SHOUT OUT PERFECT ATTENDANCE

We are shouting out from the roof tops our perfect attendance recipients for the last 4 weeks! We know it is hard to get in here sometimes and we so appreciate you making us a part of your day! We will NOT take for granted that you CHOOSE to train with Get Fit NH. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you! Thank you for all of your hard work, your dedication and your commitment to your health. Make sure you give yourself a high five for making it happen and also these students who made perfect attendance!

*April Han
*Betty Holmes
*Chris Ward
*June Fredette
*Mallory Drew
*Tom Barker
*Abby Jones
*Carol Ringo
*Lori Boucher Nichol
*Mary Ellen Moretto
*Lisa Moquin
*Tracy Dow
*Doris Anderson
*John Laroche
*Kristine Girard
*Mae Lynn Arlinghaus
*Tracy Lothrop
*Kate Nadler
*Emily Rice
*Jere Smith
*Becky Lovell
-Shannon Gile
*Cristina Kearns
*Deb Rosenthal
*Adam Rosenthal
*Karen Anderson
*Kate Fox
*Kelly Gauthier
*Marie Oosterman
*Karen Knowles

Bravo ladies and gentleman. It is an honor to be your coach! Keep making it happen- who is joining this list for March???

Coach Meagan

Training for a cause is right around the corner!

On Saturday February 27th we will gather as a family at Get Fit NH Concord to have some weekend fun! Training will start at 9 AM sharp. We welcome you to bring your family, friends, and co-workers to come see what we are all about. Training for a cause is our quarterly fundraiser event. We get together, donate $10 to a great cause ($15 if you want a sweet custom Get Fit NH/OHT hat), sweat a little, laugh a lot, and have some fun.

Wondering what exactly you are donating to? Operation Hat Trick (OHT) is a New Hampshire based Veteran’s program who help support wounded Vets. This is different than Wounded Warrior Project, because all of the money raised stays right here in NH to help our very own heroes. To learn more about how their funds are disbursed you can check them out here

This program has our ongoing support as we hold active military and veterans near and dear to our hearts.
We look forward to seeing you there!

Date: Saturday, February 27, 2016
Time: 9 AM
Where: Get Fit NH Concord
Cost: $10 or $15 if you want to sport the hat

Who Is Going to Win MARCH MADNESS, Get Fit NH Style?

February 29th we will kick off our first and very own version of March Madness. Whether you watch college basketball or not, you have most likely heard of March Madness. March Madness is college basketball’s crazy playoff tournament where the winner is the national champion. We have decided to give into the fever. So beginning the first week of March (the week of 2/29/16) teams will compete for ultimate bragging rights as well as some sweet CUSTOM T-Shirts (and did we mention bragging rights??)

CONCORD STUDENTS:

Here’s how it works! Every week two teams will go head to head, whichever team has the most MEPS by the end of the week will advance to the next round until only two teams remain. Additionally, running at the same time, will be a consolation bracket. If you do not make it out of the first round you can keep it going. If you don’t have a MYZONE, but you love March Madness and want to have some fun. Sounds like a perfect reason to take your training to the next level.

For this challenge we are selling the new MZ3 MYZONE belts for LESS than what we pay! That’s right- $60! If you have one of the older belts, those are great and work fabulous. The upgraded belts (MZ3) record activity in real time. So let’s say you are out skiing – if you have you belt on then your MEPS will update immediately rather than recording on your bean until the next time you return to the gym. Also you will be able to see your effort stream (meaning your tile) in real time rather than going back to see how you did.

Every Tuesday you can check out the team board to find out your result and which team you are taking on next.

So find your team members, get your team registered by filling out a team card located next to the MYZONE leader board, and start the smack talking! Registrations are due by February 23rd.

ATTENTION EPSOM STUDENTS! Did you think we forgot about you? WRONG! You guys have a special March Madness challenge too. It’s so special that Coach Nancy won’t even share with the rest of us what it is! If you want to know what it is then you gotta show up to training to hear her talk about it 🙂

Start Date: Monday February 29, 2016
End Date: Friday March 25, 2016
Cost: Just a little Blood, Sweat and Tears 🙂
Registration deadline: Tuesday February 23, 2016

Got a Young Athlete in the Family? – This Is For You!

