Two years ago Megan began working out with us with the goal of losing weight and getting stronger to compete in Jui Jitsu. With a weight loss of 53 lbs, a 175 x 2 squat and a championship medal, I'd say she did just that! Congratulations Megan!
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Top 5 Reasons Why Your Middle-Aged Body Loves Exercise
Congratulations on being in the midst of what can be an exciting period of transition and lifestyle changes. Middle age is when many people find a sort of rebirth of their zeal for body health and fitness. (Just ask the nation's runners - 55% of all U.S. marathoners in 2014 were between the ages of 35 and 54.)
Maybe it's because the children or other family members who once dominated your attention and energy might be a little less needy, leaving you with some energy to spare. Or maybe it's because you're noticing a significant change in your metabolism or muscle tone. Regardless of the reason why you might feel a renewed dedication to your health and fitness, focusing on your fitness is a great idea. It turns out that, while exercise is certainly important for all ages, the benefits for those in middle age are especially numerous.
- The skin you're in loves exercise. When you work out, the pores in your face dilate, purging out the trapped dirt and oil (just be sure to wash your face afterwards). Also, exercise helps to regulate hormones and reduce stress, both of which can have a dramatic impact on your skin's appearance.
- Your energy level loves exercise. "Contrary to popular belief, exercising doesn't make you tired -- it literally creates energy in your body. Your body rises up to meet the challenge for more energy by becoming stronger," says nutritionist Samantha Heller, MS, RD, a nutrition advisor for the Journey for Control diabetesprogram. It starts at the tiniest level, with the mitochondria, in fact, where exercise stimulates your body's production of these tiny powerhouses. The more mitochondria present, the more energy that is being produced.
- Your bones love exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, in particular, helps to strengthen bones by increasing bone mass. This is a significant benefit when many middle-agers are concerned about the loss of bone strength, or even osteoporosis. Even a simple walking lunge can build density in your hip bone. Your studio trainer will have many bone-strengthening exercises for you to try.
- Your mood loves exercise. Whether it's a renewed charisma and self-confidence, a stabilization of mood-altering hormones, or a reduction in stress, exercise is your (and your loved one's) best friend. Exercise pumps up your body's endorphins which can act both as attitude boosters, and also natural pain killers. (Plus, it's way cheaper, and more fun, than therapy.)
- Your future loves exercise. More movement now = more movement later. Putting forth the effort with making your health the best it can be now sets yourself up for a higher quality of life as you age. Dr. Timothy Church, director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge notes that, "Exercise strengthens the entire human machine - the heart, the brain, the blood vessels, the bones, the muscles. The most important thing you can do for your long-term health is to lead an active life." Not only that, but researchers at Harvard and Stanford conducted a study that found that exercise was just as effective as medicine for the prevention and treatment of pre-diabetes, diabetes, and heart disease.
Sure, middle age has its share of gripe-able attributes. However, so many of those woes can be turned upside-down by refocusing your energies and attention to your fitness and health. Investing in YOU is indeed a worthy endeavor - one that will pay out in satisfying dividends for decades to come.
Time to put one in...You deserve a high five!
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How to feel great & grounded when traveling
They say the older you are, the wiser you are...well, I think the same applies to travel.
The more you do it, the more you learn about what your body needs on the road. Dramatically changing time zones and cuisine can often cause the body to wig out.
Here are a few great hacks that you can incorporate into your travel routine:
- Meditating every five hours on a long flight/car ride
- Dropping oil of oregano (an intense natural antibiotic) in the back of your mouth once a day
- Exercising the first morning you wake up in a new place
- Stay awake (no naps!) until it's bedtime in the country (or Time Zone) you're traveling to
- Fasting on the plane and then eating your first meal at a normal meal time in your destination city
That being said, my number-one absolute favorite hack are probiotics.
Since the majority of the immune systems lives in the gut, it's super important to keep your belly very healthy while traveling. It's my major travel game changer.
