National "Take your daughter for a run" day

   SAVE THE DATE!!! OCT 1, 2012!!!!

IT'S THE NATIONAL

 

TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER FOR A RUN DAY!

 

 

 

A friend of mine has written an article I thought I should pass along to you. She is a wonderful and caring person and is just as passionate about running as I am. That is why she came up with the idea for "Take your Daughter for a run day". To find out more and check her post out click on the link below to go to Chronic Runners site and make sure you tell her that Kelly sent ya.

http://www.chronicrunner.com/

 

Not a runner?? Why not make this the day to start! There are many wonderful sites out there for all new runners and walkers. My personal favorite is the C25K program. It is an easy, non stressing, minimal injury and FUN program. It is also one of the ONLY programs I will stand behind as a professional trainer and athlete. The program breaks down the work outs into small timed events that will get you from a brisk walk to a run in less than 6 weeks! No gimmicks, no hassle. All you need to have is the want to do it.

 

So there you go, a GREAT way for you to get out and get started! And don't forget, you can bring the family too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Letter from a friend

Not so long ago, my friend Rob started a journey to a better life. I was amazed and proud to see what he had accomplished in a short time. I emailed him recently and asked him to share his story with you. These are his words, unedited and inspiring. Enjoy. :)
                                   

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am not a dietitian.  I am not a trainer.  I am not a doctor.  Why am I writing here?

 

 

Rob and his beautiful wife 2009

 

 

 I am living it.  I have been on the Atkins diet, Weight Watchers and the grapefruit diet.  I have tried the pills that “magically” melt the fat off.  Where did that leave me?  At 325 pounds, frustrated and feeling awful.   I lost 32 pounds in 5 months since then!  That’s roughly 1.5 pounds a week!

I am a 43 year old man with 2 bad knees.  I had micro-fracture surgery on my left knee about 8 years ago and was told I would need knee replacement surgery by the time I am 40 (still have the original knee!).  I also ruptured a disk in my back about 12 years ago, and that still bothers me fairly regularly.  I feel great!  Better than I have in years!  So, how did I lose the weight?  Eating healthy and exercise…who knew that would work? 

I know, exercise!  I am an expert at the excuses because I have used them all!  I am too busy, my knee hurts, my back hurts and my dog ate my gym membership.  So, how does a man with bad knees and a bad back exercise?   I walk; an hour a day at least 3-4 days a week.  That’s my goal.  Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don’t, but that’s what I strive for.  HAVE A GOAL and work towards it!

How about my diet?  First of all, I am not on a diet!   The word diet is not part of my vocabulary.  I have a goal, to eat healthier!  I don’t always eat healthy (that cheesecake this weekend was great!)  Here’s the thing about eating healthier…it is a life style change.  I have gotten many compliments and encouraging compliments from friends and family about my weight loss.  The best compliment I got was from my brother.  He said “You are different, you think differently”.  I make better choices, so, when I eat that cheesecake, I didn’t “cheat”.  I didn’t make a good decision.  That’s ok, because tomorrow I will make a better decision.  More important than the weight loss (because I still have a long way to go!) is how I feel.  Aches and pains, headaches and that lethargic feeling are gone. 

Get started.  Make a goal!  Is it to lose weight?  To feel better?  To fit into that dress?  To look good in that bathing suit next year?  It’s not too early to think about next year!  My goal was a bet with my wife; I lose 50 pounds and she quits smoking!  It is a win-win situation!  A goal is just the beginning! 

Now the plan!  As much as you want to believe you can do it just by changing what we eat, your plan must include exercise.  Do something you enjoy!  Plan the time to do it!  Make the time, you are important and so is your health!  Make the commitment for YOU!  People much busier than you or I are exercising right now.  My goal is an hour a day, 3-4 days a week and I plan that time into my schedule.   

Plan your meals.  It starts in the grocery store.  Make good decisions there and it becomes easier to eat healthier!  Buy things you will eat.  Try something new!  I have a smoothie a day.  Banana, frozen fruit, plain Greek yogurt, some coconut milk and almond butter.  My replacement for ice cream (I was an ice cream fiend!).  It is a better choice, for my health.  If I cheat and sneak some ice cream, who am I cheating?  Me! 

