We are excited to roll out this new challenge, but we have a bit of a problem...

What should we name it????End of the year challenge is VERY boring, so we are leaving the name up to you! Let us know what you think and we will pick our favorite and your legacy shall live on! 

Now that THAT housekeeping is out of the way let's just dive right in! Everyone likes a good challenge, right? We are going to have THREE categories to focus on every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The MOVEMENT challenges will change each month, but the other categories will remain the same from now until the end of the year, so here we go!

Movement Challenges:

Monday: 100 Knee Grab Abs or in and outs 

Tuesday: 500 M on the ski erg

Thursday: 25 squat thrust, burpees or chirpees

Friday: 50 get ups or speed squats 

Nutrition Challenges:

Monday: No snacking after dinner

Tuesday: Prepare your lunch for tomorrow

Thursday: No alcohol

Friday: 80 ounces of water

Lifestyle Challenges:

Monday: Schedule in your training for the week

Tuesday: Get to bed/screens off by 9:30

Thursday: List 1 thing you are grateful for, 1 thing you did great this week, 1 thing you are going to do better next week

Friday: Make a meal plan and grocery list for next week

Okay, so there's the challenge! You don't have to take on all three parts if that is overwhelming. The way you take on this challenge is in YOUR hands. Here are a few ways

• Take all three categories on for all 4 days
• Take on ONE category where you are struggling the most
• Pick TWO days and commit to all three categories

HOW you do it is up to you, but I am encouraging EVERYONE to do part of it. How cool would it be to see a bunch of you cheering each other on on the ski ergs after training? And how amazing would it be to build new habits that will help you reach your goals. 

Let's make a promise to ourselves and KEEP IT!

Who is in?

Don't forget to name the challenge! Also HUGE bonus points if you take a picture/video of any of  the challenges and tag us on Facebook or Instagram! We want to blow up your friends with the greatness. Let's encourage them to get healthier!

Get Fit NH Facebook

Meagan Facebook

Meagan Instagram

Get Fit NH Instagram

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I was asked this question during one of our workout classes, and to be honest it really is a great question. And I am sure you already know what our response is...it depends! Haha bet you didn’t see that coming. But it’s true, everyone is different. Everyone has different body types, certain limitations, that will determine how much one can lift. For example how much weight Coach Adam can deadlift will significantly be more weight than I can deadlift. That’s because Adam is naturally bigger and stronger than me. So a heavy weight for me, won’t be as heavy for him. This is important to keep in mind because you shouldn’t compare yourself to others in the gym. The only competition you have is with yourself! 

Now back to weight selection. At first we always start light when learning new exercises or trying things for the first time. That’s because we want to make sure you feel comfortable getting the movements down, learning what muscles you are working and should be feeling. You never want to sacrifice good form on an exercise just to lift heavier weights. Form is everything! Once you gain that confidence and repetition on those exercises, then we should be looking to progress those exercises to lift a little heavier. 

A lot of it comes down to feel, at least for me. Some days I’ll be feeling good and lifting heavier. While other days I just won't have it and will have to go lighter. But I am always looking to push myself. If it feels like you are just going through the motions and not really feeling the muscles working through the exercises, then you can most definitely lift heavier. It shouldn’t feel comfortable lifting weights, it should be difficult. That is how you are going to make your gains in the gym. Even if it is just a little bit at a time. Over the long run, you will improve and you will see the fruits of your labor. 

Coach Dylan

What is hydration?

Hydration is the process of replacing water lost from your body. It is essential to stay hydrated because more than half (about 50%-70%) of your body is made up of water!

What is proper hydration?

Many guidelines recommend drinking at least 2 liters (68 fluid oz) of water a day. Another simple way to calculate how much water you need is to divide your body weight (in pounds) by two, and that number is how much water, in fluid ounces, you should drink each day.

It’s important to stay well hydrated, because the water inside your body aids many vital functions, such as lubricating your joints, keeping the body temperature stable and moving nutrients to where they’re needed. Hydration is equally important as your nutrition!

Recent studies have found that being well hydrated may also:

• Help you sleep better & improve cognitive function

• Give you more endurance, allowing for more effective workouts

It’s also worth considering what you’re eating — many fruits and vegetables have high water content and can help you maintain hydration.

What is dehydration?

Dehydration can happen when your body has lost more water than you’ve taken in. 

If you are dehydrated, your body’s water balance is disrupted, and your body may not function as it should. 

