Andover and New Hope FXB

H2O!!!!!

Yes, water, water and more WATER!!! We hear this all the time, we know we should.. but ARE you drinking enough water and EVERYDAY?

We know the benefits... and there are a PLENITUDE of them. Water helps all the body organs properly function, it flushes toxins our of the body, increases your metabolism, keeps skin moisturized and taut, helps to keep you feeling full, gives you more energy... the list goes on and on.

So, now to help you REMEMBER to keep drinking enough:

Probably the biggest tip to staying ahead of the water game is to have water at your bedside table first thing when you wake up. Drink a good portion before you even get out of bed and definitely before you eat breakfast. If you are a coffee drinker in the morning, tell yourself that you must first drink a glass of water before you allow yourself that coffee. Same goes with lunch, dinner and in-between snacks.

Have the tools handy, to help you WANT to drink the water. Sometimes, simply always having a pack of water bottles on hand helps people grabbing water one by one and keeping that momentum going. Some might have a favorite water bottle that they prefer to always fill up. Having a refillable filtered water pitcher is a great idea for keeping at your desk during the day.

Make deals with yourself. If you reach your hydration goal for the evening, then you can feel confident with that last snack of the night you consume.

There are even apps for keeping track of how much water you are drinking!!

Whatever your trick is... stay focused! The list of benefits is too long to not take this challenge!

Sale on Your Favorite Protein Bars!

I don't know about you, but we here at Andover and New Hope Farrell's FXB are busy. Between work, family, working out and having some fun, we don't exactly have a lot of spare time. We all know how hard we work in the gym, and busy we are in our daily lives, but we do not want to undo all of this work because we forget to pack a lunch, or have to travel for work or shuttle the kids around. Quest bars are a great time-saving solution for our busy lives. Quest bars are like nothing else available. They are not loaded with sugar or chemicals, and they taste great.

We will be offering our buy 5 get 1 free promotion again tomorrow July 12th in Andover. So, whether you are a new 10-weeker or a FXB FIT member these bars can be a part of the healthy lifestyle we strive for at FXB.

That Dreaded "Plateau," or Stall, Needing a Re-Start?

Ugh, the dreaded plateau!

We’ve all been there. Whether we’re trying to lose weight or add muscle, it is inevitable, that we will hit that point in our progress where everything seems to stall.

Do any of these sound familiar?

“I’ve been losing weight for months, and yet I’ve been stuck the past two weeks despite doing all of the same stuff, what gives!?”

“I’ve been adding a medicine ball to my squats and sit-ups , but this week I feel like I could do less than before!

“I’ve been kicking harder and pushing myself harder than ever before, but I do not seem to be making any changes!”

So... these dreaded plateaus... Are they real? What happens when you get stuck on one? How can you break through?

Plateaus: it’s game over for you, we are going to kick it up to Level 10!

OK FXB’ers, what is a plateau? A plateau occurs when you stall out on progress despite continuing to do “all of the right things,” including eating right, exercising properly, getting adequate rest, etc.

Our bodies go from losing weight consistently to getting stuck at a certain number (so frustrating!), or we go from building muscle and getting stronger, to having a week or two where we can’t seem to band up.

We call this point in our FXB journey “The Plateau,” and we don’t like being stuck on them.

We humans (especially FXB members) are happier when we make progress. When we work hard for something and don’t see progress, we get unhappy.

When you feel you've plateaued, you really have to ask yourself:

“Have you REALLLLLLLLY plateaued? REALLY?”

In a strong majority of the cases, plateaus are really just issues with concentration in disguise. Before you think you’re stuck, or in a plateau, consider the following:

1) Track your meals for the next few days. Oftentimes we think we are being meticulous, until we realize that after a few weeks of eating great we’ve started slacking. For women, a big issue is not eating ENOUGH calories! Rededicate yourself for two weeks, track your meals, and see if progress picks back up!

2) How are your workouts…REALLY? If you are weeks or months into a workout plan, I bet the initial luster of “NEW! PROGRESS! WINNING!” has worn off. Have you been skipping that last rep, or not pushing yourself at Level 10? I know when I hit a plateau at the gym, it’s generally because I haven’t been pushing myself as hard as I had been previously. Make notes about your workouts diligently for two weeks and see if these changes kick you back on track.

3) Are you getting enough sleep?…REALLY? This is one that most people skip out on. They are exercising, eating right, but for whatever reason they’ve been slacking on their sleep. We all know sleep is important; lack of sleep leads to increased levels of stress, less time for our bodies to rebuild muscle, to recover from strenuous activity, and more. I know that if I didn’t get a good night’s sleep, then my performance in the gym the next day will suffer.

Track yourself for two weeks then ask yourself if you are really getting quality sleep, nutrition, and exercise? In many cases we think we’re stuck, but with a little focus we can break the plateau and continue on the path to a healthier lifestyle!

I hope this helps!

-Amy

Thoughts While Nearing the End of This 10 Weeks

Congratulations!

By now you should be experiencing some pretty incredible results in both your physique and how you feel. Remember day one? I sure do. Your body fat is probably at it’s all-time lowest, and your overall fitness is through the roof. Feeling like you can win this FXB 10 week challenge? That is the attitude! Remember that this is a lifestyle and you have been living it for the past 10 weeks! But before you go and snap that winning “after” shot, use our advice on how to make your after photo the most impressive. And no, it does not involve Photoshop!

Here are a few ways to get the best after photo:

Now is the time to really drop carbs. Because of the FXB eating plan, you’re already eating a lower-carb diet. However, the last few days before your photo shoot day, it’s time to really cut carbs in an effort to deplete your body’s glycogen levels. Glycogen is a fancy name for what carbs get converted to when you eat them. They are stored in your muscles for doing right rounds, chasing busy kids, and even used when opening a bottle of wine…..just saying! Whether it’s the starch from bread and potatoes, or the sugars in fruits, your body converts these carbs into the sugar, glucose. Glucose can be burned for immediate fuel, and it can be stored in muscles and the liver for later use. To store glucose, the body connects glucose molecules into a long chain, known as glycogen.

When you reduce the amount of carbs you are eating, your body responds by burning fat for fuel. This is exactly what we want to be burning! Also it is very important to reduce the amount of sodium that you are taking in. Many processed foods and seasonings are loaded with sodium so watch for that! Drink lots of water, and I mean lots, this will reduce the retention of water in your body and help get rid of any bloat you may be feeling. Then as you get closer to the final day cut back on water a little and you will be feeling great!

So... Saturday is the big day! Get a good night’s sleep and remember to relax. You have worked so hard and we are so proud of each and every FXB Member. You have just accomplished your first step in gaining better health and living at level 10! But, the journey is not over. Did you know that almost all of our 10-weekers stay on and become FIT members?

On behalf of the entire FXB team and all of the FIT Members, we are truly honored that you have become part of FXB, and I want to personally invite you to become one of our FIT family. Life is beautiful and meant to be enjoyed in a fit and healthy body. You have taken the first step by becoming a 10-weeker, now we encourage you to become FIT Members. Just wait and see what another 10 weeks can do for your mind, body and soul.

You are strong, you are…..FXB!

--Amy