Motivational Monday

Motivation!!!!- I dare you to watch this and not be pumped up to run through a wall into 2014 and after everything and anything you want!

There is no perfect time to start!!  It seems like we are always waiting, waiting for certain circumstances to start something, to go after something.  WHY?  Are we that scared to actually DO something?  Listen up!

There is no perfect time!

You need to make your own moments, you need to take those moments and go with it.  There's a great line in Caddyshack, "See your future, be your future. May, make--make it. Make your future..."

You want to know when the perfect time is?  It's NOW!!  

JUST START!!

The new year is always the time to start something, a resolution to be healthier, or to eat right, or to exercise. Don't wait for things to be less busy, don't wait for there to be time, don't wait for the perfect scenario to get back to the gym, don't wait to start changing your nutrition habits, don't wait!!

Get After It Today!!!

Fitness Friday

Squats are one of the best exercises that can be part of your arsenal.  However, they get a bad name because people associate squats with knee pain.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  Squats can in fact make your knees stronger and healthier by making the muscles around it stronger.  When your form is poor, that's where the knee pain can come in.  Here are 6 reasons to SQUAT!

What's more important than just squatting well, is having good posture.  Good Posture can help with injury prevention, reduce back pain, improve breathing, and a whole lot more.

Recovery is where all progress is made.  You can't beat yourself up time and time again with intense workouts and hope to get some where.  Sometimes you need a day or two for a full recovery, or even a week where you de-load and do less.  Progress is made in how well you can recover, not how hard you can push yourself.



Weekend Workout
40 second on/20 seconds off
Jumping Jacks
Prisoner Squats
T-Pushups
Jump Squats
Reverse Lunges w/ Rotation
1 min rest
2 point Pushup
Speed Squats
Spiderman Climbs
Dead Bugs
Burpees
1 min rest
Seal Jacks
Mt Climbers
Body Extensions
Lateral Lunges
High Knees
1 min rest
Split Shuffles
Ice Skaters
Side Plank Left
Side Plank Right
Pistons
1 min rest
Curtsy Lunge Left
Curtsy Lunge Right
Push-up
Lateral Lunge Left
Lateral Lunge Right

Motivational Monday

You are limitless.

You're a champion.

You work harder than everyone else.

And you'll achieve everything that you put your mind to.

There are always those days where nothing goes your way, and it seems like every thing and every one is against you.
But you thrive on that kind of adversity, those challenges that life throws at you.  Why?  Because you don't set limits. 

I know each and every day you training hard, getting your nutrition on point because you love the feeling of success, you love being able to reach your goals, you love feeling strong. 
Excuses won't get in your way.  You wont make them up.  Its never too cold, never too early, you always have time because you see the value that a healthy lifestyle has. 

You are awesome because you push yourself past limits you thought weren't possible, you get out of that comfort zone, you get comfortable being uncomfortable.  You take on challenges head on and you are never satisfied...

For you are limitless.

Fitness Friday

Choosing the right shoe is super important when it comes to exercise.  Different forms of exercise may require a different type of foot wear.  Choose accordingly!! ( you may have to zoom in to see the image)

How do you gauge if you've had a good workout or not?  Usually the go to is how sore it makes you the next day or two.  However, that is not the best sign of a good/great workout.  Don't fall for the myth that soreness leads to results.  Progressive challenge is good, but fitness should make you better, make other tasks easier, not harder.

Stress is a natural part of life.  It happens.  However, there a daily habits that could be stressing you out more than you know it.  Make sure you're breathing normally, taking slow deep breathes can reduce your stress levels dramatically as can exercise and laughing.  (what did the fish say when it swam into the wall?<--- scroll down for answer)

Are you positive?  Do you think highly of yourself?  Do you ever participate in "fat talk" or bash your own body image?  If so, watch THIS!!!!


Weekend Workout

Jumping Jacks
Ice Skaters
Jump Squats
Alternating Reverse Lunges
Mountain Climber
Prisoner Squat
Push-ups
Dead Bugs
Alternating Lateral Lunges
Plank

40 seconds on/20 seconds off  3 rounds



A: Dam
See I just made you laugh and lowered your stress level!!!!

Motivational Monday

Don't hit the snooze button!!!


Every day is a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way.  Each day you have a choice to take the easy way out, or get after whatever it is you want.  Some days you're going to have to grind it out, struggle, push through, but you have to keep going.  Taking the easy way out is exactly what it is.  EASY! 
That's not you.  You push, you claw, you climb, ignoring the voices in your head to take that easy road. 

