What’s In A Name?

The Bible talk about a good name being more desirable than great riches – it is something to be treasured and preserved.

Our name, Get Fit NH Bootcamp is pretty plain Jane – I admit. Not very flashy, probably not going to win any “business name of the year” awards.

However you have to go a bit below the surface to understand it – it’s not quite as simple as it looks.

Here’s what each word in our name signifies:

Get: Achieve, Earn, Acquire as a result of Action or Effort. You want it? You have to work for it!

Fit: Fitness is many things to many different people.

Fit to do what?

For some people it is competing in triathlons, for others it is squatting 500 pounds, for others it is taking 3 flights of stairs without getting winded. You know what – that’s ok. Not everyone has to “fit” into a neat little box.

Fitness from a physical preparation standpoint can be defined in many different ways. In his book “Foundations of Physical Preparation” Ian King teaches the four dominant physical qualities: Flexibility, Strength, Speed and Endurance, each of which can be broken down in multiple ways. To those four qualities can be added additional skills, among them coordination, agility and balance.

An interesting thought is that “fitness” and “wellness” are not the same thing. You have probably heard stories of very “fit” people dropping dead of heart attacks while training. The ability to exhibit physical qualities and skills do not necessarily mean that wellness has been achieved. Measurements such as blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and bodyfat % will help us evaluate whether fitness and wellness are being achieved. Make no mistake, regular hard exercise is crucial to achieving both, but to that we must consider lifestyle and stress management, as well as our nutrition. It requires a holistic approach to achieve high levels of fitness.

Our programs are purposefully and carefully designed by us to give you what you need not only to achieve fitness, but wellness.

NH: Probably don’t need to say much here, because NH rocks! Seriously thought, while we have helped train numerous out of state clients, and serve as consultants to many fitness professionals in the U.S., our bootcamp programs are based and focus on residents of the Granite State.

Bootcamp: This part of our name might be the most confusing of all. What is “bootcamp” anyway? To be honest, I wish I could give you an across the board definition, but there really isn’t one. Some bootcamps really are “military” style classes, with barking instructors and your face in the dirt. Others are based on bodyweight and calisthenics, and get stale pretty quick. We have the privilege of meeting a couple times of year with other fitness pros from across the country that run very good programs, but make no mistake, all fitness bootcamps are not created equal. The vast majority I see have one goal – beat you into the ground until you beg for mercy – not conducive to long term fitness or wellness. While many programs are popping up that call themselves “bootcamp”, I urge caution when selecting a program.

So why  do we call ourselves a bootcamp, if there is so much difference? Well to be frank we were a bootcamp before bootcamps were cool. We had the great privilege of working with some great trainers down in Mass. who introduced us to their concept of bootcamp, and we have refined that initial concept to a program that as far as I know is unique in the industry.

From a physical preparation standpoint our injury prevention protocol and emphasis on flexibility and muscle tissue quality are the foundation of our program. If you are injured you can’t train effectively, simple as that. Each week in a training cycle (8-12 weeks) is carefully built on the one before it, coaching the skills required to safely and effectively train with continued progression. The ability of our coaches to adapt and progress or regress a skill based on ability and appropriateness is another hallmark of the program – group training is transformed into group personal training – a significant difference not to be overlooked.

As members of the Precision Nutrition Network and with Dean being the only trainer in NH to be a certified PN Coach, we also are able to offer unparalleled nutrition coaching to our members.

We are also privileged to have an amazing network of health care providers that help our members achieve total fitness and wellness.  Through our Strategic Health Partner Dr. Laura Jones, our members can get their bloodwork tested and evaluated. Dr. Jones is skilled the diagnosis and treatment of insulin resistance, thyroid and adrenal fatigue, and other metabolic disorders. Dr. Brett Coapland is an accomplished triathlete, and one of three practitioners licensed in NH for Active Release. Drs. Paul Malloy and Melissa Savicky have helped many of our members who came to us with health challenges get relief with their expert chiropractic care. Amy Troy and her staff at Chichester Massage have been instrumental in educating us to the many benefits of therapeutic massage. Having these professionals on the team is a valuable resource that we can collaborate with on behalf of our members.

