The Skinny on Sleep (and naps)...

Blanket statement:  You sleep too little.  

Waking up tired is a terrible feeling, spending your day tired is even worse.  Nothing ruins a day more than thinking about bedtime immediately after your alarm goes off.  Unfortunately, many of us spend our days in a sleep deprived haze . 

1.  Benefits of Sleep.  

This could fill volumes...here are some of the biggest hits:

1. Heart Health:  Sleeping reduces the work load of your body, giving the cardiovascular system a much needed rest from the constant pumping, processing, and oxygenating that our bodies require.
2. Stress Reduction:  Sleeping reduces blood pressure, as well as the the stress hormone Corstisol (which by the way can increase fat retention).  
3. Improved Memory: Your brain needs time to relax.  Zoning out to Reality TV, or listening to music is insufficient; the brain is constantly stimulated.  However, sleep lets the brain slow down and play (i.e. dream), relaxing a bit. 
4. Controls Body Weight:  Sleep deprivation leads to hormone imbalances (see #2).  This can make weight loss more difficult, and muscle development even harder.
5. Maintain Even Temper:  Adequate sleep can prevent dramatic mood swings.  Think about every movie centered around new parents - they're tired and stressed out.  This leads to lashing out (often comedically) at their spouse or partner.  Unfortunately, in real life lashing doesn't ever seem to end in hilarity.  

2.  Assuring Good Sleep.  

1. Avoid excessive alcohol within a few hours of bedtime.
2. Avoid caffeine (which includes chocolate) within a few hours of bedtime.
3. Exercise regularly and with intensity - just not right before bedtime.
4. Go to sleep and get up at the same time every day (even on weekends).  This establishes a pattern.  Our bodies love patterns.  
5. Drink tea or take a hot bath an hour or so before bed.  Try scented bath oil.
6. Drink plenty of water.  Why waste precious sleep time waking up for a glass of water at 3:00 a.m.?
7. Load your calories early in the day and slowly reduce your caloric intake as the day progresses.  A body in "digestion mode" is not a body in "sleep mode".
8. Don't read on your phone or wireless device before bed - the light from the screen can disrupt your biorhtym  Also - try  to keep your phone, computer, iPad, pager (if you actually still have one), iPod, or lap top out of the bedroom.  

3.  Your Bedroom;

1. Dark and quiet.  
2. If you have thoughts running through your head, turn on a fan or other white noise.  This gives the brain something to focus on, so you body can fall asleep.
3. TV Off - at bedtime.  Watch before bed if you need to.
4. Make sure you have a good bed, good bedding, and good pillows.

4.  Sex and Sleep:

1. This is your bedroom's primary purpose - focus on them when you're in bed.

5.  Naps:

1. Naps are awesome in every way.  Take one whenever you need.  Naps increase your productivity, mental clarity, mood, focus, and metabolism.  Ideally, no less than 20 minutes and no longer than about 30.  Too short and you wake up feeling worse, too long and you risk trouble falling asleep at night.

Sleep is important.  Saying you "only got 4 hours of sleep" last night doesn't make you cool, it doesn't make you tough.  It makes you prone to heart disease, weight gain, mood swings, and memory loss - all things that suck.   Don't be that guy.

Be the guy who is heart disease-free, of a healthy weight with an even mood and has instant recall of important facts (and all the useless ones that make you so much fun at parties).

Remember: "If you've got it, flaunt it.  If you don't, get it with us."

DailyFit February 11

Since 2009 we have provided routine workouts for anyone's use.

Please be advised, exercise is tough.  Many of the movements included in DailyFit aren't easy.  Even the best trained athletes injure themselves.  If you don't know what you're doing, ask someone who looks like they do --and  it just so happens that the trainers at Fit2You know what they're doing.

Email us: Info@fit2youfitness.com, we're here to help.

Below you'll find three workouts - Beginner/Intermediate, Advanced, and FitDeck.  Don't be cocky...choose properly!

If these workouts are taking you longer than 60 minutes you’re either talking too much, staring at yourself in the mirror too long, or moving too slowly.

