Fitness & Wellness

Are You Ready For Swimsuit Season?

Are You Ready For Swimsuit Season?

Published by on July 25, 2021 | Leave a response

It’s a little late, but never too late, to get ready for swimsuit season. There’s a lot you can do to improve your appearance and confidence in the next few weeks. What’s even better than that is the fact you’ll have a head start and can also work on getting the body you want to ring in the new year. In fact, if weight loss is a goal, I can envision you getting clothing in a smaller size for your future Christmas gift. When is the best time to start? TODAY!!

How many times have you thought about doing something important and then life got in the way.

We all have those great goals that float in our heads for years and never get accomplished. Why? The reason is because they really weren’t goals, but just wishes. Turn those thoughts into goals and do something. Increase your activity. Go for walks at lunch. Do a few exercises when you get home from work. Make it a formal workout by using our virtual training, where you get help from our trainers. Our trainers can help you get faster results and provide motivation to stick with your program.

It’s summer, the perfect time for healthy eating.

What could be better than getting fresh produce at the market. It’s time to switch from processed foods and fried delights to healthy, delicious fresh fruits and vegetables. You’ll be amazed at how refreshing they taste, especially when the weather is hot. We have some clients that have a patio garden where they grow fresh greens and tomatoes. It might be too late for you to do that, but not too late to take advantage of farmer’s markets in your area.

Track your progress, because winners keep score.

Getting started is important, but so is tracking your progress. No matter what your goal, there are several ways to measure your success. You can use weight, inches or clothing sizes for weight loss goals and track endurance, weight lifted or number of reps you could do for fitness goals. We provide online tracking and in person tracking if you come to the gym. Seeing your success unfold based on your results can be exciting and keep you motivated to do more.

  • If you aren’t sure where to start with your healthy diet, at UpFit Academy, part of our program includes nutrition coaching to help you learn the healthiest options.
  • Getting more competitive can help you get better results. You don’t have to have a workout partner to do that, you can compete against yourself. Always try to do one more set or one more repetition. You’ll see results faster when you do.
  • Make this summer your best ever and build on that to improve your life. You’ll find that changing your wish for a better body to a goal and ultimately success can transfer to other areas of your life. The sky is the limit when you just get moving.
  • Ask for a personalized consultation. We can help you make your dream a reality with a free UpFit assessment and our seven day jump start program. You’ll be glad you did.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Academy

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Make Small Goals And Crush Them!

Make Small Goals And Crush Them!

Published by on July 15, 2021 | Leave a response

If you’ve not exercised in years, you probably won’t be able to train a week and be ready to enter the Iron Man Competition. We know that at UpFit Academy in New York, NY, and help you to create the perfect path to reach those lofty goals. It all starts when you make small goals and not just achieve them, but surpass them beyond your wildest expectations and then move on to the next. Before you know it, you’re an entirely different person, with a different look and more energy than you dreamed possible.

A goal that’s too big can be overwhelming.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an exciting vision of your ultimate goal, but don’t let that be the only way to measure your success along the way. Think of how you learned everything in your life. In first grade, you probably didn’t read Plato or Socrates, but instead focused on the basics. If you had to wait to receive acknowledgment of success for 12 years, 16 years or longer, you’d get pretty discouraged. Getting fit means setting smaller goal to reach a larger one, just like education. The achievement of the small goals along the way keep you motivated and help you understand how well you’re doing, adding to your motivation to achieve the next goal.

Each goal needs to be specific, with a time frame and plan to achieve it.

One method of making and tracking goals is the SMART method. Smart stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound. That big goal is broken down to smaller, more achievable goals. If you want to lose 50-pounds, you break it down to smaller goals, creating a time frame for each. The new smaller goals should be relevant, measurable, attainable and have a time frame. For instance, I will lose two pounds a week by exercising three days a week and following a healthy diet.

Your smaller goals should still be exciting.