My point is that you owe it to yourself to investigate any fitness program you are considering joining, and we certainly invite to look closely at ours. While we will freely admit we are not for everybody, we have helped hundreds of clients from 16 to 69 achieve levels of fitness they never dreamed possible. Odds are you can achieve those results with us too.

The Get Fit NH Bootcamp difference – It’s In Our Name!

Who Is On Your Team?

Enough is enough – You are ready to make a change!

You have finally decided that you are going to start eating healthier, exercising and lose that extra weight that’s been bugging you.

So you pick up the latest diet book  and slap down some hard earned cash on a gym membership. You even schedule your workouts on the calendar. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, after work.

You are ready to get after it!

That first Monday night at the gym feels great – you did it! All is going as planned.

Wednesday rolls around and you are pretty sore. You decide you need some extra rest – you’ll hit it again on Friday.

Friday is here, your clothes are packed and you are good to go. But at lunchtime your (insert here…boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, pet gerbil) calls you up and want to take you to dinner. He’s not quite sure about this new gym thing. I mean it’s taking time away from him and besides, he loves you just the way you are. Not to mention it has been a long week, and you are pretty tired from working. Dinner it is then!

Suddenly the plan isn’t so solid after all, is it?

What happened?

In short, you didn’t have one critical factor in place that social scientists have told us may be the most important factor in achieving your goals:

You didn’t have the optimal social supportyou didn’t have a Team!

At Get Fit NH Bootcamp, we know how crucial it is to have the support you need to reach your goals.

It’s one of the many things that make us different from the many other options out there.

In fact, I can’t imagine a better place to train hard, laugh out loud, tell stories, and get a lot of work done.

Our members don’t come to a class perform their reps and go home.

The team works together.

At times, that means we partner up during training while other days we divide the class for some fun competition. Even when we work individually through the training for that day, shouts of encouragement can be heard from one side of the room to the other. Each person wants the other to succeed.

Friendships are developed with each other, camaraderie is forged through hard work. It’s the beauty of a group of people with a focused purpose – to get better.

Many people at Get Fit NH Bootcamp have similar struggles and desperately want to reach their goals. Research show that goals are reached far more often and quicker with accountability rather than trying to do it on your own. Each member of the team encourages each other to push themselves during training. Many times a round of high fives are given after training. We love this type of energy, but the team is more than just what we do in class. I have observed our clients giving hugs to each other.

Hugs. Can you believe it? (Stay away from Brian and Karl though – just sayin’)

Our members are there for each other when a rough day at work leaves them tired and worn out. When the kids are acting up day after day other moms will come by to share their stories. There are other types of hugs too. When a milestone is hit –  reaching their goal weight, being able to do a chin up and succeeding to eat well while on vacation.

We know that you aren’t always going to get the support you need, even from those closest to you. Sometimes they just don’t understand, and sometimes they are scared that you will leave them behind somehow.

Communicate with the people you love how important it is for you to follow through with your commitment to yourself, and ask them to support you.

Some will get it right away – others may take awhile.

Just Remember This:

The Get Fit NH Bootcamp team is all about accountability, encouragement, help, energy, and motivation.

Don’t just sit on the sidelines, come be part of the team.

Make It Happen!

Dean and Nancy

Winners Of Our “Cookbook With A Heart” Contest!

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to all who contributed to our upcoming “Get Fit NH Bootcamp” cookbook, which we are producing to help you eat lean and green, but also to help raise money for a special little boy with autism, Joshua Ohman.

Our contest to fill that cookbook up with some of your favorite healthy recipes was a smashing success, as we received dozens and dozens of great recipes.

