Hi everyone!

Hope you all are having a great summer.  It has been a busy one the past few months!!

I recently received a question with regards to protein powders and all the chemicals found in them.  It is a really good topic to bring up as many people are now experimenting with protein powders...they are not just being used by bodybuilders anymore.

When you look at the ingredient list on a container of protein powder you might be surprised to see a long list of things you can't pronounce, in most cases.  Unfortunately even protein powders can be heavily processed like many foods in the iles of the grocery store.  Basically they have taken a natural product and added a number of additives and artificial flavors to make it taste more appealing.  As someone that promotes health and fitness I have a hard time recommending products such as this, despite the convenience of the protein in the powder for muscle repair. 
Fortunately, there is a solution that gives you the best of both worlds...all natural protein powders with no additives/flavors/dyes/etc.  These are certainly hard to find...but they do exist.  I do not endorse any products but I can tell you that a good health food store will have an all natual protein powder...and if they don't, they can order one in for you.  If you would like a brand recommendation send me an email and I can provide that for you.  These products are so much healthier for you...and that is supposed to be the point anyway, isn't it?  And to make it taste better...just add healthy berries or all natural nut butter to your smoothie.  And the best part?  Without all those chemicals in your drink you will also eliminate that chalky aftertaste most protein powders leave you with.  Your drink will be healthier and actually tastier!

Feel free to contact me anytime with other questions.  Always happy to help!

Angela

Hi everyone!!

I just finished having a great conversation with one of our trainers this morning.  Our topic of discussion was regarding how fitness trends have changed so dramatically over the past couple of years. Boy, does that make me sound old!

It used to be that just being active was enough to keep people feeling good about their workouts but today many individuals feel like they are not doing well or progressing unless they are in pain during or after their program.  It is great that more and more people are getting active and wanting to workout, however, pushing yourself to the point of pain is not necessary and can be dangerous.

Our conclusion to the conversation was , the term "no pain, no gain" is not a very good way to approach your fitness. 
How do you describe what pain is?  A burning sensation in your muscles during exercise or breathing very rapidly are not dangerous habits or "pain".  This is what we call "discomfort"...totally different than pain.  Pain is pushing through an injury, going so hard you get sick, lifting weight you can not control, pulling or straining a muscle, sharp or shooting sensations, etc.

In order to see results you must put yourself in a little discomfort.  Pain, however is something you want to avoid.  Don't be fooled by TV shows or Infomercials...these tools are simply for entertainment and money making.

Sometimes exercise can be a challenge, and it should be to get you to your goal.  An effective program will feel like this but you will be able to complete the program with a bit of struggle and mental preparation without sharp pains or injury.  This is one of the magic zones for an effective fitness program. 
Have any questions?  Send me an email!

Angela

The number one question I receive is always "how do you stay motivated?"  I wish this answer was an easy one, or at least one that would help everybody.  The truth is, motivation is not the same for everyone.  We are all driven for different reasons.  Before you can become motivated in doing something you must first do two important things:

1.  Set a Goal (But this goal needs to be specific and measurable so you know that you have reached it.  It is also best to set a time to this goal).  If your goal is to lose 100 lbs in 1 year this may seem daunting..so it is best to set mini goals leading up to this goal (sort of like how you would create an outline for a storybook).  This way you will see small wins along the way (which can really help with motivation later on).

2.  Consider what has been holding you back (or demotivating you) in the past.  Perhaps your goal is not specific enough, perhaps you goal is too overwhelming...maybe you need to scale it back or break it down into smaller goals, perhaps the goal is not something you really want or is something you want for the wrong reasons, perhaps the goal you set is for someone else and not really for you, perhaps you are unmotivated because you do not know what to do in terms of eating well or exercising...

Once you understand where you are going and what things potentially hold you back you can begin to move forward with a gameplan.  A plan that lays out what you are going to do, for how long and how you are going to handle challenges/barriers such as time, a birthday bash with lots of your favorite foods, a stressful job, holidays, etc. will set you up right from the beginning.  If you start your journey off this way you are already ahead of the game because now you are prepared for what lies ahead.  It does not mean it will be easy...but when the going gets tough at least you will not feel like you are just floating around hoping things will simply work out in the end.  You have a path to follow to the best of your ability...and you will be monitoring your progress along the way to make sure you get there.  Once you have this step in place you will be in good shape to get started.  For motivation tips along the way...stay tuned next week!

Angela