Get Fit NH Athlete Academy is back and ready to take off, get your athlete signed up today!!!

Starting Saturday February 13th and running through May 21st we will be holding our Winter/Spring session of Athlete Academy. Whether your athlete is looking for some more in season work to help with mobility and flexibility to stay injury free or looking to increase strength and explosive ability leading into a spring or summer sport we are here to help.

It has been my distinct pleasure to run this Athlete Academy over the course of the last year working with some awesome kids. They have really enjoyed it and have gotten the most out of the program. I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching them and am excited to begin another semester this spring.

Training will be from 8:00am until 9:15am on Saturday mornings. Each athlete will have a program that is customized for their needs in addition to the Saturday training that they will do on their own. Examples would include an additional strength day, specific mobility work, or recovery training. Each athlete will have an online log as well as a private group the athlete, parents and coaches will have access to.

Space is limited, so please don’t delay getting in on the action.

Looking forward to it!
Coach Adam

GFNH Athlete Academy Winter/Spring Semester (13+)

Assessment: To be completed by Friday February 12th (New Athletes Only)
Dates: February 13th, 2016 – May 21st, 2016
Days: Saturday
Time: 8:00am – 9:15am
Place: Get Fit NH Concord
Tuition: $269

Please fill out the registration form below to hold your spot, and we will contact you shortly to complete the registration process.

The spotlight is on…

The spotlight is shining bright on 5 AM superstar, Marky Mark. If you have ever been to a 5 AM class then you know Mark- he is the one with the “Fox Fancy Pants” and adds a rock n’ roll jump to every squat jump. Mark has the ability to make a whole room full of people laugh and brighten your door all before 6 AM. Aside from an awesome personality, Mark also works his butt off. You can also count on him working through every second of every set. I am thrilled to put the spotlight on Mark. Here is what he has to say!

“I started at Get Fit NH January 2011, just earned my 4 year strong shirt. My wife was enrolled about 1 month before me and said this is something I would like. I was running in the early hours and I needed something instead of the run in the winter. I’m an active person, I play baseball in an over 40 league, I play softball, I play indoor soccer. All activities are afternoon or at night. So I wanted an early morning class to get me motivated, build some muscle and lose some unneeded belly. Well the 5am class is just what I needed, every day is different (just like my own job). You get to train and work with different tools. Some items work small areas on your body and some items work big areas. Each day is as important as the
next. I found that, yes I was sore some days, but always push myself to get into the training and get myself better.

I love the fact that this is available and I go in with an open mind and know that the trainers
will provide an hour of work with fun mixed in to make me a stronger, fit and a better
person. The group who have been with me for the past 4 years I consider all close
friends including the trainers past and present, they all encourage and laugh and
give feedback in a non stressful environment.

I personally have seen many changes- from having my food log just tossed in the trash
and getting the right food to eat, to going from a 34 waist to a 32 waist, and
shirts down from a XL to a Large. When I went through kidney cancer, that was the
longest month of my life. I couldn’t train and I can’t sit still, I need to be active! I
lost all my strength and my weight was wicked low at 165. I pushed myself to get back
into the training and all has been fantastic since. I have noticed that since I’ve
been in this training I have not been as sick as I have in years past.

My weight has been up and down started at 185 and has been as low as 165 but with
added body mass, running around 175. I know I have work to do and I know my BAD
HABITS, that’s what keeps me going. I enjoy the challenge and will work hard, and
I know the training and trainers at Get Fit NH will provide the way to get me there.
Thanks again for ALL YOUR work.” -Mark “Marky Mark” Dartnell

Mark is 4 years strong and I couldn’t imagine not getting to see him everyday. He is such a special part of this family. Thank you for choosing to train with us, Mark and thank you for sharing your story.

-Coach Meagan

Keep Calm and Train Smart

Raise your hand if it has been 12 weeks or more since your last functional movement screen!!! If your hand is up, don’t worry, we got you covered. Starting Wednesday, January 20th we are opening up at least 4 hours every Wednesday through February to keep you training smart.