As promised, we randomly chose three people from all the contributors, and here are your winners:

Judy Swain

Anne LaForce

Robin Weddleton

These ladies will get there choice of one Sweatshirt or T-Shirt from our crazy good looking apparel line! 🙂

But don’t be dismayed if you didn’t win, as our fall order for sweatshirts and fleeces will be making the rounds soon – get ’em while they are hot!

Congratulations and Thank-you Ladies!

Lunch Box Chicken Salad

Try this super easy and tasty recipe for in your lunch box or anytime!

½ cup plain yogurt
4 teaspoon Dijon style mustard
Dash of pepper
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 cup cooked green beans
5 ounces chicken, turkey, ham, or even tuna
½ cup shredded carrots
2 Tablespoons sliced green onion

For dressing, mix yogurt, Dijon mustard, pepper, and the orange juice. Add green beans, carrots, green onions, and meat toss with dressing. Divide it in 2 containers. Chill overnight for best flavor.

Vary the veggies with whatever you have on hand. Peas, green and red peppers, broccoli, snap peas – The varieties are endless. Enjoy!

Good Foot Health Is No Small “Feet”

Each morning before I step onto the floor I make sure my feet are more awake than I am.  Getting my feet ready to support my body weight with a quick massage and stretch is just like doing the big arm stretch right after I get out of bed.  You know, feet work so hard and they really take a beating so I like to take the time to honor their work and let them know I’m grateful.

Did you know that your feet have 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 tendons! And that’s without mentioning the ligaments and muscles in your feet.

So I think we should honor our feet!  (knees will have to wait for their time in a later blog). After all, remember Neil Armstrong’s quote as he “stepped” onto the moon. “That’s one small step for man and one giant leap for all mankind.”

First of all, lets see what your feet can tell you about your health.  If you have a pain in your foot your gait changes, and when your gait changes your entire body is affected which can create back pain, hip problems, sore leg muscles – even aching shoulders and neck.

Remember if you act like a heel to your foot it can come back and kick you in the butt. (I’m cracking myself up with all these puns)

So whenever you find yourself with a pain in the foot please pay attention, because it can be the beginning of a multitude of problems.

In fact, any sign of foot trouble may be the start of other problems.  For instance, chronic pain, calluses that go unchecked, very dry skin, swelling, redness or discoloration in the toe nails all are problems that need to be addressed.

Now, get this…the foot has over 250,000 sweat glands!  So, wash your feet!  Clean and dry between the toes; this will get rid of the moisture and bacteria that cause feet to stink and creates nasty skin problems. Don’t be average adult who doesn’t reach their feet with a washcloth or other abrasive material that can eliminate dry skin and fungus.

Most ingrown toenails are due to improper nail clipping.  Cut the nails straight across, no cute little angles on the sides that can cause the nail to grow improperly causing a painful toenail and a doctor’s appointment to correct it.

Feet change and spread over the years so it’s important that you measure. Most adults don’t bother with it. They assume that the size they got last time they bought shoes will do this time as well. Maybe another reason why so many people end up with sore feet.

Don’t keep your feet in old worn out shoes.  There should be a thumb size space between the end of the toe and the end of the shoe. Not having the correct shoe size can result in runner’s toe, calluses, ingrown nails, fungal nail infections, and hammertoe deformities. (I’m not saying who has toes that look like mushrooms)

Now you know Dean and I love our Vibram Five Fingers. Here is what Vibram says about their footwear.

“Wearing FiveFingers during strength and fitness conditioning can increase your comfort, balance, performance and overall sense of control. That’s because many of the poses and exercises you perform during strength and fitness training rely on flexible yet stable support from your feet and legs.” (the support is not coming from our shoes but from our own body)

Whether you chose traditional sneakers or back to barefoot basics we need to treat our feet like they are important.

So there you have it.  Take care of your feet and they will take care of your body and sole. ( I just had to get one more pun in)

Coach Nancy

Can You Touch A Coin?