Eat well and be creative.  Incorporate fruits and vegetables.  They fill you up and taste delicious.  I am not talking celery sticks…homemade salsa, coleslaw and greens are regulars on my plate.  I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream…coleslaw instead of French Fries.   Stay away from processed foods.  If you need a sweetener, use honey.  Read the ingredients.  If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!  Eat healthy for dinner and bring leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  If you wait until lunchtime to think about what you will eat, it makes it too easy to make a bad decision.  Plan!

 

                                                                              Rob at 172

 

Motivation.  I use a picture of myself in the Navy (I was 172 pounds!)   I have a picture posted at work and on the fridge at home.  I look at people buying cakes and candy in the store.  Do I want to look like them?  No!  It helps me stay motivated to make good decisions.  Read blogs, talk to friends, keep a journal.                                           

Make a goal, have a plan to stick to that goal, and find a way to motivate yourself!  Then get started!  Good luck!

LDS, Rob.

 

 

Stay tuned to see the "After" pictures of Rob.

 

As always, stay smart and stay strong. ~ Kelly

 

 

Class and personal training information

At 1 Life Fitness we offer many ways to stay in shape and stay there. Listed below are some great options to place into your everyday routine.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday

10 - 11 am - MOMMY AND ME

With our partnership with the City of Palm Coast, we offer a wonderful program that caters to the new parent. Whether you are a Mom or Dad and have a non mobile baby up to 1 year of age, you can lose those pregnancy pounds that were put on over term by including your infant in the workouts. Not only will you not have to worry about daycare for your baby, but the new parent can be included in that much needed social setting PLUS one to one time with their child. Specialty items will be needed for class such as, a stroller or infant car seat. These items will not be supplied by the City of Palm Coast.

Items needed for class:

Infant car seat
Stroller
Towel
Back pack style baby carrier (suggested but not necessary)

5 - 6 pm - TABATA

You can also come into our studio located at 10 Florida Park Dr Suite C, and take this wonderful, high intensity class. Tabata is an enhanced form of interval training, an exercise strategy alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. This program is great for those who have plateaued on their current program or for those who want to increase their endurance for other sports such as running, soccer, football, baseball, ect. It includes 30-45 second intervals of exercises, with 10 second breaks between. One "round" usually consists of 6-8 exercises and usually 6-8 rounds are completed in the class.

6:30 - 7:30 pm - Circuit Class

Also offered at our studio is our Circuit Training Class. Circuit training is a form of body conditioning training resistance training and high-intensity aerobics. It is designed to be easy to follow and target strength building as well as muscular endurance. An exercise "circuit" is one completion of all prescribed exercises in the program. When one circuit is complete, one begins the first exercise again for another circuit. Traditionally, the time between exercises in circuit training is short, often with rapid movement to the next exercise. This great cardio class is usually done in the great outdoors for a greater chance to get rid of toxins in the body, through sweating. Be prepared to use some weights, resistance bands, jump ropes and other wonderful tools to get the heart pumping.



Tuesday/Thursday

9:30 - 10:30 am Kettlebell Class

Looking to gain muscle while losing the fat? Or do you just want to gain strength and muscle tone? This awesome weight lifting class is a great way to achive those goals. For those who do not know what Kettlebells are, let me give you a short history of my favorite kind of weight.

The kettlebell or girya is a cast-iron weight (resembling a cannonball with a handle) used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Russian kettlebells are traditionally measured in weight by pood, which (rounded to metric units) is defined as 16 kilograms (35 lb).

The Kettle workout is a complete body workout that you will feel instantly. This workout is great for all levels of training, so whether you are just starting out or have been training for a life time, adding this heavy hitter into your daily schedule is a must!

Personal Training

For that personal touch and one to one accountability that is sometimes needed, we offer a few different packages to get you going. We also specialize in post physical therapy, for those patients that feel the need to "step up" the injury recovery program instilled by their doctor.

Pricing for this, and all of our classes offered, are listed on our home page at 1 Life Fitness



Because we are a brand new company, we are always looking for suggestions on how to make this a great company for YOU, please feel free to add to the comments on suggestions for classes. What works for you? A different time? A different type of class? Kids classes? Feel free to also contact us at wonlifefitness@yahoo.com


As always, thank you for stopping by. Hope your day is a great one.

 

No words, just love.

 I usually have no problem writing here. I get my inspiration from many mediums and always have my lists and research in order. But this time, this is hard. It is not because of lack of research or organization. It is because I am in such awe of the events that unfolded at a recent Surfers for Autism event I volunteered at, that I just cant explain it. It’s just one of those things that you had to be at to understand.  

