1. To Be Happier
Exercise has been shown to stimulate brain chemicals that induce relaxation and happiness. When you’re having a bad day, lace up your shoes for an invigorating workout and feel happier.

2. To Reduce Disease
Exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of pretty much every single health problem known to man, from stroke to heart disease to cancer and osteoporosis. Exercise is also a great defense against type 2 diabetes, one of the most widely growing diseases of our time.

3. To Look Amazing
Exercise firms your muscles, improves your posture and even makes your skin glow. Looking amazing is a wonderful result of regular exercise. It’s very rewarding when the people in your life start to notice your transformation.

4. To Reach Your Goal Weight
Exercise burns fat and helps you keep it off. If you want to have a leaner, healthier body, exercise is your answer.

5. To Be Energized
Remember that feeling you experience after a great workout? You’re body is buzzing with energy, you’re less easily irritated and feel more peaceful.

6. To Get Better Sleep
Exercise boosts energy levels during the day, but also wears you out. Recovering from a challenging workout will help you relax and reach a deeper level of sleep.

7. To Slow Aging
Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to slow aging. When you age your body loses muscle and bone, and the loss of both are drastically reduced with regular exercise. You’ll also enjoy a reduction in inflammation.

8. To Lessen Back Pain
In most cases, the most effective thing that you can do for back pain is to move and strengthen those muscles. Always consult your physician or physical therapist for guidance if you have an injury.

9. To Reduce Depression
Studies have shown that exercise is able to reduce depression – sometimes even as effectively as medication. Even if you don’t feel like getting up off the couch to sweat through a workout, remember that you’ll feel happier and more alive once you’ve done it.

10. To Feel Fewer Aches and Pains
When you strengthen the muscles around your damaged joints you’re able to reduce joint pain and overall aches. Remember to always consult your physician before starting an exercise program, especially if you have chronic joint pain.

11. To Improve Memory
Exercise has been proven to improve memory and other cognitive functions, and seems to have a protective effect against dementia. A Harvard University researcher was quoted calling exercise “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”

12. To Enjoy Your Life
Whatever it is that you love in life – your kids, travel, sports, fashion – it is all more enjoyable when you experience it in a fit and healthy body. Find the motivation to exercise so that you’re able to enjoy all the great things in your life.

13. To Have Fewer Sick Days
Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are 50% less likely to call in sick to work. With a regular exercise program you’ll experience a reduced number of colds and upper respiratory infections.

14. To Burn Calories at Rest
Building your muscles through exercise means that you’ll be burning extra calories even while at rest. You’ll be able to eat more and maintain your ideal weight with ease.

15. To Be Confident
When you are fit, feel healthy and have energy, the natural result is great confidence. There’s no better confidence booster than sticking with a regular exercise program. The results are more than worth your efforts.

What is Flexible dieting?

We love flexible dieting at Amplified Fitness, also known as IIFYM (if it fits your macros), because you can choose to eat anything you want, as long as it fits into your macronutrient goals for the day. This doesn’t mean you can just eat whatever you want all day and get results (we wish!). Your food choices are controlled by your macronutrient guidelines.

Flexible dieting, is a method of dieting that revolves around meeting daily macronutrient intake targets, not on what you eat to get there.  You have your calorie goal, your macro nutrient goal, and if it fits you can eat it.  There are no meal plans and there are no food restrictions, you just have to consistently hit your macro numbers.

You can think of macronutrients as your food budget for the day. We will give you the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to eat. What you fit into that budget is up to you.

Food Choice is individual!  Flexible dieting can be utilized alongside ANY specific dietary protocol and can accommodate for ANY individual dietary needs or preferences whether it be paloe, “clean eating”, gluten free, keto, those with insulin resistance or anything else you can think of, but how?

The single most important variable in changing body composition is nutrition. A large percentage of your results are going to come from your nutrition choices. Some diets aren’t sustainable and lead to a poor relationship with food and body image. Our chief aim is to tailor a nutrition plan for you that is:

• Sustainable
  You should be able to continue improving your body composition without drastic highs and lows.
• Enjoyable
  Who wants to live in a world where you’re not allowed an occasional slice of pizza or cake?
• Effective
  If it doesn’t work, why do it? We aim to get you the best results as quickly as possible. Consistency and patience are key on this journey. More on that later.

Proper nutrition will yield results beyond what you see in the mirror. Your brain function will improve. You will have more sustainable energy. Your overall quality of life will improve. Your workouts will be more satisfying.