Try this little experiment. Place a coin on the floor. Stand about 6 inches away from the coin. With your eyes open, attempt to touch the coin with your big toe (it doesn’t matter which foot). Now close your eyes and try it again.

If your ‘proprioception’ is in tune, then you should be able to touch the coin or at least get very close to it. However, if your proprioception is not functioning at a high level, then you will miss it by miles. The more times you repeat the same movement pattern the better it is ingrained on your nerve endings and you’ll soon find you can hit the coin each time even with your eyes closed.

So what is ‘proprioception’? Why is it important, and how do we train it?

Proprioception can be defined as “ an unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself.”

Balance is not an example of proprioception. Balance control comes from the inner ear and not the body senses. However, the balance systems are intertwined heavily with the proprioceptive systems. If you’ve been at Get Fit NH Bootcamp for a while then you’ve played our warm up game “Get up and balance” This warm up is an example of how balance and proprioception are related.

Common examples from everyday life:

  • Walking in a dark room in the middle of the night
  • Catching a ball
  • Eating whilst reading the paper

Where does proprioception come from?

Our muscles, ligaments and tendons are filled with nerve endings and receptors that allow us to perceive where our limbs are in space. These receptors send messages to our central nervous system (CNS) and the CNS in turn relays information to the brain. This information is compared to the information received from the eyes and ears, which in turn allows us to co-ordinate hand/foot-eye coordination as well as balance.

Why do people have poor proprioception?

The two  main groups that suffer from poor propioception are the injured/ill and the elderly. With any injury, the damage tissue alters the pain mechanisms that feed our brains. The messages tend to ‘fog’ up the nerve cells in the brain so that we don’t have such a defined sense of position anymore. Injuries to the knees or ankle tend to make us feel unstable. The elderly have ageing nerve endings and their nerves do not conduct information as effectively as younger people. They have more trouble with activities requiring body awareness and as a result often bump themselves easily and falls can result.

Can we improve our proprioception?

Absolutely! Proprioception can always be improved through training. The learning of any new skill involves training our proprioceptive sense and re-organizing the nervous system to suit the new activity. The nerve endings and sensory fibers in our muscles, ligaments and tendons become more effective at picking up changes in body position. In turn, the nerves become more efficient at transmitting the information to the brain, and the brain becomes better at responding to this information.

Practice, Practice, Practice is training our proprioception. Learning a new exercise and training our bodies to perform it will increase the use of that nervous system pathway. That is one reason it is so important to perform a movement pattern correctly from the start. We are training our muscles which are taking their cue from the nervous system. New movements will keep our brains working and increase our proprioception.

Proprioception is a fancy word but knowing we are keeping our body fit along with our brain is a great reason to practice this word literally over and over.

To your health,

Coach Nancy

Why Do You Do It That Way?

Is a question we love to hear at Get Fit NH Bootcamp!

When someone asks us that, we know we have an engaged member who wants to make the most of his or her training, and has a true desire to get better. In fact if you have a question please ask!

We are also happy to get any feedback and suggestions regarding bootcamp, but I will caution you, we aren’t always going to adopt those suggestions when it comes to your training!


Serious Trainer Fail

TRAINER FAIL!


Outrageous? Not really, and here’s why.

We have a unified system of training, and while we are certainly always learning and seeking to improve training methods as scientific and empirical evidence proves them effective, we aren’t into “fads”. The tools we use (KB, TRX, Bands, Dumbells, etc.) have proven themselves over and over. You are not going to see one-footed dumbbell curls while balancing on a bosu ball at Get Fit NH Bootcamp! Tires, sleds and sledgehammers are cool tools and can be very effective, but you won’t see them everyday. Icing on the cake, so to speak.

Like you, we have seen “Bootcamps” popping up everywhere, and while there are some good trainers out there with good programs, we work hard to make sure Get Fit NH Bootcamp is second to none. Just because it has “bootcamp” in the name doesn’t mean it is an effective program.

