I am going to share a hidden secret about success....

Communication

Say what? What does communication have to do with getting results? Great question! Let me share some inside scoop with you. The most successful students I get to coach are the ones who are in consistent contact with me.

Here are some examples:

• When they are going to miss a training session, they let us know
• If they unexpectedly missed training, then they reach out first or respond with their unexpected whereabouts
• They share their victories
• They share their frustrations
• We find solutions together when injured or stuck
• They send me food pictures
• They ask questions
• They go to seminars
• They continue to learn and grow
• They set goals
• They keep score
• They are coachable

Communication happens in so many ways. It is not a one-way relationship. In order to be successful, you need to be involved in more than just the show up part. That’s the easy part. If you aren’t where you want to be, then let’s talk and get you there.

Coach Meagan

This time it's on Debbie Watrous!

I asked Debbie to allow me to write a spotlight on her because I am extremely proud of how far she has come. I remember when I first took over Erin’s position, and I was working with Debbie and remember all the exercises we tried that caused her so much pain. Looking back on that, and seeing her do weighted split squats and the like now, she has come so far and she deserves to be recognized for how far she has come. I’ll let her tell you a little about her journey in her own words...

“Adam, when you asked me to write about my journey at Get Fit NH, I hesitated because I don’t have a dramatic story and my progress has been slow and not always steady. I came to the gym as someone who had never exercised regularly, out of shape and full of aches and pains. I wanted to lose weight, but most of all I wanted to feel stronger and have more energy. I knew I needed to be in a class, lacking the self-discipline to stick with an exercise program on my own. I knew I needed a gym with a program and coaches that could assess my fitness issues and structure a workout that would be both safe and challenging. I have gotten all that at Get Fit NH and much more.

I really appreciate the coaching style here – you, Dean, and Meagan are all caring, funny, and inspirational. I appreciate that you make sure that my back is safe. I appreciate working out with a very nice bunch of people in the atmosphere that you promote – encouraging, supportive, sometimes competitive but never shaming. And no mirrors – thank you! As someone who gets bored easily with exercise, I value the variety of the classes and the progression over the course of a week and over the eight-week session. And knowing next to nothing about muscles and fitness, etc., I appreciate learning the science behind our workouts.

The biggest surprise since joining Get Fit NH is how much effort you put into “the other 165”, from sending an email if we don’t show up for class to community fundraising events to the various healthy eating programs you’ve offered. Last summer’s S3 challenge was the best yet because we did it in pairs and you reinforced the development of new habits with the daily “Habit Catalyst” posts. Jane and I met through that challenge and are talking about working together again to help each of us be more accountable in our food choices.

Sometimes I get discouraged that I’m not getting stronger faster, but when I look back to where I started, I see significant improvement. A couple of weeks ago I helped my daughter move into her new 3rd floor apartment. I noticed that I could carry heavier loads with less huffing and puffing than when we helped her move two years ago (why does she always pick upper floor apartments with no elevators?). And I have more energy during the day, my clothes fit better, and I’ve lost weight more quickly than I thought possible at this time of life.

I have a milestone birthday this year that has doubled my determination to enter the next decade strong, energetic, and healthy. Thank you, Adam, Meagan, Dean, Nancy and the 7:25 a.m. crew for helping me to achieve those goals."

As I said at the top, I am extremely proud of Debbie and the progress she has made. Keep up the great work, Debbie!

-Coach Adam

How many of you give nothing but your best every time you step on the training floor?

It’s okay, you can be honest.

Every time you come into training, you:

• Choose the most challenging exercise progression that you are currently able to do
• Complete every second despite what that little voice inside your head says
• Are engaged in your training, meaning you know where you are going next and you surely won’t be missing a beat
• Progress your load as you are able
  

Does this explain you?

If not, why? Are we not all here to get results? I know I am. We are all looking to get better in some way whether that means fat loss, muscle gain, feeling better, looking better…anything! We all have goals we want to achieve. So if you are only training hard at most 4 times per week, why would you not give 110% for that one hour 4 times per week?

You have 4 hours a week to train your body to the best of your ability. If you can do push- ups, do them. If you can ski erg faster- do it. If you can lift something heavier, do it! Results aren’t going to come find you. You need to earn them. If you are not busting it every minute in here, then you’ll never reach your full potential.

