It’s Here – 2nd Annual Get Fit NH Outdoor Obstacle Adventure

The weather is getting nice and it’s time to get outside!

On Saturday June 23rd we will be holding our 2nd annual “Get Fit NH Outdoor Obstacle Adventure”, and you don’t want to miss it.

Even if you haven’t caught the adventure obstacle course bug (yet) you will have a blast on our course, which includes the longest slip and slide you have probably ever seen!

The timing is perfect, as the next week is a recovery week, so don’t miss it!

And don’t forget to register for “Warrior Dash NH”, being held at Gunstock on September 15. There is a crew of us already registered (most in the 10:00am wave) and we had a blast last year and expect more of the same. Register Here

2nd Annual Get Fit NH Outdoor Obstacle Adventure

Place: Get Fit NH Bootcamp Epsom

Time: 9am until we are done

Simple as that!

Check out the video from last years soiree’

S3 Success Story “So, I am finally getting it!”

Got this note from Get Fit NH Superstar Katie a couple days ago, and it is a keeper! There is so much in here to be learned, so take a few minutes to soak it all in.

Here are some good reminders that I saw in here:

• Don’t be “all or nothing”
• Make it as easy as possible
• Have a positive attitude
• Expect results WHEN you get your nutrition in order

Great job Katie, keep it up.

Coach Nancy

When I joined in January, I weighed XXX lbs according to my scale at home (which happens to be pretty much dead on with the new scale you got), and when I started S3 I weighed XXX lbs. I was doing the work, but wasn’t eating right, so not
seeing huge results.

Haha, remember there were no veggies on my food diary for two days??

Since S3 started, I have been eating 1-2 large salads per day, and have pretty much cut out all bad carbs and limited the good ones.  Since 4/30, I’ve lost 9.8 lbs and it feels great!  And I actually look forward to eating my big salad at dinner!  There were two occasions where I sat and ate a salad while everyone else was going to town on a bowl of ice cream!

I just want to thank you and Dean for all that you do – it’s great to have trainers that genuinely care about their clients, and go above and beyond to help them reach their goals.  You definitely push me to do more than I would have done on my own, and there are many times I find myself hearing you say “you can do anything for xxx more seconds” (like when I’m running up the hill by my house, and want to stop and walk)…

I am just really surprised with how well this is working for me – meaning, I am losing weight and it has been easy!  I was
hoping to lose 2 lbs a week during S3, but I thought that number was too high to shoot for.  I had prepared myself that I might have to start running every day to do this (like I’ve had to do in the past to see results), but I haven’t needed to. I’ve only been running maybe 1-3 times a week (short, like a mile, and when I say run I mean an 11 minute mile jog). I honestly don’t love running, so in the past I think I always failed before reaching my goal weight (and gained ALL of my weight back and THEN some) because I made my weight loss plan too difficult to stick to.  If I didn’t run 5 days a week, I would get discouraged.

The diet part wasn’t working for me because I definitely wasn’t eating enough protein, and was always hungry.  Now, I really only eat 3 meals a day.  Occasionally, I will have 1-2 plain Wasa crackers as a snack, or a piece of fruit, but I haven’t really been hungry between meals.  I think the one thing that made this easiest for me when starting off, is that I took all the decision making out f meal planning.  I don’t have to think “what am I going to make for dinner?” because I already know that it’s going to be a lean meat with either sauteed veggies or a salad or both.  Or if I’m going out to eat, I know that I am going to get a salad with grilled chicken.

Lately, I’ve made the Melissa’s Mean Green UMP shake for dinner (get the recipe here) because it’s good, cool, and filling!  Just last night my husband and I both had shakes, and he kept saying “wow, this is really good” (before he had it, he made a face when I told him I was putting flax seed and avocado in it).

Oh, and I haven’t stuck to this diet 100%.  I know in the past I’ve been all or nothing – “since I’m going to have this hot dog, I might as well eat a burger, potato salad, pasta salad, 2 beers, half a bag of chips and a bowl of ice cream”.  I’ve just tried to do my best wherever I’ve been, and allowed myself to have smaller portioned treats when I’m around certain foods.  I’ll eat my meat and salad, and have a little scoop of the yummy looking potato salad.  It was a little tough at first, but I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t really want that stuff (or at least not a lot of it – I’m satisfied
after a few bites).

Haha, sorry for the book I just wrote, but I’m just in such disbelief with how well this is working for me!  Have a great weekend and see you on Monday!

Looking forward to reaching my goal weight in the near future, thanks to your help!

Katie

Get on the Band Wagon

I got a great question from a new client, which is always fantastic. I love being able to explain why Get Fit NH’s training is different, and why we do what we do.

