Get Fit Games are back!

We are LONG overdue for our famous Get Fit Games! For those of you who have never even heard of it, prepare to mark your calendars and for those of you who have participated, get ready to beat your score!

On Saturday February 7, 2015 we will host a series of competitive events at our Concord location. There are 7 different parts to this event and they include:

1.) 3 repetition maximum Deadlift

2.) Front Plank for time

3.) 4 minute Push Up challenge (from the floor or incline)

4.) Vertical Jump

5.) Long Jump

6.) Chin ups/inverted row

7.) 1000 M Ski Erg Sprint

If there is a piece of this puzzle that you are currently unable to participate in due to an injury then we would encourage you to STILL participate, but skip that part. This is a FANTASTIC event to measure progress. We promise to hold these quarterly from here on out so that you can see where you are getting better. Everyone has a little competitiveness in their heart so come on out and show us what you’ve got!

When: Saturday Feb 7, 2015

Where:  Get Fit NH Concord

When: 8 AM

Make it happen!!!

Coach Meagan

Who is in the Spotlight?

This month’s student spotlight is going to Garrett Lovell. Garrett has an inspiring story and a dedicated heart to push on. I am so proud of how far he has come. Over the last three months I have had the honor to coach him and watch him change both physically and even mentally. His movement patterns have improved drastically and because of that his form has seriously improved. And because of his solid form he is now able to load a whole lot more. His results were earned, because he is dedicated to himself and committed to making a change. His wife, (almost) 5 year Get Fit veteran (Becky Lovell) keeps him on his toes and challenges him to lift something heavier each training session. This is what Garrett has to say:

“My wife, Becky, has been a member at Get Fit for over four years.  Knowing that I have struggled to find something I could stick to in order to maintain my “health” (ranging from Weight Watchers to that somewhat questionably “judgment-free zone” we all hear advertised), she had suggested and encouraged me to try Get Fit on multiple occasions.  I would regularly tell her that what I was doing was working ok for me (it wasn’t).  Sometimes I would say that I didn’t have the time or we didn’t have the extra money (I/we did).  Finally one morning I woke up and realized that I am 35 years old, I work for Under Armour, a company whose mission is to make athletes better, and here I was gaining weight, making poor eating choices, and probably in the worst shape I’ve ever been in.  By now I think Becky had given up on me ever considering trying Get Fit (which was largely validated by her reaction when I told her I wanted to try it), but I knew that she enjoyed the classes and had certainly achieved some great results and what I had been doing, or not doing, certainly wasn’t working.

It didn’t take long for me to realize how truly unhealthy I had let myself become.  My initial functional movement screening must have been somewhere between comical and soul-crushing for Coach Meagan to administer.  I quickly dubbed myself “Rainbow Bright” with the colorful collection of four limitation bands I had earned for myself.  That first week of classes was a real ego-bruiser, too.  Exercises that I had been able to do fairly easily a number of years back now seemed a lot like what I imagined were advanced CIA interrogation techniques.  When I filled out my questionnaire before starting my two week trial, I had rated my fitness level as a 2 out of 10 which in hind sight felt like I may have been giving myself a little too much credit.

Monday will mark my third month at Get Fit.  While I’m still not satisfied (and I admit that I’m one of those people that rarely is), I am pleased with the results I’ve been able to achieve with the support of my coaches, classmates, family, and friends.  I’m lifting heavier loads, have increased my flexibility, and have quite a few sweatshirts that are a lot looser fitting than I remembered them being last winter when I wore them last.

The coaching staff at Get Fit and the people in my most regularly attended 7:25am class time have been fantastic and frankly the sole reason I kept coming back at first.  They’ve been patient, supportive, and certainly not judgmental.  Now that I’ve started to see some progress and results (and friends, family, and co-workers have too), I have a whole new source of motivation.  I have a red band that I still have to test out of and I’m not fit enough to take up the mantle of Captain America yet (yes, you read that right, I’m 35 and I still want to be Captain America when I grow up), but I’m working on getting stronger and healthier and figure that I can make at least one of those two things happen in the near future.”

We look forward to the transformation. Whether that be to Get Fit NH’s very own Captain America or Garrett’s best version of himself- we’ll take either one with open arms 🙂

You too can make it happen!

Coach Meagan

Can you believe 2014 is coming to an end?

It 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!

It 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!

Why Personal Training?

Did you know that Get Fit NH offers Personal Training?

It’s true, and I want to share why we are working hard to expand the days and times we offer this service. Our renovations of earlier this year and the additions to our coaching team have been leading us closer to achieving this goal.

Our Award Winning Smart Group Training is all many of our students want and need to Lose Fat, Get Lean, and Look and Feel Great. However there are times when a smaller group setting (2-4 students) may be more appropriate.