While you normally think of goals as weight loss or loss of inches, it could be other things, too. Do you wear out after one push-up? Make a smaller goal to achieve five in a row within two weeks. If that’s too easy, make it harder. Make it exciting. If losing two pounds a week doesn’t thrill you, make it a monthly goal of losing ten pounds or change your goal to clothing size, where you can try on new clothes to see if you’ve achieved your goal. Your goal should make you look forward to going to the gym and eating healthy to see the progress you’ve made.

  • Sometimes, setting goals that are easy to reach can be helpful in the beginning. It gives you success and you can crush those goals, setting your sights on doing that every week or month.
  • Always note where your starting point is. Take measurements, weigh yourself, see how long your endurance is and how much you can lift. You need to know your starting point to see if you made progress.
  • Expect to feel awkward the first few weeks and to make mistakes. Everyone does. It’s only by trying that you learn and if you’re pushing forward, you’re bound to make a mistake or two.
  • A personal trainer at UpFit Academy will help you make goals and adjust them as you proceed. Make them difficult enough to put fire in your belly, but still within your grasp.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Academy

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Is Oatmeal Good For Anxiety?

Is Oatmeal Good For Anxiety?

Published by on July 5, 2021 | Leave a response

Everyone has their own personal comfort food. It’s food that makes you feel good, maybe because of past associations, maybe because of its texture or for other reasons. Some people find a big bowl of oatmeal can help overcome anxiety. Is that because of its comfort food status or is there another reason? It could be both. Oatmeal stimulates the production of serotonin, the feel good hormone, which can calm you and help you sleep.

You need adequate carbs to relax and get a good night’s rest.

In order to make serotonin, you need L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan is in some foods. You’ve probably heard of it at Thanksgiving and how that Turkey helps you relax. It’s in other foods, too. In fact, one cup of oatmeal can provide 33% of your RDI of L-tryptophan. Just increasing the L-tryptophan in your diet doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll increase your serotonin.

You also need to convert that L-tryptophan to serotonin.

You need carbs, such as potatoes, bread or oatmeal, to boost your serotonin levels. Simple carbs increase the body’s levels of insulin and that lets more L-tryptophan go to the brain where the brain then converts it to serotonin. It occurs very quickly. That serotonin then gives you energy, good sleep, resiliency and improved mood, reducing the amount of anxiety you have. Not only does the oatmeal provide the raw ingredients, it also helps with production and delivery.

Put a little yogurt on your oatmeal or eat it later in the day.

Your gut plays an important role in anxiety. If you have healthy gut bacteria, you’ll produce and metabolize the serotonin properly. Eating sauerkraut and other fermented foods can help. Eliminating added sugar from your diet also helps. Beneficial microbes are also increased when you workout regularly. For more serotonin, cut back on dairy, include pumpkin seeds in your diet and sprinkle some turmeric on your food to thwart inflammation.

  • Studies show that exercise can be extremely beneficial for mild depression and anxiety. One study showed it was as good as some medications. It not only helps build gut bacteria, it boosts circulation to the brain.
  • Oatmeal can also help you lower cholesterol levels with its beta-glucan fiber and boosts your immune system with antioxidants. The antioxidants help prevent the LDL—bad cholesterol—from oxidizing and causing inflammation, tissue damage and increased risk of stroke and heart attack.
  • Make your oatmeal from whole oats, which contain avenanthramides, which increase nitric oxide levels for a better workout and lower blood pressure. Only oats contain this ingredient.
  • Try overnight oats if you’re in a hurry or want to have oats ready to eat in seconds. Mix a 1 to 1 ratio of milk and oats. Keep it in the refrigerator covered overnight and it’s ready to eat. Steel cut oats should have 2 days or more to be their best.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Academy

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The Sleep And Weight Loss Connection

The Sleep And Weight Loss Connection

Published by on June 25, 2021 | Leave a response

If you’re a person that thinks lack of sleep means you’re doing the honorable thing—as in working longer hours—or having more fun, think again. It may be why you’re having problems with weight loss and not getting the results you want. Most people make this mistake, especially in the US, where longer hours are almost worn like a medal. Lack of sleep can almost make weight loss more difficult. In fact, you’ll burn calories while you sleep and you can even boost the number of calories you burn.