Here is your new goal: Train like your life depends on it. There are so many people in this world who do not have a functional body, who do not have all their limbs, who are unable to train the way you get to train. EMBRACE THAT! Be thankful. Train hard every single time because you and your body deserve it and your quality of life does in fact depend on it.

Anyone can go through the motions – that’s not what we are here to do. We are here to change something about ourselves and be better. If that is not your mentality- let’s figure out how to change that!

Coach Meagan

This is a public service announcement and something that I think is very important to think about and realize. All of you as students are well educated individuals, not only in your own lives, professions and hobbies, but also in what you learn here. We as coaches take pride in what we do and want to share as much of it as we can to help you be as successful and healthy as you can be. Don’t take that knowledge for granted.

Please, when you read this, don’t look it as Coach Adam saying “you guys don’t listen to a word I say so cut it out and just listen and do as I say” or me thinking I’m so high and mighty that what I say is gospel, because neither are the case. What I mean is that you guys have invested your time and hard earned money in us in order to learn about health. Not only to come to classes, but to also grow your own knowledge base and learn how to live a healthier life. Not everyone has the same opportunity, which is really unfortunate.

This post was born out of me shopping at Hannaford recently. I often find myself looking into people’s carts out of reflex from time to time, and I honestly feel bad for others. I feel bad for them because I remember what it was like for me, to be overweight, thinking I’m doing the right things, but not being successful. I mean, everyone knows that ice cream and pizza every day will lead to problems, but how many of us remember hearing how bad fat was for you? Or how 60%+ of your diet needs to be made up of carbs or grains? You all have learned that this is not necessarily the case, and more often than not in today’s America, it is absolutely not the case. I feel bad because these people often don’t know any better. They do what they have been told is right, but it doesn’t work so they think “forget it I’m just going to do whatever I want”. Or they haven’t been educated at all. I see more and more young adults with carts full of exclusively junk - there is no way they have been told just how much of a problem this will cause or they would throw a couple vegetables in here or there.

Here is the main difference I think - you as students, and us as coaches as well, realize these things are harmful to us in large quantities. We make informed decisions, we indulge every once in a while, but know what will happen if we don’t stop. Others don’t have that knowledge and because of it we see problems all over the country. It’s not about nutrition anymore, it’s about selling more boxes of sugary breakfast cereal and pushing exercise, exercise, exercise on the masses because it shines the light away from the real issue.

So don’t take it for granted, you guys have worked hard and made a conscious decision to educate yourself. Use that to your advantage, and if you know someone who is in that circumstance, a friend colleague, ask them some small questions, they may not know any better. If you can educate them, even in a small way, you can make a big difference in their life. Don’t take that knowledge for granted, use it, and use what you learn to help others. Together we can all help affect people’s lives in a positive way, not just our own. Coach Adam out.

I have to settle this misconception once and for all! It is a privilege to be your coach. When you hire anyone, you reserve the right to have expectations and ask questions. As your coach, we work to be problem solvers WITH you not FOR you. So let me give a few examples of what I am getting at...

• If you need a modification. Something hurts. You are unable to perform an exercise. It is NOT a nuisance for us to find something that WILL work.
• If you don’t understand why we are doing an exercise or a specific training cycle or type of training, it is NOT a nuisance for you to ask WHY. There is a reason behind what we do and we can always do a better job keeping you in the loop.
• If you are not making the progress you think you should be making, it is NOT a nuisance to ask for help setting realistic goals and reasonable action steps.
• It is our job to know exactly how your body is feeling, what hurts today, if you are sore, if you are tired, if you are excited and if you are stressed, so you are NOT a nuisance for sharing those things with us!
• It is NOT a nuisance for those of you with whacky schedules who need to jump around training times. We are THRILLED you are keeping your commitment and when you let us know you make us even more thrilled, because you are expressing your commitment

I know our relationship is probably a little tighter than with, say, your accountant, but the expectation is the same. We are here to make your investment worth it and guide you to success.