It was suggested by a wonderful friend of mine on Facebook, that I start with a list of things from the event and go from there to get out of my block. With this in mind, I decided to just post my list to you because I really don’t know any other way to get the jumble of joy out of my head. So, are you ready? Here we go.

The top 10 things of awesomeness from The 3^rd Annual Surfers for Autism Flagler Beach event.

10. Smile. That’s it. No matter how small the feeling. No matter what. Just smile. It’s ok to enjoy life.

9. It’s ok to just be yourself. You are unique and one of a kind. Embrace it.

8. Sometimes it’s the teacher that gets taught.

7. Do something that is bigger than yourself. Volunteer and help your community.

6. A good hug goes a long way.

5. When you make a promise, follow through.

4. Sometimes you are so intelligent and unique, that less fortunate people have to give it a name.

3. There are great friends out there. Some you just haven’t met yet.

2. Sometimes the answer to life’s problems are answered with salt water and a surfboard.

1. One person can make a difference.

Well. There you have it. None of these are in any order. Just my top ten of the joy in my heart, which just can’t seem to make it into words.

Find out more about Autism, Special Olympics, and volunteering in your community.

                                                

Just another favorite recipe site

This is just one of many sites I use daily to feed my family healthy clean meals. Stop on over and check it out. Tonight's recipe is Pineapple Strawberry Chicken Kabobs! YUM!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/simmering-chicken-strawberry-kabobs/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=chicken%20kabobs&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Hub

The Cellular You

One of the greatest forms of cellular education, in my opinion, was a movie called Osmosis Jones.  Chris Rock was the voice of character, Osmosis "Ozzie" Jones. Ozzie is a crime fighting white blood cell in the body of  unhealthy character, Frank (played by Bill Murray), who refuses to live a healthy lifestyle. Ozzie, with the help of Drix (a cold pill) help fight off killer cells and save Franks life. The movie, for me, does a great job in describing how the body works on a cellular level. When ever I take a look inside, I cant help but imagine these characters as the inner workings of the body.

In reality, cells are a whole body and life form in itself. Each cell works in it's own way and forms a whole internal city of sorts.  Some are helpers, some are builders and yes, even some are crime fighters. All of those "workers" work together to form homeostasis. In order to keep your cellular self in a homeostatic state, you must take care of you by eating healthy and exercise. Always thinking of how everything is working on a cellular level will keep you in check.  

Everything we are surrounded by is made up of cells.  Your body, food, the home you live in, the soap you wash with. Everything. Look around. Can you see it? By simply breaking down the process of the body and everyday items by thinking on a very small level like with Osmosis Jones, you can easily change your daily habits.

 Now, think of the foods you are putting into your body. They are millions of different cells put together to form a large unit. You put the food in your mouth and start to chew. As you do this, the cells get broken down and carried off by many different workers in your mouth. They then go down the throat and into the stomach to be broken down some more and then carried off via the internal highway (aka blood stream). All those different cells are dropped off in many different places of the body and then used for many different things, such as energyworkers (proteins, sugars, oxygen for entire body use ), Crime fighters (the many cells of the immune system), heavy equipment operators ( cells of the muscles), electric company workers (salts, calcium, oxygen, potassium, ect in the heart) masonry workers (cells of the body tissues and bones) and waterworks (O2 and carbons of the blood), just to name the basic few.  

Along the internal highway, your internal workers help discard and replace old used up cells with new ones in as little as 20 hours or as long as 120 days. So, when you think of it, you are literally a new person everyday and depending on what building blocks you placed in your cellular self will determine what you are and how healthy that cellular self is. So, that brings us to the question, what are you? What did you have to eat today to make a strong you?

Lets take a look at some foods that are so packed full of goodness that I like to call them "Super Foods". These Super Foods will help your cellular crime fighters keep your body healthy and strong.

