Author: the fitness cult

2022 blog

Tips for Winter Workouts

How to safely keep your workout routine going – even when you’re freezing!

Are the winter blues throwing you off your exercise game? We get it – it’s even harder to leave your cozy comforter when the temperatures outside are dipping.

Here are 9 tips for keeping your workouts safe and effective in cold weather.

1. Start with a dynamic warm-up

Whether you plan on working out indoors or outdoors, it is important to gently warm up the muscles before jumping into an exercise. Some great dynamic warm-ups are:

brisk walking (especially at an incline, if using the treadmill)
jumping jacks
jump rope (with or without an actual rope)
arm circles
shoulder rolls

Dynamic warm-ups allow the blood to start flowing in the muscles before putting them under the stress of the workout. This is particularly important when the weather is cold to help prevent injury.

2. Dress in layers

Dressing in layers provides many benefits – you can remove layers as you warm up and protect your limbs and skin from cold air and elements. When dressing in layers, opt for layers that alternate between keeping heat in and letting sweat out:

the bottom layer should be moisture-wicking, breathable, and allow sweat out and away from the body
- i.e., a workout specific long sleeve, short sleeve, or tank top that hugs the body and helps keep sweat off
the middle layer should be thermal and designed to keep heat in
- i.e., a sweatshirt or other cotton, heavy-weight outer layer
the top layer should be lightweight, water and wind-resistant, and breathable
- i.e., a windbreaker with mesh vents at the back or underarms

As you workout and begin to sweat, your body goes into a cooling mode, and sweat plays a big role in helping cool you down. When air blows on your sweat-dampened skin, you feel cooler than you would in the same breeze with dry skin. This is why it is important to have layers that will allow your sweat to dissipate and evaporate away from your skin, while still keeping heat in close to your body.

We also love a good workout vest moment. Vests are great cold-weather workout accessories because they keep your core warm effectively, while allowing good range of motion in the arms and shoulders and provide plenty of exit options for heat and sweat coming away from your body.

3. Keep your hands, feet, and head warm

When we start to get cold, one of the ways that our bodies try to protect ourselves is by increasing blood flow to vital organs, which can temporarily lower blood flow in our extremities like hands, fingers, feet, and toes.

To help stay warm, wear good socks that cover the ankle to prevent chilling in gaps between pants and socks. If your hands will be exposed to the cold air, wear gloves, mittens, or hand warmers.

We lose 60-70% of our internal heat from the head and neck region, so it is also important to keep those areas warm and insulated. Wear a jacket or vest with a high collar to protect the neck, and wear a headband, beanie, or jacket hood to keep the head warm.

4. Wear the right shoes

Part of keeping your feet warm means wearing the right shoes for the weather, environment, and activity. Cold weather also tends to mean wet weather; opt for water-resistant shoes to keep the feet dry and warm. Make sure that your shoes also have proper traction on the soles to suit the terrain you will be exercising in.

Never run on icy or frozen surfaces, even in snow shoes!

5. Stay dry

Plan ahead with your outdoor workouts to avoid being outside in heavy rain or snowfall. Always avoid being outdoors in thunderstorms.

Make sure to wear the right clothing to keep yourself dry – like water-resistant shoes and outerwear.

6. Be aware of the signs of hypothermia

Hypothermia describes the condition of the body when internal temperatures drop to dangerous levels. Signs and symptoms of hypothermia setting in include:

confusion
difficulty speaking
fatigue

dizziness
amnesia
apathy

As hypothermia progresses, symptoms may include lethargy, hallucinations, or loss of consciousness. If you are concerned that you are experiencing hypothermia, remove any wet clothing and dry yourself off and get to a warm area. Always seek medical attention in cases of lost consciousness or persisting symptoms or pain.

7. Stay hydrated

We often relate our feelings of thirst with heat or feeling warm, but hydration and water intake is just as important in cooler weather too! Be sure to replenish fluids lost in sweat during exercise as well by drinking water or sports drinks.

The cold weather and cold air can also be particularly dehydrating. You may feel the effects of this in your throat in particular, so be sure to drink plenty of water. You can also opt for a hot tea for hydration as well as the warmth!