-Coach Meagan

This is my inaugural Athlete Academy specific blog, although many of you may also find it helpful. This post, as most of mine do, has to do with the mental aspect of training and performing. When it comes to athletes, this is extremely important.

Many times, athletes who have all the skill in the world never reach their potential because they don’t have that “killer instinct” for lack of a better term. They go into a tryout or a competition thinking “I don’t know these kids, I haven’t played or raced these kids, they are probably better than me”. I have had this happen to me in the past. I remember trying out for soccer my freshman year and thinking exactly that. So I was nervous, tentative, and just didn’t have the confidence to let my skill do the talking. As a result, I didn’t make the team and didn’t get to play my freshman year.

You have to have that mental capacity, the belief that “I have worked my butt off, I will win”. That’s where the “Too Fast, too strong” comes into play. You have to believe that you are faster than the other player heading for the loose ball, that if he comes to take it from you he won’t be able to because you are too strong. It’s in these moments that having confidence in ourselves is something that is a must. You have to believe you really are either too fast or too strong for that other team and that you will prevail.

I know that many of you may see this as arrogance, but here’s my response to that sentiment – if you believe you are too fast and too strong, and you get beat, guess what? That is yourself correct right there. If you truly believe in yourself and have confidence in yourself and you still get beat, then you know you have more work to do, but it will ultimately create that fire to keep it from happening again. So believe in yourself, believe that you are too fast, too strong, and if you allow it to, it will create the fire you need to be successful. Coach Adam out!

-Coach Adam

This time on Marcia Trexler! Marcia is fairly new to the family, but has taken to the program and is always excited to be here, get better, and be coached. Listen to her story from Maria herself:

Why did you choose Get Fit NH?
I have known about Get Fit NH for several years now as I teach in Bow with several colleagues who have attended the program. Some of them have committed to their workouts with Get Fit NH for up to four years. I have seen their bodies transform. They are lean and strong. That latter description regarding their strength, I did not know about until I joined Get Fit and began this journey of transformation. I see what is on the outside - who knew they were so STRONG!

What changes did you notice in the first few weeks?
Strength- that is what I have observed about my own body changes since I joined Get Fit NH in mid-July. I am stronger. As I shared at my strength assessment meeting prior to starting, one of my rationales for joining was to stay strong and become stronger. I am a pretty active person. My teaching job as a FACS teacher (Family and Consumer Science - formerly Home Ec.) has me on my feet all day walking around my classroom. I have worn a Fitbit for about 2 ½ years now and I average 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day. I lift a lot of heavy things in my classroom. My husband jokes that I am strong because of the years of carrying and lifting grocery bags - double duty as I do it for school groceries and for home.

What outside of Get Fit NH has become easier since starting?
With all the bending and lifting I do in my job, I have found that the little aches and pains that would sometimes bother me are much reduced. I am more flexible. My movement is more fluid - I am still careful but have an increased level of surety as to how I move - like doing a “squat” (I think I am finally getting this one move down). I shared with Adam and Megan that as I approach age 60 and want to keep teaching for at least 5 more years, I need to take better care of my body - or it is not going to let me keep doing a job I love for many more years.

What are your goals?
What every woman wants - not just to age gracefully, but to look somewhat graceful and able-bodied. I have always thought that if I could be on dancing with the stars, I would need to be strong. I would need stamina. Being lean and strong can take you a long way with any physical challenge you choose to take on. Get Fit NH is a way for me to have future opportunities doing things I might not otherwise feel I could do and to continue to enjoy the activities I currently do for many years to come - like skiing, bike riding and kayaking.

What is your favorite part about Get Fit NH?
I love going! I find talking with the coaches is easy and they are always friendly. I enjoy meeting new people and like that my classmates are supportive and helpful. Many times they have “deciphered” the day’s exercises up on the board for me. Many of them have heard me say it is like “foreign language”. So, to sum up my experience thus far - I love going!!!

Keep up the hard work Marcia!
-Coach Adam

I have had the pleasure of meeting with a number of students who describe their training hour as a scheduled appointment. I wanted to share this thought with you, because it may help you adjust your mindset a bit.

