Did you ever have one of those days where you are wondering why the universe is against you? Your car is making a funny noise, inspection month is coming up, and oh look identity theft! Clearly your life totally sucks so what better way to treat frustration than with binge watching Netflix with a carton of Ben & Jerry’s during your training hour...

Okay, that was an excessive illustration. Obviously I was having too much fun with that, but you get my point!

Danger #1

Obsessing! You cannot change what IS! You cannot change the fact that your car broke down or you ate like garbage last week or you missed an entire week of training because of work commitments. You cannot change it, you can only learn from it!

Maybe this will hit home with what I am trying to get across- you cannot change the fact that your doctor diagnosed you with diabetes or put you on medication for high blood pressure or anxiety. You cannot change that, but you can sure as heck learn from it and DO SOMETHING about it! If you don’t like the outcome then it is time to make a change.

Danger #2

Keep doing the same thing that left you with a negative outcome. Do what you always did, get what you always got! That is what my favorite coach, Martin Rooney, says! You know the definition of insanity, right? If not, look it up. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know I used some examples that can be genetic. Maybe the outcome will not be totally reversed, but it can most definitely be improved! Nutrition and training control a lot more than looking good naked (no offense!).

Danger #3

Throwing in the towel. So you got some bad news? You are mad because you have been doing EXACTLY what you should have been doing, right? Training, eating supportively, taking your vitamins, sleeping well, etc and BOOM pre diabetic! Well, a lot of good this has been doing you, right? What the heck! Might as well go on a sugar bender since all the veggies are trying to kill me!

Slow your roll! You have a team of coaches ready to talk you down and get you on the right path. You are not in this alone. Bad news totally stinks, but you can’t leave yourself in a puddle of sorrow. You can’t change the cards that have been handed to you right away. It takes time and it takes consistency and commitment.

If you don’t like where your health is headed, then do something about it! We are here to help you get to training, train smart, train hard, be consistent, eat well, sleep well, get educated and get results! Everyone needs a coach and don’t ever forget that!

-Coach Meagan

Give high fives more often!

Here’s your challenge this week: Give out 21 high fives this week. That is 3 high fives a day. Real ones - actually slap hands with a friend, colleague, spouse, kid or fellow Get Fitter.

I think high fives are underestimated. When someone does something GREAT, they deserve that encouragement. When someone shows they are PROUD, they deserve excitement from you too. When someone is struggling, but pushes through they deserve recognition and enthusiasm.

I was reminded of how far a high five goes after observing the sled push for our August movement challenge. The energy in the room was unreal. Every single person in line was clapping, cheering and encouraging whoever was pushing the sled. When this kind of encouragement takes place it gives me goose bumps. It makes me so happy to see so many amazing people on the same mission and encouraging others. After the sled push, the one pushing the sled received well deserved high fives from those around. I took a minute to observe the change on their face when high fives were received and it was a truly proud and accomplished look. Like they were part of a big giant supportive family and they were proud to be here. I just happen to know that one of these people needed those high fives that day and it made a huge difference in their day and their attendance the rest of that week.

You may think it is silly, but your high five could go much farther than you even know. That is why I want to challenge you to celebrate success and encourage those around you. Everyone needs a high five sometimes.

Coach Meagan

There is a reason that often I am so acute at picking it up when someone is all up in their own head, when they put themselves down, when they think they aren’t good enough, not strong enough… just overall disappointed and negative towards themselves. That, ladies and gentleman, is because I am the biggest head case you will ever meet. I constantly have those thoughts and it can cause major damage, which is why I can see it in others. I say that to tell you this story about how that ruined something I may never see again in my lifetime.

For all of you that watched the Super Bowl this past year, let me tell you how it went down on my end. Patriots trail 28-3 and the only reason I haven’t thrown the remote at the TV is because I am at a friend’s house and it’s not my TV. Next play is a long pass down the sidelines completed to Julio Jones. That’s it, I’m done, so angry, so upset that I get up, leave and go home to go to bed. I’m woken up by a call saying they are coming back and I should turn on the game. I refuse because:

#1. I don’t believe that they will come back
#2. I think that because I’m not watching it is part of the reason they are coming back, like I am not allowed to see it if they do well (convinced I’m a head case yet?)
#3. I’m stubborn, I made the decision to leave and not watch so I wasn’t getting up

How’d that turn out for me? Just missed maybe the greatest Super Bowl ever. Putting yourself in that headspace has real consequences. You never know what amazing thing you may miss out on. It could be a vacation you didn’t go on, a friend you didn’t make the time to see when they were in town, or some junk you ate because you were so mad at yourself you figured why bother?

Don’t let it come to that. At the time, you may think you aren’t missing out on something. However, once you miss it, you can’t go back. I can never really see that game, never feel the emotion, the excitement. I can watch the replay but I will never be able to feel the connection the way all of you who watched the game did. I know to some of you it’s just football, but it could have just as easily been any number of other things I missed out on. Don’t let it happen to you.

-Coach Adam

I felt the need to write this blog after a conversation that I had with a couple parents recently. As a kid that was overweight much of my childhood life and into my adolescent and college years, I know how it feels to have those “scared straight” doctors’ appointments. I’m here to tell you that its not what the frightened kid needs to hear to help them out. I am not here to put down doctors or medical professionals, I am just here to say that as a young kid all that talk did was bury me further in the hole.

As adults, we understand that something needs to change. We understand that we have the power to make a change and that the only thing stopping us is us. We understand what effects being obese have on an aging body. We understand that having Type 2 Diabetes is going to make life very challenging. Also, as educated individuals many of you have come to learn that through a healthy lifestyle Type 2 Diabetes can be mitigated if not negated almost entirely.

