Day 1

It's amazing how powerful our minds can be. In an instant we are able to convince ourselves into or out of an idea without any hesitation or doubts, whether positive or negative. 

For weeks I had talked about how today was going to be the day I started my new workout routine. Today was going to be the day I got focused again. Every day I'd watch Element Fitness train my clients and every day I'd get a little closer to feeling stronger, more empowered and motivated to start fresh again. 

Then this morning happened. My eyes opened, earlier than normal, and the excuses started piling up- "I'm so tired", "I didn't sleep well last night", "I probably won't have the energy after working all day", "why today?". They went on and on and on into the full 30m of snoozing and into the 45m of getting dressed. I came up with every excuse in the book to not pack that gym bag. Finally, at the last minute before walking out the door I decided let's just throw something in and see how I feel. 

I have to be honest, it wasn't until Element Fitness showed up to train my clients that I actually felt motivated again. Just 30m prior I was hoping something would've come up so my appointment could get rescheduled. I even went as far as to email just in case to re-confirm with hopes I'd get a response that we had to cancel. They I watched Element Fitness train my clients this afternoon and it really made me realize that maybe this could be fun. And honestly, how bad could one hour possibly be? 

So I showed up. I followed through with the commitment I made to get started. And surprisingly, it wasn't so bad. Anthony made it fun. He consistently informed me of areas he noticed needed some extra attention, none of which were weight related. He made me realize that fitness isn't about what I'm ultimately going to look like (even though it'll obviously be hot), but it's about overall wellness. It's about making sure my body and joints are strong enough to function correctly so I live a painless day to day life. 

This being said, Day 1 is over. I laughed (and maybe cried), I pushed harder than I thought I could, and I'm sure to be sore tomorrow. But hey, that's what taking the first step is all about....setting an intention and following through! Off to bed so I can take on Day 2. Night night world. 

Written by Sascha, a lovely lady taking a strole with us at elementfitnesssolutions in the sea of fitness.   Come join us when you can the water is fine.  

Element Fitness Solutions Summer Promotion Packages

Massage Therapy

After an intense workout, few things are better than a massage.

It eases inflammation, improves blood flow, and reduces tightness. Element Fitness Solutions employs a team of massage therapists who are educated and guided into becoming phenomenal, nurturing caregivers. With both a western and eastern perspective, we provide complete therapeutic sessions that complement fitness.

See how How Massage Heals Sore Muscles on The New York Times. 

"[Researchers] found that massage reduced the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation. Massage also stimulated mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert glucose into the energy essential for cell function and repair." 

- Nicholas Bakalar 

World Vegetarian Day

World Vegetarian Day is a great time to be aware of how the overconsumption of meat effects the world. You don't have to completely abstain from meat to make a difference. Just eat less of it and you'll be doing the whole world a favor. Livestock is a leading cause of deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.fao.org/agriculture/lead/themes0/climate/en/

Cherish your body. Know that the healthiest way to eat includes plenty of colorful plant-based foods.

Body Mass Index

BMI only takes height and weight into account. It ignores muscle mass and body fat percentage, making it a questionable method of measuring health for those living an active and fit lifestyle. What are your thoughts? Coach Calorie shares food for thought.

"Now, do you think that a 5’6″ male that works out, and is 181 pounds at 8% body fat is overweight? I don’t, but according to this chart, that person wouldn’t just be considered overweight, he would be borderline obese. You tell me, does this person look like he’s almost obese?" - Coach Calorie

Read more:
http://www.coachcalorie.com/is-bmi-accurate/

Eat for Muscle Soreness

Feeling sore after working out? These foods support the healing process, helping alleviate the pain while building stronger muscles.

The Best Food to Eat for Muscle Soreness

"Your muscles might feel sore after a run or overdoing it at the gym, particularly if you don't normally exercise as rigorously. This occurs due to muscle damage and the buildup of natural waste products in your cells. Eating the right foods before and after physical activity can help your muscles heal faster, ease soreness and pain and even protect against muscle damage in the first place." - Nadia Haris

Dietary Fat Myths

Dietary fats have gotten a bad name.
Know the facts from the myths with Everyday Health.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/myths-and-facts-about-dietary-fat-and-your-heart/

"If you have heart disease or conditions like atrial fibrillation, you may have been told that a diet low in saturated fats will help. For heart health, you may have believed that a low-fat diet would protect you. But now that some studies report links between saturated fats and heart disease may not be that strong, what should you do?"