Why should I get re-screened? So glad you asked! The functional movement screen is the best way for us to:

Prevent injury
Train you better and safer
Train you as an individual
Personalize your training in a group setting
Measure progress
Refer you out as necessary

Your functional movement screen could be different from the screen you had 12+ weeks ago. Whether you have 5 bands or 0 bands – your body changes. So with that being said- sign up for your rescreen! The sign up is out- so don’t delay!

Here is to getting better,
Coach Meagan

One more spotlight for the year

The spotlight is shining bright on the one and only Mama B! That’s right- Coach Meagan’s mom- Lisa Baron! Since joining Get Fit NH just over a year ago I have had the opportunity to watch my mother’s body, mood, and health change drastically. She is leaner than I have ever remembered, stronger than I have ever seen her and HAPPY with her results. I am so proud of my mom and I am so glad she took a leap of faith and walked through the doors. Here is what she has to say about her journey.

“I chose to check out Get Fit NH. because I was desperate to work out again- but NOT get hurt again. I needed real coaching plus I was encouraged by a certain daughter/coach! After my first two weeks I learned how much I missed group training. I found both the coaches and the clients to be so supportive. I had done kickboxing when my kids were younger and tried working with a trainer at Planet Fitness a few years ago, but both lead me to injury. My main concern was protecting my back. I had tried a whole year of seeing a chiropractor religiously and had no luck. Massage therapy was incredibly helpful, but unrealistic to keep up with treatment financially. I love Get Fit NH because I have had great results. I feel great. Even when my shoulder was “frozen” I never missed a training session. I was very grateful for all of the modifications that the coaches provided. Since starting Get Fit NH I have lost over 25 pounds and have successfully kept it off. The results were slow at first, but after my first 21 day detox and changing my eating habits the results came quick! After years of Prilosec and Tums I have not had to take either since the first detox- what a discovery that was! My one regret is that I did not keep track of inches- I know I have lost there because I am definitely down a few sizes”

There you have it. Another story of real life results. Here is my tip for you- it took me a couple of years to talk my mom into walking through the doors of Get Fit NH. She had a lot of excuses NOT to join (time, money, distance…) I didn’t give up, because I am confident that what we do here actively creates happy and healthy! What more could I want for the people I love? Who have you given up on? Spread the word. Help us create happy and healthy- together we can save lives!

-Coach Meagan

Why A Chest Strap Monitor?

There is no doubt wearable fitness trackers are hot items these days. From FitBit, to Phone Apps, even the Apple Watch is in on the action. I think that is a good thing, because anything that helps keep us accountable and motivated is a step in the right direction.

But that doesn’t mean they are the best or most accurate way to measure fitness or more importantly, improvement.

The most important question before making a purchase is “What do I want to track?”

We use heart rate monitors in our gyms because they allow us to track effort, intensity, and recovery through one simple to use tool. Put the chest strap on and you are done. In real time you are able to look up and see how your body is working. The accuracy of a heart rate monitor is unparalleled – it is still the gold standard of fitness tracking. If you want to see if you are improving, using your heart rate monitor is a must. Otherwise you are just guessing.

But what about the other tools out on the market? Our friends at MyZone (who obviously are biased toward heart rate monitors, especially their own) break down four of the major types of wearables.

The wrist tracker – Wrist trackers count your steps then estimate your calories burned. More recently, these devices attempt to measure your pulse. They shine a light into the blood vessels in your wrist to detect the changes in blood volume that occur each time your heart beats. Two of the major problems found in this method are 1) wrist trackers are not skin-tight, thus movement of the band up or down the arm result in inconsistent readings and 2) ambient light is able to leak in between the tracker and your wrist to throw off its light-based readings.

The fingertip monitor – These types of monitors are most often used in the hospital setting. While typically spot-on when measuring the BPM of the body at rest, many have been unable to accurately keep up with the BPM of the body in motion. So a fingertip monitor can not accurately track your heart rate during a triathlon, a Crossfit class, or a HIIT bootcamp.