8. Protect your skin

If you are exercising outdoors, always wear sunscreen – even on cloudy or overcast days. Make sure to also wear sun protection like sunglasses if exercising around snow, as the reflection of sunlight on snow can be particularly bright.

Just as cold air is dehydrating to the body’s fluids, it will also impact the skin, lips, and eyes. Use a chapstick or lip balm to keep the skin of the lips hydrated and prevent cracking, and use lotions or moisturizers on the rest of the skin, especially in areas exposed to direct cold air.

9. Change out of sweaty workout clothes immediately

As discussed earlier, sweat is meant to cool the body down with the dampness it provides. However, sweat will not dry as quickly as your body starts to cool down after your exercise is completed, which will leave you with dampened skin and clothes in cold weather.

If you are not able to shower immediately following your workout, be sure to at least remove all sweaty layers to prevent catching hypothermia post-workout.

Make sure to stay active, healthy, happy, and safe in all of your cold weather activities!

Do you have a go-to winter workout? Let us know in the comments below!

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2022 blog

Improve Your Nutrition Habits by Keeping a Simple 3-Day Food Log

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date December 13, 2022
No Comments on Improve Your Nutrition Habits by Keeping a Simple 3-Day Food Log

Download our official tfc 3-Day Food Log for free!

Have you been hitting the gym hard and consistently, doing your best to eat well, and yet you still feel like you’re just not making progress?

Don’t worry – we’ve all been there! The good news is that there are usually only a few reasons that this could be happening; and the even better news is that there are simple solutions to each of the possible culprits!

If you are putting in the work but not seeing results, check to see if one of these top three progress-potholes are trying to trip you up.

1. you’ve hit a progress plateau

If you were initially experiencing successes and seeing results from your training program, and now have reached a point where the results have started to peter out or even reverse, you may be hitting a progress plateau.

The best way to beat a progress plateau is with the use of the exercise science principle of periodization. Your personal trainer can customize a periodized training program to help get you out of your plateau slump!

Don’t have a personal trainer? Contact us for a free consultation to see if personal training is right for you!

2. you are experiencing over-training symptoms

Training programs – both strength training and cardio-based programs – place gradually increasing stressors on the body that the muscles, heart, and lungs learn to respond and adapt to. If a training program is too intensive or does not allow for proper recovery time and workouts to take place, the body is unable to recoup and repair effectively. In other words, if your body is unable to return to 100% between workout sessions, you are essentially starting the next workout at less than 100% of your body’s abilities; and the next workout at an even lower percentage, and so on.

Make sure to never skip rest periods – between exercise sets and between workouts – and to take active recovery days. Check out Myth #7 from our prior post, 9 Exercise Myths Debunked by a Certified Personal Trainer, for more on active recovery days!

3. your body isn’t receiving the proper fuel for your workouts

The most common reason why your training program is not getting you the gains you deserve is due to nutrition deficits – not eating enough of the right types of fuel – or being in a caloric surplus – consuming more calories than your body can effectively burn in a day.

The most common reason why your training program is not getting you the gains you deserve is due to nutrition!

If you think that this may be holding you back, first off – it’s okay! Many people are affected by nutrient deficits, and this can easily happen – even when trying to eat healthy foods.

The best place to start is with knowing what you actually are – and are not – eating on a regular basis. This is where the 3-Day Food Log becomes a real hero!

Keeping a food log does not need to be as time-consuming or confusing as it often sounds or appears to be. If this is difficult for you, start simple and small; the most important details to capture are the foods and rough portion sizes of the foods you eat. For example; a breakfast food log entry could be as simple as “coffee with creamer, 2 slices white toast, 3 eggs.”

If you are able to invest an extra 2-3 minutes into your food log, we also highly recommend noting the time you ate, your hunger rating and mood pre- and post-meal, and where you ate this. Don’t worry about logging exact calories as you eat – if you can accurately capture the foods eaten and the portion sizes, you can always calculate the calories at a later time!