Beginner/Intermediate

Dynamic Warmup: 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 Body Weight Squats, 10 Squat Jumps, 10 Hip Bends, 10 Incline Pushups

Activity A: 3 Sets || 15 - 18 Repetitions || 60 seconds rest
1.  Thruster
2.  Stability Ball Abdominal Roll Out  

Activity B: 3 Sets || 15 - 18 Repetitions || 60 seconds rest
1.  Dumbbell Goblet Squat
2.  Australian Row       

Activity C: 3 Sets || 15 - 18 Repetitions || 60 seconds rest
1.  Kettlebell (or dumbbell) Swing
2.  Overhead Shoulder Press

Activity D (Optional):
1.  Battling Ropes: Goal time is 120 seconds.  Take breaks as needed, but get to 120 total seconds of BATTLE!

Static Stretch
     
Advanced

Activity A: 5 Sets || 5  Repetitions ||  Rest as long as needed
1.  Barbell Front Squat
2.  Turkish Getups

Activity B: 5 Sets || 5  Repetitions ||  Rest as long as needed
1.  Weighted Chin-Ups
2.  Power Pushups
3.  Kettlebell Swings

Activity C: 2 Sets || 90 - 120 seconds rest
1.  Prowler or Sled Push - 100 yards

Static Stretch

FitDeck

FitDeck is a unique exercise modality best for those of you with limited space, limited equipment, and/or limited time.  FitDeck is designed to combine intense total body resistance training and cardiovascular training; maximizing the time you do have to exercise.

Equipment:  1 full deck of playing cards, 2 dumbbells or kettlebells, or 1 barbell or sand bag.

Instructions:  Each Suit is assigned an activity.  As you flip through the deck the card number is the number of repetitions you perform of that Suit's activity (J is 11, Q is 12, K is 13, Ace is 1 or 14).  For example, If the "diamond" activity is pushups, when you flip 10 of Diamonds, perform 10 pushups.

Take rests as needed, but no longer than 1 minute.  Work up to completing an entire FitDeck without rest.

Diamond: Thrusters
Hearts : Alternative Reverse Lunges
Spades : Renegade Rows
Clover : Plank to Pushup

DailyFit February 1

Since 2009 we have provided routine workouts for anyone's use.  Please be advised, exercise is tough.  Many of the movements included in DailyFit aren't easy.  Even the best trained athletes injure themselves.  If you don't know what you're doing, ask someone who looks like they do --and  it just so happens that the trainers at Fit2You know what they're doing.

Email us: Info@fit2youfitness.com, we're here to help.

Below you'll find three workouts - Beginner/Intermediate, Advanced, and FitDeck.  Don't be cocky...choose properly!

If these workouts are taking you longer than 60 minutes you’re either talking too much, staring at yourself in the mirror too long, or moving too slowly.

Beginner/Intermediate

Dynamic Warmup: 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 Body Weight Squats, 10 Squat Jumps, 10 Hip Bends, 10 Incline Pushups

Activity A: 3 Sets || 60 seconds per movement* || 2 minutes rest
1.  Reverse Lunges
2.  Squat Jumps
3.  Assisted Chin ups
4.  Medicine Ball Slams   

Activity B:  3 Sets || 60 seconds per movement*|| 2 minutes rest
1.  Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swing
2.  Butt Kickers
3.  Pushups
4.  Incline Power Pushups

*Take breaks as needed, but no longer than 10 seconds at a time

Static Stretch
      
Advanced

Activity A: 5 Sets || 5  Repetitions ||  Rest as long as needed
1.  Hexagonal Bar Deadlift
2.  Hanging Leg Raise*

*Flexed Arm Hang position if possible. 

Activity B: 5 Sets || 5  Repetitions ||  Rest as long as needed
1.  Bench Press
2.  Russian Step ups

Activity C: 2 Sets || 90 - 120 seconds rest
1.  Farmers Walk - 50 yards
2.  Battling Ropes - 1 Minute

Static Stretch

FitDeck

FitDeck is a unique exercise modality best for those of you with limited space, limited equipment, and/or limited time.  FitDeck is designed to combine intense total body resistance training and cardiovascular training; maximizing the time you do have to exercise.

Equipment:  1 full deck of playing cards, 2 dumbbells or kettlebells, or 1 barbell or sand bag.

