CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

What are you grateful for today?

Thanksgiving: It’s the time of year to celebrate what we’re thankful for.  However, we don’t have to relegate our gratitude to one day a year.  Developing an “attitude of gratitude” in your everyday is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction with life. The benefits of a regular gratitude practice are nearly endless, but here are five to consider:

1)  Gratitude improves your health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than other people.  They exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check ups with their doctors (which can contribute to longevity).  In addition, gratitude reduces many toxic emotions, ranging from envy, comparison and resentment, to frustration and regret.  It’s not surprising, then, that being grateful increases happiness and reduces depression.

2)  A regular gratitude practice improves your ability to cope. Learning to see the good in your life even when hard times come is a powerful coping strategy.

3)  Grateful people sleep better. Writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Spend a few minutes before bed jotting down a few grateful sentiments and you may fall asleep easier, along with sleeping better and longer.

4)  Gratitude makes you a more effective manager.  Whether you’re managing a team at work or at home, gratitude can improve your ability to lead.  Effective management requires many skills. While criticism and judgement come all too easily for most, the ability to express gratitude and praise is often lacking.  Timely, sincere, specific praise is often a more powerful method of influencing change than criticism.  Expressions of gratitude can be highly motivating, while criticism can be de-motivating.  Cultivate an attitude of gratitude and see what you can do.

5)  Gratitude feels good – surprise, surprise – gratitude simply feels good, and when you feel good you’re more likely to do a whole host of other things.  

Not sure where to start your gratitude practice?  Here are a couple of ideas:

Say thanks. Send a text. Write an email or compose a hand-written letter.  Best of all: Say it face-to-face. Tell someone “thank you” from the heart today and see how good it makes you feel.

Keep a gratitude journal.  Every evening before bed, jot down three to five things that you are grateful for. They can be big things or simple ones – the key is that they’re different every day.  

Go forth, and be grateful.

 

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Nourish.

Tricks for Eating Healthy Over the Holiday Season

The holidays are coming and that means plenty of celebrations and gatherings of family and friends. Sitting and breaking bread, enjoying traditional dishes, and making memories are all a part of the season. But how do you participate and relish the season but not over-indulge? We are going to share some great approaches that will help you enjoy the holidays and not feel deprived, yet stay on track with your commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

  • Remind yourself that you can eat healthy most of the time: It is not a matter of all in or all out. You can make the choices for fresh, wholesome food most of the time, and save those indulgences” for the parties or special holiday events.
  • Look ahead: When you know there is an office party mid-week, and another holiday event on the weekend, “schedule” yourself some indulgences, while at the same time “schedule” the rest of the days for staying on track. This approach helps you to not be making decisions in the moment and staying in control. You are less likely to completely fall off the wagon.
  • Party ahead: That is have a pre-party at home with some healthy options such as nuts, fruit, and proteins. Arrive satisfied and your plan won’t get de-railed.
  • Plan for your workouts: You may splurge a bit on your treats, but if you enter your workout times into your calendar as appointments with yourself, you feel less defeated and getting back full on your nutrition plan after the holidays will be easier and you are less likely to throw in the towel completely
  • Avoid those empty liquid calories. While alcohol is high in calorie count, it also leaves us feeling less satisfied and with reduced self-control, which leads to over-consumption. When you first arrive, choose soda water or lemon water before the meal or even before you leave the house.
  • It’s about portion control: Don’t sweat over “banned” foods, instead keep your potions smaller and balanced with the healthier choices for most of the meal and smaller portions for those special foods. Choose the smaller dessert sized plate and decide to just take tastings of your favorites, rather than full scoops or slices.
  • Keep that fridge well stocked: Having plenty of fruits and veggies in the fridge and easy to reach for is a great strategy for beating temptation and junk food.
  • Planned Indulgences: If you are going to allow yourself those indulgences (and we suggest that you DO!), then promise yourself not to waste those calories on junk that is tasty, yet not important to you. Keep them small and plan your day or weekend to allow for those treats that are truly special and worth the “cheat”.
  • Chew gum: Seriously! Make sure to bring along some gum with the plan to pop it in your mouth once you have finished your plate. You are waaaay less likely to snack once you have a nice clean palette and fresh breath.
  • Think about your emotional triggers around food and especially around the holidays. If you have identified those, you are less likely to feel blindsided when your great aunt makes her annual comment that drives you to the dessert table. It helps to understand the issues that factor into over eating and the knowledge that your triggers: emotional eating is consuming in response to feelings instead of true hunger.