There’s a hormonal imbalance that can affect your weight loss if you get too little sleep.

When you have the proper hours and type of rest, your body is energized and ready to go. You’ll be hungry, but won’t crave sugary treats and will find sticking to a pattern of healthy eating far easier. That’s because too little sleep can cause a disruption in the production of hormones that control your hunger. It causes the body to make too much ghrelin—the hunger hormone, and too little leptin—the one that makes you feel full. That makes losing weight even harder.

Adequate sleep boosts your metabolism.

That’s right. Sleep is important to the health of all parts of the body. It helps you keep your energy flowing throughout the day. Lack of sleep can slow you down and make weight loss even tougher. One review showed that lack of sleep increased the potential for obesity in adults by 55 % and 89% in children. You’ll have more energy during your workout when you get adequate sleep and that continues throughout the day.

Increase the amount of calories you burn while you sleep by eating some protein.

If you’re looking for a bedtime snack that can help you burn more calories, try some cottage cheese. The casein protein in it boosts the number of calories you burn while you sleep. Protein takes time to digest, about seven hours, so your metabolism will be on high throughout the night into the early morning. That can help you workout harder when you first get up and provides the protein at night for muscle repair.

  • Not only does more sleep help you lose weight, the temperature of your room can help you lose belly fat. Keeping the temperature in the room at 66 degrees doubled the amount of belly fat lost compared to those who slept in 75 and 81 degree rooms according to one study.
  • When you don’t get enough sleep, you often find yourself reaching for something sweet to give you that little energy boost. What goes up, must come down and that’s true of your blood sugar, which means you’ll need another boost just a few hours later.
  • If you want the best rest and the type that can help you lose weight easier, don’t set the clock for earlier and hit the snooze. Set it for the time you need to get up and then do it. It provides more uninterrupted sleep to help you lose more weight.
  • If you want the maximum benefits from your sleep, make sure you get a deep sleep, where you burn the most calories. You can do that by establishing a sleep/wake-up schedule and sticking with it.

For more information, contact us today at  UpFit Training Academy

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Is Kombucha Healthy?

Is Kombucha Healthy?

Published by on June 15, 2021 | Leave a response

Kombucha came from the Far East, although the exact country of origin is still unknown. It’s fermented green or black tea. The tea receives a dose of SCOBY—symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast—that starts the fermentation process. It makes it effervescent. The fermentation gives it the probiotic benefits that make it healthy. It definitely looks a bit scary brewing. Even though it’s scary looking, Kombucha has many benefits. It has antioxidants that protect cells, and has been shown to kill harmful bacteria, while also preventing several diseases.

It’s a probiotic.

When you ferment the kombucha, you’re building colonies of healthy microbes. It’s similar to the benefits you get from kim chi, kifir, sauerkraut and yogurt. Adding those beneficial microbes to your diet can boost your immune system. They go to the gut, where 80% of your immunity starts. Beneficial bacteria and microbes help the digestive process and aid in absorption of nutrients. They also fight disease and infection, which can occur in several ways, but one way is by fighting off unhealthy organisms. The nutrients in kombucha vary, but many are antioxidants that fight free radicals and help prevent inflammation, which can cause serious conditions.

If you’re diabetic or prediabetic, kombucha may help you.

You can make kombucha from black or green tea, but kombucha made from green tea is especially helpful. It does need to be made with a lower amount of sugar if you’re prone to or have diabetes. Green and black tea have antioxidants, like polyphenols, to protect cells. Green tea can help you lose weight by boosting the calories burned and reducing belly fat. It can protect kidney and liver functioning, aid in the control of blood sugar and slow the digestion of carbohydrates. Kombucha provides all the benefits of green and black tea and more.

You’ll improve your digestive system with kombucha.

