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It’s that time of year again.

Lots of holidays and festivities filled with opportunities to eat sweets and over indulge in those delicious meals.   I’m not here to pass judgment on people wanting to consume all those goods that come with the holiday season but growing up it was always an excuse to over indulge.

It seems to be a recurring theme for most of us that fall into the trap.

What if there was a way that you could enjoy the goods of the holidays but not gain a ton of extra weight?

Here are some ways to combat the weight gain over the holidays:

1)Consume protein and vegetables FIRST before eating other foods

– The combination of eating the protein which takes longer to digest along with the high fiber profile that vegetables have will help curb cravings and hunger to reduce the chances of overeating.

2)Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water

– When your body is in a dehydrated state, your body can trick itself into thinking that it’s hungry when in reality, you are just dehydrated!

3)Limit amount of alcohol consumed

– This is a big one.  Alcohol has lots of negative effects on sleep quality which directly impacts your glucose levels which can lead to weight gain.  On top of that, we don’t always make the best judgements when under the influence when it comes to food.

4)Consider starting a fitness program

– I hear it all the time, “It’s the holidays, I’m too busy to start a routine.”  When in reality, we will ALWAYS be busy at some point.  Learning how to work on your health even through busy times  not only will help you not gain unnecessary weight during these times but will also help with your long term fitness goals if you aspire to achieve great health for the years to come!  Like I said, we are always going to be busy but its a choice of whether you want to learn how to navigate through it or not.

Definitely consume the treats you’d like and not feel guilty about it but try to use the above strategies to make sure you don’t overdo it.  When it comes down to it, balance is what we need during the holiday times.

If you struggle during the holidays with your fitness and you want to change that,  feel free to reach out to me and I’d be happy to chat with you!
Evan

Every day we are getting older and there’s nothing we can do about that.  What we can do though is do things to help keep our body operating at an optimal level.  These are the 5 things you need to do to stay young.

 

1)Sleep 7-9 hours per night

-As we know, sleep plays a big role in the body’s general ability to recover physiologically from daily activities.  For those looking to reduce skin wrinkles, getting adequate sleep actually helps your skin’s collagen repair to keep the tight look that everyone looks for!

 

2)Strength Training 2-3 times per week minimum

-Every decade after the age of 30 you are expected to lose 3-8% of your muscle mass and more than that after the age of 60.  Individuals that have a low skeletal muscle mass index have an increased risk to falls, injuries, and cognitive decline!  Strength training can prevent the decline of muscle mass which is why it’s important to strength train on a regular basis!

 

3)Consume 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables every day

-This is the daily minimum recommended intake for fruits and vegetables.  Essential vitamins and minerals are in them that help improve your immunity, reduce risk of cancer and other diseases, improve digestion, and more!  It’s even better if you can “eat the rainbow ” by mixing the colors of the fruits and vegetables you consume to intake more variety of phytonutrients that all have different health benefits.

 

4)Consume high protein source with every meal

-Protein has a lot of functions in the body that are an integral part of muscle repair, hormone production, enzymes, and appetite control.  All things that are important help maintain optimal physiological functions!

 

5)Stay busy

-The saying goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it”.  Whether it’s with physical activity to keep your body strong or reading to keep your mind sharp,  Make sure you are doing something every day to ensure that you are maintaining your body for the years to come!  Humans are not meant to sit for long periods of time with nothing to do!

So follow these 5 things if you truly want to keep your body young and resilient for the years to come!

As always, if you want any support or have questions related to fitness, I’m here to help!

Coach Evan

‘Today I wanted to highlight something that is very underrated when it comes to setting yourself up for success when pursuing your fitness goal(s).

Community.

And here are 3 reasons why.

 

1)You become the 5 people you surround yourself with

-So if you are surrounding yourself with people that don’t have any intention of becoming healthier anytime soon then this in turn, puts you in a hard position to reach your fitness goals. When you join a small gym(like mine), you are really joining a community of people that have similar goals as you might have and are willing to support you to make sure you reach your fitness goals. You will meet 5+ people that you will see on a weekly basis so you will be spending a lot of time with them and in turn, setting you up for success.

2)Accountability

-When you have a community of people that are like-minded as you, they will also help keep you accountable to make sure you are taking consistent action week after week to ensure you are staying on track.

3)Makes your fitness journey more enjoyable!

-This is an important part of the process is to be able to embrace it and enjoy it. Celebrating the wins along the way, pushing each other, and having fun while doing it are just some of the benefits of having a community along with you on your fitness journey!