• Post-rehabilitation training.
• Sports specific training.
• Students just getting back into fitness or starting their new healthy lifestyle.
• Students who would enjoy training in smaller groups.
• Just to name a few.

We are committed to having the best large group training programs available, and that fact is not going to change. But for those of you who want a personalized training program (updated just for you every 4-6 weeks) in a more intimate setting, we have a couple spots available on Monday and Fridays at noon, with more coming as we head into the new year.

For more information please contact us here

Please RSVP to the GFNH Christmas Party and Awards

Are 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!

Guitars, Gyms and Getting Gooder

I was reading an article over at StrongFirst written by Dr. B Ramana, and it really got me thinking about a good answer when someone asks me:

“What makes Get Fit NH different than any other gym?”

The article reminded me for the last few years I have wanted to learn to play the guitar. My sister is an excellent musician, but when I was a kid I never had the patience for it like she did, practicing for the hours and hours it takes to get really, really good.

Now imagine because I want to learn guitar I walk into a studio to get some instruction, and the teacher tosses a guitar to me and excitably says:

“Here’s a guitar. Start playing the riff from ‘Smoke On the Water’ for 30 seconds. Take a little break and then knock out some “Crazy Train” for another 30 seconds. Catch your breath and then give me some “Purple Haze” for 30 more. Half a minute of “Hotel California” and then take a 30 second break. Just repeat that over and over, and I’ll be back in an hour or when your fingers start bleeding, whichever comes first.”

My 60 minute lesson finishes, and the next day I come back (??) for some more. Except this time he hands me an electric guitar and four different song choices. When I protest and say I don’t think I did very well with yesterday’s music he enthusiastically shouts:

“You can do it. Don’t give up. It’s just 30 seconds. Anyone can do it!”

Only the reality is that I can’t do it, or as we like to say around here I am  “currently unable”.

Now imagine I venture into a different studio. The teacher asks me about any previous experience with the guitar and why I want to play the guitar. We talk about expectations for how quickly I might learn to play guitar and the work that will be necessary outside of the lesson time. He teaches me the basics first. Finger placement, strumming technique, chords, progressions. I go in every day and build on the previous lesson.

Now fast forward a year, and imagine the progress. Which studio helped me get closer toward my goal of being a good guitar player?

What’s that got to do with exercise and nutrition, you ask? More importantly what does that have to do with you?

Here’s a fact. Any gym or trainer can beat you up, and many gyms and trainers do. Come in, get smashed, drag your butt out the door. Mission Accomplished.

But what if there was a better way? What if you could sit down with someone who would talk to you about your goals, how to create change, and how to overcome obstacles? What if they assessed you to see how your body was moving and then helping you move better so you could reach your goals faster? What if the accountability and support helped you keep your goals in mind, even when life got in the way? What if the coaches cared about how you did each exercise movement and helped you master each one? What if you actually enjoyed going to train and felt better walking out of the gym then you did when you walked in?

I’d kinda like to train in a place like that. 🙂

When someone asks me (or you) why Get Fit NH is different than any other gym, pull out your guitar and give them some Hendrix. That’ll get ’em talking!

Thank-you for choosing to train with us, and keep Making It Happen!

Coach Dean

Do You Have A Scale Obsession?

Stop 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!

Karl In His Own Words – “Mr. 102″ Tells How He Did It

We highlighted a few weeks ago how Karl reached his goal of losing 100 pounds (or more) last year. Now we get to hear from the man himself.

Karl’s Transformation

I was too fat and not happy with the way I looked or felt. The only problem was that I didn’t know what to do or how to go about changing that. I knew I didn’t have the will power to get a gym membership and work out on my own every day. I have been down that road too many times with exercise equipment at home. The first few week’s goes great then I tend to fall into the “Tomorrow night” routine, and before I knew it three more weeks had past and I hadn’t thought about working out.

It was always easier to buy bigger clothes then do anything else.

Bootcamp experience

I was hesitant to come to bootcamp. I didn’t know what to expect, and I’m not one for new things. The first two weeks was painful, but it was a good pain. It was sore muscles that I didn’t know I had. Once I was into the swing of things it has been great. Dean and Nancy are positive and encourage us to go a little further but you aren’t pushy about it. I know when I heard it was bootcamp I was picturing a strict drill instructor. As I quickly found out that is not how it is at Get Fit NH Bootcamp. I have found everyone involved in class to be positive and encouraging. I guess it’s hard to say my experience has been anything but good, especially with the results we have seen. I like the variety of exercises, and finding new limits.