Your digestive system is the core of your microbiome and contains bacteria, yeast and other types of microbes. Kombucha can make the group a healthier combination. Each person has a different healthy type of microbiome, but there is a broader view of what makes the microbiome the healthiest. Just as there’s no “one perfect diet” for everyone, we still have a consensus of what constitutes a healthy diet. If you have an overgrowth of any one type of pathogen, just like yogurt or other fermented food, kombucha can help you get back on track to a healthier gut.

  • A healthy liver is important for good health. The liver filters out many harmful substances. Kombucha can improve liver functioning by protecting it with its antioxidants. It can even protect it from damage from an acetaminophen overdose.
  • If you’ve ever considered supplementing your diet with apple cider vinegar, why not consider kombucha instead. Like vinegar, it’s antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti fungal when it comes to undesirable yeast and bacteria. Just like in vinegar, it’s the polyphenols and acetic acids that does it.
  • Drinking kombucha can lower your triglycerides and overall cholesterol. That makes it heart healthy, too. Kombucha also contains vitamin B12 that can help both your mental well-being, but also your lungs.
  • Even though kombucha is healthy, drinking more than 12-ounces a day is NOT recommended. The CDC suggests no more than four ounces consumed three times per day.

For more information, contact us today at  UpFit Training Academy

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Benefits Of A Vegan Diet

Benefits Of A Vegan Diet

Published by on June 5, 2021 | Leave a response

When you create your goal, At UpFit Training Academy in New York, NY, we look at all the areas of your life that will affect you reaching that goal. No matter how much you workout, you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Eating healthy can occur naturally the fitter you become, since your body craves the nutrients it needs to build muscle tissue, but in many cases, it takes a conscious decision to change your diet. There are diets that focus on protein and ones that focus on primarily vegetables or strictly vegetables. Are there benefits of a vegan diet that you should consider when choosing a healthy manner of eating?

A vegan diet can help you lose weight.

A plant based diet can be a big benefit for those who want to lose weight. In fact, studies show that vegans tend to be thinner than non-vegans. Several studies have compared weight loss with vegan diets compared to other types of diets. One study showed that over an 18-week period, people on a vegan diet lost almost ten pounds more than those on the control diet. Other studies indicated that people on an eat-until-full vegan diet lost more weight than others on a calorie-restricted diet, even when people on the vegan diet didn’t strictly follow the protocol.

You’ll get a lot of nutrients in a vegan diet.

A plant based diet is laden with extra nutrients that come from legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The plant-based diet contains more fiber, phytonutrients—which include antioxidants and other beneficial compounds, more magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamins A, E and C. You do have to ensure adequate planning, since no one food in a vegan diet is a complete source of essential amino acids, so combining several protein sources throughout the day is important.

A vegan diet provides help for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and kidney function.

A vegan diet can be beneficial for increasing insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar levels. It reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 78%. Vegan diets have been shown to lower blood sugar better than the diet from the American Heart Association—AHA, American Diabetes Association—ADA and the National Cholesterol Education Program—NCEP. One study followed diabetics on a vegan diet and found 43% could lower their medication by 43% compared to the group on the ADA diet. Vegan diets have been shown to improve kidney function in diabetics, too.

  • Ensuring you get adequate calcium, B12, iron, iodine and zinc are more difficult on a vegan diet, so planning is important. Avoid fast food vegan options and stick with whole foods to help you reach those goals.
  • A vegan diet provides phytonutrients, vitamins, fiber and minerals that can help prevent several types of cancer, including prostate, colon and breast cancer.
  • You’ll get heart healthy benefits from a vegan diet. Not only does the diet contain high amounts of fiber, which helps cholesterol levels, nutrients in a vegan diet can lower blood pressure.
  • Studies show that consuming a plant based diet can ease the pain from arthritis. Raw food vegan diets also were rich in pre and probiotics, helps minimize the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, like joint swelling, pain and morning stiffness.

For more information, contact us today at  UpFit Training Academy

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Planning Your Week Of Workouts

Planning Your Week Of Workouts

Published by on May 25, 2021 | Leave a response

Planning your week of workouts can make a difference between failure and success. When you have a plan, you’re less apt to waste time trying to figure out what to do and when. It’s like going to the grocery with a list. You get what you wanted. Compare that to those days you run to the store and come home to find you didn’t get the item you went to buy. Good planning means a better chance of success.