Remind yourself with notes on your mirror that you are choosing these strategies and it is a matter of your game plan and not a cause for feeling deprived. Incorporate these strategies and decide on a good mental approach that will go a long way in defining the holidays as a success, rather than a season to recover from in January.

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com

CategoriesBlog Move.

Variety – Not Always Your Best Bet.

One of the reasons people love Flow Fitness is the seemingly limitless options we have regarding membership types, classes and personal-training packages. Let’s face it, people love variety, and the more options people have, the more likely they are to stay members. People also evoke this philosophy when it comes to their training and literally change their routine every time they come in or beg their trainer to “mix it up” during sessions.

In theory, constant variety may sound like a good idea as you eliminate “boredom” and promote “muscle confusion” (which is an overrated concept not backed by research as a superior method of training).  However, too much variety in your training program could actually put a damper on your results as you will have a difficult time tracking your progress in certain movements (essentially you’ll never know what is working in your program and what is not). Further, this lack of consistency in certain exercises can lead to injury, as you really need to repeat various movements several thousand times to ensure safe execution.  Conversely, people that come in and do the exact same routine every single day for several months will find diminishing returns as the body quickly adapts to the “stress” it endures and you find yourself at the same level of fitness you started at. Regardless of which category you fall into, neither is a favorable long-term option for success

The recipe for success should include a training plan that promotes consistency of exercises with small “tweaks” made along the way to ensure that the body continues to adapt over a three-to-six-week period (after which you will want to change your training plan).  Though three to six weeks may sound like a long time to focus on the same routine, there are some small changes you can make to your workout that will pay huge dividends in the long run. Below we have listed some of the main variables you can change to keep your workout fresh without completely revamping your day-to-day workouts.

Volume: Volume is a great way to “shock” the system into adapting through varying the amount of reps and sets done in a workout (assuming you use a similar weight). For example, if you are the type of person who does the same routine of three sets of 10 of 100 pounds on your squat, you can spice it up by increasing the number of sets to 6 (yes I said 6). This increases your volume of training from 30 reps to 60 reps and the body will adapt in order to handle much higher volume in the future. You can also get similar effects (up to a certain point) if you increase the number of reps of a particular exercise (this is more applicable for body weight training).

Intensity: When we use the word “intensity,” we are talking about the amount of resistance lifted. Using our 100-pound squat as an example, we can increase the intensity of the exercise by increasing our weight by 10 percent or 10 additional pounds.  In the case of increased weight, your total volume may go down, but the heavier weight will spark additional neural adaptations as well as promote additional muscle recruitment, leading to further physical adaptions without changing the type of exercise.

Rest Time: This is often an overlooked variable that people really don’t factor into their training program, but should. Rest intervals are crucial, especially if you are trying to increase your intensity (remember, intensity refers to the amount of resistance lifted). A “refreshed” nervous system is crucial if you want to push more weights multiple times and it is recommended you rest between two to five minutes if you are attempting big lifts. To have more of a conditioning effect, shorten your rest period to between 30 and 90 seconds.

Time Under Tension: T.U.T training (also known as cadence training) is another method of adding variety to your training program. The basic concept is: The longer we keep the muscle under tension, the more the body will have to adapt to these new demands. To get an idea of how this works, go back to your 100-pound squat: During the down phase of the squat, slowly go into your squat with a four-count cadence. At the bottom, hold this position for a one-count cadence, and as you begin the upward phase, go at a two-count cadence (this equals a time under tension of approximately seven seconds). Once at the top, immediately go into your downward phase again for your second rep. More likely than not you won’t be able to hit the 10 reps at this cadence, but the amount of “time” spent under stress should more than make up for the lower rep count.