What are the signs of dehydration?

You may have experienced a symptom of mild dehydration before. These symptoms can include:

• Feeling thirsty

• Dark urine

• Difficulty concentrating

More severe cases of dehydration may include the following symptoms:

• Fatigue

• Headaches

• Lightheadedness

• Heat cramps (painful spasms in the muscles)

How you lose water from your body

Sweating

Sweating during a workout is your body’s way of keeping cool. Your sweat glands release fluid (mainly water), which evaporates from your skin and helps to keep your body temperature stable.

Breathing

We are approaching our third recovery week for 2021, woohoo! This is a very important time to allow our bodies to recover! After a hard 12 weeks of training our body gets tired and sometimes with fatigue little aches and pains start to reveal themselves. By taking a week off from hard training every 3 months we allow our bodies to rest and recover so that when we get back in the gym we feel rejuvenated and ready to take on a new phase of training.  We are heading into the long stretch when we get back! Our next recovery week won't be until Christmas!

We have grown significantly over the last several weeks, so I am going to educate our new peeps a little more. 

At Get Fit NH our program is periodized. That means the training builds on itself over a 12 week phase. At the end of the phase our body has made significant progress...stronger, leaner, faster. Well, even elite athletes don't train 52 weeks a year. Our body would be beat up, injuries would pop up and with injuries often come set backs. That is not our philosophy. We train SMARTER so that we can stay in the gym and work hard. We schedule our recovery weeks around major holidays as those tend to be heavy travel times anyways. Aside from the recovery week in March, you can expect recovery weeks scheduled around 4th of July, Labor Day and Christmas. 

Our next scheduled recovery is September 6th through September 10th. As promised several months ago we will also offer a Get Fit NH test day on Saturday, September 11th. We run a test day, which I will explain in a moment, the first Saturday immedietly following a recovery week when our body is in its freshest form. 

So, what does a test day entail?

The testing day will always look the exact same. You will come in for a warm up and we will do 5 exercises for one minutes. You will count your reps, record your reps and the weight you used on our testing forms and that will be it. The next time we offer a testing day, we will bust the forms back out and you will see what you did last time and see how you progressed. You can expect 30-45 minutes of time for a testing day. It will be simple, efficient, visual and measurable- that's what it is all about! If there is an exercise you are currently unable to do then you will skip it all together. The measurable exercises will be:

Goblet Squat

Deadlift (trap bar or KB)

Push ups

Pull ups

Knee Grab Abs or in and outs

1000 m Ski Erg

This is absolutely free, of course and must be scheduled. Spots are limited. Last time we had a lot of no shows, not cool! If you want to do, do it. If you are unsure please hold off on reserving a spot! Sign up HERE for Saturday, September 11th at 9 AM

It may seem pretty simple and obvious at first, but it rings true on every occasion. Just think about it for a second. How many times has change happened in your own life without you first taking action? I can count zero times for myself. Granted there may have been other things happening before that moment, but eventually you had to take action. 

Having inspiration, ideas and insight, or imagination for new possibilities are all great things to have and think about when it comes to setting yourself up for success in whatever you pursue. Even though these are powerful tools, unfortunately these are not enough. We cannot think, strategize, hope, want, or envision ourselves into change. No matter how much time you spend on it or think about it. The only way you can create that change is by taking action.

A good way to help you take action is to break down what you need to do in order to achieve your goals. So start by writing down what your goals are. Once you have a specific goal, now you need to identify a skill. Which is the ability or capacity that you need to achieve said goal. Then you break that skill down into practice. This will be something you do that will help you build the skill. After that, you break it down into small daily actions. These are small specific tasks or behaviors that you can do daily and consistently. After repeating this over time, it will eventually become a habit. Helping you work towards completing your said goal. Remember only action creates change! 

Coach Dylan

Regardless of what your goals and ambitions are in life, it will take a fair amount of dedication before you accomplish those goals. Whether that is learning a new skill, starting a new career, or pursuing a new interesting hobby. In order to be successful, you need to be persistent. And it is no different when it comes to your fitness goals.

While I was scrolling through my social media feed I saw a quote that stuck out to me. As it is so true when it comes to health and fitness. The quote said, “be consistently good, not inconsistently great.” A lot of times we get so caught up in how hard we train when we workout. And I have certainly been a victim of it too! We think that if we aren’t lifting the normal weight we are accustomed too or we aren’t doing the same exercises that we are “missing out” on the workout. We feel like we need to be all in. And if we can’t then it is nothing at all. When really the opposite is true. Your workouts shouldn’t be an ALL OR NOTHING approach. Like I and other coaches have said, we would rather have you train all your days per week at 60% maximum effort over a longer period of time than 80 to 90% maximum effort and then fizzle out after a week. 