Flexible dieting is a change in the way you live – for the better. Commit now to changing the way you eat and view food. Commit to this lifestyle change. Patience and consistency will yield what you want.

Nutrition is not one size fits all.  Our bodies are unique and respond differently to food. Our aim is to offer a nutrition plan that fits your lifestyle.

What is a macro-nutrient?

Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Every gram of each macronutrient contains calories.

1 Gram of Protein = 4 Calories
1 Gram of Carbohydrates = 4 Calories
1 Gram of Fat = 9 calories

The way your body responds to each macronutrient is very different. Although protein and carbohydrates have the same amount of calories per gram, the effect on your body is not the same. This is why counting macros is much better than just counting calories. Also, some foods burn more calories to digest than others. This is called the thermic effect of food (TEF). Animal protein and leafy greens take much more energy to digest than white bread and candy. This is why counting macronutrients is so important. It is a way to make sure your calories are coming from foods that support lean body mass, muscle repair, and growth.

Protein

1 Gram of Protein = 4 Calories

Muscle is made up of protein, and consuming complete protein provides all of the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) needed to build muscle. Protein intake is also essential for shedding those unwanted (fat) pounds. First, it helps you burn more calories because of the thermic effect of food (TEF).

Fat has a TEF of 3%, carbs have a TEF of around 8%, but protein’s TEF is between 20-30%!

So one-quarter of the protein calories you eat will be burned just from eating it. By increasing protein intake in your diet, you are burning extra calories (since the extra protein will be replacing either carbs or fat intake). Also, protein is needed to maintain and build muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) will be, since muscles are such high energy burners. When they are bigger, they will require more energy, which means extra burned calories for you. Protein also increases satiety or fullness, people report feeling less hungry after meals when eating higher protein. This leads to less snacking and greater compliance with their diet (less cheating).

With all of that said, I’m sure you aren’t surprised to see if your diet is higher in protein that what your used to. The protein in your plan will be based off your lean body mass. It will change depending on your goal, but you will always have enough protein to ensure adequate recovery between workouts.

Tip: If you see your protein requirement and it’s a lot more protein than you are used to eating, don’t jump right into it. Try a more gradual approach. Start by eating 50-75% of your required protein at first and add 3 grams a days until you reach your goal. This will help you digestive system get used to the higher protein and help to avoid digestive issues. You can make up for the lost calories in these early days by adding 1 extra gram of fat for every 3 grams of protein you subtract for the day.

Protein Powders

We like everyone to consume protein from whole food sources like meat, fish, dairy, and high protein veggies. But, we know life gets in the way sometimes and you’ll need to reach for a shake to hit your goals.

Try to make sure that you are getting at least ⅔ of your protein requirement through whole foods.

If you have no dietary restrictions, whey and casein protein are our top choices. Whey is fast digesting and great for post workout recovery. Casein digests slower and will keep you full longer.

Some of these powders are very high in carbs and added fat. Don’t waste your money on extra carbs and fat! Look for powders with:

Less than 2 grams of fat – Less that 5 grams of carbs – More that 20 grams of protein – Per Serving

Costco has great options if you are looking for the most bang for your buck.

If you do have dietary restrictions, egg, pea, and hemp proteins are our next favorite. They all have great amino acid profiles.

High Protein Food Sources:

High Protein Vegan Friendly Foods:

1 Gram of Fat = 9 calories

If you aren’t paying attention to your fat intake you can get into trouble really quick, but fat isn’t the enemy! Fat is vital for many important functions in your body:

• It provides the structure of cell membranes and nerve fibers
• It transports nutrients throughout your body
• Your hormones are produced from fat

Your goal with this our flexible dieting plan will determine the amount of fat you will be consuming. But, even if extreme fat loss is your goal, you will still be provided enough fat to maintain healthy bodily functions.

It’s easy to consume too much fat because fat is contained in so many of the foods we eat, especially on a high protein diet. A lot of high protein animal products are high in fat.

Eat Lean Protein.

Some good lean protein options are: chicken, turkey, deli meat, white fish, egg whites, and non-fat greek yogurt.

Watch your sauces and dressings.

A lot of salad dressings are loaded with fat. Opt for fat free options or use sparingly. The great thing about oils and sauces is that a little goes a long way.

Be conscious of how you cook.