Instructions:  Each Suit is assigned an activity.  As you flip through the deck the card number is the number of repetitions you perform of that Suit's activity (J is 11, Q is 12, K is 13, Ace is 1 or 14).  For example, If the "diamond" activity is pushups, when you flip 10 of Diamonds, perform 10 pushups.

Take rests as needed, but no longer than 1 minute.  Work up to completing an entire FitDeck without rest.

Diamond: Russian Step ups
Hearts : Squat Jumps
Spades : Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swing
Clover : Turkish Getups

DailyFit January 30

Since 2009 we have provided routine workouts for anyone's use.  Please be advised, exercise is tough.  Many of the movements included in DailyFit aren't easy.  Even the best trained athletes injure themselves.  If you don't know what you're doing, ask someone who looks like they do --and  it just so happens that the trainers at Fit2You know what they're doing.

Email us: Info@fit2youfitness.com, we're here to help.
Below you'll find two workouts - Beginner/Intermediate and Advanced.  Don't be cocky...choose properly!

If these workouts are taking you longer than 60 minutes you’re either talking too much, staring at yourself in the mirror too long, or moving too slowly.

Beginner/Intermediate

Dynamic Warmup: 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 Body Weight Squats, 10 Squat Jumps, 10 Hip Bends, 10 Incline Pushups

Activity A: 4 Sets || 12-18  Repetitions || Rest 60 seconds
1.  Thrusters
2.  Bosu Mountain Climbers    

Activity B: 3 Sets || 8 - 12 Repetitions || Rest 60 seconds
1.  Dumbbell Deadlift
2.  Dumbbell Incline Chest Press
3.  Flat Jacks

Activity C: 3 Sets || 8 - 12 Repetitions || Rest 60 seconds
1.  Russian Step-Ups
2.  Assisted Neutral Grip Chinups
3.  Flutter Kicks

Static Stretch
       
Advanced

Activity A: 5 Sets || 5  Repetitions ||  Rest as long as needed
1.  Barbell Back Squat
2.  Kettlebell Renegade Rows

Activity B: 5 Sets || 5  Repetitions ||  Rest as long as needed
1.  Dumbbell Deadlift
2.  Weighted Pushups

Activity C:
1.  100 Kettlebell Swings - take as many breaks as needed.

Foam Roll

FitDeck

FitDeck is a unique exercise modality best for those of you with limited space, limited equipment, and/or limited time.  FitDeck is designed to combine intense total body resistance training and cardiovascular training; maximizing the time you do have to exercise.

Equipment:  1 full deck of playing cards, 2 dumbbells or kettlebells, or 1 barbell or sand bag.

Instructions:  Each Suit is assigned an activity.  As you flip through the deck the card number is the number of repetitions you perform of that Suit's activity (J is 11, Q is 12, K is 13, Ace is 1 or 14).  For example, If the "diamond" activity is pushups, when you flip 10 of Diamonds, perform 10 pushups.

Take rests as needed, but no longer than 1 minute.  Work up to completing an entire FitDeck without rest.

Diamond : Reverse Lunges
Hearts : Flat Jacks
Spades : Squat Thrusts
Clover : Bent Over or Australian Row

DailyFit January 23

Since 2009 we have provided routine workouts for anyone's use.  Please be advised, exercise is tough.  Many of the movements included in DailyFit aren't easy.  Even the best trained athletes injure themselves.  If you don't know what you're doing, ask someone who looks like they do --and  it just so happens that the trainers at Fit2You know what they're doing.

Email us: Info@fit2youfitness.com, we're here to help.

Below you'll find two workouts - Beginner/Intermediate and Advanced.  Don't be cocky...choose properly!

Also...NOTE THE NEW WORKOUT OPTION!  In addition to "Beginner/Intermediate" and "Advanced", you'll find FitDeck (described in more detail below).

If these workouts are taking you longer than 60 minutes you’re either talking too much, staring at yourself in the mirror too long, or moving too slowly.