Taking the time to note how you were feeling around the meal or snack time helps to identify if you were eating out of true hunger, or motivated by another external factor; such as habit, stress, emotions, boredom, or social activities. This can also help you to notice if you are eating at times that make sense for your life. Are you starving everyday at 3pm when you eat a snack from the office vending machine? Maybe your lunch is too light! Or you might notice you are eating before bed every night, even though you aren’t necessarily hungry, just out of habit. These important insights help you to paint a bigger picture of what your day-to-day eating consists of, so that you can start to tackle any possible nutrition deficits.

If you aren’t sure how much you should be eating in a day, or how to break down those foods into the major macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fats), check out our nutrition services or request a consultation for more info!

Is the way your fueling your body holding you back? Download our free 3-Day Food Log below to start tracking, then send it to our ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist for further evaluation and next steps!

3-day-food-log Download

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Tags build muscle, dietary habits, fitness, food journal, food log, food tracker, health, health and fitness, healthy eating, lose weight, muscle gains, nutrition, nutrition habits, nutrition tips, weight loss, weight loss journey, workout

2022 blog

How to Take Your Measurements for Weight Loss and Strength Training Programs

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date October 18, 2022
No Comments on How to Take Your Measurements for Weight Loss and Strength Training Programs
Sticky post

tfc Guide on What to Measure, When to Measure, and How to Measure and Get the Best Before & After Photos

Do you ever feel like your scale must be lying to you? You have been working so hard at your new exercise routine and were excited at the progress you were seeing at first, but now the scale has suddenly stopped decreasing – or even begun to increase again!

Don’t worry! We’re not calling the bathroom scale a liar, but it definitely is not the smartest or best tool for tracking your progress when it comes to fat loss and muscle gains. The standard bathroom or kitchen scale is built only to read your overall weight and wouldn’t be able to tell you apart from a sack of potatoes or a bucket of water. This does not allow you to see how much of your weight is made up from fat stores, muscle stores, or water stores within the body and could paint an inaccurate picture of your health based solely on the overall weight.

The best way to combat this is by relying on other types of anthropomorphic – or body-based – measurements to analyze your health. One way to do so is to participate in a body composition assessment; a test that uses technologies such as bioelectrical currents, X-ray technology, water displacement, or other methods to determine how much of your overall weight is comprised of fat tissue, muscle tissue, organs and cells, bones, and skin. However, many of these types of assessment machines can be difficult to obtain due to their price, technology requirements, or status as certified medical devices.

Outside of having a body composition assessment performed, there is another fast, easy, and realistically cheap option for manually assessing your overall body status without relying on your weight at all; using girth measurements of specific body-landmarks. A girth measurement is simply the circumference of specific locations on your body and its limbs. Below is a list of the best landmarks to measure to track progress in both fat-loss and muscle-building exercise programs, along with the best ways and times to measure!

what to measure & why

measure…	good for…
weight	tracking overall progress
neck	good if goal is to lose over 25lbs fat or make bulk-muscle gains
chest	good if goal is to lose fat
waist	good if goal is to lose fat
hips	good if goal is to lose fat or make bulk muscle-gains
thighs	good if goal is to lose fat or make bulk muscle-gains
calves	good if goal is to lose over 25lbs fat or make bulk-muscle gains
biceps	good if goal is to lose over 25lbs fat or make bulk-muscle gains
forearms	good if goal is to lose over 25lbs fat or make bulk-muscle gains

Be careful not to make the mistake of measuring and/or weighing yourself too often; weight and body composition can easily fluctuate even throughout a single day based on what you ate and when, how you slept the night before, and what types of workouts were done within the last couple days. We recommend not weighing yourself more than 1-2 times per week and only conducting measurements once a week at the most so that you don’t end up with an overwhelming amount of data to track.

when to measure

at the beginning of your program
every 4 weeks if program is over 6-weeks or is not time-bound
every 2 weeks if program is under 6-weeks
halfway through the program
at the end of the program

Lastly, it is important to stay consistent in where and how you are measuring your body landmarks so that you can accurately compare measurements to one another to track your progress.