One of the easiest ways to unknowingly add too much fat to your meal is cooking with too much oil. Put a small amount of oil in the pan and rub it around with your hand or opt for cooking spray.

Other great cooking alternatives are the oven, crockpot, and BBQ.

High fat food sources:

1 Gram of Carbohydrates = 4 Calories

Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rep over the past decade, and in some cases rightfully so. Carbs are very easy to get your hands on. Bagels, donuts, candy, chips, soda, and the list goes on.

These foods + lack of activity = disaster

The truth is, carbohydrates aren’t the enemy, you just need to earn them. Your body stores carbohydrates as glycogen. If you’re a super active person and constantly using your glycogen storage, carbs will be used to restore it. If you aren’t very active and aren’t using your glycogen storage, those carbs will be stored as fat instead of glycogen. As long as you follow your macro plan, you will be eating the right amount of carbs to support energy levels and reach your goals.

High Glycemic Index VS. Low Glycemic Index Carbs

The Glycemic Index is a way to measure how fast a food will raise your blood sugar levels after you eat them.

High Glycemic Index (Simple) Carbs are very fast digesting and raise your blood sugar quickly. They typically have less nutritional value (less vitamins and minerals) and less fiber. Because of their fast digestion, they won’t keep you full as long.

Tip: A great time to eat simple carbs is immediately post workout. They spike your insulin and will lead to quick restoration of muscle glycogen.

Example of High Glycemic (simple) Carbs

Low Glycemic Index (complex) Carbs are slower digesting and don’t raise your blood sugar as quickly as simple carbs. They are often rich in fiber, keep you full longer, and are packed with more vitamins and minerals.

Complex carbs usually contain much less carbs by volume than simple carbs.

So, choosing these foods will keep you full longer AND you can eat way more of them which will obviously keep you satisfied even longer.

Example of Low Glycemic Index Carbs

Since complex carbs are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, we give you a fiber goal to hit every day to go along with your macros. Hitting your fiber goal with help to ensure a well balanced diet.

ALCOHOL

(Please see our Get drunk not fat article. Click here)

1 Gram of Alcohol = 7 calories

Alcohol is not free of calories! We’ve had clients in the past kill their progress because they mistakenly think vodka is calorie free because there is no protein, carbs, or fat. Alcohol is very calorically dense.

To track your alcohol you will take from your carbohydrate or fat allowance. You will take the total calories and divide by 9 for fat or 4 for carbohydrates.

Example:

1 shot of vodka (1.5 oz) = 97 calories

FAT – 97/9 = 10.7 – You can choose to count this as 10.7 grams of fat toward your fat allowance

OR

CARBS – 97/4 = 24.25 – You can choose to count this as 24.25 of carbs toward your carb allowance

As you can see, a few drinks can add up very quickly. Even faster if you pair a drink with a mixer loaded with sugar.  Alcohol also lowers our inhibitions and most people eat like Jack ass’s when drinking.  Drinking calories+eating like a jackass=Disaster.

Tips: If you want to see the faster results, try to limit your alcohol consumption as much as possible. The negative effects of alcohol reach far beyond extra calories.

Weighing and Tracking your food

Weighing and Tracking your food is going to be a very important part of your success on our flexible dieting program.

Fat secret and myfitness pal is a great app with a huge food database.

Weighing and tracking for at least a month or two is very important because it will teach you about what foods contain various macronutrients and how to judge portions. This is a very valuable tool because once you’ve learned this, it will be very easy to stay on track long term without having to plan every meal.

Weighing and Measuring – Cooked vs. Raw

The weight of your food is going to change when you cook it. When cooking meat, you will lose a lot of weight due to the loss of water. For things like rice and oatmeal you will gain a lot of water during the cooking process.

Weighing things raw is the most consistent for tracking because the way you cook foods can cause changes in weight. A steak cooked well done has a different weight than a steak cooked medium.

Our rule: You can choose to track your food cooked or raw. Just make sure to pick the right one! The differences in the steak example above are so minor that it won’t make a huge impact. We want you to weigh and measure your food whatever way is most convenient for your food prepping preferences. If you are anything like us, we like to cook about 3 days worth of protein at once, so weighing it per meal after it’s cooked is much more convenient.

Meal Prep Tips:

Prep your meals for the middle of the day. This could be 2-3 meals a day depending on if you are eating 4 or 5 times a day. Most people have time to make breakfast and dinner, and this is where you can add more variety.

