just great for holiday shopping, it’s great year round. If you do a lot of holiday cooking these Pampered Chef products are going to help you out and 31 is going to make sure you are transporting those delicious dishes in style. The party starts at 5:30 PM in Concord. Our Pampered Chef representative, Sue Moulton, will be preparing a DETOX FRIENDLY meal!  Taste testing is encouraged! Epsom’s one and only Sonia Cormier will show us all of the great products 31 has to offer.

You DO NOT want to miss out on this so mark your calendars now for this Saturday, November 8th at 5:30 PM here in Concord. If you can’t make this event- don’t worry. We’ll keep the catalogs out until November 12th.

We hope to see you there!

Coach Meagan

Do You Have A Scale Obsession?

scale.jpgStop it.

If you weigh yourself daily- you have a scale obsession. I hope that wasn’t offensive, but it’s true and it really is not a healthy habit. I am going to share with you a little story about the Coach Meagan you know now and Meagan before Get Fit NH.

Pre- Get Fit NH Meagan was OBSESSED with the scale. I would weigh myself multiple times a day and OBSESS over the number that appeared. If it wasn’t under a certain number it would ruin my day or ruin my mood. I had completely convinced myself that this mysterious number pulled from who knows where was my “fit” weight. Now let’s fast forward a couple of years to Coach Meagan (and more educated Meagan) – she is here to tell you that that is just bologna. I have been coaching and training with Get Fit NH for the past 2 years and since then I have gained somewhere between 15-20 pounds depending on the day. There was not a day in the Marine Corps where I felt more fit than I feel now and I truly mean that. I am significantly stronger now and I actually eat protein now! My Marine Corps days is when I was really obsessed the scale and I lived off of rice, beans and steamed veggies. I won’t get into great detail, because it’s a distant memory now.

I just want you to remember that it isn’t healthy to obsess over the scale and like I said if you weigh yourself everyday then you’re obsessed. Your weight is going to fluctuate and you are going to drive yourself batty.  The scale doesn’t measure your lean weight versus fat weight, but I know how to find that out. You want to know the answer? Schedule a body fat with this girl or one of your other coaches. Don’t let the scale control you. You are in control of your results!

What Kind of Role Model Are We?

sheildlogo.I read a disturbing statistic this week. Before I share it I do need to disclose that I do not have children, but it does not change the fact that this statistic is unacceptable. And if you are a parent please realize it is up to you to start making a difference!

This is a fairly recent survey that was taken in New Hampshire. This survey collected heights and weights from third graders around the state. These statistics were based off of 81 different public schools and a total of over 3,000 students.

The survey found that 33.4% of third graders were either obese or overweight. That means 1 in every 3 children! Breaking that survey down a little further found that children in the Belknap/Merrimack county region had the highest prevalence of obesity among New Hampshire third grade students. This is a scary thing.

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and countless other health problems. I am confident that nobody wants their children to be faced with scary health risks.

Guess who your children’s biggest role model is? Yep- you guessed it. Look in the mirror. Whether you want to believe it or not you are setting the example for your children.

  • You feed them
  • You cloth them
  • You nurture them

Without you what does life look like for them?

I hear way too many excuses that sound a little like this…

“I didn’t buy those Oreo’s for me, I bought them for the kids”

“Eating healthy is expensive, I have to make two separate meals for me and my children”

These are just examples of things I have heard.  So what you are saying is that you don’t eat Oreo’s because you know they are not good for you, but you will buy them for your children each time you go to the grocery store? Now let me be clear- I realize this is a controversial matter I am discussing- I am not saying you should deprive your children of these things for their entire upbringing. I am just saying that it is up to you to lead by example.

  • Do mom and/or dad train?
  • Why do they train?
  • Do mom and/or dad eat clean?
  • Do they complain about eating well?

It is up to you to show them the way. Lead by example. Celebrate your success. Don’t down talk yourself. Be active and be positive about all of the exercise you are able to do. It is a blessing. Treat your body the way you want your children to treat theirs.

Make it Happen

Coach Meagan

Something HUGE is coming…

oht It’s true, and you will want to be there!

Mark your calendars:

When: Saturday November 1, 2014
Time: 8 AM – 1PM
Where: Get Fit NH Concord
Who: You, your family, your friends, and some of Concord finest businesses
What: November Family Yard Sale & Fundraiser

This will be our first annual yard sale and vendor fair. We want this event to go down in history so we need your help! Here is what’s in it for you:

Get Fit NH students: Forget spring cleaning! Let’s spare ourselves some time this spring and do some pre-winter cleaning. We are inviting all of you to gather up any items that you would typically sell at a yard sale (ie: clothes, dishes, books, etc) and bring them to Get Fit NH on November 1st and sell away.

We are inviting the entire community to come shop around so if you have things you want taken off your hands we can help! And here is the bonus- You get to KEEP your profit. That’s right- keep it. All we ask is that you invite your friends and family to come check out the big huge yard sale at 287 South Main Street in Concord.

You do however have three choices if you wish to participate in the donation part of this event:

  • You can choose to donate 10% of your yard sale profit to Operation Hat Trick. Operation Hat Trick is a NH based organization dedicated to the support of our wounded warriors. (Read more here: www.operationhattrick.com)
  • If you so choose- any items that are not sold will be donated to our local homeless shelter, Open Hands Resource Center.
  • Or you can keep your profit and bring any unsold items home with you 🙂

All we ask is for you to invite and share the good word.

So what else is in it for you, you ask? GREAT QUESTION!