A child coming in to a doctor’s office hearing that they are obese, at serious risk for diabetes, or if they continue along a current trend will end up at weight “x” is debilitating. Most kids at that age cannot separate that, and they feel it is a judgment on them as a person and are more likely to be depressed and run into even more trouble down the road. Or in certain cases (mine in particular) they might get even bigger because they don’t understand that there is a way out.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not understating the seriousness here - childhood obesity is an epidemic in this country as is Type 2 Diabetes. Both of which are extremely serious and steps need to be taken to correct it. The problem I see is the scared straight tactic I see being used on kids, and was used on me. To this day, I am slightly phobic of the doctor’s office because of it. So the message is this, your kid is not a bad kid because he/she is overweight. Yes, they may be in danger, but a 7 to 16 year old child is not going change out of fear, they are going to change out of understanding, patience, and guidance. Trust me, this is coming from a kid who lived it.

-Coach Adam

Have you ever seen 3 emus and a penguin all stacked on top of each other? That is the distance of inches lost if you combine each participant’s loss in their waist measurement at Get Fit NH’s Sizzlin’ Summer Slimdown Challenge.

Have you measured a Beluga whale? If you could (or when you did) you’d find it was the same distance if we added up each S3 peep’s hip measurement that was lost when combined.

How cool is that?

I haven’t even mentioned that as a group we lost one thousand three hundred and sixty two pounds. That’s 5,448 sticks of butter!

Take a sneak peek into the Top 10 Winning Team’s minds. It will inspire you to achieve more than you believe you can.

What one thing did you do well over the six weeks of Sizzlin' Summer Slimdown?

AnnMarie from Team Vacation Money wrote: “Meal planning was key. Sticking to the meal plan, and avoiding the candy and ice cream at work.”

Andria from Team Chafing the Dream filled us in on her daily wins: “ I drank a lots of water. I was able to stay on track when I unexpectedly had to stay with my Mom as she recovered from surgery. Stuck to eating real foods. When I eat healthy I find I am satisfied and have no cravings!”

Lauren from Team Rose and Ginger said one day: “I said no to cake! Lol- it wasn't easy! But...it was worth it and rewarding. And I was also surprised with how it wasn't even on my radar after I had an apple.”

Millie said that she: “Found great ways to serve veggies, including fiddlehead ferns and daikon radishes.”

When we asked the top 20 people what we could do to help them one week, here are some of the things that were mentioned.

"I feel things are going well so far and can't think of anything right now. I just need to stay focus and on track.” -Wayne

"Honestly, a cheat meal. I haven't had one since April 6th. Probably Mexican food, lol”
-Katie

"Just by being here for us. I love that coach Adam pushes me to challenge and push myself! Give me more!!” -Evelyn

"Having lots of protein and veggies cooked at all times. Bulk is key to sanity!! Trays of meatloaf and sausage from previous Get Fit recipes are my savior as well as frozen bags of cauliflower in bulk to mash in” -Kim

"I realize that I don't need to eat as much as I was eating before. I went 6 weeks without it.” -Lori

"Eating! Keeping things super simple” -Melissa

Your favorite go-to meal during S3?

"Ground turkey sausage/baked egg/green beans w/mushrooms/riced cauliflower and of course hot sauce!!" -Scott

Where would they hide a giraffe?

"In the 54 acres behind my house! Lol! And I would visit her all day long! Her name will be Princess!"

"Why hide it, I’d show it off!"

And when they play Rock/Paper/Scissors, none of them will pick paper!

Seriously, all S3 peeps worked hard to change themselves. It was through consistently eating just real food over and over that led them to great change. The Grateful Plate can be accessed 24/7/365 to help you achieve your own success without having to wait for next year’s Sizzlin' Summer Slimdown Challenge.

Summer is here! With summer comes beautiful, gorgeous days! With those beautiful, gorgeous days comes the desire to soak up the sun for every minute possible, which means some of our colder month habits get brushed off…

Yes, I am talking about training. Here are three things you need to know and DO this summer so that you stay in the game!

1. Don’t let weather dictate your attendance. Easy for me to say, right? This is my job. But this is YOUR LIFE we are talking about. We only get 2-4 hours of your whole entire week to keep you moving toward your goals. Training is ongoing. You want results? You gotta be consistent!

2. Make training an appointment. You know how you put a dentist appointment or a doctor’s appointment on your calendar? You can’t miss it, right? It is planned. So is training. Make training a “non-negotiable.”

3. Understand that while biking, walking, running, hiking are all forms of exercise, it is far different than strength training. Strength training is the magic that keeps you aging gracefully. We need to be STRONG to keep our bones healthy and we need to be STRONG to continue to get up and down off of the floor. Being STRONG is what keeps you independent and you can’t be STRONG if you are inconsistent!

Be consistent. Be strong. Be accountable. Get results. Be better than you were yesterday!

Coach Meagan

"I
Already
Knew
That"

We know a lot of things, don’t we? We know that:

• Exercise is good
• Broccoli is healthy
• Sugar is a bad choice
• Water is a necessity
• 7-9 hours of sleep is important

We all KNOW that, don’t we? Of course we do, but we are not all DOING IT, so it is worth repeating and worth listening to. We can all afford to be better. We all have certain areas that are harder than others. It doesn’t matter if you KNOW THAT. It matters if you are doing it. Actions elicit a change, not brain power. Don’t write off encouragement and accountability just because you know better. Everyone needs a coach. A coach is someone who gets a person to do something they DON’T WANT TO DO!

Listen up and let us coach you. You’d be surprised what you can learn and how different coaches resonate with you and help you change.

Make it happen,
Coach Meagan