So remember, your ability to be consistent with your training as well as any nutrition plan over a long period of time is what will yield you great results. Aim to be consistently good, not inconsistently great. 

Coach Dylan

When you’re trying to lose weight, to build muscle or to improve your general wellbeing, good nutrition and consistency is KEY. A healthy meal plan can help you to nourish your body and provide it with the essentials it needs to perform at its best. Making a healthy meal plan part of your lifestyle can help to set you up for success with your goals!

Making a Meal Plan You Can Stick To

A meal plan can teach you how to balance meals and how to fuel your body properly. We know that consistency is important when it comes to health, so here are some tips to stick with your plan!

Have realistic expectations

Following a nutritious meal plan can have many health benefits, but it’s only going to work if you want to do it. You are more likely to want to follow a meal plan that is realistic for you and your lifestyle. 

We all have different needs, different goals and different bodies, which means there is no such thing as a single ‘perfect diet’. Once you make that shift in mindset, there is less pressure from yourself to be ‘perfect’ when following the plan. 

Aim to eat healthily and follow your meal plan without feeling as though you have to give up your favorites. Look for balance. Enjoy those favorites in moderation if you wish, but try not to give in to every single craving. Soon you’ll have built up those mental muscles that make it easier to resist cravings when they arise.

 Shop smarter

When you have meals already planned, you save time and money in the grocery store.

Have a shopping list ready and grocery shopping can become less hassle too. You’re less tempted to fill your cart with convenience foods or unhealthy snacks, and you have everything you need to prepare meals at home with no waste!

Meal prep

Meals don’t have to be boring aka the standard chicken, rice and broccoli. One of the best ways to stay on track with your meal plan is to spend some time each week on meal planning and preparation. Start by prepping your protein in bulk and freezing any left overs to be ready to go for the next week…time saver! Then prep your carbs (vegetables, fruits, grains) and healthy fats (avocado, nuts) to have a balanced meal. You can save time by buying precut or frozen vegetables, minute rice, chopped fruits, cooked proteins, etc.

Pre-plan before going out

Social situations can make it hard to stick to a meal plan, but it doesn’t have to derail your hard work. Planning ahead can help you to navigate social situations comfortably. Heading to a restaurant? Research what’s on the menu and choose something that resembles your meal plan or if you plan to order something you love, lessen your snacks prior and allow yourself to enjoy that meal. Heading to a friend’s place for dinner? Offer to bring a healthy side dish. If you’re following your meal plan the majority of the time, it’s absolutely okay to indulge or to deviate from that plan every now and then. Again, it is balance! 

Eat delicious food!

Any meal plan that makes you miserable is going to be hard to follow. Instead, find a meal plan that feels enjoyable, fulfilling and offers plenty of variety. Think of a healthy meal plan as a way to give your body the best fuel possible. That doesn’t mean you need to spend extra on premium ingredients — choosing fresh produce or ‘real foods’ and skipping the packaged, over-processed varieties, can make a huge difference to your health. Find healthy swaps or ways to make your favorite meals into healthier versions. 

Following a healthy meal plan can take time and practice, so remember to be patient with yourself and give yourself some grace! Don’t be upset with yourself if you slip-up, it is a learning process. Persistence can really pay off in the long-term, so even if it takes a few tries, keep at it as it is sustainability that we are after.

Coach Ashley

Simply, it is most important to understand what your body needs to get from the food you  eat. If you can get the balance right, it’ll be easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle and fuel  your training, work, home life and social life. 

To eat healthy, there are three things to consider: the types of foods you eat, how much,  and how often you should eat. Once you understand the best way to eat for yourself, you  can be confident that you are providing your body with optimal nutrition to fuel your daily  activities, as well as your training. 

Variety is key 

Eating healthy means including a wide variety of foods, from each of the five food groups. 

Choosing a variety of nutritious foods throughout the week can help to ensure sufficient  intake of all the macronutrients and micronutrients the body needs. Eating a variety  of foods will provide you with the energy to get through your day, increase your quality of  life and even help you to live longer as it reduces your risk of developing chronic diseases. 