The foods we usually prep are: a couple lean meat choices, vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate source or two.

Buy a food scale. This way you can be sure you are counting everything accurately. You can find inexpensive digital food scales at most grocery stores or Amazon.  Weight all your solids on a scale.  Do not use volume tools(cups and spoons) to measure solids.

Prepare balanced meals. Try to split your macronutrients evenly throughout your meals. This will help make sure you stay full longer and never need to binge eat to hit your macros.

Set aside time right now that you will use to meal prep. Planning when you will be prepping will keep you on track. Most of our team does meal prep Sunday and Wednesday night. It only takes about an hour and you’ll have most of your meals for the week. If you aren’t down to eat 3-day old meals, that’s ok! A great technique is to prep extra food during dinner that you can eat the next day.

Have some easy accessible protein and vegetable sources on hand – Ex: canned chicken, tuna, deli meats, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, canned green beans, chopped bell peppers, etc…

Meal Prep Hack

If you think you don’t have time to prep, buy a crock pot. Throw in some frozen chicken breasts, rice or sweet potatoes, vegetables, and seasoning before you leave the house in the morning. When you come home it will be ready for dinner and have leftovers for the next day’s lunch.

Tracking your macros.

For example lets take a 150lb female who works out at least 3x/week that wants to lose body fat.  Her nutrition estimations would be

Cal=1650 Pro=125G Fat=46G Carb=185G

We can even take this a step further in making this more simple and simply give the individual a calorie number and Protein number.  I do this for many of my beginning clients to make things as simple as possible.  The simpler the plan, and the less rules to follow the more likely you will adhere to the program which is the most important factor of any nutrition plan.

***Keep in mind this is an estimation and adjustments will be made based off progression.

This will put her in a caloric deficit(A caloric deficit is required to lose fat) and will put her at enough protein to sustain and/or grow muscle.  She can eat the foods she enjoys as long as she meets her numbers.(macros)

But how do you know what to eat to hit you numbers?

Macro counting is definitely a skill and you become better and faster at it over time.

Keep it simple!  Eating your Grandmas homemade fettuccine alfredo will be hard to track. Stick to basic ingredient dishes, and nutrient dense foods.  As you become more experienced you will find it easier to track all foods.

You will need to download the app “fatsecret” on your cell phone.  You will also need a digital kitchen scale.  Simply enter in what you ate into the app and it counts it all up for you.  Too many calories?  Reduce your portion sizes.  Not enough protein?  Reduce Carbohydrate and/or fat and eat more calories from protein sources.  You get the idea.  Its as simple as that, and that is the beauty of Flexible dieting.  The less rules we have to follow, and the simpler we can make nutrition the more likely we are to adhere to the program which is the most important factor of any nutrition program.

How would you like to have a coach calculate your custom macros, a coach to keep you accountable, and a coach to check in with?  We’ve got just the online nutrition program for you.  Simply fill out the form below and an Amplified coach will be in touch with you within 24 hours.

June’s member of the Month is Cody Hansen!

Congratulation’s Cody, this means a coach has noticed your incredible work ethic and the value you bring to our community.

Which charity have you chosen for Amplified Fitness to donate to and why? 

Primary Children’s hospital, to make a long story short while working for one of the ambulance companies I did, we had a last minute transport to take a 4 year old special needs boy dying from brain cancer to the hospital and I had to wear a hulk mask provided by the hospital to make the little guy feel safe during the transport. He passed away a week later but the love and care that hospital showed and has shown even to my kids has always been absolutely outstanding!

A brief history at Amplified Fitness. Tell us how you got started and your experience. 

I got interested in the gym and I exchanged a few emails with Mr. Thomas Grove and by time I made it in ( when I finally grew a pair!), little did I know what exactly I was walking into and dragged myself out of the gym after my first workout and wanted more!

The success and struggles you have been through at Amplified Fitness? 

First it was being consistent… we never had the fancy stuff you see now, the wod was written down on whiteboards and you never knew what the workout was until you came in (we’re all spoiled rotten now!) but being consistent with the workout and showing up every day until I finally made it a priority to show up more than 3 times a week. My nutrition has always been a struggle because dammit I love food! But I’m dialing it in thanks to the guidance of our kick ass coach and the kitchen at 1% fitness!

How often do you attend sessions at Amplified Fitness?

I do my best to attend 6 sessions a week but with the push of my little manndelion it’s been 7 days a week unless I get really really knock me in my big a$$ sick!