•     Salmon – This freshwater fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. This particular food can help lower the risk of heart disease, prevent memory loss and even reduce depression. Since salmon is also a low-calorie, low-fat choice, it’s one of the best sources of Omega-3. Other options include walnuts, herring, fortified eggs and flax seed.
• Blueberries – This simple berry is simply loaded with antioxidants, phytoflavinoids (compounds that help our bodies with stress), vitamin C and potassium. This powerful combination makes blueberries an excellent choice to work into regular dietary routine. Blueberries not only help provide proper nutrition, but they can also reduce cancer and heart disease risks and may even help reduce inflammation.
• Fiber – Any food that is high in fiber and low in fat is considered a super food because it can serve multiple purposes. Fiber rich foods are excellent for use in weight loss efforts and they also help reduce cholesterol levels.
• Broccoli – This green vegetable packs a lot of punch into each spear. Broccoli is a strong source of vitamins C, A and K. It also offers a fair amount of fiber, which is great for losing weight and helping to control cholesterol levels.
• Sweet potatoes – Replace a standard baked potato with one of these and you’ll have a powerful source of vitamin A, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. This is a major multitasking vegetable that offers a sweeter flavor than its yellow or white cousins.
• Kiwi – This food with a funny name is considered one of the most nutritionally sound fruits going. Kiwis are rich in antioxidants and also boast a high content of vitamins C, A and E. They are also high in potassium and fiber.
• Beans – Black beans, pinto beans, great northern beans and other legumes are considered super foods because they pack a lot of nutrients into each bite. Beans are an excellent source of fiber, they are low in fat and many are fantastic sources of protein, carbohydrates, magnesium and potassium.

There are many more great Super Foods out there to make a healthy you. I have a saying that I love to use when people ask me what and how to eat. "If God didn't make it, you shouldn't eat it."

Mommy and Me

As I have stated before, 1 Life Fitness is partnered with The City of Palm Coast to help make Flagler County a healier place to live.

Our first adventure in fitness will start with a Mommy and Me program that helps Mom's and Dad's get healthy after pregenancy. Please go to the following link to find out how you can sign up for this great 6 week program.

http://palmcoastgov.com/government/departments/recreation/activities.aspx

Chicken nuggets the kids will love

                                          A kid friendly meal that the whole family will love.

                                                            Flaxseed Chicken Nuggets

Pre heat oven to 350

one cup milled flaxseed
one cup wheat flour
two eggs
one Tbsp black pepper
one tsp red pepper
pinch of sugar
4-6 boneless chicken breast

Cut chicken breast into one inch pieces and rinse. In a medium bowl beat eggs. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Place chicken pieces into egg and transfer to dry mix. Repeat as necessary.  Place battered chicken onto a cookie sheet and cook for about 20 min or until done.

Serve sliced fruit with a vanilla yogurt dip as a side dish.



What is flaxseed? Here is a link to learn more about this wonderful grain. 

 http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/flaxinfo.htm

Beta-Alanine + HIIT – Match Made in Athletic Heaven

Beta-Alanine + HIIT – Match Made in Athletic Heaven

This isn’t your grandfather’s form of cardio. Recently, high-intensity interval training has surged in popularity, freeing fitness enthusiasts from long hours on the treadmill.

HIIT is highly efficient, boosting the metabolism into a calorie-burning frenzy and challenging the cardiovascular system. As a result, all types of athletes, from bodybuilders to basketball players, have adopted high-intensity interval training as a means to minimize time spent in the gym while maximizing endurance performance and improvements in body composition. Unfortunately, though, high-intensity interval training is not without downsides. HIIT can be hard on the joints and can also diminish the body’s stores of glycogen, phosphocreatine, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Because of this, HIIT cannot be performed for long periods of time – which is great for those trying to save time, but can be an issue for those who are trying to burn a lot of calories. But the lack of glycogen, phosphocreatine and ATP can also interfere with other athletic pursuits, such as weight lifting or sports.

So is there any way to soften the blow?

According to recent research from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, there is, and it’s as close as your nearest supplement store.

What is this magical endurance aid?

Beta-alanine.

Beta-alanine is classified as a non-essential amino acid, and interestingly, is not believed to be used in the building of proteins. This amino acid is usually not ingested on its own unless it is supplemented; rather, the most common sources are the dipetides carnosine, anserine and balenine. While these are contained in fish, beef and chicken, the amount of beta-alanine from those sources is not sufficient to trigger the results of the following study (1).In the study, forty-six college-aged men who had not taken supplements within the past six months participated in two three-week programs of high-intensity interval training and either placebo or beta-alanine supplementation. Fitness assessments were taken prior to the program to find a baseline, and also at the midpoint and end of the study.

Even after only the first three weeks, several significant changes were noted between the beta-alanine group and the placebo group.

