2 lbs. grass fed ground beef (may add or substitute up to 1/2 lb. of ground beef liver)
2 tbs coconut oil
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs yellow mustard
1 tbs ketchup
Instructions :
In large skillet melt the oil then brown the meat. Add onions, peppers and garlic then cook until onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients and simmer about 10 to 15 min until desired consistency is reached. May serve on lettuce leafs, roasted butternut squash bowls, with homemade bread, or as is.
One of the biggest struggles to being successful in the gym is just showing up! After you’ve mastered this hurdle take a look at these simple and manageable tips for a better workout.
Staying up really late on a Friday night and getting up to kill a Saturday workout is nearly an entirely wasted gym effort. Getting good nights sleep is obvious but do you know why? Hormones linked to muscle anabolism and a variety of restorative interactions occur in your body while you’re sleeping. Be fair and give your body the rest it needs. Whether it be turning off the TV and placing your phone in another room or getting a new mattress and addressing sleep issues to help yourself get more benefits out of your hard work in the gym.
The food choice you make leading up to your workout can determine a lot of your success because it’s the one that your body will get fuel and have the essential nutrients to develop muscle growth. Great options are carbs like sweet potatoes, rice, and oats. Protein such as chicken breast, ground turkey, or white fish.
All of the motivational quotes and pictures of fitness models for motivation are great but so is the facility that you place yourself in. Obviously, not everyone has the time or budget to train in elite facilities but making little steps to make your workout space motivating for your goals can make all the difference.
Like-minded individuals can be a crucial piece of your success in the gym. Find a workout partner or a group of people who share your passion or perhaps someone who is a bit bigger or more knowledgeable than you. Training with them can make you work harder which can help push you to the next level. If it means a few extra reps, an exercise you’ve never tried, or a technique from a well-trained eye, it’s worth a shot!
Warming up isn’t always exciting but it is necessary. Your reward will be the ability to lift more weight, reduce your chance of injury, and the gauntlet of information that supports that a good warm up can reduce post workout muscled soreness.
Mind body connectedness is more important than the weight of the dumbbells. Connect the movement of feeling the muscles, awareness of the stretch and contraction, and working through the pain instead of focusing on an arbitrary rep count.
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (or other vinegar)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Cilantro leaves
Option to add chicken or keep this recipe vegetarian!
Preparation
Top 4 tortillas evenly with kimchi, then with cheese, optional chicken, avocados, and remaining tortillas.
Mix oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat a 12in. frying pan over medium high heat. Toast each quesadilla until lightly browned and cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Slice each quesadilla into wedges, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with sesame dipping sauce.
Approximately 2½ cups of diced chicken from 1 rotisserie chicken, light and dark meat (or chicken breast)
1 to 2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
3 green onions, green stalk included, chopped
2 stalks of celery, including leaves, chopped
3 bread and butter pickles, diced (choose pickles with live, active cultures like Bubbie’s brand from the Co-op!)
¼ cup fresh dill, minced (or dried dill)
⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Good dash of whole mustard seeds (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Juice of one lemon
Sea salt or Himilayan to taste, about ½ teaspoon
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Dice chicken into bite-size cubes, making sure to use dark meat as well as the breast meat.
Combine all other ingredients with the chicken in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed. If you like your chicken salad wet, you can add more mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving, or make the day prior.
The benefits of intermittent fasting make a persuasive argument for their approach. But is it the best for you and your goals? We break it down for you and give you a modest middle ground for maximum muscle growth.
Eating schedules are definitely subject to the dramatic mood swings in the fitness world of what’s hot and what’s not! Eating every 2-3 hours to stoke the metabolic fire and stay anabolic or go as long as 16-20 hours straight without food. Both have their benefits and disadvantages and we’re not here to tell you which is right and which is wrong. However, let’s look at both of them and decide what will work best for you.
When we examine the idea of eating every 2-3 hours we have found that meal regularity shows little to no difference in fat loss when calories are controlled to the extreme. There seems to be no differences in hunger change with meal frequency and the metabolic rate seems unaffected by meal frequency. This may seem profane to the devout followers of the 6-8 meals per day, but its worth noting this in is regard to fat loss. When we discuss strength and muscle growth as the goal, three meals a day may not provide enough protein dispersal. Depending on your preference, we promote protein dense meals 4-5 times per day. We find that any less than this and you’ll be left packing insane amounts of protein into each meal may not be the best idea either.
So, if 8 meals a day is just out of the question it may lead you to believe that intermittent fasting may be the best for you. Wait just a moment!
The most important factor for long term success when changing your eating habits isn’t when you eat but rather devotion. People don’t fail because they don’t have the perfect timing or food sources; they fail because they simply don’t commit themselves to make the change.
Studies have shown that people who lose a significant amount of weight with yo-yo diets will regain the weight they initially lost AND THEN SOME! This is a huge problem and to solve it we should look at utilizing strategies that improve lifestyle commitments.
Therefore, if intermittent fasting allows an individual to better commit themselves to lifestyle change and stick with it, that a good enough argument for us, at least for that individual. We’ve known many people who were able to fast certain parts of the day for either lack of hunger at those times or busy work schedules. This doesn’t mean it’s the answer for everyone.