Favorite movement(s)?

I love lifting! I’m not smart but I can lift heavy things haha! Any of the lifting I absolutely enjoy especially power cleans and bench press!

Least favorite movement? Least favorite workout?

Everyone’s least favorite the burpee! Honestly any workout with running only because this is a whole lotta love shuffling haha

Current goals?

To burn More body fat and to improve on the things that are considered a goat! And to beat the manndelion one day! The boys an animal!

 Anything else you want to share about yourself: what you do for fun, what you do for work?

 I worship Satan during my time at home and collect stamps.. totally kidding but my time is spent with my fiancé and kids anytime with them is fun, spending time with family and adventuring out and about exploring old ghost towns or old building and seeing the world! I do industrial and commercial electrical work so I get to work with all the big scary stuff that goes boom when you screw up! Also part of the wattsmart energy alliance for the power company. I should be paid for all the sh*t talking I do I’d be rich! 

-What keeps you keep coming  back for more?

Everything ! The coaching the atmosphere the people and because I enjoy pain and humiliation and it’s cheaper than a bondage session haha

Do you have bad knee but still want to workout your lower body?  Check out these 8 lower body exercises.

*Disclaimer.  Not all knee injuries are equal.  There may be some movements here that are not suitable for you.  Listen to your body, don’t push through bad pain, consult with a physician first.

0.5%-1% of your bodyweight per week.

FLEXIBLE DIETING FAQ

Calculating Macros
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Calculating_Macros

Adjusting Macros
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Adjusting_Macros

Cut or Bulk
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Cut_or_Bulk

Macros vs Calories
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Macros_Vs_Calories

Food Quality
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Food_Quality

Diet Break
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Diet_Break

PROTEIN

Protein Quality
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Protein_Quality

Protein Per Meal
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Protein_Per_Meal

Can I Get Fat From Protein
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php…

CARBS

Carb Cycling
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Carb_Cycling

Refeed
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Refeed

Fiber
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Fiber

Net Carbs
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Net_Carbs

FATS

Minimum Fats
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Minimum_Fats

Fish Oil
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Fish_Oil

NUTRIENT TIMING

Intermittent Fasting
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Intermittent_Fasting

Protein Timing
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Protein_Timing

Carbs at Night
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Carbs_at_Night

SUPPLEMENTS

Creatine
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Creatine

BCAAs
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=BCAAs

Protein Powder
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Protein_Powder

RELIABLE RESOURCES

Books
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Useful_Books

Websites
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Reliable_Websites

Experts
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Reliable_Experts

EXERCISE

Cardio Basics
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Cardio_Basics

Resistance Training Basics
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php…

Cardio or Resistance Training
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php…

MISCELLANEOUS

Weighing Food
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Weighing_Food

Hydration
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Hydration

Fat Burners
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Fat_Burners

Fasted Training
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Fasted_Training

Swapping Macros
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Swapping_Macros

Artificial Sweeteners
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Artificial_Sweeteners

Measuring Body Fat
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Measuring_Body_Fat

Pregnancy
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Pregnancy

Nursing
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Nursing

NutriWiki Main Page
http://nutriwiki.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

6 rules of training at Amplified Fitness.

Congratulations you’ve joined the Amplified Family. A gym that doesn’t sell memberships and has a team committed to your success. Before you strap on those new training shoes and take your first dive at the chalk bowl lets lay out some ground rules.

#1 Believe in yourself.

Its obvious you’ve got out of your comfort zone by joining Amplified, awesome! Now stick with it. I’ve seen too many people fail by creating imaginary and self defeating thoughts. No one thinks you’re an embarrassment or is laughing at you. In fact you have an entire community that has your back and is rooting for you to succeed. You’ve gotta believe in yourself first. Don’t let your anxiety demons and imaginary thoughts win. This isn’t a globo gym. Its for real this time.

#2 Open up, make friends, build relationships.

You are in a community now.  A pertinent part of getting in shape and staying in shape is your support system.  At Amplified the culture is like family. People are going to try and make friends with you. Embrace it, learn everyone’s name. They may be pulling you off the floor one day after a tough workout.

#3 Help the new comers

Gyms are intimidating to the outsider. Especially gyms that are laid out to actually get a good workout in, rather than rows of cardio machines.  You’re a badass now, but remember what it was like walking through those doors knowing no ones name. Introduce yourself, and introduce them to others. Show them where the barbell collars are and that this crazy cannonball thing is called a kettlebell. We all started somewhere.