Those supplementing beta-alanine demonstrated longer time until exhaustion and improved maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 Max). Additionally, the increase in Total Work in the beta-alanine group was nearly double that of the placebo group. The supplement group also experienced positive changes in lean body mass, while the placebo group did not (2).While high-intensity interval training can be helpful on its own, beta-alanine supplementation appears to increase the positive effects as well as improve work capacity, making your training more effective than ever before.
Sources:

1. Beta-Alanine. The Facts.
2. Smith, Abbie E., et al. Effects of [beta]-alanine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on endurance performance and body composition in men; a double-blind trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2009; 6(5): 5

A Welcoming Partnership

We all know the old saying "Sometimes it takes a village to raise a child". Well the same could be said about fitness. Sometimes it takes a community to help you get healthy. This is why 1 Life Fitness is pleased to announce that we are now the newest partner with The City of Palm Coast.

Why partner with a city you ask?

With obesity levels reaching an all time high in our area in the past 5-10 years, 1 Life Fitness and the City of Palm Coast have taken great steps to make our community a healthier place to live so we can all be healthy, wealthy and wise. We have come to realize that with our involvement, we can better the whole community with large and small efforts on our behalf. Making easier access to a healthy lifestyle is one way the City of Palm Coast is doing it. They have placed many wonderful new trails to walk, run or bike on and are now offering more ways to get fit through different programs and events like the Palm Coast Running Series. With the help of the City of Palm Coast, 1 Life Fitness is making it easier to get healthy with programs like "Mommy and Me".

Mommy and Me a wonderful program that caters to the new parent. Whether you are a Mom or Dad and have a non mobile baby up to 1 year of age, you can lose those pregnancy pounds that were put on over term by including your infant in the workouts. Not only will you not have to worry about daycare for your baby, but the new parent can be included in that much needed social setting PLUS one to one time with their child. This 6 week program will start August 27, 2012 and will be held at the Palm Coast Community Center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10-11 am.

For further information, please contact us at wonlifefitness@yahoo.com or to see event calenders and events go to http://palmcoastgov.com/

Big things

Big things are coming! I am happy to anounce that my website is just about done. I just need to figure out a few more things, but for now I hope you can visit and let me know what you think.

                                          Stop on over http://1lifefitness.org/ Hope you enjoy.

New Adventures in Life

Hello all. As you can see, I have stepped away from this page for quite some time now. I have been on many adventures, but mainly the adventure of my retirement from Fire Fighting.  So I come here today to tell you all about these adventures and to launch my latest and greatest adventure of all. 1 Life Fitness!

This past year has been a busy one. With my new job as being "retired", I found myself more like being bored. I ran alot, worked out alot and worked alot in my childrens school but I found that I was missing something. I just couldn't put my finger on what it was. Then one day while I was "retirering" at the beach with a good friend, she says to me, "Why don't you teach people about fitness?" And what went threw my head was,"Really??? That's a job??? Are you insane?!" Then as the days went by and I spoke with different people, I realized it wasn't such a crazy idea. So I gathered my computer and researched the topic and what I found was a beautiful place in which I have already been my entire life! What I didn't know about was the battle I was in for.

As you noticed I came up with a company name and got registered. Yay! That was easy....or so I thought. Ya, not so much. Every time I went to my city to register my business, the women in charge gave me another "list" to complete. So I would have to go back to square one and seem to start all over. When the "list" was complete, I returned to the city only to get another stupid list.  Then I figured while I was waiting on "The List" (please add dramatic voice over to that phrase for effect) I would gather information on other ways to promote my business. I recieved many suggestions and advise and put alot of it into action. I even got together with a friend to open a website. What I ended up with is a twitch and male pattern baldness from yanking my hair out by the root!

The website is a nightmare to say the least. I am greatful and love the fact that my friend has helped, but what I am not, is a computer software guenius. It seems as if it needs an act of God in order to get it going. My friend tells me "It's sooooo easy! I will guide you threw." but what I hear and see is "Blahh blahh bla bla bla blahhhh blahhhh bla".

Why is it that I am now paddling up stream? When the hell did this "great idea" become so frickin hard? All I DO know is that I have now put a reset on all things. I have decided to start new again and just let it flow. Something so easy should not be this hard. I am now still in the process of "The List" and should be getting the things I need in the mail shortly. After that, I will just turn this boat around and let the river take me where I need to go.

I hope you all join me on this ride. I hope I can maybe help some of you out. I will be checking in every once in a while, posting educational articles and maybe a video or two, I will answer questions and take on new challenges. But most of all, I WILL NOT HAVE A TWITCH! :)