Try changing some of these variables in your current routine before you jump ship on what you are doing, and see your results improve drastically!

 

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

Back Pain. Got some?

Back pain: an epidemic, that seems to be spreading like wildfire. It’s not contagious, in the traditional sense, but at this point it has been said that 85 percent of all people will suffer moderate to severe back pain at some point in life. It is one of the biggest causes of disability — yet it is mostly preventable.  

In the article “How Back Pain Took Over the World,” Olga Kahzan writes, “The things that make us low-level miserable are now more likely to be simple aches and pains, rather than frightening, communicable diseases like diarrhea. That’s encouraging, but it’s still a little sad. People all over the world increasingly live long, great lives, only to spend their golden years slathered in Icy Hot.”

It doesn’t have to be that way. While many people will look for a pill, surgery or even a back brace to fix their symptoms, your best bet is to address the cause. Take preventative action today, and live your latter years without so much Icy Hot. Here are a few ideas:

  1. Get more exercise: If your back hurts, you may think the best way to get relief is to rest and limit exercise. Perhaps spend some time on the couch. A day or two of rest may help, but more than that may not alleviate the pain. Regular physical activity can help ease inflammation and muscle tension.
  2. Watch your weight: Carrying extra pounds, especially in your midsection, can make back pain worse by shifting your center of gravity and putting strain on your lower back. Staying within ten pounds of your ideal weight can help control back pain.
  3. Posture. Posture. Posture: Think about having a long spine, as if someone were pulling you up from the crown of your head. Keep your shoulders in line over your hips and relax. Keep your chest and your ribs in check (don’t puff them out). Don’t slump at your desk or slouch while you stand. In addition, try not to sit or stand in one position for long periods of time. Move around!
  4. Be careful how you lift: Don’t bend over from the waist to lift heavy objects. Bend your knees and squat, pulling in your stomach muscles and holding the object close to your body as you stand up.
  5. Avoid high heels: They can shift your center of gravity and strain your lower back. Stick to a minimal shoe or a 1-inch heel. If you must go higher, bring along a pair of flat shoes and slip into them when you feel any pain.

Do you have back pain? If so, what might be the cause?  

Take steps today so that you can move more easily into your future.

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Move.

The Magic Bullet

What if I told you I had a magic bullet, one that might cure obesity and cardiovascular disease?  Would you want to know what it is?

Listen close, and I’ll tell you:

The magic bullet is exercise. And we’re not talking running a marathon or spending hours at the gym. A brisk 20-minute walk each day reduces the risk of coronary disease by 30 to 40 percent. Just 20 minutes!

In the article “Regular Physical Activity: A’Magic Bullet’ for the Pandemics of Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease,” professors from Florida Atlantic University have concluded that regular physical activity is the closest thing to a magic bullet to combat the epidemic of obesity and cardiovascular disease. 

Here’s the crazy thing though: Only 20 percent of Americans meet the recommended levels of regular physical activity and about 64 percent don’t engage in any physical activity. 

“If regular physical activity were a pill, then perhaps more people would take it,” wrote the article’s co-author, Dr. Charles H. Hennekens.

So why don’t people exercise more regularly?
Two main reasons were suggested:
1) Time and effort needed for regular physical activity 

2) Limited knowledge about the immediate and long-term benefits of regular exercise

For years, we’ve been sold diets. So much so that “there are a lot of misperceptions about the role of regular physical activity, caloric intake and calories burned during exercise,” wrote co-author Steven Lewis. “And, as a result, dieting has been recommended as more practical for weight control than regular physical activity, and this is a big problem.“ 

If the goal is to simply lose weight, diet only may get you there, but it’s tough to maintain progress. Exercise is key. With physical activity, you gain lean muscle mass, which increases your body’s metabolism and resting calorie burn, which help in achieving and maintaining weight-loss goals. Ideally, regular physical activity would include cardio as well as resistance training, such as lifting weights.

