Read THIS! So Many Reasons To Love Your FXB Workout | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

  Kickboxing, which includes bag work, burns a ton of calories, up to 750 an hour and maintains a higher calorie burn for several hours after your workout. 

It works red and white muscle fibers and fast and slow twitch muscles. 

 Kickboxing builds core muscle strength and improves posture.  It is an awesome ab workout!  

Kicking is a KILLER glute workout!  FXB cardio kickboxing classes increase energy levels, (after you catch your breath, of course!)  

Since kickboxing requires repeated bursts of explosive movements, it results in a stronger and more efficient heart.  

A regular kickboxing program will improve flexibility and decrease muscle tension.  

Hitting a heavy bag is an unbeatable stress reducer.  A few alternating rounds anyone??

Seeing your improvement in you skill and conditioning level definitely boosts self-confidence.  kickboxing teaches you how to relax and contract your muscles optimally for functional results you will see and feel.  

Kickboxing saves time, since it's a total-body workout that improves strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, cardiovascular, stress reduction and self-defense skills.  

Kickboxing is interval training.  Explosive movement followed by reduced intensity, followed by more explosive movement is great for burning fat.  

You have an arsenal of defense weapons, should you ever need them.  

So many reasons to love FXB and your workout, so many reasons to be proud of yourself and the work you do here!  (as if you needed more reasons...)

c

School Is Out... Headed to the Movie Theater? | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

The aroma hits you as soon as you walk through the doors of any movie theater…popcorn! For many people, a trip to the movies isn't complete without a big tub of buttery popcorn and a giant cup of soda. But if you don’t choose carefully, that treat could be scarier than a Fun Friday bonus pyramid set! 

With a little planning, you can still enjoy a yummy snack that doesn't wreak havoc on your good eating habits. But just how bad could a tub of popcorn be? On average, a large popcorn (which contains 20 cups) boasts a mind-boggling 100 grams of fat—the equivalent of more than six fast food hamburgers. With about 1,300 calories, that large popcorn packs almost a full day’s supply of calories for the average dieter. 

But, I know what you are thinking... What is a movie without popcorn? We suggest eating a healthy snack and a large glass of water before you go so you are not overly hungry.  Order a kid-sized popcorn and skip the added butter. This will ensure you enjoy yourself and your waistline!  

Let's Chat About Nutrition | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

There's a lot of information floating around about what to eat, don't eat this... don't eat that... how much protein to get and when, etc.  Indeed, you should be very mindful of everything you put in your mouth, considering it will be the fuel you need to draw upon during that last 15 minutes of a grueling workout on the bag.  Complete success at the end of a 10-week session means fully incorporating everything in the program, the cardio, strength-training, a rest day and nutrition.  It can be so easy to get caught up in wanting to do everything just right when it comes to food prep and grocery shopping, selecting brands, etc. 

But if the topic of eating and nutrition is leaving you overwhelmed always remember, just keep it SIMPLE!  Keeping it simple can mean a lot of different things to different people.  It can mean you make the same dinner and lunch 4 or 5 days out of the week.  It can also mean sticking to 3 or 4 recipes and rotating them on your calendar, so you are always shopping for the same types of ingredients.  Therefore, you always have the same key ingredients on hand.  It can also mean thinking of portion sizes in terms of proteins the size of your palm, six times a day and carbohydrates the size of your fist, six times a day, in addition to vegetables and water.  It is also important to remember to eat every 2-3 hours, and in general, before you start to feel really hungry.  

If you have a sandwich for lunch, for example, and you use two slices of bread, those two slices are likely bigger than your fist.  Try switching to an open-faced sandwich, with only one slice of bread or swapping the bread with a thinner, lighter whole wheat wrap or lettuce leaf. 

When you are at the grocery store, remember to try and spend more of your time and food budget in the produce and refrigerated sections of the grocery store, where the least processed foods are.  The more preservatives, (chemicals) a food has, the less fuel it will have for your body.  Highly preserved foods are also very hard for your body to digest, further hindering the success you are trying to achieve.  Finding the least preserved foods, is simple too, the shorter the ingredient list, the better.  

Those are just a few tips in keeping your eating "simple."                 

Now this has been a very brief overview on how to think "simple" when choosing foods.  Truly getting into the specifics of nutrition would go on for pages and pages.  Fortunately, for all FXB Members, you have an AWESOME manual, which gives complete information on how to "fuel" your body.  Please take some time and re-visit the manual you got on your first day.  It might take reading through a few times but the benefits are large... At Level 10!  

You Can And You Will! | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

There is no such thing as an overnight success. Anything worth having takes time, determination and discipline.

Keep taking risks, stay in action and don't be afraid to make mistakes. You are a person with a mission. You are working to be the best you can be.

Most people give up because they become impatient. They lose motivation and confidence. That is not you, you are FXB and you are strong.

You will never quit. You will be the one that stays the course and gets the prize. That is who YOU are!!!! Please do not hesitate to talk to your coach or any FXB team member if you have any questions or just need encouragement. As the workouts get harder, you get stronger. Think of how far you have come in these last four weeks. What is hard today will be your warm up in the future.

Keep up the amazing work! You are all living at level 10!