The phone app – While a good first step in the right direction, a simple step counter is an antiquated (an not incredibly accurate) means of physical activity measurement. Step counting alone can not push you to meet your fitness goals. Some new phones feature heart rate detection by placing your finger on a sensor near the camera. Though this method can only be used to measure the heart rate while at rest, it was not made to track your BPM during physical activity.

The chest strap – A chest strap heart rate monitor is able to closely emulate an actual EKG machine by measuring the electrical pulses emitted by the heart–during almost all forms of exercise! Studies have shown the chest strap monitor to be among the most accurate wearable tracking devices during a wide variety of intense exercises.

A chest strap monitors your heart rate so that you are able to maintain the intensity required to meet your fitness goals. And it helps to strengthen that life-sustaining muscle located in your chest. A wrist tracker nor a phone app is able to accurately take into account the number of pushups and squats you did, or how many kettle bell swings you churned out. But with a chest strap heart rate measurement, you can know when to push yourself harder or when to slow down based on the real-time feedback coming straight from your heart. If you want an accurate reading during traditional and non-traditional exercise, the chest strap is the clear choice. (source: MyZone.org)

The message is clear: Wearing a heart rate monitor while training is an important part of making sure you are training appropriately, effectively, and getting great results.

And why wouldn’t you want that?

Great Spotlights shining in!

As if training isn’t challenging enough? Here is another success story from the one and only Becky Lovell. Becky trained right up until the day she delivered! I am talking this woman training every single training day. This woman did not miss a day of training her entire pregnancy – 9 months! Perfect attendance in itself is impressive- perfect attendance while pregnant? Now that is something worth sharing! I am so proud of Becky. She has been an inspiration to me since long before she was expecting. Becky prides herself on “keeping up with the boys” at 6:15 AM! She can definitely hold her own and then some. Her story is so awesome and I am so excited to see what happens next!

Here is her story!

“I started training at GFNH in 2010 to help maintain my 40lb loss and have become leaner and stronger over the last 5 years.  I have set and reached goals in and out of GFNH that I never would have dreamed possible.   One goal that I achieved in October 2014 was to run and finish the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC.  Ironically, if you had asked me 10 years ago if I would ever run a marathon, I would have laughed and thought you were crazy.   Last fall my husband, Garrett, began at GFNH and gave me a little friendly competition which helped me to set some new goals for 2015.

This year I started out with my new goals, one of which was to get stronger, so I joined the small group training, Training for Warriors (TFW).   About a month into TFW training, I found out that I was pregnant.  I have always wanted to be a mom, so at 36 I was thrilled, but knew that I would have to make some modifications to my goals for 2015.  With my doctor’s approval I was able to continue with both GFNH and TFW.

Not much changed with my training in the beginning other than the addition of a heart rate monitor with instructions to stay out of the red training zone.   Yes, I was a little more tired, and I did have some nausea, but I began to notice on the days I made it to GFNH I would feel better and have fewer pregnancy symptoms.  Over the past few months, I have continued to train at both 6:15 and TFW in the afternoon.  Depending on the day and how I was feeling I have not always been able to train as hard as I would have liked.  One of the big lessons I have learned with my pregnancy is to listen to my body, and not be hard on myself if I physically couldn’t do some of the more advanced work I am used to doing.  The added pregnancy weight and my changing body with baby bump have made a lot of things much harder than before.  Yes, it has been frustrating to have to do some of the regressions, or even ask for modifications, but it would be more frustrating to not be at GFNH at all.

Over the months I have only missed a couple of classes and my plan is to train right up to birth.  There have been plenty of days that I have not wanted to go to work, let alone walk through the doors of GFNH.  Those are the days I had to dig deep and know that I have friends who would look for me and wonder where I was.  Right, Stacey Haggett?  When I needed some motivation, I just look to some of the other people in my 6:15 or TFW classes.  I watched Sarah Smith make it to training everyday of her pregnancy at 6:15, and she is now working hard post-pregnancy.  Not to mention training at TFW with a pregnant Coach Meagan who has helped to push me to get better.  Both have been a source of inspiration. 