The benefits of resistance training include the prevention or limitation of age-related sarcopenia, improved maintenance of muscle-mass strength and a decreased risk of osteoporosis-related bone fractures, falls, physical disability and mortality.

The bottom line: Cardiovascular disease is now the leading killer worldwide. The article cites that the lack of physical activity accounts for 22 percent of coronary heart disease, 22 percent of colon cancer, 18 percent of osteoporotic fractures, 12 percent of diabetes and hypertension and 5 percent of breast cancer cases. Furthermore, physical inactivity accounts for approximately 2.4 percent of U.S. health-care expenditures, or approximately $24 billion a year.

While awareness and support to fight diseases increase, the lack of sufficient physical activity by 80 percent of the population goes fairly unnoticed.  

Support from both corporations and society is critical to building awareness. Companies need to offer their employees incentives and opportunities to incorporate physical activity in their daily lifestyle. Society must embrace physical activity to the point where it becomes the norm.  

How will you find twenty extra minutes to move your body today?

CategoriesLive Fit.

The Last 100 Days…

This coming Friday, September 23rd, there are 100 days left in 2016.  100 days.

How are your new year’s resolutions coming along?  Got ’em nailed? Or can you even remember what they were?  Perhaps you didn’t make any resolutions, but the question remains:
How will you end 2016?

You still have 100 days to decide.  
100 days to get educated.  Learning one new thing each day.  Youtube is great for this. 
100 days to begin a practice (photography, eating healthy, reading, meditation, etc.)
100 days to declutter.  Get rid of one thing every day, until the end of the year.
100 days to begin your fitness program, to get in touch with and learn to listen to your body.
100 days of gratitude.  Be grateful for one thing each day.
100 days to practice being present. 
100 days to practice self love.  Find out what that means to you.
100 days to wind down your 2016, and enter 2017 going strong.
100 days to connect to the world around you.
There’s still time to make this your best year yet.

What will you do?

CategoriesLive Fit.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Work Out?

Do you ever wonder what time is the best time to work out? Research is mixed and there is no overwhelming evidence that points to a certain time of day that workouts will maximize results.  However, there a lot of good reasons why working out in the morning might be worth trying.

1. Reduce your excuses to not work out: Late night deadlines, client emergencies or impromptu happy hours don’t happen at 7 a.m. Exercise early to reduce your chances of derailing your workout plans. Consistency and routine are key to maintaining a fitness plan.  

2. Exercise gives you an energy boost during the day: The endorphins released from exercise give your body the feeling of more energy. Research has also shown exercise improves concentration and attention.  Add a cup of coffee to your morning workout and you might find yourself being more productive at work.

3. Boost your metabolism: Studies show that exercise will boost your metabolism and you will enjoy the benefits of a boosted metabolism all day.  Plus, you’ll be ready for breakfast, and eating a full breakfast will reduce your appetite for the remainder of the day.

4.  Gyms are often quieter in the morning: The peak time in any gym is after work.  Go when there is less of a crowd and you can get your workout in much more efficiently, and with less distraction.

5. Have more energy for your workout: Your body’s performance peaks in the early afternoon. However, most people don’t have the luxury of being able to work out mid-day.  Your body is fatigued by the evenings, so mornings are your next best bet.

6.  Set a healthy tone for the day: Everyone feels healthy after a good workout and many will follow up with a healthy meal so they don’t let their workouts go to waste. A morning workout sets a healthy tone for the day and will hopefully influence your behavior the rest of the day.

7.  Consistency, consistency, consistency: Try working out in the mornings and you will see the same people on the same days. People who work out in the mornings are the most consistent and have developed a routine.  See No. 1 for why.

 

CategoriesMove.

Dropping the Dead Lift – Why Do It?