There are some advantages. Say you spread 2,500 calories over 6-8 meals and you may end up with pretty measly portions. Some individuals may prefer holding out a bit longer for larger meals. Can you take this too far? Of course! Many people find they can’t go 12 hours or more without becoming ravenously hungry and this may make them more likely to binge eat. For others with disordered eating tendencies, they may start getting loose with their eating windows or hoarding food.
Let’s break this down. A normal intermittent-fasting protocol is typically 16 hours fasting with 8 hours of feeding. But some people will slide into, say, 22/2, and even go days without eating in order to justify a massive binge. That is not a fault of intermittent fasting itself but definitely means that it isn’t appropriate for everyone. Therefore, understanding your food tendencies and what you like is very important.
So, if you prefer fasting and it helps you adhere to a lifestyle change then by all means do it. But, keep in mind that it’s not a magic cure and it can be done wrong. Ultimately, fat loss is a matter of calories and not clocks.
Perhaps you’ve noticed many people embracing the “smoothie culture” that promotes the blended meal as “all-natural” and “healthy!” Smoothies are convenient and a great way to ingest a concentrated nutrient boost but things can quickly go awry with ingredients that break the nutrition bank. Here are a few tips and tricks to making that smoothie ACTUALLY healthy.
Nut butters are a good addition to a healthy smoothie but be conscious of portion sizes. Keep portion size to 1 tablespoon or less to avoid excessive fat and calories.
Is protein powder a must or a bust? Many experts agree that the average person does not need to supplement his diet with protein powders. Active individuals can easily get what they need healthy whole food sources.
While often considered a “healthy” sweetener, agave nectar is 1.5 times sweeter than sugar, has more calories and is high in fructose. Use it sparingly or let the fruit in your smoothies be enough of a sweetener.
While fruit is a healthy ingredient in most smoothies, people tend to overdo it. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 2 cups of fruit per day for people eating a 2,000 calorie diet – but it’s best to spread this over the course of the day. Choose whole fruits instead of fruit juice, which lacks fiver and can lead to blood sugar spikes.
Need a dairy fix in your smoothie? Make sure it’s from a clean source that is free of antibiotic and hormones. According to Harvard University, dairy consumption accounts for 60%-80% of dietary estrogens, which have been linked to cancer.
We encourage you to be educated, ask questions, and find high quality ingredients and be aware of the seemingly healthy options that are not.
Children who are physically fit absorb and retain new information more effectively than children who are out of shape. Parents and exercise scientists, who, not infrequently, are the same people, have known for a long time that physical activity helps young people to settle and pay attention in school or at home, with salutary effects on academic performance.
Better fitness in children has proved to be linked to significantly higher achievement scores, while, interestingly, body size has almost no role. Children who are overweight but relatively fit have been proven to have higher test scores than those lighter, less-fit children.
If children are to develop and maintain the kind of aerobic fitness that amplifies their ability to learn they should engage in at least on hour a day of vigorous physical activity. Physical activity is also a way that children discover the world and themselves. It helps build strong muscles and healthy bones, as well as improves self-confidence.
10 Tips to Improve Activity for Children
Walk or bike to and from school with the kids as often as possible
Build a den or treehouse with them during the school holidays. Or encourage them to climb a tree.
Go roller skating, rollerblading or skateboarding, indoors or outside. During the winter, go ice skating.
Do an activity challenge together, such as working towards a fun run or a walk for charity.
Take the dog for a walk. If you don’t have one, ask to volunteer to walk a neighbor or friends dog.
Support your kids in sports, clubs or any other activities that may interest hem. Joining a weekend club sport ensures commitment to a team and regular exercise.
Find time every weekend to do something active with your children. Play Frisbee or football in the park. Play on the trampoline or try indoor rock climbing.
Fly a kite.
Try a beach holiday. When children hit the sand they find a multitude of ways to exercise.
The National Parks website has lists of events such as guided walks and children’s fun days for fresh ideas for active days out.
People most often talk about joints in relation to pain. Generally, we focus on one joint at a time. However, it’s important to think of all the bones, muscles, and connective tissue around each joint as an integrated system that relies on the health of other joints. Ankle joints connect to the knee joints. Knee joints connect to the hip joints. In other words, if a single joint doesn’t work properly, the joints above and below it can be affected.
Flexibility is the absolute range of motion in a joint or system of joints and the length of muscle that crosses the joint involved. Range of motion is the distance and direction the joint can move, while mobility is the ability to move without restriction.
Through flexibility and mobility sound similar, they are not interchangeable. Think of mobility as the range of uninhibited motion around the joint. A good level of mobility allows a person to perform movements without restriction, while a person with good flexibility may not have the strength, coordination, or balance to execute the same movement. Good flexibility does not always denote good mobility.
Mobility relates to movement while stability relates to control. Joint stability depends largely on the shape, size and arrangement of the articular surfaces, the surrounding ligaments, and the tone of the surrounding muscle. Injuries including ligament tears and sprains can often lead to stability issues in the joint.