Beginner/Intermediate

Dynamic Warmup: 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 Body Weight Squats, 10 Squat Jumps, 10 Hip Bends, 10 Incline Pushups

Activity A: 3 Sets ||  10-15  Repetitions || Rest 60 seconds

1.  Dumbbell or Kettlebell Swing

2.  Cable Rotational Chop     

Activity B: 3 Sets || 10 - 15 Repetitions || Rest 60 seconds

1.  Reverse Lunges

2.  Squat Jumps - 5 repetitions

3.  Australian Row

4.  Medicine Ball Slams - 5 repetitions

Activity C: 3 Sets || 10 - 15 Repetitions || Rest 60 seconds

1.  Hamstring Curls

2.  Butt Kickers - 10 repetitions/leg

3.  Pushups

4.  Power Pushups - 5 repetitions

Activity D (Optional): 5 - 10 Rounds

1.  Squat Thrusts 10 seconds exertion 10 seconds rest     

Static Stretch

       

  

Advanced

Activity A: 5 Sets || 15 Repetitions ||  Rest 2 minutes

1.  Kettlebell Half Snatch

2.  Ab-wheel rollout

Activity B: 1 Set || 55's - Perform 10 reps, then 9, then 8 all the way to 1.  Take as little rest as possible

1.  Goblet Squats

2.  Chin ups

Activity C: 1 Set || 55's - Perform 10 reps, then 9, then 8 all the way to 1.  Take as little rest as possible

1.  Dumbbell Deadlift

2.  Kettlebell Pushups

Activity D (optional): 8 Rounds - 20 seconds exertion/10 seconds rest

1.  Battling Ropes: Alternating – Alternating – Double – Double – Side to side – Side to Side – Left Arm – Right Arm

Static Stretch

FitDeck

FitDeck is a unique exercise modality best for those of you with limited space, limited equipment, and/or limited time.  FitDeck is designed to combine intense total body resistance training and cardiovascular training; maximizing the time you do have to exercise.

Equipment:  1 full deck of playing cards, 2 dumbbells or kettlebells, or 1 barbell or sand bag.

Instructions:  Each Suit is assigned an activity.  As you flip through the deck the card number is the number of repetitions you perform of that Suit's activity (J is 11, Q is 12, K is 13, Ace is 1 or 14).  For example, If the "diamond" activity is pushups, when you flip 10 of Diamonds, perform 10 pushups.

Take rests as needed, but no longer than 1 minute.  Work up to completing an entire FitDeck without rest.

Diamond : Bent-Over Row

Hearts : Squat-hops

Spades : Thruster

Clover : Mountain Climber

Diet (n): What person or animal eats: the food that a person or animal usually consumes.

The word diet has taken on an erroneous definition.  Recently, more and more Fit2You clients have been seeking our advice and recommendations on “diets”.  Seeking the best diet to quickly shed pounds or pack on muscle.    

A diet is not a strategy to quickly achieve any physical change.  More importantly, a diet is not a means to an end.  A diet is a lifestyle - it’s your lifestyle.  What you eat says a lot about the person you are and what’s important to you.

Beyond the simple clean eating means you care about health and poor eating habits mean you don’t, diets can be political statements (vegans & vegetarians) or address specified concerns (diabetes or celiac disease).  No matter how we eat, we are all on a diet. 

The notion that going on a “diet” is needed for weight loss is wrong and often leads to failure.  Dieting isn’t the key, changing your lifestyle is the key.

Reflect upon your own values and what is important to you.  If you dislike the way animals are treated, try vegetarianism or veganism.  If maintaining a health body weight is important to you, try lean proteins, limited high quality carbs, and lots of a fruits and vegetables.  Choose your lifestyle and seek out qualified experts to advise you on structuring a diet suited for that lifestyle. 

Weight loss programs such as Nutrisystem, Sensa, or crash diets may help you lose weight but without changing your lifestyle to match your goals, failure is likely.

Consider Nutrisystem and other “prepared meal” plans.  You order 6 weeks worth of meals which come packaged and ready to eat .  You lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks.  What do you do for week 7?  Order more ? Go back to your old habits?  Research shows most participants return to their old habits and gain the weight back.  These participants didn’t change their lifestyle. 

A big topic of discussion in our facilities is The Biggest Loser.  The show participants make dramatic changes in their immediate lives, but not their lifestyle.  Accordingly, nearly all of The Biggest Loser participants gain the weight back after the show ends. 