Something I take pride in at our gym is doing community events. Whether thats going out skiing together, going out to eat, going to the ax pit to throw axes, or anything that gets us outside the gym because I realize how important it is for my clients to have a sense of community so I can ensure that they are maximizing their experience at my gym.This is why joining a small gym is so powerful for individuals looking to lose weight, get stronger, feel better in their clothes, and just be healthier.

So if you are thinking about pursuing your fitness goals, consider joining a community!!

 

We live in a society where wearing shoes in public places is normal and probably for good reason since it would be not hygienic. Walking barefoot on public grounds/floors would be a recipe for athlete’s foot and plantar warts. So it’s understandable that we walk with shoes on for most of the day.

However, that doesn’t go without consequences. 87% of humans will experience some form of foot issues at some point in their life. Part of the contributing factor is your shoes for two reasons.

1) The width of your shoes

Most of the shoes out there are too narrow which bring your toes closer together then they are supposed to. This can lead to bunions and other anatomical deformities in the foot that can cause injury and make your feet less stable on the ground. Below is a picture of how spread apart your toes should be!

2) The cushion in your shoes

The more support your shoes have, the less your foot muscles have to work when you are walking, running, or lifting.   Which can be good in some cases if you are dealing with acute foot issues. However, like any other muscle group, they need to be trained.  Shoes often become a crutch for foot dysfunction which doesn’t just lead to foot injuries but also knee, hip, and back issues potentially.  A recent study actually showed people who experienced plantar fasciitis actually had signs of tendonosis of the plantar fascia when evaluated which means the discomfort might have been caused by  the tissue degenerating and becoming too weak to support the foot.

So what should you do?

Well first, get a wide toe box shoe that allows you spread your toes and perhaps purchase a toe spreader that you wear 30 minutes per day to get your toes aligned in optimal position.  The second thing you should do is incorporate foot strengthening exercises that include:

**Do 3 x 10 reps of each 2-3x/week

Towel curls – put towel down on hard surface and use your toes to curl up the towel as much as possible

Bodyweight Squats(Barefoot)- While performing the squat, think about grabbing the floor with your toes and maintain the foot tension throughout the movement

Calf Raises(Barefoot)- Feet relatively close together, press through pads of feet to elevate heels off the ground and think about grabbing the floor to maintain foot tension throughout the movement

If you are experiencing tightness or discomfort in your feet I recommend using a lacrosse ball and rolling out the plantar fascia area for 5 mins per foot before performing the exercises!

If you want to learn more about what you can do to improve your foot health, you know where to find me!

Coach Evan

References:

The Foot Collective

https://www.facebook.com/thefootcollective/posts/your-toes-should-be-the-widest-part-of-your-foot-most-shoes-compress-your-toes-t/258432711272010/

This is famously from Tony Robbins who is a world renowned motivational speaker who has millions who follow him including celebrities that look up to him for personal development topics.  One of the things that stuck out to me is when he said, “We don’t get what we want, we get what we have to have.”  It’s so true though.  Life habits are about what we decide to prioritize.  Whether that’s spending time with family,  working long hours to achieve financial freedom, and or exercising on a regular basis to get healthier.  

We go to work to earn an income because we need to provide for ourselves and our families.

We go to the grocery store every week because we need food and water to live.

We make time for our life partners because we need to nurture our relationships with those we love.

It’s all about what we decide to prioritize that actually happens.  Unfortunately, health for a lot of us is put on the back burner for a multitude of reasons. “I’m too busy”, “I can’t afford it”, “now isn’t the right time”, and other reasons.  Ultimately, it’s because in those moments they don’t feel it is needed to make time for their health.

At the same time I’m sure you all have heard people say:

• “I want to lose weight”

• “I want to have more energy”

• “I want to get stronger”

• “I want to feel better in my clothes”

• “I want to be healthier”

I’m probably missing some but like I’ve already talked about, wants are a different category then needs.

Wants = Would be nice to have, not necessary though.

Needs = I don’t have a choice, I need this.

It’s important to understand the differences especially if you are actually looking to accomplish any goal honestly.  If you just want something, on days that you are busy or don’t have the bandwidth to do what’s necessary, you’ll let yourself slip.  If you need something, you will make it work in my schedule regardless of how you feel.  It becomes a non-negotiable which will lead to success.

