“Kids for Kids” C.H.A.D. Fundraiser Training – Gonna Be Fun!

The Peets Family

Saturday April 12, 2014 at 3 pm we will be hosting our monthly fundraiser event at our Concord location. We have witnessed some incredible generosity since we introduced these monthly events. In January we raised over $1,000 for Friends of Forgotten Children and in February we collected a car full of personal care items for Rise Again. This month we hope to have an outstanding turn out as we look forward to donating to Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD).

This is an organization we hold near and dear to our hearts. CHaD is New Hampshire’s only comprehensive, full-service children’s hospital. They provide an extended system of care that offers advanced pediatric services. CHaD provides outstanding, compassionate care for children and their families. Coach Dean’s sister Deb Peets knows first hand the excellent care provided through CHaD, as her children have been through over 25 surgeries for a condition know as van der Woude syndrome.

“When I told Deb we wanted to do a fundraiser for CHaD she was thrilled” Dean shared. “She put us in touch with some great people up there to help with our efforts, and Get Fit NH is looking forward to a great day!”

You can read the Peets family story here: The Journey of Their Lives: van der Woude Syndrome

On Saturday April 12th our mission to pack the house with you and your children. Our goal is to raise $500 for this absolutely phenomenal and selfless organization.

This fundraiser training is for parents and children ages 6+. All we ask in return for a fantastic training hour is a minimum $10 donation. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to CHaD.

NEWS FLASH: BONUS KIDS NIGHT

After our “Kids for Kids” fundraiser training we hope you and the kids will stick around as we show “Frozen” in our state of the art theatre (Ok, it’s the gym, but it IS a huge screen!) We encourage you to stay after you sweat and make it a family day with us – we will even provide snacks!

Parent’s- it’s time to show your children how it’s done! 

Hope to see you and your family at our family day 🙂

Get Fit NH Concord

287 South Main Street

Concord, NH 03301

High Performance Hips 6-Week Workshop – As Promised!

You asked for it, you got it!

The response to our High Performance Hips seminar was incredible, and as promised we are offering an extended workshop starting in just a few weeks.

This 6-week hip health and mobility workshop will take you through the 9 flexibility factors that were introduced at HPH, but even if you weren’t there we want to see you at this one.

Who needs this workshop?

• Do you enjoy running?
• Do you sit a lot during the day?
• Have you ever had knee issues?
• Have you ever had low back pain?
• Have you ever had hip issues?

If you fit in any of those categories, this is for you.

We will explore how the body compensates for poor movement patterns – ones you might not know even exist. We know that when we can clean up how the hips function we have a much better chance of getting rid of low back and knee pain, it’s just how the body works.

This is a limited enrollment workshop series, so please don’t delay signing up!

High Performance Hips 6-Week
Starts Wednesday April 16, 2014
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Get Fit NH Concord
Enrollment: $127.00

Willpower. You Have It Or You Don’t?

Reading. It’s something that I love to do, so when I have a few hours on a plane, the Kindle comes out and I get to it.

This trip I finally got started on a book I have had for awhile; “The One Thing”, by Gary Keller. I am about 30% of the way through it and already I have been picked up some great nuggets.

One that fascinated me in particular was the chapter on Willpower. I like many get caught in the trap of either “you have it or you don’t”. He calls this myth “Willpower is always on will-call”.

Our experience tells us this is just not right. Sometimes I can look that cheesecake in the eye and tell it “no way”, but at others the thing is half gone before you can say “neufchatel”.

Why is that?

Well it turns out that willpower is a renewable energy – literally. Keller likens it to the power bar on your cell phone. Every morning you start with a full charge, but as the day goes on, every time you draw on it your using it up. At the end of the day you are toast. You know this to be true. For instance think about the times you are more likely to make poor choices relating to diet. If you are anything like me it’s at night, when you are drained (no pun intended) from the days mental and physical efforts.

Keller gives the analogy that willpower is like fast twitch muscle. That’s the stuff we use when we sprint or go all out on the ski-erg. It’s very powerful, but has no endurance.

But it’s not hopeless. We don’t have to accept defeat.

Did you know the food we eat can actually affect our level of willpower?

You see the brain takes up about 1/50th of our body mass, but uses 1/5th of the calories we eat. It is fascinating that the parts of our brain that regulate breathing and nervous responses don’t care if we skip a meal, but the prefontal cortex, which is responsible for focus, short-term memory, solving problems and moderating impulse control gets hammered when it isn’t fed. And even more fascinating is that the brain works much like our muscles. Feed it a low grade, high sugar and simple carb diet, and it crashes fast. But foods that keep blood sugar stable, like proteins and complex carbohydrates are the fuel of high achievers, as shown by studies that have measured task accuracy.

The bottom line is that willpower is a mental muscle that doesn’t bounce back quickly, and you literally have to “feed your mind” a healthy diet to help recover.

And maybe I am a geek, but I think it is really cool that the same food that helps me burn fat and build muscle also helps me have the willpower to make the good food choices that helps me burn fat and build muscle.