Mobility drills are a great way to improve movement within joints that get a little sticky. Mobility exercises differ from static stretching in that they take joints and tissue through a series of movements to increase range of motion. Not everyone needs mobility work in all joints but many people benefit from daily mobility drills.
Activation Drills help the body learn to use the right muscles at the right time, which increases muscular strength around the joints and impacts the mobility or stability of that joint. Many activation exercises involve the core and the glutes since they make up the base of the trunk and help support hip and spine stability and mobility.
Stretching not only feels good but can also improve the range of motion within a joint. Save stretching for after a good warm up or workout.
The last thing you want to do is add more to-do’s to your day – we know! You’re busy! But guess what? So are the fittest, healthiest, and most successful among us who still make time for habits that prime them for more health, happiness, and success. Here are a few simple tips to help you in your daily routine to become a healthier and happier individual.
1. Early risers are more pro-active, use the extra time to exercise, to meditate or get a healthy breakfast. Get up 5 minutes earlier each day until you reach your goal “getting up time.” Get moving as soon as you wake up. Try some stretches or a morning jog.
2. A healthy breakfast is a great way to give you the energy you need to start the day. If you need help planning or deciding what a healthy breakfast may consist of, we’re here to help. Send us an email or give us a call.
3. Drinking water throughout the day ensures that you are properly hydrated and in return will help you to feel less fatigued. Start your day with a cup of hot water and lemon to aid with digestion and keep a bottle of water close by to remind yourself to keep sipping throughout the day.
4. Our bodies were not designed to be sedentary. A short walk around the office or standing and working can reverse vascular dysfunction. Try exercising at your desk. Try chair squats while you’re at work. Stand up and lightly tap your bum on the chair 10 times. Repeat 3 times.
5. Prepare you lunch and snacks at home so that you’re less tempted to raid the vending machine or plagued by the office donuts and candy.
6. Exercising in the middle of the day helps boost concentration, energy, and reduce stress.
7. The time you spend commuting can be used to improve both your mental and physical health. Leave your bus stop early and walk the rest of the way home. If you drive, try walking or biking to work and home.
8. The power of sex. From fixing a migraine and reducing stress/anxiety to boosting your mood and even lowering blood pressure, getting frisky pays off. You can thank a surge of hormones and endorphins that your body releases during sex for the health benefits. How much and how often you get busy varies with every couple but just knowing that long term perks of a morning quickie helping jump start your day isn’t bad.
9. Eating food late at night can have a big impact on your quality of sleep. Eat dinner at least 2 hours before your bedtime. If you find that you’re too hungry to go to bed. Have another portion of protein and some complex carbs, i.e. sweet potatoes, rice, or quinoa.
10. The way you feel while you’re awake depends on the kind of sleep you’re getting. Good sleep is vital in order to maintain good health and well-being. Take a warm bath/shower to help relax the body for a good night’s sleep. Switch off all of your screens 30 minutes prior to sleeping. Perform low intensity exercise. Stretching before bed can improve quality of sleep.
Adopting your daily routine to include these healthy habits will help to improve your energy levels, health, and motivation. So choose one to get you started today and feel the benefits of the people who stay healthy feel.
It takes a lot of time and constant effort every week. It also takes cooking know-how, creativity with cooking, and a lot of effort to find healthy clean-eating recipes online that actually taste good.
All of this is usually overwhelming, stressful, and very exhausting!
It’s time for a change! Stop the meal planning insanity!
If you want to feel energized through the cloudy and rainy Fall/Winter months and want to see a leaner version of yourself when you look in the mirror, this is the way to go!
We take the guesswork out…it is all done for you. You don’t have to look any further. The meals, portion sizes, and recipes are all provided for you!
STOP feeling like a failure when it comes to nutrition & eating healthy!
This affordable program is a great way to stay focused through the holidays with less stress about what to cook for the week!
EACH MONTH PLAN INCLUDES:
-Easy to follow recipes
-Portion sizes of all foods to be served at each meal. (This program is based on a 5 meals/day meal plan format.)
-5 different meal options for Breakfasts, Lunches, & Dinners
-10-15 different snack meal options
This program is ideal for an individual who generally knows how to eat clean/healthy and has been on a meal plan program before, but just doesn’t have the time to create their own meal plans or to find the healthy balanced recipes needed to make it all happen. This plan does facilitate body fat and weight loss if combined with the proper exercise program. All three months of plans are emailed to you within 5 days of purchase.
We love member feedback! We listened to our recent member feedback and we are happy to say ‘You want it, you got it!’
We are bringing you new ‘Friday Night Spotlight’ group training/boot camp classes every Friday from 5:30pm-6:30pm. Each Friday of the month will be a different class!
Monthly here is what the line-up looks like:
1st Friday monthly = Boot Camp Circuit
2nd Friday monthly = BUTI Yoga
3rd Friday monthly = Mud Run Boot Camp
4th Friday monthly = Boxing Conditioning
Remember, attendance keeps classes on the schedule, so if you want these new spotlight classes to stay…..it’s time to lock these workouts in on your calendar and start ending your Friday’s with a sweaty feel-good bang!