So why are we any different than anyone else? Besides the reasons above,  let me share some of the core principles we adhere to:

1) If you are injured you can’t train. That doesn’t mean we can’t work around and with pre-existing injuries or conditions. We work together with your physician, physical therapist or chiropractor to make sure we understand any injuries you may have and get you better. What is does mean is that we are going to do the necessary mobility and flexibility work IN CLASS to promote joint health and range of motion. The ability to perform movements with correct form through a full range of motion is critical to your long term health and helps you get the most from your training. Our recovery weeks are also designed to promote lifelong progress and health.

2) Your training will be balanced. Sometimes we get requests for more of this or that – ab work for instance. We spend hours every week carefully designing your program to allow for a proper training/recovery balance, and sometimes “more ab work” isn’t in the plan. Not because they aren’t important, because a strong “core” is critical, but because your abs need recovery too. We are also going to make sure that we work the “go” muscles, like the scapular retractors and hamstrings, not just the “show” muscles like biceps and chest. This is crucial for shoulder, hip and knee health.  Refer back to #1!

3) Your training will be fun. Now I know sometimes our members think my definition of “fun” is a bit different than theirs, but I think they will also agree that cranking through a killer workout and achieving more than they thought possible is fun too! Our training programs are designed to be “totally unboring” – providing the progressions our more experienced members need and also providing a high level of coaching to those new to the program.

4) Ultra-Flexible class times. I don’t know of any bootcamp anywhere that has more class times – 8 per training day, 32 per week in our two locations! Is more necessarily better? It is in this case! We leave virtually no reason why you can’t make a class or make one up. This is huge!

5) Some added bonuses you need to be using. If you are a member and not actively using your Fitgoal.com account – get to it, particularly the food logging portion. We added this at no additional cost to you, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth anything! In fact we are seeing that our members who actively use their account are making the best progress toward their goals. Read the newsletters and subscribe to the blog. Every week there are articles, recipes and more. Invest a few minutes each week to educating yourself on your health and fitness.

So there you go. Just a few reasons why we “do what we do”. Remember we want your questions – we are ready and willing with the answers.

Thanks for choosing to train with us! (And if you aren’t yet – Make It Happen!)

Dean & Nancy

It’s Go Time!

By now your body is enjoying the fruits of recovery week and is getting a little bit antsy to get back in the gym and get back to work. You have reaped the rewards of hard training, and staying out of the gym too much longer is out of the question. Hang in there – Tuesday is almost here!

The best thing is that over the last few weeks you know why you are getting better. You are seeing the benefits of feeding your body premium fuel – lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. You have cleaned out your cupboards of junk food, because you know that even if the kids “like it”, it’s not good for them either. You start every day with a healthy breakfast of lean protein – eggs, yogurt, or in a pinch a protein shake. Your new habit of drinking only calorie free beverages has taken a few hundred unwanted calories out of your nutrition plan, and you don’t even miss it.

Your habit of eating every few hours has stabilized your blood sugar and you aren’t having the late morning/early afternoon energy crashes anymore. Your forays around the perimeter of the grocery store has led to the discovery that there are hundreds of tasty fruits and vegetables available. How come mom only fed me corn and peas, you wonder?

You have established the habit of planning your splurge meals, knowing that strategically relaxing your nutrition leads to better progress and less craving. You are in charge of your eating, and you have stopped letting your emotions plunge you headlong into overeating and regret.

You never miss a bootcamp class, and it shows. You are earning the strong, lean and healthy body you have always wanted. Your friends want to know your secret, and it spurs you on to making even better progress.

Only a few more days until you keep making all this happen – Can’t Wait!

Are You A Sugar Addict?

Tired all the time? Grumpy and can’t shake the blahs? Do you have trouble losing weight? Do you walk around in a fog? What about digestive issues? Constantly battling a stuffy nose?

Major health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and auto-immune diseases are dramatic examples of how sugar can wreak havoc in your life. There are less dramatic ways sugar affects our bodies before we experience major problems.

Addictions come in different forms.

