As I sat down to jot my thoughts down this morning, I couldn't help but get a little bit choked up. 

​Because while it is very exciting to be celebrating 9 years in business, it was even more impacting to take some time to go through the moments we have captured on our cameras, video recorders, and phones over the years.

It hasn't always been unicorns, roses and sunshine. Life never is. But what an amazing thing to see all the lives that have been impacted by this little experiment called "Get Fit NH". Not the least of all my own.

​When we started, the nine of us in my backyard on the cool morning on May 8, 2008, at 5:00am, there was no grandiose plan of 2 locations, multiple coaches, and state, regional and national recognition.

Then, as today, it was about a group of people bonding together for a common purpose - to be the best version of ourselves we could be, through the vehicle of pursuing better health and fitness.

​To look through those pictures I was reminded of this one truth; someday my career is going to be over, and the reigns of Get Fit NH will be passed to another caretaker. At that time I hope the focus is not on how good of a business we ran, or how good of coaches we were, or that the gyms were kept in good shape with the latest and greatest cool equipment.

My hope, my prayer, is not that we were looked upon as being great, but that we created something good, that made a lasting impact on our families, our team, our students, and our community.

Right now as I am writing my Facebook feed is blowing up with y'all putting up pictures of all the broccoli you are eating, a challenge from coach Meagan. Who woulda thunk? 🙂

I am so grateful for the team we have here; Nancy, Meagan, Adam, Cari, Lars and Stephanie.

They work SO hard every day, in so many ways, because they want to create good too. As we have grown the thing that is hardest for me is that I don't get to know and build relationships with all of our students like I used to. But knowing I have caring and compassionate coaches that can do it even better than I could is amazing. Thank-you team.

Thank-You. I don't know what else to say. If you are reading this then somehow Get Fit NH is on your radar. We get to coach you in some way; either in person at one of our training gyms, online in our nutrition programs, or even just reading our blog and doing what you can on your own. It is still mind blowing to me that anyone does any of those things. 

As I looked at those pictures this morning I thought maybe I'd put together a slide show of Get Fit NH through the years, but I think I'll wait until our 10th anniversary. I am going to need more time to put it all together. 🙂

Instead, throughout this post are scattered some of the iterations of our logo over the years, and even that was kind of fun. It reminds me how far we have come, but also that the work of improving is never over.

Thanks for taking the journey with me.

Coach Dean

Jessica is one of those people who started with Get Fit NH in December, the time when most people feel it is the craziest time of the year. I sent Jessica a few questions, I was curious about what drives her. Jessica faithfully figures out a training schedule each week and lets me know what it is. She is Making It Happen. I knew that if I asked Jessica what made the difference for her, she would in turn inspire more and more people. Check out what makes Jessica go.

What was your absolute biggest challenge before joining Get Fit NH?

What changed after becoming a member of the Get Fit family?

Jessica is on the right getting her "I Survived" t-shirt!

I no longer make the excuses to not go to class. On Sundays, I plan out which classes I am going to attend each day and I stick to it. My kiddos don’t always like it but they are adjusting and are actually taking on more responsibilities at home. I have had a couple of people tell me to look at going to class like an appointment that I cannot cancel. So I stick to my schedule and make sure to email Nancy the times I will be there - she is the accountability I need. The flexibility to attend other training times has been my saving grace as I never know what the next week will bring.

I continue to work on the nutrition piece of the program. This has been harder for me but I have made changes (eating lot of leafy greens) and I am starting to recognize what foods make me feel “yucky”. I try hard to avoid these foods but it is a work in progress. I will keep plugging along and am looking forward to the S3 to help with the accountability in this area too.

What specific results can you share?

Jessica with her 6:15 crew

I am proud of myself that I have stuck with my new routine and this keeps me motivated. The physical training combined with my new eating habits have helped me to lose pounds and inches, as well as helped my mood and energy level. I have seen differences and others are starting to notice too, which is something that keeps me even more motivated to move along on this journey.

What would you say to someone on the fence about joining?

Once you are ready to give up the excuses, take a chance and join me at training. I was so nervous during the first class I attended. However, the last 5 months have gone by so quickly. I thank everyone in Epsom (especially the 6:15 crew). They welcomed me right away and gave me a source of support that I didn’t know I would have.

Keep it up!
Coach Nancy

I think it is time we have the bands talk. Every single person who steps on to our training floor is required to go through the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) first. This is important for four big reasons:

1. It shows us how YOU move as an individual 
2. It shows us how to train YOU safely in a group setting
3. It is an injury prevention tool
4. It is a measuring tool

So let’s breakdown the big four so that we can be on the same page and keep you training safe.

1. It shows us how YOU move as an individual

Ever looked in to personal training – like 1 on 1 training? Do you have any idea how costly it would be to train that way 4 times per week? You’d be looking at a minimum $240 PER WEEK. Yes, almost $1000 per month. That’s a lot of dough! It is unnecessary at Get Fit NH BECAUSE of this screen. When we screen you and we assign you bands that means that ANY COACH can look at your wrist and identify what exercise is safe for you and what exercise is not so safe right now. That means even with 30 students in the room I can look at your wrist and know who should be doing exactly what exercise. Everyone has different ailments and limitations – it is important for us to know that and individualize your training. It is a scary thought that most training facilities don’t do this.