Tailored To You

Every body is different. That's why we tailor a unique fitness and nutrition program to each of our clients! We have experts in every field ready to train and assist wherever you need us.

Schedule your session here!
http://www.elementfitness.net/appointment.html

Cardio

Diet and Nutrition

Martial Arts

Personal Training

Yoga

Pilates

Massage Therapy

Pesticide Content

Can't shop organic? You should know about what's in your favorite fruits and veggies. MindBodyGreen shares 7 raw foods grown with the most and least pesticides.

Read them here. http://bit.ly/1kbzfQ3

Pushup Perfect

Are pushups the perfect primal exercise? See how physically engaging a pushup really. Mark's Daily Apple gives an in-depth description.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/push-ups-the-perfect-primal-exercise/#axzz2udv5iYm3

Modern Diet

The modern American diet is responsible for many of the health issues in our country. Business Insider's 11 charts highlight exactly what those problems are.

See them here: http://www.businessinsider.com/whats-wrong-with-the-modern-diet-charts-2014-2
Are there any reasons you feel belong on the list?

Exercise to Age Well

Exercise can help boost your health, no matter what your age is! When exercise is started as late as ages 55-65, it reduces risk of later health problems by sevenfold. Start moving to age well and discover a stronger, more able body.

"Offering hope and encouragement to the many adults who have somehow neglected to exercise for the past few decades, a new study suggests that becoming physically active in middle age, even if someone has been sedentary for years, substantially reduces the likelihood that he or she will become seriously ill or physically disabled in retirement." - GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Read more: Exercise to Age Well, Whatever Your Age

Happy New Year!

Have a happy New Year, everyone! Have fun and be safe.

Is health and fitness in your list of New Year's resolutions? Understanding what foods you'd be better off without is crucial to staying fit and healthy. After all, your results are mostly attributed to diet! Get over the temptations of junk food and its marketing by understanding how the business works. Business Insider shares the top industry-changing innovations by fast food chains in 2013.

http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-innovations-of-2013-2013-12

Have you eaten any of these this year? Will you be eating any of them next year? It's up to you!

Russian Subway Squats

Russian subways found an awesome way to get their passengers to do squats!

Low Calorie Alcohol

Going for drinks this weekend? Keep it fitness friendly by knowing what you're ingesting. Get Drunk Not Fat knows how to drink when keeping up a diet.

"Pure alcohol is very high in calories.  For instance Everclear has 226 calories per 1.5 oz and is 190 proof (95%) alcohol, the rest basically is water.  Technically Everclear is the lowest calorie alcohol if you compare it to the alcohol percentage. Calories vary from drink to drink but they key to getting the most bang for your buck is picking drinks with the best Calorie from Alcohol ratio.  Here are some examples..." 

- Get Drunk Not Fat

Train, Eat, Sleep

TGIF! Remember this fitness advice over the weekend!

50 Health Tips

Implement a few of these 50 simple health tips from Whole Living into your everyday life and your body will thank you for it!

http://www.wholeliving.com/136136/50-simple-health-tips

Exercise for Better School Performance

Want your child to boost their grades? Make sure they're living an active enough lifestyle! Having a strong, healthy body supports a strong, healthy mind.

NYTimes discusses how physical fitness boosts school performance.

"Children who are physically fit absorb and retain new information more effectively than children who are out of shape, a new study finds, raising timely questions about the wisdom of slashing physical education programs at schools."

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/how-physical-fitness-may-promote-school-success/?_r=0

Exercise Hard to Eat Less

Have a strong appetite? Getting a good workout can help regulate hunger and cravings.

"Strenuous exercise seems to dull the urge to eat afterward better than gentler workouts, several new studies show, adding to a growing body of science suggesting that intense exercise may have unique benefits."

Read more: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/how-exercise-can-help-us-eat-less/

Eating Bugs for Protein

There's a great free source of protein right outside of your door. As an American, "food" is probably the last thing on your mind when looking at a bug. However, for many people around the world, it's a great source nutrition! Would you or have you ever eaten a bug for the health benefits?

"A few years back, my husband and I were eating in a Mexican restaurant in New York City when the table next to us started laughing and carrying on about their appetizer. A father and teenage son were eating, while the mother and daughter were clearly declining the offering. When they offered us a bite — and told us they were eating were chapulines, or grasshoppers — my husband and I passed, saying that we were just too full to partake."

Read more about it here: http://www.babble.com/body-mind/the-protein-source-in-your-own-backyard-that-has-everyone-buzzing/