Susan’s question has to do with resistance bands and what the benefit is in using them in training, rather than just using free weights. I thought that was a great question, as many of our clients exposure to band training is usually the light weight therapy bands used in physical therapy or the cheap tubular bands. When faced with the 38″ loop of heavy duty rubber it is new experience. So here’s what I wrote:

***

Hi Susan,

That is a very good question regarding bands versus free weights. As you know we do use both, but at different times in the training cycle we can emphasize one over the other.

First of all understand that the body has no idea what resistance it is working against. It could be dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, bands, bodyweight or sticks and stones. All the body knows is that it met a resistance and it needs to move it.

That being said, most resistance that is used in training moves vertically, up and down against gravity. We pick things up, we put them down, so to speak. Whether we deadlift, squat or overhead press we are moving the weight vertically against gravity. Even when we are bench pressing we need to lie down and move the force vertically.

The cool thing about bands is that they create resistance in multiple planes of movement. Horizon, vertical, diagonal and rotational. This is the way our body moves – in all vectors and all directions. Imagine trying to do a standing chest press with dumbbells – the load still wants to move down, not out. With a band we can create an effective horizontal push while standing, which is a much better position to train than lying or even sitting down.By using bands we can train efficient movement through the entire range of motion in all directions. This also helps with overall mobility and flexibility. Bands also cause us to need to actively decelerate the load in all planes of motion.

Another reason we use bands, particularly when we are training energy systems (cardio) is the ease at which we can transition through different exercise movements. You can use one band, transition from movement to movement and never have to slow down. Way more fun when you don’t have to rest!

Don’t get me wrong, I love lifting heavy loads with free weights. The great thing about working with bands is that they help us get better at those basic lifts by working all the supporting musculature. As my friend Dave “The Band Man” Schmitz says, we “Get Better With Bands”.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that flat strap of rubber that weighs next to nothing can’t kick your butt. Have you tried training with a green one yet? 🙂

Great question Susan!

Coach Dean

P.S. Want the best bands out there for your on the road or vacation training? Check out ResistanceBandTraining.com

Thank-You For Voting Get Fit NH

For the second year in a row Get Fit NH was voted 2nd place as “Best Fitness Center or Health Club” by the readers of the Concord Insider and YOU. 

We really appreciate all the support, and are humbled and extremely honored you would take the time to vote for us. Considering that the 1st and 3rd place winners dwarf us in size, I think we did pretty good! 🙂 

You Guys Rock! 

Did you Catch the 5K Bug?

Last week’s Rock-N-Race was a blast. The crowd was enormous, the weather was great, we met friends, and supported a good cause. There are many reason other than running that we love to participate in organized outdoor activities.

There are two more outdoor events that Get Fit NH will be participating in the next few weeks or so.

The Arthritis Foundation Walk will feature Coach Erin leading the charge with a warm up. Get Fit NH has actively supported the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run for the last three years. We’ve also led the warm up at the walk for two years. Its a beautiful walk along the River in Manchester. There is not an entry fee but simply run on donations. Sign up to walk with Coach Erin on Thursday, May 31 at 6:30pm.

The Leap 5K is a relatively new race in Concord. It benefits scholarships for the Leap Preschool.

Register Here to join us on Saturday, June 9th at 9am for a family 5K.

I look forward to seeing you during the summer and hearing how you are getting outside more and more.

Coach Nancy

Habit 3: Eat At Least 5 Servings of Veggies per Day

Can you believe that next Monday, April 28th, we are halfway through S3?

Time Flies!

With that halfway mark comes the introduction of the 3rd habit.

Habit 3: Eat At Least 5 Servings of Veggies per Day

Vegetables (and fruit) are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. There is no substitute for the power of vegetables as part of your nutrition plan.

Your mom is not the only one who knew the scoop on how great vegetables are for you. Here’s what Dr. John Berardi over at Precision Nutrition has to say:

“Eating higher levels of veggies and fruits are associated with a lower incidence of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Colon, prostate, cervical, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid, and breast cancer
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• and a lot more that aren’t on this list…”

Here’s a pretty cool graphic (also from PN) that illustrates another great thing about vegetables – they fill you up, literally!

Getting in 5 servings a day is much simpler than you might think, so no worries – ok?

When it comes right down to it 10 servings per day is where we want you to be, but you gotta start somewhere, right?

Think about it.

If you have a salad for lunch with 4 cups of spinach and 15 cherry tomatoes, you’ve got your five.

That’s not that hard, now is it?

Here’s a handy list, with amounts, to get you started:

5 broccoli florets
10 baby carrots
1 tomato
4 slices of onion
1 cup of leafy greens (spring mix)
15 cherry tomatoes
0.5 bell pepper
1 cup of spinach in a Super Shake
1 banana
6 strawberries
2 plums
15 grapes
1 apple
1 peach

Important notes:

Eat 3-5 servings of vegetables for each serving of fruit. Veggies First.

There are no potatoes or corn on this list. That is not an accident.

Other vegetables to try: cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy
Check out this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vegetables

So how do you score your point starting in Week 5 (Monday May 28th)?