how to measure

measure in the morning, prior to food/drink, barefoot
use flexible tape measure; for all measurements, adjust the tape to appropriate spot and lay flat, take a deep breath and slowly exhale and relax
- neck
  - place tape measure at midline between the base of the neck (where it connects to the shoulders) and the jawline
- chest
  - place tape measure under arms and around back to meet in the front of the chest and measure in a straight line at the widest area (usually around nipple-level)
- waist
  - place tape measure around the back to meet in the front of the torso and measure in a straight line at the narrowest area (usually around or just above belly-button level)
- hips
  - place tape measure around booty to meet in the front of the pelvis and measure in a straight line at the widest area (usually around or just below hip-bone level)
- thighs
  - place the foot of the same leg being measured on a step or seat so that it creates a 90 degree bend in the knee; shift your weight to bear on the leg that is not being measured
  - place the tape measure under the thigh to meet in front and measure in a straight line near the midline of the thigh (roughly equal distance from the knee and the hips)
- calves
  - place the foot of the same leg being measured on a step or seat so that it creates a 90 degree bend in the knee; shift your weight to bear on the leg that is not being measured
- place tape measure around leg to meet in the front of the shin and measure in a straight line at the widest area (usually closer to the knee)
- biceps
  - extend the arm of the same bicep being measured and hold the elbow at a 90 degree angle at shoulder height, with the hand raised above it
  - place the tape measure under the arm to meet at at the top of the bicep and flex the bicep (squeeze the hand into a fist and twist the palm of the hand towards your head)
  - measure in a straight line at the widest area (usually roughly halfway between the elbow and shoulder joints)
- forearms
  - extend the arm of the same forearm being measured and hold the elbow at a 90 degree angle at the waistline with palm facing up
  - place the tape measure under the arm to meet at at the top of the forearm and flex the forearm (squeeze the hand into a fist)
  - measure in a straight line at the widest area (usually closer to the elbow)

When it comes to tracking changes in your body composition, a picture really is worth a thousand words! Pictures help to provide context to the numbers that you are seeing to give more meaning to the data. It is also important to stay consistent in where and how the photos are captured so that they can be fairly compared to one another.

taking your photo

good lighting
simple background without a lot of visual distractions
same environment for Before & After
same clothing or type of clothing for Before & After
- bathing suit
- sports bra and shorts or underwear
  - recommended: no high-waisted or compression bottoms
- shorts and no shirt
  - recommended: short and fitted shorts; no compression bottoms
good posture
- but not “sucking in”
front view
- arms out “T”
- optional flex – encouraged for After!
side view
- arms out in front at shoulder height
back view
- arms out “T”
- optional flex – encouraged for After!

check out some of our awesome client Before & After photos here!

We recommend keeping a simple journal to track long-term progress, where you can record all of your anthropomorphic measurement data, store your photos, and make short notes indicating the harder-to-measure benefits of regular exercise; such as energy level and mood, appetite, and quality of sleep. You can also use this space to track the details of your exercise program and nutrition habits to create a robust image and log of your overall health!

Here are our tfc tried & true logs for recording measurements, exercise, and food intake – download for free and let us know your thoughts!

measurement-log Download

3-day-food-log Download

exercise-log Download

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2022 blog

should I work out if I’m sick?

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date October 11, 2022
No Comments on should I work out if I’m sick?

With the school year back in full swing, fall weather beginning to take over, and flu season approaching – and fast! – you may have started to feel that tell-tale tickle in your throat creeping up.

Nobody likes to be sick and left feeling miserable; whether it be a common cold, seasonal flu, viral infection, or the latest strain of COVID-19. But when feeling sick completely upends your life and all the healthy routines you’ve worked so hard to cultivate, it can add a whole new level of frustration, and there may be a temptation to fight through and try to stick to your exercise program amidst the sniffles.

In fact, evidence shows that a consistent moderate-physical activity exercise program can effectively strengthen your immune system, which reduces the chances of getting sick and the severity of the symptoms when you do get sick, as well as making recovery much faster. Additionally, exercise releases hormones in your body that are designed to fight stressors on the body, which can aid in fighting off viral infections quickly and effectively.

So does working out when feeling terrible show dedication that would surely brand you as a certified fitness icon, or is it actually worse for your body to try to push through instead of taking that extra nap?