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SUPERFOODS YOU CAN AFFORD
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Superfoods can be super pricey, but these 5 are very affordable: 
1. Napa (or Chinese) cabbage
Napa cabbage is the number-two most nutrient dense food on this list, just behind watercress-and it's often a bargain, especially if you have an Asian grocery near you. Napa cabbage is oblong with green, crinkly leaves fading to a white stem. Eaten raw,
like in this slaw, it's crisp and very refreshing. And it gets even sweeter and mellower when cooked, making it a great choice for a
stir-fry. Salted and fermented, it's often the main ingredient in kimchi-that fermentation results in natural probiotics, making the cabbage even more nutritious.
2. Beet and Turnip Greens
Beet and turnip greens are cheap because...they come with beets and turnips! That's two vegetables for the price of one-so don't throw them away! In fact, if you ask around at your farmers' market, you might be able to score a bag for free, because non-thrifty people ask for the greens to be cut off. Both beet and turnip greens are very high in vitamins and minerals (both are more nutrient-dense than kale), and they're super easy to cook. You can simply wilt them in olive oil with garlic and chile flakes. Or, serve them with their roots, like in this
golden beet and beet green soup, this salad of
roasted beets and beet greens, or
this buttery sauté of turnips and their greens.
3. Cabbage
Red and green cabbages don't quite have the frilly good looks of Napa cabbage, or the trendy appeal of their relatives in the cruciferous family, like Brussels sprouts and kale. But cabbage is so overlooked: It's delicious, versatile and often very cheap. You can
grill it; you can make it into
a slawtopping for tacos; you can
roast it until it's sweet, you can even
pretend it's a steak.
4. Tomato
Fresh tomatoes-wonderful as they are when in season-aren't all that cheap. But canned tomatoes can be a terrific bargain. And not only are good-quality canned tomatoes relatively affordable, extremely convenient, and tasty, they also offer something that fresh tomatoes don't: lycopene. That's a pigment with antioxidant effects that are only activated when heated, as tomatoes are when they are canned. Canned tomatoes are money in the bank (or pantry). Use them to make thrifty and fast dinners like
eggs poached in tomato sauce,
a sausage, bean and tomato ragout, or
spaghetti with tomato and spinach.
5. Turnips and Rutabagas
Right now at my grocery store, both turnips and rutabagas are 99 cents a pound. That's a lot of root vegetable for your buck. Both turnips and rutabagas are in the cruciferous family, and have a sharp, radish-y flavor when raw, but turn sweet and mellow when cooked. (Rutabagas are slightly sweeter than turnips.) You can make them into
crispy fries,
roast them with maple syrup, or
smash them with potatoes to make a healthier mash.
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HEALTHY RECIPE OF THE WEEK
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Wrap tuna steaks in bacon like you would a beef tenderloin, which not only adds a subtle smoky flavor to the fish but also keeps it moist.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 slices smoked bacon
- One 1-pound tuna steak, 1 inch thick, cut into 4 pieces
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 head frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
- 2 Hass avocados, thinly sliced
PREPARATION
- Lay the bacon strips on a cutting board and place a piece of tuna in the center of each; season with salt and pepper. Fold the bacon around the tuna and secure with toothpicks.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the tuna and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until the bacon is crisp and the tuna is still pink inside, about 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Toss in the frisée and avocados and transfer to plates.
- Remove the toothpicks from the tuna and cut each piece in half. Arrange the tuna over the frisée and serve right away, drizzling any remaining dressing left in the bowl over the fish.
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|  Check out our new Conditioning and X-train PACK classes online
Statistics show that when you schedule your workout ahead of time, you are more likely to follow through and stick to your plan. Sticking to your plan means reaching your goals! Did you know that you can book your classes online 30 days out? That's a month of making your workouts happen! Are you up for the challenge? |
| Let us know if you can't make it... |
We understand plans may change. With that in mind, we have a very simple cancellation policy:
If you can not make it to your
scheduled workout session,
please be respectful to our trainers and other clients.
 Cancel your appointment by
5:00pm of the
preceding
evening of your scheduled workout.
Unfortunately, appointments not cancelled in time will be charged as a no show.
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Please forward this e-mail to any friends or family members who are considering changing their habits and
committing
to a healthier lifestyle.
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