If you are having trouble navigating through your health whether its because of work, family matters, or any other obstacle, I’d love to chat with you to help get you on track!

Dedicated to your Success,
Coach Evan

In this article I thought it would be good to highlight why I am as passionate about health and fitness as I am today.

People are often surprised when I tell them a little bit about my story because they assume that I was always a fitness guru but that is far from the truth. In high school, my older brother would always ask me if I was going to workout with him since he was involved with sports as well and I usually gave him the same answer which was “I’ll think about it” which really just meant no. Junior and Senior year I started to lift more but then once I started college then my consistency went down the drain because I just thought of training only for sports performance and not for general health.

I wasn’t strong and was always lean so the thought of continuing to workout on my own in college wasn’t attractive to me at all. Nutrition wise, I would say I ate OK. Definitely not consuming near enough protein and fruits/vegetables though. I ate whatever I wanted and didn’t focus on my eating habits. This all resulted in me not feeling great about myself and sometimes pretty depressed because I didn’t have the energy, the body, the confidence that I always wanted which was a result of me not taking action.

I graduated college and right after that I hit a low point of my life in terms of how I was feeling about myself. Physically I was weak. Mentally I felt weak. It was just a really dark time for me. In my darkest moment, I had a decision to make. Either choose the path of continuing to feel bad about myself and do nothing about it. Or I could choose the path of transforming my body and my mind through health and wellness. As you can see, I choose health and wellness.

Boy, was it the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m glad from that moment on that I would be serious about consistently taking care of myself and making my health non-negotiable in my daily routine. Exercising 4-6 times per week and eating a nourishing diet which has changed more than just my physical well-being. It’s COMPLETELY changed my mindset on life. I no longer had limiting beliefs, I had way more confidence in myself and felt like I was finally in control of what happened in my life from many different perspectives. Which is such a great feeling and it all happened through just taking my health more seriously. This is where my passion for helping others with their health stemmed from.

Having good general health is more than just losing weight and other physical markers of progress. It’s about the feeling you get when you finally feel in control of your body. You have more energy. You feel stronger both physically and mentally. You can continue to physically do the things you love to do. Your day to day performance both at work and with your personal life get better. I could keep going but you get the point. Your health is your key to overall happiness. That’s where I come in because I understand struggles that my clients go through whether they have stubborn weight that they need to lose or if they physically are declining and need to get stronger so they can continue with day to day activities. I LOVE helping people reach their health milestones because I know the positive impact it makes for them in their quality of life going forward. That’s why I’m in this industry. To help people live healthier and happier lives.

So if you have a friend or family member who you think needs a little extra help with improving their health, I would love to chat with them.

Sometimes I occasionally hear people talk about how they had to put a pause on exercising(and usually good eating habits) because they ran into a busy time. Whether it’s from going on a vacation, work-related, or perhaps overwhelmed from planning a family event.

There’s a problem with an approach like this.

Hitting the pause button is stopping you from reaching your fitness goals.

We all have our responsibilities and obligations on a weekly basis(some more than others of course). So your schedule will never settle down. By pausing you are building the skill of stopping.

What works for people is when you learn how to stay engaged with the plan even throughout times when you’re busy and or stressed… This doesn’t mean you have to be 100% all the time but instead staying consistent with just showing up and putting as much effort as you can into health and fitness. Below are three things to focus on if you are a person that struggles with staying on a fitness program.

1. Time Management– Plan the day before at the minimum so you can block out your day to utilize as much of your day as possible. Plan everything as an appointment that is non-negotiable(meaning you aren’t allowed to negotiate with yourself to get yourself out of whatever you put in the schedule)
2. Forget Perfection– If you think that by missing something it means you’re a failure then that will just reinforce a negative mindset that will sabotage all your results.
3. Something is better than nothing– A lot of people are either “All in” or “All out”. Both are harmful habits because usually those kinds of approaches aren’t sustainable. The best approach is to try to be as consistent as possible, meaning if you have to do a quick workout instead of a regular workout then that’s a win. If you are going out to eat and there is only a salad as a healthy option then get that and get some of the other stuff. Just doing the best you can in the moment will set you up for long term success.

Do these three things and you’ll be surprised at how much progress you can make over time! As they say, Rome wasn’t built in one day. Take the little steps day by day to ensure long-term success with your fitness goals!