There is no black and white answer; as experts agree that the best approach is to listen to your body and give it what it needs – whether it be an added rest day or two, or a gentle workout to stick to your exercise routine. Your body will let you know exactly what it needs – just be sure to listen!

the best approach is to listen to your body and give it what it needs – whether it be an added rest day or two, or a gentle workout to stick to your exercise routine.

Still on the fence about that workout sesh? Review our list of DO’s & DON’Ts Exercise Guidelines to help you determine the best next steps:

DO’s & DON’Ts of Exercising While Sick

DON’T workout if you are:
-coughing persistently or with -phlegm
-wheezing
-experiencing shortness of breath
-experiencing chest pain
DON’T workout if you have a fever or body aches
DON’T workout if you have nausea or diarrhea
DON’T workout if you are experiencing dizziness or lightheadedness
DON’T go to public workout spaces if you are contagious

DO workout if your symptoms are mild:
-runny or sniffly nose
-headache
-stuffy nose
-mild sore throat
-ear infection
DO take it easy
DO listen to your body
DO make sure to get extra rest – even if it means skipping the workout
DO replenish with extra fluids and nutrient-dense foods

Above the Neck Symptom Check

When in doubt, use the “above the neck” symptom check. If your symptoms are all “above the neck,” such as runny or sniffly nose, sneezing, teary eyes, headache, etc.; a light to moderate exercise bout may do you good! Exercise can help to open the nasal passages, clearing congestion or tension headaches to help with symptom control.

If your symptoms are mainly “below the neck,” as with a cough you feel in your chest or a phlegm-producing cough, or a stomach bug, it’s recommended to skip the workout and get some extra rest instead!

Whether you skip the workout while you recover or you decide you are well enough to work through it, make sure to take your time easing back into your pre-sickness routine. Spend a couple days working out at a lighter pace or load than usual; this means if you would typically run a couple miles, go for a nice jog or brisk walk instead. Take the time to take it easy until your body has fully recover to avoid the risk of getting sick again!

tfc Approved Sick Day Workouts

Go for a walk
Meditate
- bonus: hang in the sauna!
Foam Roll
Stretch

Gentle yoga / restorative yoga
Swimming
Light jogging
Leisure-to-moderate pace bicycling

Need more workout ideas? Check out our Instagram, join a group class, or contact us to get started!

sources

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Tags common cold, covid, easy workout, easy workout while sick, fall, flu, health, should i work out while sick, sick, sick day workout, working out while sick, workout

2022 blog

how often should you be working out your abs; and other core ponderings

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date June 26, 2022
No Comments on how often should you be working out your abs; and other core ponderings

Ah yes, the dreaded ab-day. We all love to hate working our abs, but still want that six-pack! But the question remains: how much ab-work do we really have to do?

How often should I work my abs?

Most strength training days should include your abs!

We love to sneak core-strengthening exercises into all of our workouts! Be sure to propery engage your core during all movements – especially those involving heavy weights – to protect your spine.

You can use core work as a quick warm-up before beginning your workout, such as starting with a bird-dog or dynamic pike to plank series.

By bracing your core when performing any workout, you activate and engage the muscles of the entire core to strengthen them.

Now, if you are looking to really shred your six-pack, you will need to turn up the notch on your ab workouts and focus on core-specific exercises and moves.

For this type of ab work, we recommend a frequency of roughly 3-4 times a week; depending on your goals and the level of intensity of your workout sessions.

how many crunches do i really have to do?

None, if you don’t want to!

The best way to strengthen – and define – your abs is with a variety of different exercises moves to isolate and engage your core.

Your core includes your abdomen, the oblique abdomen (the “side,” or waistline), your upper and lower abdomen, your lower back, and even your hip flexors! Being intentional in working out your entire core in varying ways is the best path to rock-hard abs.