We have invited some really great local businesses to come hang out with us as this will also be a vendor fair! We invited Amy Troy from Chichester Massage & Bodywork Center, Evolution Rock and Fitness, Runner’s Alley, and several other businesses to come out and talk to you all, so come join us in supporting these local businesses!

open_hands_resource_center_picture_logo_lol.9060906_logoIf you are planning on participating in the yard sale please contact Coach Meagan by October 25th.  If you are interested in donating to Open Hands Resource Center please bring your items to the gym by 1 PM on November 1st. We will be happy to donate them for you 🙂

 

Open Hands Resource Center mentioned they mostly need clothes, linens, food, and hygiene products. You never seize to amaze us with your generosity.

Thank you for reading and again please help us make this event HUGE!

Coach Meagan

 

Goosebumps at Get Fit

dreamstime_xs_25552678I have to share with you my goosebumps coach moment on Thursday morning.

You know when someone hits those notes during the National Anthem that give you goosebumps and make your arm hair stand up? Well, imagine those goosebumps, because that’s how a proud coach moment feels!  As many of you remember we finished our last “session A” on our training cards Thursday. For those of you who have been here over the past 4-5 weeks you have had the chance to complete this training day on 4 separate days. Now hold on…I need to go a little off track before I go into the goosebump moment. No skipping ahead- this is important!

Training cards. Let’s talk about these real quick- Why are training cards important? Great question.

We are all here for results, right? So what better way to track our progress then to write it down? If we did (for example) kettlebell deadlifts one week and then you didn’t see that exercise again for 3 weeks would you remember how much load you used and/or how many repetitions you completed three weeks ago? Allow me to answer that for you- no!
If we keep the same timing and the same exercise and you record your results over 5 weeks then you will see where you got better. Maybe you did more repetitions or maybe you bumped up your load selection.The important take away here is that your body does not want to change. You must make it change. At Get Fit NH we want you to get results safely, effectively and efficiently. If you deadlift 100 pounds one week and then next time you deadlift 70 pounds because you can’t remember how much you picked up last time, but hey those dumbbells are pretty heavy- do you think your body is going to change? NO! It already knew it was capable of that so it doesn’t have to change. Get comfortable being uncomfortable and make your body change.
Just like we encourage body composition tests we will stress the importance of these training cards. If your not measuring your success then your hiding from your potential.

Now my goosebumps moments that you have all been waiting for…

On Thursday we finished our 4th “session A” training day and I asked a couple of the training times, “who saw improvement over the last 5 weeks?” and every single student in the room raised their hand. Everyone! Seriously that is incredible. Now let’s take it back to before training cards and imagine if I asked that same question…who could raise their hand with 110% confidence that they made improvements over the past 5 weeks? I know many would assume or raise their hand because they measure in other ways, but for everyone to raise their hand and be able to look at their card and say “I got stronger” is pretty stink’n cool!

And that, ladies and gentleman, is why training cards are here to stay. It’s all about getting better and we want to congratulate you for doing just that over the past 5 weeks!

Keep making it happen,

Coach Meagan

Capture Your Now

Over the weekend I spent a little bit of time packing up my house. As many of you know I sold my home and will be moving to Nashua very soon (not to worry- I am not leaving the Get Fit NH family. You can’t get rid of me that easy!) Anyways as I was packing I came across a binder my mother kept for me while I was in boot camp. She saved every single letter I wrote her all the way from day 1 through day 80. I can’t tell you how thankful I am that she saved these letters. It was funny (now) to relive some of those memories.

journalLetters/journals are funny like that. They capture the “now”. They capture exactly what you are feeling and how you are feeling and what is making you feel that way. As I read these letters I honestly revisited some of those emotions. At first all of the letters were sad filled with expressions like why did I do this, what was I thinking, I am going to fail, time is dragging, I don’t understand….then the next month the emotions eased up a little. Expressions like I am starting to understand, I really like _____, I need to work on ______, I killed it on _____ and then last month there were hardly any letters, but the ones that I did write were all positive filled with stories about what we did that day and what kind of events were coming up.

So what is the purpose of me sharing this with you?

This can be applied to any goal. My goal was to earn the title Marine.

Was it easy? Heck no!

Was it an emotional roller coaster? Absolutely

Did I learn a lot about myself? Yes

Did I GIVE UP? NO!

If I gave up then, I can assure you I wouldn’t be writing this today and you need to think about your life in the same way. Set a goal today and get excited to share your story. All of those emotions apply. At first it is hard- really hard- but it does get “easier.” By easier I mean you fall in to a routine. You know what works for you. You strive to get better because you know how far you’ve already come. Keep a journal if it helps. Capture the moments and look back on it. You’ll realize on those days that your feeling weak that it is not worth going back.

-Coach Meagan

Color Run 2014

colorrun

On Saturday October 11th Get Fit NH is headed over to New Hampshire Motor Speedway to get colorful! The Color Run is coming to Loudon and we have a team ready for you to join, Our start time will be 10 AM.

We always have a great time when NHMS sponsors these events, and seeing as we are now the “Official Gym of New Hampshire Motor Speedway” we want to make our presence known!

. This is a great 5K for the entire family. You can walk it, run it, skip it…..whatever! Big kids and little kids – oh and adults too- can enjoy this event. Go in looking plain and come out with pzazz!

Here is the link to join our team. Please make sure you let us know you joined and we’ll give you the top secret meeting location 😉 Our team name is Get Fit NH!

-Coach Meagan