If you are having trouble staying on track, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

Coach Evan

 

You see it all the time.  Fitness programs that offer “quick fixes” which often leads to quickly losing the results you got after the plan is over.  The big problem is that the plan itself is not sustainable.  Whether it’s a restricted diet that you can’t eat much of anything that’s enjoyable or you are told you need to be on the treadmill everyday like a hamster on a hamster wheel.  Both aren’t realistic in the long term.

Ask yourself, is it worth your time to get results for that short time period OR would you rather get results and actually be able to sustain it for the long term?  Seems like a no brainer.

Below is a picture of Ryan who is one of our clients.  This picture was taken only a month into being a member at our gym and he has come such a long way. He has lost 22.9lbs of PURE body fat, gained muscle, and got a lot stronger since joining us.  He tried working out on his own, weight loss apps, but couldn’t find anything that worked for him.  With his busy schedule with his work as an accountant and being a father, he realized he needed extra help finding a solution that worked for him and his lifestyle.  So not only has he got great results, but he is able to continue to be healthy for the years to come, not just weeks.

So the moral of the story is if you decide to take action on your health, one of the first things you should ask yourself is this a realistic plan for me?  Most of us are busy with work, family, and other activities.  It’s easy to overwhelm yourself and then you become burnt out and then stop entirely.  Make sure it’s a sustainable plan like Ryan’s!

I hear a lot of things outside the gym when it comes to people giving reasons why they haven’t taken action on their health. Sometimes they are legitimate as life throws us obstacles that make it a lot harder to take time to take care of ourselves but for most the below statements are true.

“I don’t have time” = It isn’t a priority in my schedule.

“I can’t afford it” = I choose to spend money elsewhere.

“I’m not the gym type” = I don’t want to familiarize myself with exercise since it’s not important to me.

None of these statements are actually true.

We all have time to set in our schedules.

Lots of hours in the day. If you are truly busy, one of the most effective ways to be more efficient with your time is not to do a “to-do list” but instead use time blocking daily. This means either a handwritten calendar or google calendar(or other software) and block out time for each task you are doing during the day so you can maximize your time which will allow you to have more time by not wasting it.

We can afford it.

Most of the time we are spending money elsewhere whether its buying a new car, new cell phone, traveling somewhere, and other pleasures. If you truly want to get healthier, you will change your budget in order to make it work. We pay for what we prioritize.

Look up how much people spend on medications and hospital visits annually. A gym membership is A LOT cheaper.

We all should workout consistently.

It could be that you don’t like to exercise. Which is pretty normal in our society. Does that mean we shouldn’t do it? No way. Humans are meant to have daily exercise which is why there are so many health implications for people that choose not to exercise.

It could be that you are nervous to be in a gym environment. That’s completely normal and you are not alone. You have options to make the transition to exercise as comfortable as possible. Online training or going to a private studio(like mine) are great options for those who might be both nervous and not know where to start. One thing is true though, we all have a place in a gym environment.

You get the point now.

Don’t let limiting beliefs stop you from starting your fitness journey. The only person who is holding you back is you. You can do this and don’t wait before it’s too late.

This is a popular myth in the health and wellness industry. Mainly driven by the thought that it will make your muscles grow past what you’d be comfortable with and be considered “bulky”.

This is FALSE.

It’s actually the opposite, believe it or not.

I have worked with a lot of clients who consume 100g(or more) of protein each day and successfully lose weight whereas before working with me, they would try diet apps, fad diets, etc and wouldn’t be successful at losing weight.

Why is a high protein diet so effective for weight loss?

For three reasons honestly.

1) It requires DOUBLE the amount of energy to digest vs carbohydrates

This means your overall metabolic output increases just by consuming it which makes it easier to reach the calorie deficit necessary to lose weight

2)It suppresses appetite

It does this by decreasing circulating levels of ghrelin(hunger hormone) while increasing peptide YY,cholecystokinin, and GLP-1 hormones that signal to your brain that you are full. This makes a high protein diet great for reducing cravings that most people struggle with!!

3)It helps maintain muscle mass

When you are in a caloric deficit, you’re not giving the amount of calories you need in order to maintain your body weight. If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will break down both fat mass AND muscle mass(which isn’t good). Eating adequate amounts of protein minimizes muscle loss to ensure all the weight you lose is body fat!

So if you are a person who struggles with overeating and cravings, add protein to every meal you have during the day(20g at least). You will notice an immediate difference in feeling fuller for longer and you will see the weight scale go down as well!

As always, I’m here as a resource to help the community to become a healthier place so don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.