There are SO many ways to work your abs & core outside of traditional crunches. In addition to the many, many variations on the traditional crunch, there are countless other ways to engage and isolate your most important core muscles:

planks
- high plank
- forearm plank
- side plank
- pike plank
crunch variations
- mermaid crunch
- froggy crunch
- oblique crunch
  - bicycles
- standing oblique crunch
other core exercises
- swimmers
- scissor kicks
- roll-ups
- tornados

balancing acts
- single-leg movements
- BOSU ball workouts
- yoga
jump around
- jump rope
- box jumps
- single-leg jumping
core cardio
- kickboxing
- Pilates
other core exercises
- Russian twists
- sit ups
- hip dips
- V-ups

and so many more not listed here! If you are looking for more ways to work your abs, reach out to us or join our next group class to get sweatin’!

is it safe to work out my abs everday?

Yes and no.

Your ab muscles – like all other muscles in your body – do need time to recover between sessions to actually see growth or an increase in strength. Allow roughly 24 hours between intense ab blasts and take 1-2 days a week off from abs!

lastly – abs are cut from the kitchen!

With any weight loss goals, we expect our dietary habits to need a refresh at the very least. But with goals specific to shredding your abs, the important of nutrition cannot be overstated!

Pair your tfc core-strengthening workouts with eating lean, clean, and green protein and carbs to reveal the awesome ab display you have chiseled out for yourself!

Did you know – we also offer Nutrition Services! Check out our services – including meal prep and planning, grocery store tours, cooking demonstrations, and nutrition label counseling – to help take your abs to the next level!

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Tags 6-pack, ab workouts, abs, core, core exercises, core work, crunches, nutition, nutrition tips, planks, shredded, six pack

2022 blog

how to stop getting shin splints from running

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date June 19, 2022
No Comments on how to stop getting shin splints from running

So you’ve decided to get back into exercising and set out on a run. Halfway in, you are met with an excruciating pain in your lower legs that lingers for days.

You might have shin splints.

What are shin splints?

Shin splints are a sharp, painful sensation in your lower leg that is usually brought on by a sudden onset or increase in physical activity (typically walking/jogging/running).

So how do I stop it?

Pick a good running shoe!
- A good running shoe will be supportive, provide the right amount of arch support for your foot, and have plenty of cushion for shock absorption
- A good running shoe should have a perfect fit for your foot’s length, width, and arches and provide stability for your foot and ankle
- I love Brook’s running shoes!
Strengthen your legs – especially your calves
- Having strong muscles in your legs – particularly your calves – helps reduce the shock of impact on your bones
- Doing calf raises is a great way to strengthen your calves!
Cool down and stretch post-workout
- Spend time stretching, gently massaging, or foam rolling tense muscles or pain points
- If you are having a rough time with stretching, remember to take it slow – I love to use stretching straps to help me get further into the tough stretches
- This is the foam roller that I like to use to relax and massage sore muscles – especially in my calves and glutes!
Work with a trainer to assess and perfect your running form
- Contact me to set up our free consultation now!

What other pain points do you experience in your workouts? Comment below and make sure to subscribe for updates to see if your concern is addressed in a future blog post!

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Tags calf pain, calf stretch, cooldown, exercise pains, pain, personal training, runner, runners, running, running pains, running shoes, shin splints, shins, shins hurt, shins hurt while running, stop shin splints, strecth, supportive shoes

2022 blog

Sticking to Routine During Changing Times

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date June 15, 2022
No Comments on Sticking to Routine During Changing Times

Picture it: you have finally settled into the perfect routine – you’re eating healthy, hitting the gym, and getting enough sleep, and it feels great.

Then, the big change hits. You’re moving, or starting a new job, or your hours are changing. Maybe the change is even super exciting; your family is welcoming a new addition or you’re taking a well-deserved vacation! And yet, part of you starts to fill with dread, knowing your routine will surely be shattered and all your hard work lost.

But what if there was a better way?

Trust me, I know that sticking to a routine when everything is going right is hard enough; and staying in that routine when things start to change or get shaken up feels damn near impossible. Here are some tried and true tips that will help empower you to stick to your routine (or make an even better one!) in the face of change!

1. organize your week

To really start your week off on the right foot, plan on spending an hour or two preparing for the upcoming week. My weeks start on Sunday afternoons, so that means I carve out a couple hours Saturday evening or Sunday morning to set myself up for success for the upcoming week.

