It’s All About Hard Work

“There’s no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist; we are all equals as human beings. You could be anyone if you put in the time. You will reach the top, and that’s that. I’m not talented, I am obsessed.” –Conor McGregor

I have to admit, I did not like Conor McGregor when I first started hearing bits and pieces of audio from him. For any of you who do not know, Conor McGregor is a professional UFC fighter. While I may not know a ton about UFC, I have never been able to take the loud mouth cocky shtick that comes along with him. However, after reading this quote, I may be coming around.

I’m a sucker for this stuff. I have said on multiple occasions that I will take the person who works the hardest over the person with the most raw talent any day of the week. Of course, this quote just speaks to talent in general…if you’re 5’11” no matter how hard you work you will never be 6’ 6”. Talent, though, is created from hard work, coaching, and overall mental ability.

Do you think that some of the best players, fighters, and the like got that way by just waking up one morning and saying “whelp, I think I’m going to play professional baseball today”? No, of course not. They worked their butts off, found the right coaches, maybe had a lucky break here or there, but for the most part, worked harder than the guys who didn’t make it.

This is no different for any of you. You could be anyone if you put in the time and the hard work. You all may come from different backgrounds and be at different points in your lives. However, there is no reason you can’t build up to the point where you can do 2 minutes straight of burpees without stopping or finish the 12 pains of Christmas two times through. Depending on where you are, it may take a little more time or a little more effort, but it certainly doesn’t have to do with any predetermined factor.

You want it? You want to be healthy? You want to lose weight? You want to be super fit? You want to fit into a certain piece of clothing? Well guess what, that takes hard work almost to the point of obsession. So don’t think this person is just lucky or that person is not, it’s all about how hard you work and how bad you want it.

Make it happen!
– Coach Adam

Imagine a World Where You Had All the Answers…

To these “How to” questions:

•    How to be successful
•    How to raise successful and happy children
•    How to live comfortably
•    How to have a happy marriage

I wish I had those direct answers for you, but I don’t! Here is what I do have though – the answers to health! The answers to helping YOU create the best version of YOU. When you’re healthier, you’re happier. When you feel better, you act better. A leaner you is a more confident you. A stronger you is a more independent you. When you challenge yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, you are fearless and unstoppable.

What is one thing you keep telling yourself you’ll focus on next week? Next week never comes, tomorrow never comes, Monday never comes – focus on it NOW. You know what needs to change and, if not, here is a list of some things that could be holding you back from that next mark:

•    Nutrition – whether that means what you are eating, when you are eating, or how many times you are eating. Need some answers? Have you been to a Grateful Plate seminar? Have you tried the 21-day detox? The how to is right in front of you on this subject. It is just a matter of learning and taking action!
•    Training – are you training consistently? Once a week ain’t gonna cut it. Sporadically showing up ain’t gonna cut it. If you are going to do it – DO IT! Challenge yourself. If you are getting in here, then heck, step 2 is making every second from warm up to cool down count!
•    Recovery – Unless you are an elite athlete or someone who makes a living off of training, then quit training six or seven times a week. Guess what you are doing – nothing. Your body does its best work when you are recovering and if you never allow that to happen, then you are spinning your wheels and getting really frustrated when you don’t see a change.
•    Speaking of recovery – sleep! Are you sleeping? Are you shutting off the TV or closing the computer and trying to get at least 7 hours in? If the answer is no, then yeah – you’d be surprised how negatively this can affect where you are trying to go. Guess what happens to patience and discipline and mindset when you are tired? It goes down the drain!
•    Alcohol – so you are eating well, but drinking every night. “Just one glass a wine” does not do the body well. It does not help recovery. It does not help fat burning. Stop fooling yourself. I am not saying the occasional drink is detrimental to results, but I am saying that the nightly cocktail IS.
•    Stress Management – got a stressful job? A lot of us do. Being in control of the things above helps tremendously. If those things are out of control, then you are just adding to the pile.

If you are not going to focus on you, then no one else will. It is up to you to make the changes and focus on getting better. We’ve got a handle on the “How to” for health. The question is: are you just reading or are you taking action?

Make it Happen!
Coach Meagan

Are you taking enough time for yourself?

Today, I want to tell you how grateful I am that each of you chooses to train at Get Fit NH. As many of you know, my world was recently turned upside down with the birth of my son, Elijah. His arrival was a giant, unexpected surprise and my time away from the gym has allowed me the opportunity to reflect.

Prior to motherhood, I was a fast-paced and somewhat impatient individual. Some may consider me a bit of a control freak. I like to think of myself more as organized and well-prepared. For those of you who are parents, you are probably laughing at me right now as you understand the change I have been slapped with. I am now on someone else’s time which has caused me to slow way down. I am now responsible for someone else’s life which has caused me to put myself second.

It was 3pm the other day when I realized I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t showered. I hadn’t brushed my teeth. I stopped and I thought about all of you. All of the moms and dads of Get Fit NH. All of you who make it happen every single day often with multiple children, their practices, their games, school, and more. I thought about how a few weeks ago it was so easy for me to say, “take time for yourself”, and here I am not taking care of myself and not even realizing it.

Here is my confession along with my commitment to take care of me – my beautiful baby boy deserves a healthy mom and I can and will take care of me so that together we can be healthy, happy and strong! Don’t let yourself go now because it is going to be harder to catch up later. Life will always be busy and things will continue to pop up. Are you ready to tackle the obstacles? You deserve better and you best believe your kids deserve better.