(***PLEASE NOTE: The schedule for the rest of September is slightly different since we are starting this new line-up mid-month. See September schedule below.)
September 16 = BUTI YOGA
September 23 = BOOT CAMP CIRCUIT
September 30 = BOXING CONDITIONING
CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL OF OUR GROUP TRAINING CLASSES:
ONE FULL-TIME & PART-TIME INDEPENDANT PERSONAL TRAINER SPACE LEFT AVAILABLE TO LEASE NOW!
This 3,000+ sq.ft. private personal training warehouse studio (located near South Puget Sound Community College and Mottman Business Park ) is fully stocked with free weight and functional fitness equipment and is ready for use! You’ll have 24-hour access to the studio including the workout area, group fitness area, and the office space where you can sit down and meet with current and/or new clients and hold seminars/lectures. Whether you want to train indiviual clients or groups (sports teams, group training, etc.), the space is yours to use! There is also plenty of parking, the office is equipped with a kids’ club room for children to keep busy while parents get trained, office/lounge seating, storage cubbies, microwave, and a fridge.
Why let gyms continue to make money off of you, your time, and skills? Work less hours and double your income by keeping all of the money you earn while being your own boss and making your own hours. Bring your current clients and continue to build your customer base here as you go.
Nervous about becoming an independent personal trainer and quitting your gym job? Not sure how to do it?
You will be running your own personal training business out of our facility on your own keeping all the money you make and running things the way you want, but we are happy to provide the advice/guidance that you will need to be successful. We can guide you in transitioning from your gym job to eventually being 100% on your own at our studio. We welcome the idea of you being part-time at your gym job or other job and part-time here on your own. We can help you with the transition until you are 100% capable and confident to be on your own. From helping you decide your client rates/packages to designing your own affordable business cards and teaching you how to network and promote yourself locally for free, this is the ideal opportunity for you to finally do it on your own!
Current Personal Trainer Certification and Insurance Proof is Required Within the first 90 Days.
Studio Rental Details:
FULL-TIME Flat Rate: $525/month (For use 7 days a week any and all hours. Individual clients and/or small groups.)
PART-TIME Flat Rate: $325/month (For use up to 4-5 days a week. Up to 4 hours/day or up to 20 hours/week. Individual or partner sessions only. No large groups.)
Contact us today for questions or to schedule a time to meet and/or view the facility.
Please reply via email or call 360-790-6767.
We are looking for high-energy, motivating, creative, and experienced Boot Camp Personal Trainers OR Group Fitness Group Training Instructors.
*Want to showcase your skills and abilities?
*Do you have a passion for helping people feel empowered, healthy, strong/fit and love helping people achieve their health/fitness goals?
*Do you have great training ideas that you want the opportunity to implement on your own?
*Tired of the same old, never-evolving environment and same pay no matter how hard you work to provide efficient and effective classes to clients/members?
*Want an opportunity to grow and eventually run your own personal training business out of a private studio, make your own schedule, and make more money and keep it all?
THEN THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!
WHO ARE WE?:
Edge Fitness (In business since 2003.)
(www.EdgeFitnessNow.com or on Facebook — Edge Fitness, Tumwater, WA)
We have 3,000+ sq. ft. private training studio with all the free weight and functional fitness equipment you need to lead an amazing boot camp class and to train one-on-one clients. TRX cables, battle ropes, kettle bells, pull-up stations, tires, sledge hammers, dumbbells, BOSU balls, stability balls, medicine balls, boxing bags, resistance bands, plyo boxes, steps, agility ladders, Concept 2 Rowers, Body Pump barbells for up to 25 people, 10 barbells with plenty of bumper weights, and much more.
HOW TO APPLY?:
Call or email us right away to let us know who you are and that you are interested! WE NEED TO HIRE THREE BOOT CAMP TRAINERS NOW! You will be asked to teach a boot camp class as your interview!
Email us your resume showing your experience in the health/fitness industry and in teaching boot camp type classes.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?:
-You will be an Independent Contractor.
-You will have no responsibilities other providing an awesome boot camp class for our members.
-You don’t have to wear a uniform. Appropriate workout attire that is comfortable for you and will allow you to do your boot camp class instruction appropriately is all that is needed!
-We are looking for boot camp trainers to lead classes: Mondays/Fridays 5:30am, Daily 9:30am – 10:30am, Wednesdays 5:30-7pm, and Saturdays 9:30am — 10:30am.
-Boot Camp Trainer pay per class is $20 – $25 per class depending on overall experience. Earn 10% commission on any boot camp memberships sold in addition to class pay for any members who join because of you or because you referred them. Also, we are willing to trade class pay for use of studio to train private one-on-one clients of yours if you want to work towards being an independent personal trainer and you keep all the money you make from it!
-Proof of Group Fitness or Personal Training certification required.
-Within 6 months of actively leading boot camp classes, will need Independent Fitness/Personal Trainer Insurance (approx. $100/year) naming Edge Fitness as “Additional Insured/Indemnified.”
-You get free use of the facility anytime to workout.
Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:
Remember that your journey to a healthier life is a marathon, not a sprint. Changes from day to day are practically meaningless and incredibly difficult to quantify, so go with changes over a longer period of time. Weigh yourself once a month or every other week to make sure you’re trending in the right direction. If it’s weekly, make sure you weigh yourself at the same time of the day, wearing the same type of clothing. Remove as many of the variables as possible to make your reading accurate. And even then, don’t put too much stock into it.
Look at your body composition rather than your weight. I try to take a picture of myself every month or so, giving me the chance to compare how I look. You can also buy a body fat caliper (I use this one) or tape measure to keep track how your body is adjusting. Just make sure you’re taking your measurements in the same places on your body at the same time of day. If you’re taking photos, take a straight-on photo and a profile photo.
Set goals that are not weight-oriented. Say you want to do 15 push ups, run a half marathon, and/or do a pull up. With your mind focused on a strength building or endurance goal, you won’t have to worry so much about a dumb scale. If you can only do 5 push ups now but next month you can do 15, you definitely got stronger, but you probably also lost some fat.
Keep a journal. I know plenty of 170-pound people who are out of shape and 250-pound people who are incredibly healthy. How do you FEEL this month compared to last month? Maybe you can now run around the track without stopping, you don’t get winded going up and down stairs, and you can give your kids a piggy back ride without being out of commission for days afterward. Keep track of your energy levels, your conditioning, and your overall well-being. It’s time to say “SCREW THE SCALE!”
Need motivation and accountability? Want to be part of a supportive community? Want to learn how to eat and how to do it healthfully so you can stop yo-yo dieting? Want a workout that never gets boring?
This is a real program for the everyday person that provides all the tools to help you achieve life-lasting results! You will get the support of personal trainers, a nutritionist, and a success life coach!
If you want a new you in 2016, this is your chance!
This program with the ‘Start-Package’ and all of the ‘Add-On’ Options would normally be almost $1,400! With this special program you will save almost $1,000 and get a chance to win prizes!
This is a one-time INCREDIBLE offer! ONLY 15 SPACES AVAILABLE.
NOTE: ONLINE PAYMENT & RESERVATION REQUIRED BY NOON ON DAY OF CLASS THAT PARENT IS ATTENDING. FOR SATURDAY CLASSES, RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED BY 6PM ON FRIDAYS.
Edge Fitness Kids’ Club Rules and Policies:
-Children are accepted into Edge Fitness Kids’ Club from the ages of 6 months to 11 years of age.
-Children are not permitted to be in the childcare area without staff present.
-All children must be signed in and out via the member check-in kiosk at the front desk. NOTE: We only allow the parents who sign their child in to take their child out of childcare for their protection.
-The usage limit for each child is 2 hours/day.
-The only children that are authorized to be in childcare are those of the members.
-Parents are asked to feed their children before bringing them to Edge Fitness Kids’ Club as our staff are not authorized to feed them.
-Children must arrive with a dry diaper on as Staff are not permitted to change diapers. Should it be necessary, the Edge Fitness Staff will get the parent from the workout area to change the child’s diaper.
-Restroom Policy: Edge Fitness Kids’ Club Staff are not permitted to go in the restroom with your child. If your child requires assistance, the Staff will come find you to assist them.
-Edge Fitness is not responsible for lost or damaged items brought from home. Any property your child brings from home should be properly labeled. Coins, balloons, toy guns, and toy swords are not permitted in the Edge Fitness Kids’ Club room.
-Parents may drop off their child a maximum of 5 minutes before class start time and pick them up no later than 5 minutes after class ending time.
-Parents and legal guardians must remain in the gym while their children are in the childcare room. Parents may not leave the premises for any reason while their children are in the childcare facility.
-No gum or sticky food substances are allowed in the childcare area. Clear drinks in spill-proof containers are acceptable. Please label all items.
-Bare feet will not be permitted at any time. Please have shoes and/or socks on children.
-If any child is upset and is not able to calm down or if they refuse to adhere to the Edge Fitness Kids’ Club room rules, the parent will be called in from the workout to tend to them and/or take them home. (See below ‘Kids’ Club Behaviors’ for details.)
-Absolutely no sick children will be allowed in the Edge Fitness Kids’ Club room. If a child is brought to the childcare room and an Edge Fitness Staff member believes they are sick or showing signs of any illness, they have the right to request the parent stop the workout and to come take the child out of the childcare room and home immediately. (See below Kid’s Club Sick Policy’ for more details.)
-The childcare staff reserves the right to refuse childcare to anyone at any time.
-Edge Fitness reserves the right to suspend childcare privileges from any member who consistently neglects the policies.
Edge Fitness Sick Children Policy:
For the safety of everyone involved, parents are asked not to bring sick children to Edge Fitness Kids’ Club. The following standards will be enforced to ensure that all children and staff are protected from communicable diseases. Children with the following symptoms will not be accepted into the Kids’ Club:
-Cloudy nasal discharge or productive cough
-Runny nose/sneezing
-Unidentified rash
-Fever any grade
-Diarrhea
-Vomiting
-Pink eye
-Bad cold
-Reddened sore throat
Children must be symptom free for 24 hours after symptoms cease. If your child does not attend school due to an illness, they will not be admitted into the Edge Fitness Kids’ Club. If your child contracts a contagious disease and has recently been to Edge Fitness, please contact the staff immediately.