A Superbowl Spread That Will Make You Feel Like a Winner! Twin Cities Health & Fitness

The Super Bowl is coming up Sunday and for many sports fans, it's another holiday, a holiday of eating.  But one afternoon of football-watching should not have to turn into an excuse to overindulge in foods that have little nourishment for your body.  Goals and challenges help keep us motivated and stay on track in the gym.  Try challenging yourself at home during the Super Bowl.  For example, challenge yourself to skipping the potato chips and opt for carrots, celery, and other chopped veggies for your crunch.  If making sandwiches, try wrapping them up in a lighter whole wheat wrap or lettuce leaf.    

Here are just a few examples of foods to set out for your Super Bowl party, taken right from the FXB Cookbook:

Cilantro, black bean & corn salsa

Simple hummus

Grilled chicken avocado wrap

turkey lettuce wrap

cinnamon chips with fruit salsa... just to name a few!

Now, if you have your cheat meal reserved for Super Bowl Sunday... That's great!  It might be a good idea to start with some of these lighter snacks earlier in the day, so that you are not completely ravenous by Super Bowl time.  

Always remember, keep hydrating, even during your cheat meal.  Enjoy your weekend!

What to Eat After Your Workout| Twin Cities Fitness Program

The Purpose of Post FXB Workout Nutrition

The reason the time after your workout is called the “anabolic phase” is pretty simple to understand.  Anabolism refers to the “building” (or even “rebuilding”) of something. Sometimes we try to overcomplicate a healthy lifestyle when, in fact, it can be pretty straightforward.

In the most basic terms, your POST workout meal is the meal that plays the biggest role in supplying your body with everything it will need to repair, replenish, recover and adapt to the kickboxing or band class you just completed.

Specifically, the goal of the POST FXB workout meal is to accomplish the following:

·         Replenish muscle glycogen (the fuel stored in muscles) that was depleted during your workout.

·         Reduce muscle protein breakdown caused by exercise.

·         Increase muscle protein synthesis (the rate at which your body uses protein to rebuild).

·         Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue (who couldn’t use that!).

·         Greatly enhance overall recovery.

·         Reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone that triggers our body to store fat).

How To Do It

To make ALL of the above happen successfully, your body only needs 2 things:

1.    Carbs

2.    Protein

Yes you read correctly, the same 2 things your body needs before your workout are the same 2 things your body benefits from after your workout.

So, your primary goal with your POST FXB workout meal is to consume a significant amount of both carbs and protein in some form soon after your workout.

But, why soon after?

Because, after your workout, your body is  primed and ready to accept protein and carbs so it can immediately begin putting these nutrients to good use doing all of the awesome things you want it to be doing (you know building abs and burning fat).

For those reasons, its most often recommended to consume your post workout meal as soon after your workout as you can.

I don’t mean put-down-the-bands-and-start-eating, or eating while cleaning the bags! However, this meal should ideally be eaten within the first 60 minutes after your workout.

So, your biggest goal with your POST workout meal is to consume a good amount of both protein and carbs sometime within the first 30 minutes after your workout.  Now, when we say "carbs," we are not talking about carbs from foods such as baked goods, sodas, french fries, etc.  You want to choose carbs with the most benefit.  Choose those packed with fiber and non-refined sugars.  Examples of good carbs would be appropriate-sized fruits, veggies and foods containing whole grains. 

As long as you are doing that, you are on the right track and on your way to Living at Level 10!

Great job everyone!

The FXB Andover& New Hope Team

Tips for a Great "After" Photo | FXB Andover & New Hope

The thought of your “after” photo can be a little frightening! You have trained hard in the gym and followed a clean, nutritious diet plan so you are feeling and looking great.  To ensure you get "level 10" results from your after photo, have a look at our top tips:

  

Body Hair... This mostly pertains to the gentlemen...

Body hair has a tendency to hide your muscle definition.  Shaving is the easiest option and you can do it yourself.  Ideally, do this the day before (not on the day of, to avoid any shaving marks or redness).  If wet shaving, use a good shaving oil and a post-shave balm, to reduce irritation. 

Guys, make sure your facial hair is neat and trimmed. Clean-shaved is good for a dramatic after photo.

Tanning

Being that we live in the frozen north, we may not have much color this time of year so a spray tan makes your definition in your muscles stand out. The camera washes you out and makes you look more pale than usual, so you may want to go a shade darker than you think necessary. There are many different methods of tanning.  A professional spray tan is, by far, the easiest, quickest and SAFEST option. You can get a very convincing natural-looking spray tan, which lasts for up to a week to 10 days.  For best results, get a spray tan the day before.

Hair and Makeup

Make sure you get a hair cut. If you’re a guy, shorter hair will make you look bigger and more muscular. Check your look for a neat hairline and no neck hair! If you have short-medium length hair, use a good wax or pomade to style it and hold it in position.

Girls, you may not need a full haircut, but a trim and style can work wonders.  Make sure you go to final testing day with your hair fresh and styled!

Flex!

We want you to be showing off all those newly strengthened muscles!  To get the best results in your photo, you need to practice flexing in the mirror at home!  This may sound silly... but go ahead and practice holding your hands at your hips.  Flex, or squeeze biceps and quads all while squeezing those ab muscles.  It can be difficult.  A little practice at home will make you feel more at ease before the camera clicks on final testing day.

SAY CHEESE!

But the most important thing to remember is to SMILE.  True beauty, confidence and happiness comes from within.  YOU have EARNED this photo and we are proud of all you have done over this past 10 weeks!