A good plan ensures you work every part of your body and all types of fitness.

While we advocate doing something over doing nothing, there are some situations where that can be dangerous. If you don’t have a plan, but simply love strength training, doing it every day can be counterproductive and even dangerous if you have a tough workout. You won’t give your muscles a chance to heal and will miss out on important flexibility training. Both can create a higher potential for injury. Even worse, you’ll miss working out all your muscle groups and can create muscle imbalances.

You’ll ensure variety.

When you plan ahead, it means more than just leg day on Monday and upper body on Tuesday. It can mean entirely different types of workouts. Strength training and weights on Monday with aerobic dance on Tuesday and for those jam packed days, a quick 20-minute gut busting HIIT—high intensity interval training—-workout. You’ll keep your week more interesting and can fill in those days away from the gym with fun activities, like bike riding and hiking.

Whether you type it in your schedule or write it on a post-it, writing it is important.

There’s something that makes writing something out makes it more concrete. It’s true about a schedule of any kind. It makes you feel like the workout is important, just as any appointment would be. You can even set a reminder in you phone or computer. If your daily workouts involve different locations, it also lets gauge the amount of time you’ll need so you can plan around it.

  • When you schedule your workout, you ensure that you won’t be working your same muscles repeatedly. That means less chance of injury and more energy.
  • Pick a day of the week to plan your schedule. It helps you create a habit that can make the difference between success and failure.
  • Writing out your schedule lets you get social if you want. You can post your workout and invite others, If you have a workout buddy, creating a workout schedule is imperative for success.
  • Don’t try to push too much into a workout if you’re a beginner. Everyone who first begins, is pumped and often overdoes it. When you’re planning your workout, plan for less, not more. Even if you’re pumped and want to workout two hours, stick with your workout plan.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Academy

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Learn to Jump at UpFit

Published by on May 20, 2021 | Leave a response

In this post I will be teaching you proper jumping form. Jumping movements are a good way to get your heart rate up while also working on balance, strength and explosiveness. It is important that you know the correct technique when introducing a jumping pattern into your program to minimize the risk of injury and create max force output. I have broken down the movement into 3 simple drills to get you started on your jumping journey!

 

The first movement is the drop squat. Here you will be learning proper landing technique. This movement can be used in various exercises, like squat jumps or the overhead med-ball slam we commonly use here at UpFit. It is important with this movement to learn how to absorb the force when you are landing to prevent injuries when you start doing more advanced movements.

Our second movement is the jump squat with counter movement. This is a progression from the drop squat so make sure you have that movement down before advancing to the jump squat with counter movement. This movement is important because here’s where you’re going to learn to absorb the power from the drop squat and use it to explode up.

Our final movement is the continuous jump squat. This is the most advanced movement of the three. At this step you will be combining the first two movements (the drop squat and jump squat with counter movement) absorbing and creating force one right after the other.

 

 

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Foods To Heal Your Gut

Foods To Heal Your Gut

Published by on May 15, 2021 | Leave a response

Gut health plays a huge role in your overall health. Problems with the digestive system can range from cancer, healthy gut bacteria and even more controversial ones like leaky gut syndrome. One thing is certain, the best medicine in many cases are foods to heal your gut. If you’re taking bottles of antacids, the problem may come from what not what you’re eating, but what you’re not eating for overall gut health.

Eat foods chock-full of beneficial microbes.

Fermented foods are probiotics, meaning they provide beneficial microbes to help you digest your food better, fight off harmful microbes, aid in blood sugar control, aid in heart health and even eliminate cells that cause disease. The body has far more microbes than it has cells, so you’re never alone. The beneficial microbes not only help your digestion, they boost your immune system and even effect your nervous system and moods. Kifir, yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha are just a few that can improve your gut health.

Prebiotics feed the probiotic microbes.