The “Circle of Life” Indeed.

Think about it. Just make sure you fuel up first.

Make It Happen!

Coach Dean

Basic Barbell 101 is Back!

We just finished up our first 6 week Basic Barbell 101 a couple of weeks ago and we had a blast. We found that many of our student’s learned that they are a  lot stronger than they (and we) thought!

Starting Saturday April 19, 2014 we will be starting the next cycle of Basic Barbell training. This is a 6-week small group training course with a maximum of eight students. You can even take it a second time if you feel like sharpening those basic skills!

Here are the lifts that we focus on in Basic Barbell 101:

• Barbell Squat
• Barbell Bench Press
• Barbell Deadlift

How is it different than my current training with Get Fit NH?

Great question!

• A focused session of barbell training will help get you stronger, which will allow you to increase your intensity and loading in your regular training
• Being able to train harder and pick up more load = better results
• Basic Barbell 101 will help build confidence in your capability which will lead to greater success in regular training program

Should I take Basic Barbell 101?

• Talk to your coach to determine if Basic Barbell 101 is a good fit for you
• In order to participate you must be screened on FMS and cleared of yellow and purple bands
• We will need to evaluate your shoulder stability when considering this training

Enrollment for this intensive 6-week workshop will be limited to 8 athletes (yes I am talking to you!), so don’t delay. The workshop session will run on 6 successive Saturdays starting April 19th through May 24th. Each session will be 1 to 1 1/4 hour in length.

Enroll through MindBody:

• Click here to access the Get Fit NH MindBody site
• Select the “Online Store” tab on the right side of the menu bar
• Select “Workshops”
• Select “Basic Barbell 101”
• Click “Yes”
• Confirm your purchase and select “Check Out”
• Login to your account to complete your purchase. If you have never logged into MindBody the system will help you out. Please let us know if you have any questions.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Basic Barbell 101
Starting Date: 4/19/14
Time: 8:15 AM
Place: Get Fit NH Concord
Cost: $127

Some Green(s) Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

While these recipes might not be your traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare, they are easy, tasty, and streaked with lots of beautiful green.

Start your own traditions!

Start Your Day Off Green Shake

• 1 scoop of Raw protein powder (UMP or SFH also works great)
• 1 cup kale leaves, center rib removed
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 over ripe banana, frozen & cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 6-8 ounces of water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Divide between glasses and serve immediately.

Green Egg Casserole

• 8 large eggs – beaten
• 1 cup chopped frozen spinach – thawed and drained well
• 2 Tablespoons Jalapeno pepper, chopped
• ½ green pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one large casserole dish or two eight-inch dishes with a light coating of oil. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Pour mixture into casserole dish and cook for 35 minutes or until eggs are fully set.

Crispy Green Beans With Pesto

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1″ pieces
• 1/4 cup homemade pesto (store-bought is fine but just not as good and healthy as homemade!)
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook garlic on medium-high heat for about 30 seconds, remove from skillet and set aside. Add beans to the same skillet and sauté for about 6 minutes or until beans are cooked but still crispy. Return garlic to the skillet and cook an additional 30 seconds (just enough to quickly reheat garlic). Remove from skillet and cool down a bit. Toss with pesto, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve. This dish is also very good on a salad, in case you have leftovers!

Pesto

• 3 rounded cups fresh basil leaves (about 2 bunches)
• 1/2 medium garlic clove
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• salt, to taste

In food processor (I use a blender, but be careful not to overdo or you’ll end up with green slime instead of pesto), combine basil leaves and pine nuts. Pulse a few seconds. Add garlic and pulse again. Slowly add olive oil while the food processor is on. Stop food processor and scrap down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add a pinch of salt if needed and serve.

Salsa Verda Chicken

A bright, refreshing and spicy green salsa recipe served over grilled chicken.

• 1 cup basil leaves, packed
• 1 cup cilantro, packed
• ½ cup parsley, packed
• ½ jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small shallot ,chopped
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of ½ lime
• 3 Tablespoons orange juice (fresh is best)
• salt & pepper
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• extra virgin olive oil for grilling

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a blender. Blend until puréed. Combine chicken breasts with half the salsa mixture in a large bowl, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to overnight. Heat a stove top grill pan (or outdoor grill if it’s not 8 degrees where you are) to medium heat. Grill chicken breasts for about 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. This will depend on how thick your chicken is. Once cooked through, remove from grill, spoon remaining salsa over the top of each chicken breast. Serve with a lime wedge and garnish with cilantro.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Get Fit Games Results

We had a great time at our latest edition of the Get Fit Games this morning! I want to congratulate everyone who participated for putting themselves out there and getting after it. As your coaches we love seeing the progress you are making as you get better and better. Every time out we see new Personal and Gym records.

The following chart shows everyone who moved up a ranking level or achieved one for the first time – love it!

And this chart shows all the gym records as well as the new records that were achieved today, which are marked in blue. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Great to see those numbers continue to move up – keep up the great work!

Recovery Week Reminder

“Train the athlete as much as necessary, not as much as possible” – Henk Kraaijenof

Good morning Warriors!

