Your October Resolution

Your October Resolution

Did you know that many consider October to be the new New Year’s resolution month for parents?

It’s true. Think about it, you just spent the last 3 months caring for your kids, finding a ton of things to do to keep them busy so their needle isn’t stuck on the “Mom and Dad… I’m BORED” record. It’s not enough that you took two vacations, spent a third of your annual salary within a month and gave your kids an experience that you would have died for when you were that age. You can see the finish line coming and you’re joyfully shopping for pens, pencils of all colors, various paper pads and folders knowing that fall is on its way. It’s almost like Christmas time when you were a kid… but not quite.

So October is here and now you can barely contain yourself long enough to wave at them as they walk out the door with that huge backpack on. You’ve made up your mind to do something nice for yourself for a change and after the initial day or three where you rush them out the door and go back to bed or finish up that novel you started and stopped 8 times since the first flight in June.

Even if you aren’t a parent, it’s your turn and it’s a new year, as it were, and it is a great opportunity to make a change. You’ve been craving normalcy for weeks now and having a consistent schedule couldn’t be a more perfect time to start a new healthy program for yourself. It might be as simple as cutting carbs in your diet or as extensive as doing exercise classes several times a week or hiring a personal trainer. If you’re having a hard time deciding here are some suggestions:

Learning Meditation: There are scientific studies that show the many benefits of meditating. It’s suggested that meditating can help improve your mood, reduce stress, lessen anxiety and improve your brain’s ability in decision making, self-control and sensory perception. Meditating, once you learn how, can be very easy to do.

Do Planks every day: Doing plank exercises every day is a fantastic way to slim down your mid-section, strengthen your core and improve your posture. There are many resources on how to do them correctly online and at the club. Your results can be amazing even if you only start doing them for as little as 5 minutes per day. As always, start slow to avoid any possible injury and please consult your physician before starting any new workout routine.

Move More: Living a sedentary life tends to have some potentially serious consequences later on in life. It will make you more likely to be overweight and it puts you at a higher risk of health issues. It doesn’t matter what you choose as long as you’re raising your heart rate. Take a walk, get up every 20 minutes and move around or stretch, join a dance class, take the stairs instead of the elevator or park further away when you do your errands. All of these help get your blood moving, create oxygen flow and generally will help make you feel better.

Eat fewer calories: For the most part, people use resolution times to make changes in their appearance and most will opt to get smaller. Consuming fewer calories will more likely set you in that direction. Carrying excess weight puts us at a greater risk for a lot of different health problems that include diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. If you gained weight over your vacation I recommend that you eat smaller portions moving forward and keep your body moving.

Let’s have a great rest of the year!

-Dan Engle

New Years Resolutions… Done Right

New Years resolutions this year? Most of us have them with the goal to improve health, fitness and athletic performance. So, here are some tips to help you stay focused and on target this season.

• Make realistic goals. Your resolution doesn’t always need to be about weight loss. It can be about adding more variety or value to your workouts. Here are some ideas from current members who have shared ideas:
Have a number of visits to the Club in mind. “I used to be at the Club about twice per week, but this year I have committed to be there 3 days per week. Even if it is not a workout, I sit in the hot tub, stretch, or just have a sauna, but this forces me to be more disciplined and in a routine”
Add in a Mind Body class one day per week. “I spend most of my workout time in the weight room and cardio machines. This year I will add in a Yoga or Pilates class one day per week. I will commit to this for 6 weeks then re-evaluate my progress and make adjustments if needed. I expect to see increase flexibility and will view this as my body’s reward for hard work”.
“Adding 15 to 20 minutes of cardio in before or after my Training session or class has not only allowed me be more focused and ready for my session, but helped me burn a few more calories each day. Added together, this has made a big difference in my progress”.

• Accountability: Write down your goals in a place you see every day and check it off weekly to stay focused and reminded.

• Network: find a workout buddy or tell a friend, family member or staff at the Club! You know we will help you stay on track.