Appropriate Edge Fitness Kids’ Club Behaviors:
1. Children are expected to behave appropriately for their age group. Repeated disregard for rules or failure to listen to childcare staff will result in a short “time out” for children 2 years of age and older. Redirection will be used to address behavior problems for children younger than 2 years of age.
2. Parents will be called to the Kids’ Club room if their child is behaving inappropriately. If this is a repeated occurrence, a course of action will be decided on by the parent and Kids’ Club Staff.
Edge Fitness reserves the right to suspend childcare privileges for a specified period of time, if deemed necessary.
3. Parents will be called back to the Edge Fitness Kids’ Club if their child continues to cry for a period in excess of approximately 12-15 minutes.
These rules have been made to ensure the safety and comfort of your child and for all the members at Edge Fitness.
Edge Fitness Kids’ Club CLASS TIMES Policy:
-During member class time, children 11 and younger are not permitted in any gym area, member’s lounge or front door seating area. They are not allowed to sit or play in any part of the gym. For restroom use, the parent will be called on to assist the child and then bring them back to the Kids’ Club room.
-Children 6 months to 11 years of age may be supervised in the Kids’ Club room.
-Children 12 and older may go to the members lounge or sit on the chairs in the front door seating area out of the way, while their parent(s) work out. In this instance, the child cannot be disruptive to the training process or become a hazard on any floor. If this is the case, the parent must rectify the issue. They are not allowed in the workout area except to use the restroom.
-Children are NEVER ALLOWED to play on or use any gym equipment when allowed on the gym floor before, during, or after classes.
-Weighted objects, rowers, ropes, weights, balls, and all other pieces of equipment are out of the question.
-Even if a parent wishes to supervise their child, please do not allow them to use or play on any equipment.
Are you new to exercise or haven’t worked out in a really long time?
Start by doing just one set 3-5 days per week. Then, when you are ready and depending on how much time you have on your office break, go for more sets as suggested at the bottom of the photo!
Go ahead….print it off and post it as a reminder to get it done!
Do you have hiking or camping on your agenda? Mapping out your wilderness nutrition needs is important: There’s plenty to consider besides simply grabbing an energy bar or a bottle of water. Follow these tips to ensure you have a nourishing and safe food experience on your next outdoor adventure.
Have a plan. Your food and water needs are generally higher than usual on activity-based excursions. Pay extra special attention to packing plenty of fluids for hot weather adventures. Some other key considerations before your hiking or camping trip include:
Length of the trip
What foods and beverages you’ll carry
How you’ll eat and drink
If bringing a cooler is an option
What food-related tools you’ll need
Pack easy-to-carry foods for a hike — or a day trip. You can actually pack perishable foods, such as sandwiches, just be sure you have a cold source (such as an ice pack) to keep foods properly chilled. The more you stash in a backpack, the harder it is to hike, so opt mainly for non-perishable foods that are relatively lightweight and nutrient dense. These include:
Trail mix
Nuts, seeds, nut-based bars or nut butter packs
Dried or freeze-dried fruits and veggies
Energy bars, chews or gels
Granola or granola bars
Ready-made tuna salad pouches
Whole-grain tortillas
Poultry, salmon or meat jerky
Bottled water or sports drink … it’s essential to stay hydrated! Pre-hydrate by drinking at least 4 cups of water before your hike so you have less to carry. Then, a good rule of thumb is to plan for about 2 cups of fluid for every hour of hiking.
Pack easy-to-prep foods for camping — or a multi-day trip. It’s a little more challenging to pack food for days at a time. The first day you’ll be able to eat perishable foods. But after that, map out your meals so you’ll have what you enjoy and need. If you have a cooler, you’ll have numerous options. Otherwise, include any of these shelf-stable, easily-packed basics to sustain you:
Easy-to-carry foods mentioned above
Ready-to-eat cereal
Fruit or vegetable puree in squeezable pouches (yes, like baby food)
Poultry or fish pouches, or canned fish, poultry or meat in individual or regular servings
Individual packets of mayo, mustard, taco sauce and/or soy sauce
Whole-grain pasta, couscous, rice mix, pancake mix, hot cereal, dried soups and freeze-dried foods (if you have the ability to boil water)
Marshmallows — for a campfire dessert, of course
Bottled water, plus powdered beverage mixes
To store, serve or dispose of food properly and safely, bring these essentials:
Disposable wipes/moist towelettes or biodegradable soap
Bowls and plates
Kettle or cooking pot
Eating and cooking utensils
Can opener, if applicable
Ice packs
Compostable trash bags
Portable water filters or water purification tablets
Thermometers for cooler and cooked meat, if applicable
Always follow good food safety practices — from packing to plating. Remember that perishable food cannot be kept out in hot weather (90°F or higher) for more than one hour; in mild weather for more than two hours. And, always practice these four food safety tips:
Wash hands often. This includes before and after eating. Moist towelettes work fine.
Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. Use extra plates that you’ve packed — one for raw and one for prepared foods.
Cook to proper temperatures. Use a food thermometer to be sure cooked food has reached a safe internal temperature.
Refrigerate promptly below 40°F. Of course, if you don’t have a fridge, pack perishable food, including meat or poultry, with plenty of ice or ice packs in a well-insulated cooler to keep the temperature below 40°F. Store leftovers in the cooler only if it still has ice. And keep the cooler in as cool a place as possible.
Peanuts offer wholesome energy by providing an array of vitamins and minerals, in addition to protein. Here are our top 10 reasons to keep a can of peanuts on your desk, in your car, in your cabinet, and in your gym bag…
A Great Protein Option: Peanuts deliver 7g of protein per 1 oz serving making them one of the highest protein snacks around.
Good Source of Niacin: Peanuts contain an important B-complex vitamin, niacin. In fact, a 1 oz serving of peanuts provide about 15% of the recommended daily value of niacin, a vitamin important in energy production.
Feel Satiated: The protein and fiber in peanuts can help satisfy your hunger and reduce stress.
Defend Your Cells: Antioxidant Vitamin E is found in peanuts. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E help protect cells from free radicals that damage the cell structure.
Fiber Never Tasted So Good: Peanuts are a good source of fiber, a 1oz serving delivers 10% of the Daily Value, and most Americans don’t get enough.
No Empty Calories: Peanuts deliver 7g of protein and 6 essential nutrients – that’s a powerful, nutrient dense snack.
Benefit Your Bones: Recent analysis shows less than half Americans get their daily recommended intake of magnesium—an essential nutrient which helps maintain the health of your bones. Peanuts are a good source of magnesium and an easy and portable way to make sure your reach your goal.
Mix & Match: Peanuts are a welcome addition to any kind of snack mix—perhaps, none better than dark chocolate, dried cherries or sunflower seeds. This combination not only adds taste and texture variety but also offers a compliment of nutrients, like vitamins C or A found in dried cherries or vitamin E, magnesium and thiamin found in sunflower seeds.
More Manganese: Peanuts are an excellent source of manganese, which helps the body to burn carbs. It acts as a co-enzyme to assist metabolic activity in the human body.
People have a tendency to eat unhealthy foods when they are stressed, leading to poor health. Here are 10 foods you can chow down on when feeling stressed to avoid loading up on heavy calories and reduce anxiety.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Honey
A hot, hearty bowl of oats delivers that yummy carb filled experience and bumps up your feel-good hormone serotonin. And because it’s also packed slowly digested fiber, it won’t cause an inconsistent spike in blood sugar levels like some other foods do. Add cinnamon (shown to ease frustration) and a teaspoon of honey (satisfies a sweet tooth and boosts immunity). Opt for the cleanest oatmeal option you can buy.
Dark Chocolate-Covered Almonds
The “chocolate cure” is real: A 2009 study by Swiss researchers suggests that eating dark chocolate reduces levels of stress hormones. It also lowers blood pressure nearly as well as drugs, per earlier studies. Meanwhile, almonds are rich in energy-boosting protein and good-for-you monounsaturated fat, which another study linked to lower rates of depression.
Kale Chips
Homemade kale chips have just a few ingredients: olive oil, kale, and maybe some salt. A recent study found that people who ate olive oil daily felt more satisfied and enjoyed a bigger boost of serotonin than those eating other types of fat. As for kale, research from the Harvard School of Public Health found that people whose blood contained high levels of carotenoids (an antioxidant) were significantly more optimistic. Check out this quick how-to video for amazing kale chips.
Smoothies
Get your caffeine fix by blending java with soymilk (the folate it contains may boost serotonin levels), unsweetened cocoa powder (cue the dopamine, as with coffee), and a ripe banana (potassium lowers blood pressure).
Nuts and Seeds
Grab a combo of pistachios, cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds for a powerhouse package of fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids, all of which lower blood pressure. In one study, pistachios blunted the effects of anxiety in people taking a math test. Omega-3 essential fatty acids in walnuts have been linked to reduced rates of depression, the selenium in cashews and almonds has been shown to elevate mood, and tryptophan in pumpkin seeds may help the brain make serotonin. Just stick to one handful.
Sweet Potatoes
They’re sweet, delicious, and packed with nutrients—including optimism-boosting carotenoids and fiber (it’s also low on the Glycemic Index). “You’ll get the carby, sweet sensation without the blood-sugar spike,” says Ramsey. Make the most of your sweet spuds with more than 200 sweet potato recipes.
Yogurt with Berries
Find the creaminess you desire in plain low-fat Greek yogurt. It’s a great source of energizing protein and calcium, which your body needs to release feel-good neurotransmitters. Add fresh berries for sweetness and a mega-dose of stress-busting antioxidants and immunity-boosting vitamin C.
Vegetable Curry
Cozy up to a bowl of spicy Indian food and two things happen. When your brain detects capsaicin—the molecule in chili peppers—it releases endorphins to calm things down. And curcumin (curry) actually shields key parts of the brain against the effects of stress, per recent research. Add spinach for a hit of magnesium, which has been shown to ease tension headaches.