By doing S3 Habits 1, 2 & 3

• S3 Habit 1: Eat within 1 hour of waking or consume post-training nutrition
• S3 Habit 2: Eat lean protein with at least 3 meals per day
• S3 Habit 3: Eat at least 5 servings of veggies per day

Make It Happen!

When Bad News Turns into Good

Claudia, one of our superstars in Epsom, had an incident last week but it didn’t slow her down one bit. She inspires those at 9AM and I’m sure she will inspire you too.

S3 Nutrition Knowledge 101 Seminar

Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown Team Transformation is in full swing, and the competition is close! Keep building those habits and logging those points – your team needs you!

Next week we are going to be hosting the “S3 Nutrition Knowledge Seminar” in order to help you get even more out of all the work you have been putting in.

You won’t want to miss it, as we will be rolling out more details about Habits 3 & 4, and answering the following questions:

1. What’s wrong with eating cereal for breakfast?
2. Isn’t that a lot of protein to be eating? Isn’t that hard on my kidneys?
3. What’s your deal-io with whole grains anyway?
4. Why do you hate milk so much?
5. What do you eat – tree bark?
6. Don’t you know eating healthy is expensive?

All actual questions we have received.

We will spend some time going over the “why’s” and “how’s” of the S3 habits, and taking some time at the end to answer some questions.

S3 Nutrition Knowledge 101 Seminars

Seminar 1: Get Fit NH Concord. Tuesday May 22nd. 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Seminar 2: Get Fit NH Epsom. Wednesday May 23rd. 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Keep Making It Happen,

Coach Dean

Rock N’ Race: Team “Get Fit NH & Beat Cancer” Update

The Rock N’ Race is almost here. Next Thursday May 17th is the big day to lace up the sneakers and get rockin’.

You all have done a fantastic job this year. As of this writing we have 74 team members and have raised $3,405, led by Christina Gaudet-Pelletier, who has raised $690, Sharon Klardie, with $400 raised, and Jenn Harper, with $195.

Incredible job Ladies!

Because you have formed such a large team, we have been asked to pick up our team shirts and distribute them to you. We will be picking them up on Tuesday afternoon, and they will be ready for distribution at the gyms no later than Thursday morning first training time.

There is also a slightly modified training schedule because the race is on a Thursday, and some of the coaching staff is participating in the race.

The Thursday 6:00pm Epsom only is moving to Wednesday night at 6:00pm. This will allow Coach Nancy to get into Concord and lead the charge on Thursday evening.

All other training times, including Concord 5:30pm will be held as scheduled.

As far as the night of the race, as is our custom we will meet at the Clock Tower at Eagle Square at approximately 5:30pm. Nancy will bring any unclaimed Epsom shirts in at that time, Concord please make sure you go down to the gym to pick yours up.

If you have any questions drop us a line or give us a call.

Great job leading the pack Get Fit NH – you never disappoint!

Keep making it Happen!

Habit 2: Eat Lean Protein at Each Meal

Alright guys, so for the past two weeks you have been making sure you get nutrition in your body within an hour of waking and/or getting in your recovery nutrition.

Keep it up!

To score your point for weeks 3 and 4 you must continue S3 Habit 1 AND complete S3 Habit 2 – All In!

Why is protein so important?

Because without an adequate supply of Amino Acids in our bloodstream, the product of protein digestion, our bodies don’t function well.

Our bodies use proteins to produce enzymes, hormones and antibodies. Protein is the “building blocks” of our cells and without it we can not replace worn out cells or repair muscle tissue from training.

Take some time to get the complete lowdown on protein, the “why’s” and even “how much’s” by reading “All About Protein” on the Precision Nutrition Site. You’ll be glad you did!

So that brings us to S3 Habit 2: Eat Lean Protein with Each Meal

For our purposes that mean you will need to eat lean protein from the following sources a minimum of 3 times per day. This is not an all inclusive list, but it is a great start.

High quality protein.
3-4 oz of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
1 cup of cooked seafood
4 egg whites
2 large eggs
1/Ž2 cup of cottage cheese
1/Ž2 cup of plain yogurt
2 oz of part skim cheese
1 scoop of protein powder
1 cup cooked lentils or beans
3-4 oz of tempeh or tofu
1 small veggie burger

Conversely you want to avoid low quality protein. Most of these are very high in fat, contain tons of sodium, nitrates and other nasty stuff.

These Don’t Count
Bacon
Lunch Meats
Sausages
Pepperoni
Protein in “fast food” restaurant meals (chinese take out, etc.)

So how do you score your point starting in Week 3 (Monday May 14th)?

By doing S3 Habit 1 and 2

S3 Habit 1: Eat within 1 hour of waking or consume post-training nutrition

S3 Habit 2: Eat lean protein with at least 3 meals per day

***

To help plan some high quality meals quickly and easily, follow this handy dandy chart.

Quality Protein Fibrous Carbs Compliments