My due date is nearing, in fact I am 39 weeks, and still trying to train as hard as I can.  One goal I had during my pregnancy was to be able to do a chirpee at 9 months, crazy I know, but when you are handed a challenge by a fellow classmate… I was able to perform one at 8 months however I am sad to report that as of last week I could not get my chin over the bar.  I have spent the last 9 months training hard for a different kind of Marathon in mid-October, with a goal to maintain my strength and deliver a happy, healthy baby. 

Now it’s time to set some new post-baby goals for 2016!”

Pregnant or not- you can make it happen too! I am so proud of Becky and all of her accomplishments. Some of the accomplishments she is too humble to share are 2 Reach the Beach events, a lot of half marathons, maximum deadlift of 225 lbs, 6 unassisted chins, and so much more. This woman is strong. She is not afraid to pick up the heaviest weight in the gym and squat with it! You too can make it happen!

RTB 2013

Marine Corps Marathon 2014

RTB 2014

Indoor obstacle course 2015 (yes, she was pregnant here!)

The spotlight is shining

I asked Lori to do a student spotlight, because her story is so easy to relate to and so awesome! I remember when Lori came to me just before our annual summer challenge this year. Lori was ready to take the reigns back on her health and fun fact about her? She NEVER turns down a good challenge. In fact, she embraces a challenge and takes off running with it, which is one of the many reasons I love being her coach. Not only did she smoke check our Sizzling Summer Slimdown challenge, but she didn’t stop there. We set a new long term goal which she has been successfully chipping away at. Here is Lori’s wh0le story. I think we can all relate to this story…

“I came to Get Fit NH September 6,2011 in rough shape! I watched and listened to my dear friend Colleen talk about the “bootcamp” she was going to in preparation for her wedding. I watched her body change and just before her wedding thought, Wow, she looks awesome! I wanted what she had. It sounded challenging and I thought  was I really up for that but knew something had to change.
I walked in that first day 4 years ago SO anxious I really wanted to walk out. I almost did not make it through that first training session. Remember distinctly Coach Erin asking me if I was OK. I hated they way I felt both physically and mentally. I did survive that first day and the next and the next. I set a goal after my free 2 weeks to drop 50lbs. And I almost did it, I was 3 lbs shy. I got very frustrated like always and fell back into old way. Gained some back. Then did S3 and was part of a great group of ladies and we won that challenge. Then again fell into old habits. Not really sure who I was fooling and it was mainly myself! I COULD NOT out train my bad nutrition . I was right back into the vicious cycle.
Once again I found myself hating how I felt both physically and mentally . I saw so many success stories happening all around me but I could not get out of my own way.
Get Fit is a great place and full of great resources. From the wonderful ladies I train with at 8:30 and great coaches and I was wasting it all. I was truly just going through the motions.
So, when S3 came around once again I was determined to completely change my mind set because I was not fooling anybody. It was so helpful to be part of Team Meagan. The support was incredible. Not only did I not want to let myself down , no way was I disappointing my team and coach.
Not going to lie. It’s not easy. It does not happen over night. It takes work .There is no magic. It takes knowing what works or doesn’t work for me.It takes knowing that I’m not the only one that has traveled down this road. It takes knowing I can ask for help and get it from any of the coaches. I’m so very appreciative of all of Coach Meagan’s support over the last 5 months .I’ve had a lot of life changes just recently and I’m still managing to stay on track. (Even needing to switch from my comfort zone of the 830 ladies to the 5 AM class).No more excuses. I feel the best I’ve felt in about 3 years. I am no longer falling asleep mid afternoon. My sugar addiction is under control. I feel stronger. I finally feel like a better me. With the best me still yet to come!”

We have been there, right? We have fallen off the wagon and tried to tell ourselves we would just train really really hard to burn off our sugar addiction, but it doesn’t work that way. Your coaches will tell you that and here is another awesome student telling you her experience. It’s true. You can take control. Lori did it and because of that she is reaping the benefits. It isn’t too late to take the reigns back. The results Lori has achieved in 5 months are do-able for you too! You just gotta make it happen!

Thank you, Lori for sharing your story and thank you for choosing to train with us!

Coach Meagan