Soluble fiber is often the food of choice for those helpful microbes in your gut. Prebiotics feed the healthy bacteria and microbes, so they can fight off the unhealthy ones. By increasing the good microbes, it starts the process of healing your gut. Don’t pull your dandelions or spray weed killer, dandelion greens are a good source of fiber to feed those hungry helpers. Apples keep the doctor away by supplying pectin and inulin fiber for beneficial bacteria, so do whole oats. Onions, chicory root and Jerusalem artichokes are all high in prebiotics to boost the healthy microbes.

Make sure you have adequate collagen to promote healing.

Bone broth is a good source of collagen, plus contains many other nutrients. You use the leftover roasted bones of any animal, beef, poultry or fish, and cook it for up to 72 hours to leach out the nutrients. The L-glutamine in bone broth helps the gut heal and seals the lining of the gut. It can be beneficial for IBS, leaky gut and more.

  • Healthy gut microbes are important for people that want to lose weight. If you have an imbalance it’s called gut dysbiosis and studies show it can potentially lead to weight gain. Restoring gut balance can help you lose it.
  • Garlic may kill vampires, but it can improve gut health. It has inulin and FOS that good bacteria and yeast use as their feast, growing stronger with every nibble. It’s especially healthy when eaten raw, but still has benefits when cooked.
  • Grab a banana. They’ve been used for years to help stop diarrhea, but also can help boost the healthy microbes. You’ll have less gas and bloating when you eat them.
  • In some cases, what you don’t eat is also healing. Cut out white flour and anything that’s sugar based. Those feet the bad microbes that kill the beneficial ones.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Academy

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Train Your Brain To Crave The Gym

Train Your Brain To Crave The Gym

Published by on May 5, 2021 | Leave a response

When you go to Upfit Training Academy in New York, NY, you’ll notice it’s different from other group training facilities. We focus on getting started, sticking with it now and finding ways to enhance your desire to keep fit in the future, promoting a lifetime of fitness. It might not come naturally to love working out, but when you find the right combination, you’ll no longer dread your workout time and even crave the gym when you miss a workout session.

Start with a friend or make a friend.

One of the reasons people love our programs is that everyone is so friendly, yet dedicated to fitness. We’re all here with the same goals in mind, getting fit, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Many of our clients sign up with a friend and say they look forward to working out, sharing healthy recipes and having someone they can share successes with and even compete against, occasionally. Whether you workout virtually or in person, everything is better when you’re having fun.

Make your workout a standing appointment that you can’t miss.

Working out at the same time every day builds a habit. Habits can be tough to break. If you schedule your appointment every day at 7 a.m., you’ll feel like something is missing if you don’t go after that habit is established. Don’t think of it initially as something you’re going to do every day for the rest of your life, that could seem overwhelming. Instead, think of it as something you’re going to do for a month and then reevaluate at the end of the month. Consider it an experiment and you need to follow through to see if you really can get in shape.

Make goals and measure your success.

There’s an old saying, “winners keep score.” In order to know if you’re making progress, you have to know where you started, what your goal is and whether you’re succeeding. That means you have to measure your success. Whether it’s weighing yourself once a week, taking measurements or just logging your workout and keeping a food journal, you’re keeping score. It becomes a game that you can win. It’s also the reason video games are so popular. Reaching a new level is exciting, but you won’t know you reached it unless you track your progress.

  • Find new ways to challenge yourself. See how fast you can climb a flight of stairs or how many flights you can climb without resting. Use that as a measurement of your progress and test yourself every ten days.
  • Try new ways to exercise. Be on the lookout for something new if you’re working out on your own. At the gym, your trainer will provide all the new types of workouts and mix up your types of exercise.
  • Add music to your workout and dance your way to fitness. Working out is really just choreography for fitness, so why not put it to music. It makes it fun, especially if you love dancing.
  • Be in the moment, feel the control. Think about each muscle movement and how amazing that you have more command over your body. It’s truly amazing as you watch yourself steadily progress.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Academy

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