Eating Habit changes

This is probably the area that I have had to change the most in. I love to eat and drink. It wasn’t unusual for me to drink 4 or more beers a night, snack, and eat a huge dinner. I wouldn’t eat much of a breakfast, usually a bagel and a coffee. Lunch was typically a sandwich, or left over’s from the night before. I would load up on dinner till I was stuffed. I would eat lots of carbs during the day. I wasn’t concerned with what I ate or how much. Now I follow a lower carb diet, making sure I get the right amount of protein and it seems to work well. I have cut back on the beer and snacking. It was difficult at first but after a few weeks it wasn’t too bad. By not having certain things on a regular basis it makes them taste better when I do. We don’t typically buy junk food now. If it isn’t in the house it is easier to avoid. I find myself looking at food and asking if I need it or just want it. Before bootcamp everything was a need, now most things are a want. I still eat the “wants” but not as often. The more weight I lost the easier it has been to stay away from the junk food, especially as goals became close. We still go out to dinner, and eat what we want but we are a lot smarter about it. We work it into our meal plans.

Jill’s Transformation Story

Get Fit NH client Jill has often taken a backseat as her husband Karl lost an amazing 102 pounds over the last 12 months. But this women has her own amazing story to tell. Prepare to be motivated…

Jill’s Transformation

I have always been heavy, but I haven’t always been huge. And I was huge and unhappy! In middle school I was active and fit. I played softball, karate and cheerleading. In high school I was still into softball and karate, and was coaching 6-7 year old cheer, but the activity level was slowly decreasing and my weight increasing. In college I maintained my weight fairly well. Both my roommates were health conscious and fit, and it helped me maintain, but I was still a size 16.

When I graduated and moved home I tried staying active, but walking every once in a while is not staying active. I really started packing on the weight when Karl and I bought a house and moved in together. Although we shared in the responsibilities of cooking, we ate crap food. We ate what was easy. Pizza, subs, deep fried anything, and we would attempt to justify our bad eating habits with a small side salad smothered in dressing. We would eat in front of the TV and stay on the sofa until bed time, needless to say, we were anything but active.

One of my unsaid reasons for losing weight was to be healthy enough to have children, and to be there for them. In the back of my mind I was scared that I was going to be too fat to do the things I would want to be able to do with my children.

I knew we needed a change, and it had to be something that both of us could attack and stick with. I knew this wasn’t something I would be able to accomplish by myself. I was starting to buy size 20 pants and saw 240 pounds on the scale, and was becoming so uncomfortable in my own skin. I found a Get Fit NH card during a massage from Heidi at Chichester Massage, and checked out the website. It looked like something I could do, but the real test was going to be getting Karl interested. I asked Karl to check out the website, and prayed it was something he was interested in, because we needed something!

Our first class was fun and encouraging. It was a back to basic’s night, filled with lunges and squats. Even though I was paralyzed for the next week, I was having a great time and the 6pmers couldn’t have been more encouraging. It was encouraging to hear Brian and Dr. Dave were sore after that first workout too!

It wasn’t until the S3 competition that Karl and I really started getting serious about what we were eating. Dean and Nancy have been so helpful and supportive between the newsletters, seminars, pep talks before, during and after class, emails and fitgoal.com. I love the recipes that Dean and Nancy and the rest of the family provide, and I love even more that I have a willing subject to try all these new and different recipes on. If you’d had told me a year ago, that my new favorite dish was going to be Denise’s vegetable lasagna, I’d have told you you’re crazy. Our big change was following the meal plan that Dean and Nancy gave us, without that we would not be seeing the results we’ve seen.

I am so much more comfortable in my own skin now. I am liking the way I look and liking how my clothes are fitting. Not that we are ready to start having children, but I feel much more prepared now that I am on the track to reaching my goal weight and knowing how to eat to live. Not live to eat.

People are always asking what our ‘secret’ is, and I find it a little funny that people think it’s a secret.

If you ask anyone how to lose weight they will tell you “be active and eat right.” It’s actually putting that to practice that is the hard part, so I would have to say my ‘secret’ is my determination. I’m determined to meet my goals. I am determined to cook healthy for myself and Karl, and not let his diabetes get the best of him. I am determined to love the way I look!

I am writing this during a recovery week, and realize how much I miss my Get Fit NH family. It’s with their help, and Karl’s support that I’ve been as successful as I’ve been, and know that I can reach my next goal.

My next short term goal is to feel good in a bathing suit in February. Longer goals include losing another 30 pounds, becoming more adventurous with vegetables (Karl’s always been the one who will eat anything – I’ve always been the picky eater) and making sure we are eating them every day, having kids, and loving my life and myself!

Be Like Jill. Become part of the fitness revolution that is truly creating change – Mind and Body. At Get Fit NH results are not automatic, you have to work for it. But our clients are proving every day that you don’t have to settle for second best.

Click Here to Read More Amazing Stories About How Get Fit NH Clients Are Making It Happen Every Day