I am so grateful for all of you for keeping me honest,
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

Bonus Spotlight for the End of the Year

Hello, ladies and gentlemen of Get Fit NH. It’s finally time for me to throw my hat into the ring and shine the spotlight on a deserving student. I decided to write my first spotlight on Kristin Wolfe. Before I talk about why she has earned this honor, I’ll let you read about Kristin’s experience with us in her own words:

“I chose GFNH because I wanted and needed to exercise differently; something other than going to a big box gym. That was just not motivating enough and I wasn’t getting the results I wanted by relying on myself to get me there and challenge myself each and every time. When I first started at GFNH, those first few months were difficult. I was overweight and sluggish, I was sore all of the time, I wondered if I would ever be able to go up and down stairs normally again or put on my jacket without wincing. I worried about not being able to execute the exercises correctly and effectively, I felt very uncoordinated and uncomfortable being there. But as I became a little stronger and with the unwavering support and guidance from Dean, within 6 months I could notice a big difference in how I carried myself both in and outside of GFNH. The constant soreness subsided and I looked forward to going to training rather than dreading it. I have lost and kept off 20 lbs.
          I have definitely become physically stronger over the years (yes, I am approaching my 6-year mark!) but I have also gained a considerable amount of self-confidence. Now I feel as though I could take on almost any challenge (BRING IT!), whether it be physical or mental. I try not to let the exercise beat me, don’t let it win, complete the challenge and be ready to face the next one. I dig deep for the “bring it on!” attitude and try to push through anything you guys throw at me. It’s a 180-degree attitude from when I first started. I came to training without the confidence to look the challenge in the eye, even shied away from it; now I come ready to face the challenge head on and hopefully kick its butt! I entered my first 5k road race a year and half after starting at GFNH and was so proud of myself to be able to run the entire thing in less than 30 minutes. That was quite a feat for me! I enter at least 1 per year now. I could barely do 1 push-up from my knees when I started and now I can crank out 34 in 3 minutes!
          We have horses and I don’t have to worry about being able to hoist 50lb grain bags or hay bales or awkward bales of shavings. I know I am strong enough to do it without a problem. I have a 10 year old daughter who enjoys being active and I am able to keep up and even surpass her activity level now. Over the next few years my family and I plan on hiking all of the 4,000 footers in NH and I am confident I can do it. I am still chasing that pre-pregnancy weight number on the scale, despite how unreasonable it may seem and in the back of my mind I know it is just a number and truly means nothing. I’d just like to see it one more time! Sometimes it’s not easy to take care of myself. Juggling the responsibilities of working full-time and being a mom can make it hard to manage time for myself (ie: getting to training) and ultimately I will sacrifice myself (ie: not getting to training) to be there for them.
          I still struggle with my willpower at times, carbs are the devil and I am so much better off without them. The nutritional guidance we get at GFNH is priceless. I have learned an immeasurable amount from Dean and Nancy through their seminars and constant preaching. I have learned how to eat better (no, I am not perfect by any means) and cleaner and how to actually read an ingredient label! The way I cook and even grocery shop is forever changed. While I have made considerable progress since my enrollment at GFNH, I never stop pushing myself. I want to do better, I want to do more. I want to lift more weight, get in more reps and advance to the next resistance band. I beat myself up when I don’t or can’t accomplish what I set out to do but that just makes me stronger and makes me attack it even harder next time. My time at GFNH has had such positive impacts on many aspects of my life, how do I thank someone enough for that? I can’t.”

I am at somewhat of a disadvantage here because I have only been here for the last year. I wasn’t able to see the beginning of Kristin’s journey. What I can tell you is that since day one I have been impressed with her effort day in and day out. I have always said I would take heart over talent in any situation. In my opinion, it’s the person who works the hardest day in and day out that deserves the praise and the accolades. Ironically, it is often those who work the hardest and have the most heart that achieve what they set out to. When it comes to heart, I don’t look much further than her, because she has it in spades. Keep up the hard work, Kristin!!

-Coach Adam

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

MYZONE Match Training is coming right up!

Mark your calendars! We have our next MYZONE Match training scheduled for Saturday November 21st at 8:00 am in Concord. Those who attended last time would probably agree that this training hour was quite the learning experience as well as a challenge. During this hour there will be a prescribed zone that we will want you to train in. For many of us we can easily jack our heart rate up into the red zone (90-100% of our maximum heart rate) while others have a challenge getting out of the green zone (70-80% M.H.R). Still others have a challenge getting back into the recovery zones. The purpose of the match training is to learn to control your exertion, control your recovery,and control your breathing. This type of control is and maintaining these zones is not easy and it is the optimal way to train your heart.

If you haven’t picked up your belt yet, you will want to make that happen before this event!  There is limited space available, so you MUST register for this training ahead of time, no exceptions please. Space is limited to 28 students, so please do not sign up if you are not 100% sure you can be there – Thanks!

After this fantastic sweat-a-thon we will have our brand new Grateful Plate seminar with Coach Nancy- so don’t miss out. It is 2 for 1 Saturday at Get Fit NH!

Make it Happen!
Coach Meagan

MyZone Match Training
When: Saturday November 21, 2015
Time: 8:00 AM Concord
Location: Get Fit NH Concord

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

Ski Erg World Sprints!

The 2015 Ski Erg World Sprints are just around the corner! Find out how you stack up against the World’s Best in a 1000 meter all out sprint – it’s gonna be awesome, so make your plans to join us at Get Fit NH Epsom or Get Fit NH Concord starting at 8:00am sharp! 

SkiErg World Sprints
Where: Get Fit NH Epsom or Get Fit NH Concord
Date: Saturday Nov. 7, 2015
Time: 8:00 until we are done!