#4 Be on time.

This isn’t Zumba at your rec center. Punctuality is important to coaches and those with a clear vision on their goals.

#5 Train do not workout.

Training=You’re here for an intent and purpose. You have a plan to execute.

Workout=Random exercise and distraction.

#6 Be apart of the team!

Cheer on others! Show up to the events, the gyms 5k, lifting competitions, spartan races etc.. Congratulate everyone else’s success just as much as yours.

February’s member of the month is Heather Klingler!

What an amazing couple Months!  It’s going to be hard to keep this short.

Jami hit her 3 month mark and lost 35lbs!

Our Amplified Fitness member appreciation party was an absolute blast! (If you don’t come to our social events and parties you’re missing out!)

 

Please excuse my wheezing/laughing😆 O man I love my #gymfam I got such a kick out of this game.😂

A video posted by Thomas Grove (@thomasthetrainer123) on Dec 8, 2016 at 10:39am PST

Katie, Kasey, and Heather Competed in the December APF powerlifting Championships, all with solid performances.

*Kasey won the Women’s overall Raw division! at the APF powerlifting championships!

*A December Review

*Amplified Fitness took care of Christmas for over 30 children.  Unfortunately we didn’t get a photo of all the presents.  Thank you so much to the Christmas box for putting together project elf.

Susan hit her three year mark at Amplified Fitness!  61 years old and still crushing it.

*Have you been wanting to train at Amplified Fitness?  Check out our 6week challenge beginning Feb 13th!  www.amplifiedfitness.net/6weekchallenge

www.amplifiedfitness.net/6weekchallenge

Our January member of the Month is Cameron Tinao!  We are very blessed and grateful to have such a hard worker.  He is dropping fat and gaining muscle like crazy!  You can read his story here.

January Member of the Month

Cody hit his 5 year anniversary at the gym! This little beast has been raised in the gym 😀

*A January Review

#1 Take Action!

Nothing will ever be perfect.  Never will it be a perfect time to start.  Don’t be a gatherer of information only to think about it and do nothing.  The #1 tip for beginners is to get started.

#2 Mindset.

Success starts in your head.  You have to believe in yourself. The desire for change has to be greater than the want to stay the same. Ask yourself why change is important to you? Sure you may want to lose some fat and tone up, but why? To live longer? To age gracefully? To have more energy to put into your career? To see your grandkids grow-up? To attract the best partner in life? To be the best version of you? Find out what the deep motivating factor(s) is for you, believe in yourself and you are on the right path to achieving your fitness goals.

 

#3. Intensity levels.

Don’t be a wuss but you need to ease yourself into training especially the first 2-4/weeks, and especially if you’ve been sedentary for 5+ years. You may have a burst of motivation right now only to have it diminished by trying to do to much too soon. Don’t be a hero. I know this is hard, especially if we were in really good shape at one point. Jog before you sprint, maybe you need to do your pushups on your knees, maybe you need do bodyweight squats before you put a bar on your back. Save the heart bursting, lung burning, red line workouts once you’ve established a base.  On a scale of 1-10 via the rating of perceived exertion I recommend keeping yourself in the 5-7 range in your first two weeks of training and then 7-8 in weeks 3 and 4.

#4 Technique.

You’re a beginner, good! Which means you’ve developed very few bad habits in your technique. You’re a fresh ball of clay ready to be molded. I love when I have a fresh new trainee void of years of doing things incorrectly. Take this to your advantage as a beginner and learn to do things correctly.

#5 Think long term.

Fitness is a lifestyle not a short term endeavor. No one has developed a fitness lifestyle in a matter of weeks or months. The sooner that you can understand how to create a program for long term success and do the things that come along with that, such as proper nutrition, movement prep, and passive recovery, the more successful you will be.

To give you an example of proper programming here is one of many ways it can be setup. This way you see all the major muscles are being hit and allowed 48-72 hours of recovery. One workout does not significantly Hinder another.

Mon-Repetition effort Chest, triceps, deltoids

Tues-Strength lower body

Weds-Endurance/Cardio

Thurs-Strength-Horizontal and Vertical pulling Strength

Fri-Strength Horizontal and Vertical Pushing 

Sat-Endurance and/or mobility/Flexibility(We do Yin yoga at Amplified Fitness)

Sun-Rest.