So what are the five food groups? Vegetables and legumes (beans and lentils); fruit; grains  (ideally wholegrain or high fiber varieties); lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and  seeds and legumes/beans; dairy and alternatives. 

The groups represent foods that provide similar amounts of the key nutrients the body  needs to be healthy. For example, vegetables provide lots of vitamins and minerals as well  

as fiber for very little calories, and dairy foods (and their alternatives) are a good source of  protein, calcium and vitamin D.  

Depending on your age, basal metabolic rate and activity levels, you’ll need different  amounts of each food group. However, generally speaking, most of us need roughly 2  servings of fruit, 5 servings of vegetables, 4-6 servings of grains, 2-3 servings of protein  and 3-4 servings of dairy each day.  

The simplest way to eat the correct amount and serving is to focus on balancing your plate  and portion sizes. Ideally, each meal should obtain a protein, carb and fat source. By doing  this, you will be able to obtain the nutrients you need and be on track to meet your goals.  

“A healthy outside, starts from the inside.”

This is something I started learning about in one of my continuing education classes and it's very important. That’s deep health. As coaches, it is our job to help you with your fitness journey and improve your physical health. But the truth is, your health has many aspects that we should all be trying to improve each and every day. Deep health is about thriving in all domains of human experience and life. 

This includes our physical health, mental and cognitive health, emotional health, existential/purposeful health, relational and social health, and environmental health. 

Physical: I feel healthy, energized, and thriving. I perform and function well. 

Mental: I feel alert, focused, competent, and thoughtful. I learn, remember and solve problems well.

Emotional: I feel a full range of emotions, but mostly calm, hopeful and positive. I can express emotions appropriately. 

Existential: I feel a sense of meaning and purpose. 

Relational-Social: I feel connected and authentic with others. I feel supported. I belong. 

Environmental: What’s around me supports my health and wellbeing. 

These domains of deep health are all connected and when we can find the right balance to practice each of these it allows us to grow and excel as human beings and gives us a sense of vitality and purpose in the world. As I have talked about before with many clients. When you come to the gym, you aren’t just there for a workout. It’s more than that. It helps you unwind and decompress from all life’s stresses. Gives you a safe environment where you can grow and be supported by like-minded people. Build strong relationships and give you a sense of belonging. Ultimately, the gym is your sanctuary. Built to provide shelter and peace from any storm. 

Coach Dylan

We are approaching our second recovery week for 2021, woohoo! This is a very important time to allow our bodies to recover! After a hard 12 weeks of training our body gets tired and sometimes with fatigue little aches and pains start to reveal themselves. By taking a week off from hard training every 3 months we allow our bodies to rest and recover so that when we get back in the gym we feel rejuvenated and ready to take on a new phase of training. 

We have grown significantly over the last several weeks, so I am going to educate our new peeps a little more. 

At Get Fit NH our program is periodized. That means the training builds on itself over a 12 week phase. At the end of the phase our body has made significant progress...stronger, leaner, faster. Well, even elite athletes don't train 52 weeks a year. Our body would be beat up, injuries would pop up and with injuries often come set backs. That is not our philosophy. We train SMARTER so that we can stay in the gym and work hard. We schedule our recovery weeks around major holidays as those tend to be heavy travel times anyways. Aside from the recovery week in March, you can expect recovery weeks scheduled around 4th of July, Labor Day and Christmas. 

Our next scheduled recovery is July 5th through July 9th. As promised several months ago we will also offer a Get Fit NH test day on Saturday, July 10th. We run a test day, which I will explain in a moment, the first Saturday immedietly following a recovery week when our body is in its freshest form. 

So, what does a test day entail?

The testing day will always look the exact same. You will come in for a warm up and we will do 5 exercises for one minutes. You will count your reps, record your reps and the weight you used on our testing forms and that will be it. The next time we offer a testing day, we will bust the forms back out and you will see what you did last time and see how you progressed. You can expect 30-45 minutes of time for a testing day. It will be simple, efficient, visual and measurable- that's what it is all about! If there is an exercise you are currently unable to do then you will skip it all together. The measurable exercises will be:

Goblet Squat

Deadlift (trap bar or KB)

Push ups

Pull ups

Knee Grab Abs or in and outs

1000 m Ski Erg

This is absolutely free, of course and must be scheduled. Spots are limited. Last time we had a lot of no shows, not cool! If you want to do, do it. If you are unsure please hold off on reserving a spot! Sign up HERE for Saturday, July 10th at 9 AM