Green Tea
A 2011 study linked L-theanine—the amino acid in green tea—with feeling cooler under pressure. The green stuff also comes with a jolt of caffeine, so you’ll enjoy a focused calm. Check out these five pretty spectacular reasons to drink more green tea.
Guacamole with Carrots
Creamy avocado is high in monounsaturated fat and potassium, which lowers blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Monounsaturated fat also helps keep receptors in the brain sensitive to serotonin. With raw carrots, the simple act of crunching is a satisfying stress stopper.
We have probably all heard the myth that you burn up the food you eat earlier in the day, while late-night calories sit in your system and turn into fat.
The reality: Calories can’t tell time. Your body digests and uses calories the same way morning, noon, and night. They may sit around a little longer if you eat, then lie on the couch and watch TV, but when you move around the next day, your body will dip into its stores. This myth of not eating after 8PM has a large deal to do with the type of food that people tend to eat later at night. People are more likely to grab a bowl of icecream or something higher in calories as a late night snack rather than eat a low calorie snack like a fruit or whole grain cereal.
The best advice: If you often unwind before bed with a bowl of ice cream or buttered popcorn, try cutting the snack out. The calories saved may be enough for you to lose a few pounds a year. If you’re hungry, eat something on the light side. Night eaters tend to overeat (which leads to weight gain no matter when it’s done) because often they’ve been skimping during the day and come home famished. Being so hungry that you grab whatever is at hand means you’re more likely to make poor choices. Don’t go longer than about five hours without eating. If you are hungry after 8 PM, eat something. Just be careful to keep your meals and snacks small.
In some cases, artificial sweeteners can be up to 600-3,000 times sweeter than natural sugar. Scientists suggest that after a consistent intake of artificial sweeteners, our taste buds become less receptive to the sweetness of normal sugar. Because of the intense stimulation of artificial sweeteners, our taste buds begin to grow dull and cause us to seek out more and more artificial sweeteners to satisfy our sweet tooth.
2. They trick your gut.
Susan Swithers, PhD, professor of behavioral neuroscience at Purdue University and a leading researcher on artificial sweeteners, says that your gut gets confused when you eat zero-calorie-but-super-sweet artificial sweeteners. The sweet taste sends a signal to your gut that something high calorie is on its way, so your gut anticipates foods that do, in fact, have a high calorie count. But when those don’t arrive, your gut doesn’t utilize the foods efficiently, and that causes a cascading effect that interferes with your body’s hunger signals.
3. They throw off your hormones.
Part of that cascading effect has to do with the hormone insulin. When you taste sweet foods, even if they have zero calories, your body still releases insulin as if you’d eaten sugar. Insulin leads to blood sugar spikes, which increase cravings. Swithers’ research has also suggested that artificial sweeteners prevent your body from producing GLP-1, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and feelings of satiety. Combined, the two haywire hormones could be causing you to feel hungrier and eat more.
4. They make you overeat.
It’s not just a biochemical reaction that leads artificial sweeteners to pack on the pounds. Natasha Turner, ND, author of The Super-Charged Hormone Diet, says that artificially sweetened foods could trick you into overeating because of they way they feel in your mouth. “The taste and feel of food in our mouth influences our learned ability to match our caloric intake with our caloric need,” she says. High fat, high sugar foods taste both sweet and dense, signaling to your brain that they’re high calories. But artificially sweetened foods often have a thinner consistency and texture than sugar-sweetened foods and thus, aren’t as satisfying. “Our natural ability to control how much we eat and, therefore, our body weight may be weakened when this natural link is impaired by consuming products that contain artificial sweeteners,” she says.
5. They increase the risk of diabetes.
The two above, combined, could explain why a number of studies have found that diet soda drinkers are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers aren’t clear as to why they’re seeing this relationship, whether it’s the fact that people eat other unhealthy foods that undo any calorie-saving effects of a no-calorie drink or if it’s something biological related to the drinks’ artificial sugars. But something is obviously amiss: A recent study from the University of Texas found that people who drank diet soda were 65 percent more likely to be overweight than people who drank no soda and, more bizarre, they were more likely to be overweight than people who drank regular soda.
6. They’re polluting your water.
Artificial sweeteners are meant to be hearty—they’re designed to withstand the harsh conditions of your body so they won’t break down and add calories. Because they’re so potent, they don’t break down in the environment, when exposed to light, oxygen and microbes, either. In a 2009 study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, Swedish researchers detected sucralose and acesulfame K in treated wastewater, including samples that were pulled from a municipal water-supply source. They also noted that the artificial sweeteners hadn’t degraded in wastewater sludge after a period of seven hours. Canadian researchers got the same results four years later; sucralose and acesulfame were found in each sample drawn from a river that collects wastewater from 33 different treatment plants.
1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a food processor just until a sticky dough has formed (allow some almonds to remain coarsly chopped).
2. Spread a sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board and place the dough on top. Using your hands, press and form a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap and put in the freezer for 30 minutes, then cut into rectangles.
3. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 10 bars.