  • The Energy Shark feels chronically tired and needs hits of sugar and caffeine.
  • The Feed-Me-Now type have exhausted their adrenal glands.
  • An overgrowth of yeast in the body leads the Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addict hiding to get another hit of sugar.
  • And the Depressed & Craving Carbs type desire for sweets is linked to hormonal shifts.

What type of addict are you?

Do you often feel tired and achy? Do you need coffee to get going in the morning? Does your energy fade by mid-afternoon? Do you get frequent headaches?

You may be an Energy Shark.

Do you find you are often thirsty and need to use the restroom? Do you get recurrent sore throats and swollen glands? Do you sometimes get dizzy when you stand up? Is life a crisis for you?

You may be a Feed-Me-Now type.

Do you have chronic nasal congestion? Do you have irritable bowels? Have you been clinically treated for acne? Do you clear your throat a lot? Often an overgrowth of yeast internally will cause the sugar cravings like those who are

The Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addicts.

Chronically depressed, fatigued, battling insomnia and a loss of libido might have you classified as a Depressed & Craving Carb addict. Your sugar cravings are caused by fluctuating hormones.

No matter what the type you can fight your way out of your sugar addiction. Nutrition is the key to locking up the addict inside you.

  1. Choose high-protein foods such as meat, eggs, and seafood and foods that score low on the glycemic index.
  2. Eat small meals frequently during the day.
  3. Eliminate “energy drinks” loaded with sugar and caffeine.
  4. Exercise for 30 to 60 minutes a day, outside if possible.
  5. Get seven to nine hours of sleep a night
  6. Supplement your diet with a quality vitamin.
  7. Take a fish oil supplement.

Each addiction has its own issues but don’t let your addiction control you. Furthermore don’t let the addiction you have today bring damaging diseases in your future.

To your health,

Coach Nancy

Reference – Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now!

The Healthy Kitchen

It all starts here. Nutrition is not half the battle, it is the battle! What we eat is the single most important factor when it comes to how we look and feel. With today’s busy lifestyles, it is more important than ever that we learn to make the best choices to support our healthy goals.

The choices we make when feeding our bodies have both short and long term consequences. Did you know it’s possible to eat too much food and be undernourished? Not only do we become overweight, but are also more susceptible to disease because we are not receiving the nutrients we need for optimal health. It is important to remember that the primary reason we eat is to give our body what it needs to function optimally. A growing number of studies show that Americans do not receive the nutrients they need from their dietary intake.

There are a number of reasons for this. Our crops themselves are not as nutritious as in the past, probably due to soil depletion and the overuse of fertilizers. Fast food restaurants and prepackage foods in our supermarket shelves make it all too easy to consume a large amount of calories with nearly no nutritive value. While such food choices may be fast and convenient, there is no doubt they contribute to obesity and disease.

Over-consumption of grains, particularly refined wheat (eg. white flour) and corn, has also contributed to our growing problem with obesity. Too many grains and not enough variety of vegetables in our diet leads to excess calories and nutrient deficiencies.

While fruit has many critical nutrients and should be enjoyed, it may be helpful to think of it as “nature’s candy” because of the high sugar content. Refined grains and fruit juices can also make controlling blood sugar difficult.

It does take more work to prepare healthy meals, there is no doubt about it. Doing so is a small price to pay when you consider the negative health consequences of eating poorly. Most people do not think about the future, only the here and now, but the cost is greater to fight disease than to prevent disease. Eating for optimal health is the foundation of living well.

Recently we unveiled Fitgoal. Take advantage of all it offers.

• Daily food log so you know exactly what you are feeding yourself.

• Reports so you can monitor your fitness progress after each “Test Day”

• Visuals like charts and graphs for your food intake

• Write out personal goals so you know where you want to go and how you plan on getting there

• A journaling section to list important factors that give insight into your well being.

• The ability to directly contact your trainer through Fitgoal.

We are here to help you reach your goals,

Coach Nancy