I take this time to make a meal plan and grocery shop; prep fruits, veggies, and daily snacks; do laundry and light cleaning around the house; plan my workouts for the week, and review my upcoming events, clients, appointments, or other items to make sure I have everything I need and won’t be caught off guard.

This is especially important to do when you’re dealing with changes, because that is when it is easiest for mundane chores and errands to slip through the cracks, or special dates to sneak up on you.

For example; if you review your calendar and see your kid has a birthday party to go to that weekend, you can plan on getting a gift while you’re out doing your normal errands and shopping rather than having to stop and grab something on the way and risk being late or having your day’s plans derailed!

Knowing what is coming – and planning for it – allows you to stay in the driver’s seat instead of feeling like you are running to put one fire out after another.

2. plan for obstacles

“Hope for the best but expect the worst” is not necessarily a bad way to plan when it comes to changes and routines!

When you are taking the time to organize your week, be aware of what potential obstacles may arise and have a back-up plan to face them head-on.

If your weekly staff meeting ran late the last two Thursdays and you didn’t have time to make dinner, plan to have leftovers or a freezer-meal this Thursday instead of expecting yourself to cook when you get home.

Identifying things that have the potential to get you off track and building a solution into your week will make your week feel smoother and less chaotic!

3. be realistic

You can’t do everything for everyone! AND – you shouldn’t have to.

I’ll say it again (to myself in the mirror!): you can’t do everything and you shouldn’t expect yourself to!

The intent behind planning and scheduling your week is not to cram it full of one million things to keep yourself busy! Planning your week ahead of time gives you the opportunity to control how your week will go and allow yourself to prioritize what really needs to be done and what doesn’t.

Changing times means that there may be more on your plate than usual as you begin to readjust. Understand the limitations that this may create for your schedule and honor that.

4. give yourself a break

Part of being realistic is scheduling downtime for yourself. Just like your body needs time to repair your muscles after a difficult workout, your body – and mind! – need time to recharge and rest.

Rest is important and necessary for your health and your productivity! Especially when you are dealing with changing or uncertain times, taking time to stop for a moment helps to keep you from feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.

Scheduling time for yourself every day – even just 10-15 minutes – to do something for yourself or do something that you enjoy, makes a huge impact on your day and actually helps you to be more productive. Make a point to take just a few minutes each day to allow yourself to rest. This could look like: taking an extra long shower or bath; taking a walk or doing a workout; reading or journaling; meditating or just sitting outside and enjoying nature; or anything that you enjoy that brings you peace!

5. keep a daily and weekly list – and calendar

An important part of planning your time is finding a way to (relatively) stick to your plan. I love a good to-do list moment – especially if I am able to plan ahead!

You can take your daily to-do lists to the next level by adding a calendar aspect to the list. When you are able to plan your daily and weekly to-do lists in advance, you can prioritize what can get done when, and organize your tasks, errands, and chores in an order that makes the most sense and makes your life easier.

Having a physical list – whether you are a pen & paper person or all digital – helps you to best plan your days and also make sure you don’t miss anything along the way!

6. ask for support

We’ve saved the best for last: ask for support!

When you are dealing with changing times, the best thing you can do to set yourself up for success amidst the changes is to have a support system in place. This means: letting the people who rely on you know that you are dealing with changing times and may not be as available; telling those you rely on that you are dealing with changing times and may require more of them; reaching out to people you trust and asking for help and/or support.

It is always helpful to alert the important groups of people in your life to any planned major changes beforehand. This sets proper expectations of what you will be capable of during the tranisitionary periods as well as allowing the opportunity for those around you to extend any additional relief or assistance, which may help greatly in the long run.

All in all; everyone experiences changes throughout their lifetime. Remember to show yourself patience and kindness as you face changes and any accompanying challenges, and be sure to follow these steps to help yourself stay organized and ready for anything!

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Tags change, fitness during holidays, fitness routine, holiday fitness, prioritzing, routine, sticking to routine, summer fitness, time management, tips

2022 journal tfc exclusive access

may guided journal

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Tags gratitude, gratitude journal, guided journal, journal, may journal, meditations, premium content, self-reflection

2022 blog

Is This Good Yet? tfc Ultimate Guide to Picking the Best Produce

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date May 15, 2022
No Comments on Is This Good Yet? tfc Ultimate Guide to Picking the Best Produce

Picking the right produce can be daunting! Nobody wants to drop a pretty penny on produce, only to take it home and realize it’s not ripe when it’s needed or that it rots far too quickly.