If you have come to Flow during our peak hours (usually 4:30-7:30pm), you have probably seen some pretty impressive Deadlifts lifts of 300, 400, and even 500 plus pounds in our free-weight area. If you haven’t had the fortune of seeing it, I am pretty sure you have heard, or felt the impact of the weights hitting the ground after each successful repetition. Though these feats of strength and power are pretty amazing to witness, they don’t come without question and concern.

The number one question I receive regarding our heavy dead lifters is: “Why do they have to drop their weights? Isn’t that dangerous? ” Believe it or not, a lot of the answer has to do with safety when performing this exercise.

However, before we get in to the “why”, I want to be clear that when I say drop the weight, I don’t mean literally letting go of the bar and letting the weights slam to the ground and roll all over the place (though some coaches do have their clients perform the lift this way). Instead, dropping refers to a quick and controlled lowering of the bar with very little resistance from the lifter. In this scenario the lifter basically keeps two hands in contact with the bar (while maintaining a neutral spine and proper posture) and follows the bar to the ground allowing gravity to do a majority of the work. Please do not get this method confused with the rapid fire “touch and go” deadlift that has been made popular by CrossFit over the past decade, as it can lead to a whole host of  injuries over time. When dealing with heavy weight on your deadlifts, it is important to reset your posture, grip, positioning, and breathe after each rep.  Now that I have addressed “how” to drop the deadlift, lets answer “why” you should.

The deadlift is a multi-joint movement that allows you (with proper technique, programming and nutrition) to lift a significant amount of weight equaling one and a half to four times a person’s body weight. While this is impressive in and of itself, it is also a lift that could lead to injuries, and the reality is that most of these injuries occur during the lowering (or eccentric) phase. During this phase the lifter puts in a lot of extra work to slow the bar down as it makes contact with the floor.  This extra work places a high demand on your muscles and nervous system (especially when you are lifting super human poundage) which inevitably leads to increased muscle soreness (known as DOMS) and fatigue that may take several days from which to recover.

A two-three day recovery process  is bad news  for a person that needs to hit the gym several times per week to improve their performance.  Further, when completing multiple repetitions, the demands of lowering the bar can lead to form breakdown on your successive pulls leading to injury and/or poor performance. Finally, (and slightly ridiculous) for people who would rather not add slabs of meat to their glutes and hamstrings, eliminating the lowering phase can decrease the hypertrophy benefits of a nice smooth eccentric movement. Most athletes who want the muscle building effects of the deadlifts without the risk of injuries or early fatigue will add “lighter” deadlift sets to their program to allow for an eccentric load worthy of Spartan-Like muscles.

In closing, though the loud “booms” from the gym floor can be a bit unsettling at times, please understand that experienced lifters are doing it for their health, well-being, and safety. They are not being reckless or haphazard, nor are they meatheads trying to get the attention of gym goers. At Flow, we pride ourselves in understanding our members and accommodating them with an atmosphere that allows people of all abilities to achieve each and every goal they have set for themselves. However, if you are that guy or girl who is dropping 25lb dumbbells while doing arm curls in front of the mirror, or dropping a 65lbs barbell from overhead, you need to stop because it is just not that COOL!

Personal Trainers at Flow Fitness in South Lake Union Area of Seattle Near AmazonCategoriesBlog Live Fit. Move. Trainer

How a Personal Trainer Can Help You Meet Your Goals

Getting into better physical shape can be an exhausting challenge, and one that proves insurmountable for many people. Whether you’re looking to lose weight and burn fat or to build lean muscle, improving your level of physical fitness on your own can be difficult. That’s why personal trainers are of critical importance at most gyms and fitness facilities: They can offer knowledge, advice, encouragement, and incentive to those who are struggling to improve by themselves.