The Biggest Loser does a great job teaching healthy eating and exercise habits, and providing valuable education to carry forward.  The Biggest Loser’s failure is that it teaches these habits in a vacuum.  Show participants are free from the stress and time constrains of work, family, and life.  Not adjusting a lifestyle to ones life is a setup for failure.

Whatever your goal, the fitness and health professionals at Fit2You will help you build a plan to achieve these goals within the strictures of your life.   We will help you develop a lifestyle plan that fits into your life.  We will work around the hurdles in your life and support you throughout. 

I encourage you to contact Fit2You, have a discussion with one of our professionals - info@fit2youfitness.com.

Remember: "If you've got it, flaunt it.  If you don't, get it with us."

Train for Something

Motivating yourself to hit the gym or exercise regularly is often a challenge.  Of course, there will always be those individuals who love exercise and workout out whether it’s cold, warm, dark, or bright.  But many of us need an extra push to wake up an hour earlier, skip our favorite television show, or stay up an hour later.  A great way to find that extra push is to train for something.

The most notable events are the classic 5K, 10K, and Marathon.  As you may know, these are running only endurance events.  While millions of people love to train for and participate in them, not everyone wants to run long distances.   Fortunately, other options exist. 

1.  Triathlon.  The framework of a triathlon varies little - each event involves a cycling component, swimming component, and running component.  However, there are several race lengths.         

    (a) Sprint Distance: .5 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. 

    (b) Olympic Distance: .9 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride, and a 6.2 mile run.

    (c) Long Course: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run.

    (d) Ultra Distance: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run.

2.  Mud Run.  The most common, and most grueling, mud run is the Tough Mudder, is a 12 - 15 mile course over uneven muddy terrain.  The course include 20+ obstacles including wall climbing, hurdles, swims, rope climbs, fire walking and electrocution (that’s right). 

    However, many other outfits operate mud runs that are of a shorter distance (as few as 3 miles) with fewer obstacles.  Events such as Warrior Dash or Mud Sweat & Beers are great events to start with if you’re interested in a Tough Mudder. 

    These events are team events and generally foster an atmosphere of total teamwork; meaning every participant will help others tackler various obstacles; some of which can’t be completed with out the assistance of a team member.
   
    Most of these runs include a party at the end with beer, bands, and food. 

    Training for a Mud Run involves running, conditioning, and weight training.  The varied training requirements may keep you more interested than training for a running only event.

3.  Endurance Challenge.  Endurance challenges are events tailored to test your physical and mental grit.  These events are often set up in Super-Circuit format: dozens of physical challenges back-to-back and completed for repetitions or time.

    A common example of an Endurance Challenge is the CrossFit Challenge - this is an extreme example, but many local gyms and sporting clubs have regular endurance challenges for their member to participate in. 

    These events often include pushups, pullups, farmers walks, tire flips, prowler pushes, and battling ropes. 

4.  Mountain Climbs.  When we think of Mountain Climbing we think of Mt. Everest or scaling a dry rockface.  However, there are many less dangerous, and less expensive options.  Mount Whitney or Mount Rainier are great examples of Mountain Climbing Challenges.

    These types of excursions are costly, as they typically take several days or weeks to complete.  However, they are challenging both physically and mentally.  Training takes month as you’ll need to focus on endurance strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. 

    The above are just a few examples of various events of which you can avail yourself.  They require long term dedication to an appropriate training protocol, while challenging your mettle.  If you really dedicate yourself to the training, with a genuine desire to complete the challenge you set out for...endurance events are a great way to maintain that essential self motivation. 

5.  Powerlifting.  If you love weight training, and you love lifting heavy weights - Powerlifting competitions may be for you. 

    Powerlifting events include the Bench Press, Dead Lift, and Squat.  Although many competitors compete in all three, you may compete in one, two or all three. 

    The events discussed here involve dramatically different methods of training.  Fit2You employs trainers and coaches expertly qualified to assure you are not only prepared for whatever event you choose to enter, but that you can truly compete in that event. 

      For more information contact Fit2You today - info@fit2youfitness.com.  Remember: "If you've got it, flaunt it.  If you don't, get it with us."