2. It shows how to train YOU safely in a group setting

It is the same thing with your movement patterns. Your FMS revealed that something isn’t moving the way we were designed to move. If we continue to load that we will eventually breakdown and get hurt. Wear your bands. Don’t sneak exercises that aren’t safe for you. We want to keep you training safe and this is the best way to make sure that happens.

3. It is an injury prevention tool

4. It is a measuring tool

Bands are NOT a punishment. In my opinion, you are punishing yourself by not wearing them and doing exercises that are not appropriate for you right now. It is not a judgement on you or your fitness level – it is what keeps you safe. I can point you to a number of students who disregarded their bands and ended up with injuries and were out of training, because of it. That sounds like the real punishment to me!

Let's keep you training safe!
Coach Meagan

I want to make eating unhealthy HARDER than eating healthy. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had to struggle to eat foods that were not good choices? Wouldn’t it be helpful if you had access to all the goodness of nutrition without sifting through all the other?

Begin Your Jumpstart

Date: Wednesday, May 10th

Time: 6pm to 7pm

Place: Get Fit NH Concord

One of the most challenging things I have seen in youth sports and overall health today (in terms of movement) is the over specialization of sports, meaning that a child grows up and from the age of 4 plays nothing but one sport. They play soccer year in and year out and play nothing else… no hockey or baseball, take your pick. They spend their summers going away to multiple camps, for weeks at a time to work on the same discipline. They don’t get exposed to other types of sports and at the end of the day end up, ironically, struggling in that one sport because something is lacking.

Now, we all know that the more practice that gets put into a certain sport, the more likely the person is to be proficient in it. Of course that is the case, and I am not arguing that in order to play hockey at a pro or semi pro level, you will probably have to play year round regardless. However, not being exposed to other movement patterns, and making the body have to do different things and learn different skills, can lead to dysfunction, and in some cases even injury.

Up until recently, this was not as much an issue because kids mitigated that by getting out and doing what kids have done for hundreds of years…PLAY! In today’s age though, kids are significantly less likely to have the same experience and therefore don’t get those elements and movements that they normally would have outside their one chosen sport.

Most successful athletes, especially the most athletic ones, played several sports growing up until picking one to focus entirely in their later teen years. Look at some of the most famous athletes in the world. I would bet money that they were either multisport stars in high school and/or college, or at the very least grew up playing more than one. How many football players have you heard also played college basketball? I feel like I hear it every time they talk about a player. Or how many quarterbacks have you heard got drafted by the MLB as well but ended up going with football? The point is that kids need different movements to succeed. Get them moving different ways!

-Coach Adam

Kim Lapomardo is shining bright after 6 years of training! I asked Kim to be in the spotlight because her attitude is so positive, her results are real and her mindset is spot on. Training is a forever game. Ultimately we are all training to make life on this earth easier and more enjoyable - Kim totally gets that. She gets in here, she works hard every single time and she is receptive to coaching. I love having her in our 6:45 training hour. This is what she has to say:

Many of us who train at Get Fit have been assigned specific wrist band colors to wear during training, based on their results on the Functional Movement Screen! What I want you to know is that these are not a punishment and you should not feel poorly wearing your bands.

What we do ask is that if you have been assigned bands, that you wear them! This assessment helps both the coaches and you! This screen allows us to become educated on how you move, what is safe for you, which areas you can improve, and what movements you’re not ready for quite yet. Our overall purpose here is that we are preventing injury! Because no one came to us to get hurt, right?

Well today, I am going to talk about our yellow wrist band friends.

What is this band for?

This is a common question from our new members but I feel that we often forget the importance of this band, or don’t have all of the knowledge that we could have about it!

The yellow wrist band corresponds with the Active Straight Leg Raise, that was performed while laying on your back. This test asses:

• If you are able to disassociate the lower extremity and maintain a stable torso while doing so
• Flexibility in your hamstrings and gastroc-soleus
• Ability to maintain stability through pelvis while actively extending the opposite leg
• Hip mobility of the opposite leg, combined with lower abdominal stability

A lack of mobility of the hip flexor in the opposite hip, poor functional hamstring flexibility of leg being raised, and core stability can all be factors that lead to an issue- and there is when we add the yellow band.

What does this mean when it comes to exercise?

We want to be cautious of powerful hip dominant exercises, as the current flexibility/mobility status of the hamstrings and hip flexors, and lack of core stability, could lead to injury!

Examples of exercises not performed with a yellow band:

• Loaded deadlifts without the toes elevated
• Kettlebell swings
• Kettlebell clean
• i.e. explosive movements and exercises that are demanding too much on some of our problem areas

Here is where doing a little bit of extra credit work outside of your training time may be necessary. Listed below are stretches/corrective exercises that can be performed to help to improve hamstring/gastroc-soleus flexibility, hip flexor mobility, and help you to work on your core stability.