So how do you know you’re picking the best produce? We’ve compiled all the research & facts in one place so you don’t have to!

let’s talk fruits

let’s talk veggies

As a bonus, we’ve included a table at the end on where you should store your perfect produce picks once you get them back home to maximize their freshness and keep them from spoiling too soon!

Be sure to save this so you can come back to it time and again to keep your fruits & veggies fresh, and check out our nutrition services if you are looking to level up your grocery shopping game!

cherries
cranberries
grapefruit
grapes
honeydew
kiwi
oranges

peaches
pears
pineapples
plums
pomegranate
strawberries

store in fridge

apples (if storing 7+ days)
apricots
cantaloupe
figs
honeydew
artichokes
beets
blackberries
blueberries
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celery
cherries
corn
grapes
green beans
green onions
herbs (except basil)
lima beans
leafy veggies
leeks

Fridge, con’t

lettuce
mushrooms
okra
peas
plums
radishes
raspberries
spinach
sprouts
strawberries
summer squash
yellow squash
zucchini

ripen on counter, then store in fridge

avocados
nectarines
peaches
pears
plums
kiwis

store on counter

apples (if storing less than a week)
bananas
tomatoes
basil
cucumbers
eggplant
garlic
ginger
grapefruit
lemons
limes
mangoes
oranges
papayas
peppers
pineapple
plantains
pomegranates
watermelon

store in pantry

acorn squash
butternut squash
onions (keep away from potatoes)
potatoes (keep away from onions)
pumpkins
spaghetti squash
sweet potatoes
winter squash

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Tags fresh produce, fruits, fruits and vegetables, grocery tips, health eating, nutrition tips, organic, organic produce, picking produce, produce, produce selection, veggies

2022 blog

3 Tips to Get You Back on Track

Post author By the fitness cult
Post date May 9, 2022
No Comments on 3 Tips to Get You Back on Track

been slacking on your fitness routine lately? no worries, we got you!! 💪🏼 
 
 
we all fall off the wagon, so first off - don’t beat yourself up!! fitness is about making healthful lifestyle choices, which means honoring yourself with balance, rest, and times of celebration! ✨ 
 
 
3 simple ways to get yourself back on track: 
 
 
1️⃣ write out a meal plan! 
 
you’re less likely to opt for junky snacks or fast food meals when you have a plan written down & in place. Plus, planning your meals saves you time and money in the grocery store! 
 
check out our website for more on meal planning, or contact us for options on purchasing ready to cook meal plans! 
 
 
2️⃣ schedule time for your workouts and have a plan in place! 
 
be intentional about the time you set aside for yourself to do your workout - write it on your calendar and make sure to not double book yourself or overcommit! 
 
it also helps set you up for successful workouts if you know what your workout plan is beforehand. Having a program to follow keeps you on track and ensures all muscles are targeted, cardio needs are met, and the body has plenty of recovery time between workouts! 
  
if you’re looking for a great workout program to follow, visit our website for program design options! 
 
 
3️⃣ have a workout buddy or group for accountability and encouragement! 
 
working out with a friend is part of what makes fitness fun! If you’re not able to make it to in-person workouts with your buddy, you can always follow along the same program together and encourage each other over text!
 
we also LOVE a good group class moment 🤍 working out with friends at a group class has the BEST energy! be sure to check out all our monthly group class options on our website 💁🏻‍♀️ 
 
if you’re looking for an accountability group, we’d love to have you as part of our community of amazing fitness friends! drop a 💪🏼 in the comments or reach out to us on our website 🤍
 
 
we hope this helped to inspire you to get back to your regularly scheduled sweat sesh! 🤓 
 
 
remember to check us out online & subscribe for weekly updates!

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Tags accountability, accountability group, back on track, fitness accountability, fitness commuity, fitness program, fitness tips, getting back on track, meal plan, program design, routine, scheduling, tips