RISE

&

Get

     Ready

  It's a

 New

Day



Fitness Friday

Since nutrition is a big part of seeing results from all your hard work in the gym, I figured I would dedicate this weeks edition of Fitness Friday to Nutrition!!(pssst, AMP at  we offer nutrition counseling/consulting).

How many times have you attempted a "diet"?  My guess is at least a few times with some mild success. You lose some pounds, but once you stop, it comes back.  Definition of "yo-yo dieting."  It's now being shown that this type of dieting is more detrimental than just the weight coming back.  Signals for fullness don't easily adjust when going from a restrictive diet to that of a normal diet.  This may explain why some people struggle after taking up a diet.  

Most diets tend to restrict one thing or another.  Quit the Restrictions!!!  Often times people restrict because they think a certain food is evil.  Eggs, dairy, carbs, fruit.  Why?  Because you heard it some where? Eliminating and restricting yourself is a hard thing to do, and often times, unnecessary.  I mean have you ever seen anyone become overweight from eating too much fruit?

The solution?  Focus on habits, focus on small changes.  If you do that, you're sure to see results.  Then you'll have people asking you what your doing and how did you get your results.  First you'll have to say AMP, then second tell them you've taken charge of your life, that you've decided to put lifestyle change ahead of fad diets.  If' you've ever had someone ask you "what are you doing to look so good" check THIS out!!!

Weekend Workout Tip:

Replace Bad Habits: Everyday you'll be tempted to fall back on old habits.  TO make a lasting change in your health and fitness, you must do everything you can to resist that.  Try adding a new healthy habit to your routine to replace an old unhealthy habit.  

Motivational Monday

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
-Nelson Mandela (July 18 1918 – December 5 2013)

We try to instill a confidence in all our clients at AMP to take charge of their health and fitness.  Hearing the words "I can't" is like nails on a chalk board.  How do you know you can't until you test yourself?  How do you know it's not possible till you try?  The purpose of training is to push yourself to do things you once thought were impossible.  Never could do a push-up before? Work at it till its done!!  Then what you once thought was impossible, is easy.  

No matter how much you try to reach what you thought was impossible, the key is to keep trying.  Keep getting after it.  Each time you fail, or fall, its another learning experience, another chance to get better, stronger.  Falls, slips, regressions are going to happen.  They are a part of life, but the most important thing you can do when you fail, is to pop right back up, dust yourself off and work. 

Fitness Friday

Why do you train? Why do you work out?  Quite often it's to lose a few pounds, add some muscle, get in better shape.  Added benefits that you may not have thought of  are reducing the onset of dementia and increasing memory.
Researchers are still not sure as to the exact mechanism that helps stave off dementia or makes daily activities easier, but there are improvements.  As for improving memory, there are many hormones at work that encourage the growth of neurons in the brain.  I brought this up in a past post called "Is your workout making you smarter?"

See all the more reason to come to AMP!!  

Get in killer shape and get those Brain Gainzz!

Balance and coordination a key aspect to fitness and often times people struggle with balance.  Exercising by using one sided or unilateral movements can help improve balance.  Doing exercises like single leg dead lifts or bird-dogs can help improve core strength and in turn balance as a whole.  Try this 8 Minute balance workout.  

Avoid negative, hateful comments about yourself.  You can't and won't hate yourself to a healthier, leaner body.  Love your body, accept it, and accept the process of transforming it.  If you give in to thoughts like:
I can’t eat that, I’m so fat/disgusting/weak, I have no will power, I’ll never look like her, I wish this was easier then you need to take a step back and reevaluate yourself.  Read This!!

What exactly is 200 Calories?  It can come in all sorts of sizes depending on what you're eating/drinking.  Check out these photos to see exactly what 200 calories looks like.  

The yogurt serving happens to be my favorite, however not all yogurts are created equal.  Make sure you look for some key things when shopping for yogurt.  Beware those hidden sugars and don't fear the fat.  

Weekend Workout Tip

Strength Train!!

Strength training helps build lean muscle tissue which helps keep your body metabolically active.  Muscle uses more energy to keep it active and uses more energy to recover from workouts.  Having more muscle may lead to higher energy demands keeping more metabolism boosting tissue on your body. 

Motivational Monday

"Throughout your life advance daily, becoming more 

skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today. This 

is never-ending."

-Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Get 1% better everyday.  There are always ways in which we can improve in any aspect of our lives.  Never be satisfied, never be complacent.  Always strive for that next level of awesomeness.