Bent Knee Leg Lowering

Purpose: To improve core stability and flexibility of the hamstrings

How to perform it:

• Lay on your back with your right leg straight and your left leg bent with your left foot flat on the floor
• Pull the toes of your right foot toward your shin
• Keeping the right leg straight, take 3 seconds to lift the leg as high as you can while keeping it straight without your knee bending
• Take 3 seconds to lower your leg

Repeat: 10x on each leg

Don't do it: if there is pain or popping in the hip or spine

Band Leg Lowering

Purpose: To improve core stability with hip separation, also improving flexibility of the hamstrings/gastroc-soleus of leg in band

How to perform:

• Grab a resistance band or towel and place it around the instep of your left foot
• Lay in a supine position and raise both legs as high as you can while keeping them straight
• Keeping both feet flexed, slowly lower your right leg towards the floor
• Slowly raise the right leg back up to the starting position

Repeat: 10x on each side

Don't do it: if there is pain or popping in the hip or spine

When should these be done? Daily, either at home or before/after class!

I hope this was helpful and next week I will be sharing some information on the white wristband!

Get stretching,
Coach Cari

There is not a whole lot that infuriates me, but there is one thing that seriously gets under my skin and that is false advertisement. I was picking up a salad at Live Juice a few weeks ago and on the counter they had these cookies….

But wait let me back up...Live Juice is a great restaurant choice if you are out and about. The ingredients are whole and fresh and they will customize your order and not even look at you funny which is always a selling point for me. Most people know that when you go into Live Juice you have the ability to eat a nutritious and satisfying meal…

Okay, so knowing all of this is why this next part really grinds my gears. The cookies on the counter are advertised as gluten free, dairy free, egg free and non GMO…must be a healthy cookie, right?

Wrong. Read the ingredient label and there are 4, yes 4, different types of sugar in this cookie. The serving size of this normal sized saucer cookie was ½ a cookie and with that serving size there were 18 grams of sugar. I don’t know about you, but when I eat a cookie I eat the entire cookie so think about THAT for a minute. Of course there is sugar- IT’S A COOKIE! But DO NOT advertise as if this is a healthy thing to put in your body!

• There is no such thing as a healthy cookie
• Read your labels
• If you are going to splurge and eat a cookie, don’t fool yourself thinking one cookie is healthier than the other- just eating the stinkin’ cookie and get back to making good choices!

Rant over. Now make it happen!

-Coach Meagan

There is nothing fresher, tastier, and yes even more friendly to the environment than having local produce grown by local farmers. For those of us who don't have the time or talent to grow our own veggies, getting involved in a CSA is like gold! (CSA= Community Supported Agriculture)

This is where it gets exciting, Get Fit NH is sponsoring a pickup place for Brookford Farm's CSA. You will be able to pickup your veggies at Get Fit NH in Concord. Last summer we did this and it was fantastic. For those of you out in Epsom, Coach Nancy will bring your food to the Epsom gym for pickup there as well. I would say that's perfect for everyone!

Brookford Farms has an easy registration process. They have different packages to fit your family's needs. While registering simply check the box for Get Fit NH Concord as your pick up place. Your veggies start arriving on June 5th, 2017 to October 22rd, 2017.

This week’s student spotlight is a little different than normal. It features Lauren Sullivan who has been part of the family for a while now. In emailing her briefly over recovery week, she sent me an email back that I think everyone needs to read. I have cleared it with Lauren to share, so please take 5 minutes out of your day to read what she has to say.

Lauren is in the middle receiving her "I survived" shirt!

I saw Cherie at Sandy's the other day and we often do end up talking to each other about different things relating to and supporting one another after both losing our fathers, and this particular day I ended up talking about how Get Fit and also you, have made SUCH a difference in my life! We talked all about the fact that a lot of my reasons for continuing at Get Fit was because of your support and encouragement, as well as being inspired by you as a coach and a mentor. As you know, when I first came to Get Fit it was evident I hadn't worked out in years lol! But, that was a part of my fear, and because of you and the team, the fact that I hadn't worked out in forever never held me back from wanting to get better (which has been a factor in the past of not sticking with things I had tried)! I had 101 fears when I first started from things like not being accepted, or about being judged, feeling a lack of confidence in my ability, and even fearing I would I wouldn't stick with it based on my level of ability and hoping I wouldn't be ostracized by other members for it. As I'm sure you know, no member of Get Fit will ever have to worry about that- or any of those things for that matter! I love it at Get Fit, and so much of that is because of you and your support! I feel a part of a community, and I couldn't be more grateful for the experience I've had! I told Cherie that, and it made me think I should probably tell you, because your coaching has really impacted my journey here in a positive way! So, thank you very much! I appreciate it! This experience as a whole has made a huge difference in my life!"

It took a lot of guts to not only share this with me, but to also allow me to share it with all of you as well. Lauren deserves a big hand for doing so. I hope that Lauren's story can help you all in some way or another, I know it helps me!

-Coach Adam