• Set yourself up to succeed: Plan ahead and prepare snacks, lunch or grab and go breakfasts. It’s OK to have a treat now and then but make it an effort to find it in the cupboard or refrigerator. Place the healthy snacks in the forefront and the treats away from sight.

• Count your calories: Portion control is one of the best ways to succeed. Avoid cooking too much or adding too much to your plate. Know what your daily intake should be for your age, body, and activity level. Ask this question to any of our Trainers. They will help you!
A good rule of thumb is 3 oz of Protein is roughly the size and thickness of the palm of your hand. ½ cup of vegetables is roughly the size of a clenched hand

• Eat slowly and without distractions such as a computer, TV or phone. If you are dining out, skip the appetizers and bread.

• Watch the sugar! Protein Carbs and Fat are all essential elements in a balanced diet, but added sugars and sugar substitutes can quickly derail your quest. Avoid sodas, sugary coffee drinks and desserts. Get to know your habits. Is an afternoon coffee drink a habit, a reward, a treat or your body craving a sugar fix. Try something different and then limit these habits to once or just twice a week instead of daily.

• Mix it up! Keep your body guessing. Keep the internal machine working hard to keep up. Whether you are on the elliptical, treadmill or doing laps in the pool once per week change up the routine and add in 2 minutes of speed with 4 minutes of moderate pace. Remember to add in stretching or foam rolling. This is an important part of your recovery and your body’s reward.

• Rest and Sleep is also an essential part of your success. Take time for yourself, relax, visualize, internally reward your efforts and get a restful night’s sleep.

• Drink Water

Stay committed to your goals for 4 to 6 weeks. This is how long it will take before you really see the results! But it will happen! Good luck and remember we are here to support your goals and help you achieve results.

Achieving your New Year’s Fitness Resolution

January 1st seems to be a magical date in some of our lives. Millions of Americans take this opportunity to decide, with good intentions, to change our unhealthy behaviors and bad habits or just simply want to feel better from the previous year.

Unfortunately, for most of us, our good intentions fade and by March we fall into the same behaviors. So we procrastinate and start to rationalize with ourselves and set the next special date to begin our goals anew. “I’ll start my diet on Monday”, “I’ll start my workout program after ‘Walking Dead-Pizza-Night-Sundays’ are over”  You get the point. Your new starting point leads to another and pretty soon January is on the horizon again.

Here are some tips to help make your 2015 transition to a healthier you more successful:

1. Set smaller goals that are attainable. We have to stay realistic. If exercising more frequently is your goal, schedule 3 or 4 days per week at the gym to start instead of seven. If weight loss is your goal then set weekly or even daily goals of exercise and dietary intake to achieve your much bigger goal.

2. Take more steps to achieve your goal. Go the extra mile when it comes to your everyday life. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Stand and walk around while you’re on the phone. Park further away when you go shopping. Take your dog for an extra walk per week.

3. Avoid sabotage. Be aware of your environment. If your goal is to get smaller then avoid social settings that revolve around unhealthy food. Instead of meeting friends for a meal, meet them for a brisk walk. Avoid the aisles at the grocery store that tempt you. You know which aisles I’m talking about. Remove those tempting foods from your pantry.

4. Support and accountability. Enlist friends and loved ones that may have the same goal in mind and help one another. Countless studies show that you get far more success from an exercise program when you have a workout partner. They can motivate you and you can motivate them. Hold yourselves accountable.

5. Get help. Stay humble and never assume that you know everything. If you want or need help… get it. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. There are countless sources in bookstores and on the internet that specialize in what your ultimate goals are. Study up. Hire a personal trainer or coach to help you with proper form to avoid injury.

There are many important things to consider during your New Year’s Resolution process but the main thing to remember is that your unhealthy behaviors didn’t happen overnight and changing them won’t happen overnight either. Your new healthy choices require time to develop into habits. Remember that the changes you seek are for a positive reason so be patient in the process. You’ll love the outcome.

You’re taking care of yourself and that’s always a good thing.

Dan Engle, Membership Director CAC – Silver Lake