When you have a doctor’s or dentist appointment, you have it written down or logged in your phone. You know that at 8 AM you will be where you said you were going to be, because someone is expecting you. Most of the time you will work the rest of your schedule around said appointment and if you just cannot attend then you do 1 of 2 things (usually) – you call to cancel or you reschedule….what am I getting at exactly?

I challenge you to make your training hour an appointment. When you schedule meetings and other outings, schedule around your set appointment. The luxury of training at Get Fit NH is that we are flexible. Of course every now and then life happens and you have to rearrange your schedule a bit. Another training hour is always open to you when life happens. Sometimes life happens all at the same time in one day and you really cannot make it- it happens and we won’t hold it against you! We won’t start to give you the coaching stare unless is becomes a habit!

The world we live in now is so fast paced. Our jobs, our kids, and our family are all a few factors that distract us from ourselves. When it comes to your health- be selfish. Get to your training appointment and do your best every month to get your name on that perfect attendance poster. You have the power!

-Coach Meagan

You want to lose that weight? You want to get stronger? Run faster? Run longer? Live forever? Whatever your goal is, you have to have the mentality that you need to push yourself to achieve it. Nothing in life worth achieving is easy.

We are constantly tested, constantly given that option that “Oh well, I really don’t feel like training, missing one day won’t hurt” or “It’s one double cheeseburger with bacon and ranch dressing, it’s not going to make that big of a difference, I’ll make up for it somewhere else”. Yes, missing one training in the grand scheme of things isn’t going to be dire. Yes, one cheeseburger by itself isn’t going to give you a massive heart attack (unless you have been having that one cheeseburger 2x a week for a while).

The problem we run into when we make these decisions is that we are mentally handicapping ourselves. You are teaching your mind to make it okay to skip training because you “don’t feel like it” and have that burger because “it’s not that big of a deal”. Guess what happens, though? Those choices become brain patterns and as we all know, once you do something once, it gets easier, and easier, and easier to make that decision again. So maybe the next time you want that burger or want to just stay at home on the couch, your brain already has that connection, that little voice that says, “You didn’t go the other day, and the world didn’t end, so I'll skip today too”. Before you know it you have missed 3 classes, then 4, then 5, and so on.

The good news - those brain patterns are also trainable in the other direction. You come in 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 times in a row, and you turn down that cheeseburger 3, 4, 5 times in a row… guess what happens? Think about it for a second…that’s right, your brain will pattern that as normal. Before you know it you will be halfway through your day thinking, “Man, I really don’t feel like training today” and all the sudden you will be on your way here in your car, without so much as a real second guess. Same with the nutrition. You keep saying no to that awful meal, guess what happens? Before you know it, you don’t even care that you’re not having it because your mind has already made that “burger bad” connection and it’s not even a tough decision.

This can be applied to anything, lifting heavy, or whatever you’re tackling. If you constantly underestimate yourself and think “I can’t lift that”, then you’re right, and until you push yourself in here (**points finger to head**) your fitness, nutrition, commitment, or the like, will never be as strong as it could be. So believe in yourself, and push yourself mentally and I guarantee you will get where you want to go.

Make it Happen!!!
Coach Adam

Cut it out! Each of you came to us for a reason. I challenge you to really think about what drove you in to Get Fit NH. Did you want to:

• Look better
• Feel better
• Move better
• Perform better

Are you exactly where you want to be now? I’m not. I don’t know that I will ever settle with where I am. There are always improvements to be made. Always more weight to be picked up. So where are you struggling the most? What do you KNOW you need to get under control?

Let us help keep you accountable to that goal. It is “easy” to say you want to lose 5 pounds this month. Anyone can say that, but can you put your money where your mouth is? That action step (or behavioral goal) is where the magic happens. Here are some solid examples of action steps- these are measurable and you can honestly say you did this or did not do this each day.

Action step examples:

• Eat 3 meals/day
• No eating after 7pm
• Perfect attendance
• Personalized warm ups daily
• 80 ounces of water daily
• Bed by 9pm
• No added sugars
• Plan each meal
• 0 calorie/sugar beverages

When we talk goals we are talking 4 week increments. Be realistic in what you can achieve in a 4 week period. Your coach is here to help you set a realistic goal.

Are you ready to make it happen?
-Coach Meagan