Did you know that while cutting calories is typically necessary for successful long-term weight loss, cutting too many could have the opposite effect? Did you know that you should rest your various muscle groups at least one full day between intense exercises and weight training? Do you know how to exercise your abdominals and obliques without putting your spine in danger of compression? Frankly, there’s so much to learn about kinesiology (the science of the movement of the body), nutrition, and fitness in general that most people don’t have the time and mental energy to remember everything that may be important during exercise. For that reason alone, hiring a skilled professional personal trainer can make your fitness goals more achievable and reduce the risk of injury. A personal trainer can carefully instruct you on the best ways to work certain muscle groups, or demonstrate how to safely increase your heart rate during cardio exercises without putting yourself in danger of medical issues.

Setting and Meeting Realistic Goals

One of the biggest problems people experience when trying to improve their health and fitness via an exercise regimen is dedication. Far too many people stop exercising or going to the gym after only a week or a month. With the combined encouragement from your personal trainer and the financial investment you’ve made in self-improvement, it will be much harder psychologically for you to simply quit and give up on your progress toward a better body.

A personal trainer will help you set realistic goals and will encourage you to meet them. Having a personal cheerleader who is motivating you at each workout can prove invaluable for those who have trouble sticking with an exercise practice. Your trainer will also help you hold yourself accountable when you backslide or skip exercise sessions, in addition to helping ensure your exercises are safe and properly executed.

Investing in a personal trainer is investing in your own lasting health and wellness. Contact Flow Fitness today to schedule a consultation with one of our dedicated, educated personal trainers, and see how easy meeting your fitness goal can be with the right help!

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

Injured? How to Help Your Body Recover While Staying Fit

So, you’ve been going hard at the gym. Great! There’s nothing better than seeing your hard work start to pay off. But if you’ve pushed yourself a bit too far and find yourself with an injury, it’s time to step back and give your body some TLC as it recovers and your muscles repair themselves. Refer to these tips as a launching point for a speedy and thorough recovery (without sacrificing your health or falling out of the fitness groove!).

Get enough sleep

What exactly is “enough” sleep? The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends 7-9 hours per night for healthy adults between ages 18 to 64. A good night’s rest is so important because this is when our bodies complete vital processes such as muscle repair, growth hormone release, and so much more. The more shut-eye you get each night the better, as this allows your body to cycle through key sleep stages including stages 3 and 4 (when, according to the NSF, “blood supply to muscles increases, tissue growth and repair occurs, and hormones are released for muscle development”) and REM (when energy is restored throughout the body and brain). All this, combined with the ability to maintain a healthy immune system for whole body support, makes quality sleep the true superhero of post-injury recovery.

Eat your protein

Protein does a body good in many ways, and it’s especially important for athletes to consume the proper amount each day. According to estimates by the American College of Sports Medicine, endurance athletes should consume up to 1.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight each day (approximately 120 grams for a 220-pound person), and resistance or strength-training athletes should consume up to 1.6 grams per kilogram (approximately 160 grams for a 220-pound person). The inflated daily protein values are considered necessary to promote repair of damaged muscle fibers and many more recovery processes. A conscious diet rich in proteins and amino acids can help active people meet nutrient requirements, but some protein supplements can add a boost when needed. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind, requirements vary from individual to individual based on size, type and level of activity, type and severity of injury, and many other health factors.

Try massage therapy

Massage therapy can best be used as a preventative measure to avoid injuries before they occur. Among many benefits, a regular massage program can help reduce muscle tension and alleviate soreness after exercise, according to the American Massage Therapy Association. Those with an active injury should use caution when it comes to deep-tissue and related massage techniques. If you are looking to try getting a massage as part of your recovery regimen, always consult with a trusted professional in advance.

Take it easy at the gym

Even if you’re sore or injured, you’re likely eager to get back to your regular workout routine. When the dreaded injury hits, nobody wants to allow it to undo all their hard work. You can still stay fit during this time — just don’t strain yourself too hard, as you could end up agitating and prolonging your injury. Warm-up and cool-down becomes more important than ever. You may also opt for personal training to ensure you’re using proper form and selecting safe and appropriate exercises, or consider trying a low-impact workout such as a yoga class.