What an incredible training cycle we are having. Records are being broken, personal bests are being achieved, and fat is being torched.  We saw over 1000 pounds lost in a 21-day period. You all are amazing!

In a couple weeks the next part of your training plan is being implemented. Yes that’s right, RECOVERY is a specific and integral part of getting better.

The week of March 24th is a full recovery week at Get Fit NH. Those who take this time to deload or unload are the ones who remain injury free and set themselves up for more progress. Those who go their own way tend to suffer – I see it over and over.

We have written extensively on the benefit of recovery over the years, so if you haven’t read them or need a reminder, invest some time to go over these articles – you will be glad you did!

Recovery, Deload, and Getting Better

“I HATE Recovery Weeks!”

Minimum Effective Dose

Recovery Is Where The Magic Happens

Rest, Recover and Regenerate, It’s Not Optional

Hold Yourself Accountable

Think about the first time you walked through the doors of Get Fit NH. When you came to us maybe you came with a goal to lose weight, feel better, look better, manage stress, or get strong. I want you to think about a few things:

• When is the last time you have assessed your goals?
• Have you set specific outcome goals for yourself?
• And if so, have you determined your behavior goals?

If you never write down your goals and develop a plan to make them happen you will not see results.  I may have a goal to lose 4 pounds in 4 weeks, but how am I going to get there? Can I just train 4 times per week then eat McDonalds on the way home from the gym? No.

• Outcome goal: I want to lose 4 pounds in 4 weeks.
• Behavior goals:
  • Train 4X per week for 4 weeks
  • Train as hard as I am able. Do each progression that I am able to do.
  • Turn in a weekly meal plan to my coach
  • Turn in a weekly food log to my coach
  • Email/Text pictures of my meals to my coach
  • Follow P.P.W.

Making your goals public is motivation to get it done. That’s why success sessions are so important. Your coaches know your ability and can push you when you need it on the training floor. If you have not had a success session with your coach, it’s time to set one up.

Just ask Patti Johnson from Concord 5 AM.

• Patti’s outcome goal: 6 Jumping pull ups in a row
• Behavior goals:
  • Do chirpees overhand grip whenever the opportunity arises.
  • Negative pull ups
  • Band assisted pull ups
  • Avoid underhand grip (chin ups)

Patti declared her goals and I held her accountable. Every time I went over the chin bar Patti had that overhand grip and powered through every second. That grip is a lot harder and she knew it, but because we both knew that she had set a goal for herself she followed through.

And guess what? Patti can easily do 6+ jumping chins and 3 in a row from a dead hang.

Talk to your coach today about setting up your success session. Don’t wait to make your goals public knowledge.

Be accountable.

Make it happen,

Coach Meagan

It’s Time To Sign Up for the 2014 Rock N’ Race

April 1st is the deadline to sign up for the Rock N’ Race if you want a snazzy COLOR team t-shirt, and why wouldn’t you? 🙂

The Rock N’ Race has raised over $3 million for the Payson Center for Cancer Care, with those monies directed toward support programs and services, and financial assistance for cancer patients in need.

Nearly all of us have been touched by cancer, and this year has special meaning for our family as one of our daughters-in-law just lost her mom to cancer. You guys have always come out and supported this great cause, and we expect this year to be no exception! Our goal is to have 75 members and raise $3500 for this worthy and important cause.

For those of you who have never run a 5K, this is the one for you. Tons of energy and loads of fun. This year we have resident running expert and endurance athlete Coach Sarah as our team captain, and rumor has it she is going to be holding a running clinic really soon for all y’all who want to get better. Sweet!

I know May seems like a long ways away, but it will be here before you know it. So head on over and get signed up right now and check it off your list. You don’t really just want a plain white “t” when the rest of the team is getting their color on, do you?

Register Here Now

2104 Merrimack County Savings Rock N’ Race
Thursday May 15th, 2104
6:00pm
State House Plaza, Concord NH

Thank-You Esther, Welcome Tiffany

There is a lot to making Get Fit NH run smoothly and make sure we give our Get Fit Family the service and experience you deserve.

One of the people who has made the world go round for us is Esther Phillips, our office admin. She has helped us work through our systems and continue to improve, and she has taken a big load in that regard off Nancy and my plate.

Esther has decided to pursue another course with her life, as one of her burdens has always been helping foster and at-risk families and children. We wish her well, and are grateful for the time and work she has put in.

We are pleased to announce that we have hired Tiffany Hebert as our new admin. When you receive correspondence from the office, that will be Tiffany. She will be taking care of billing, contracts, receipts that you may need – all that kind of “stuff”. 🙂 Esther was kind enough to spend a couple weeks helping us get Tiffany on board with our systems, for which we are also grateful.

So please join me in welcoming Tiffany to the team. You may not see her as much, but I assure you her work is crucial to what you do see going on at Get Fit NH!

You can reach Tiffany at this email: office(at)getfitnh.com

As always, thank-you for choosing to train with us, it is never taken for granted!

Coach Dean