start in October
Wanna know how to get a new year’s resolution to stick?? Start in October.
Like - now :)
It's all too common for people to put off healthy habits until the new year, thinking "I'll get it together in January. I’ll wait to start working out regularly. I’ll allow myself to indulge around the holidays. Then I’ll change everything about myself and my lifestyle in the new year. I’ve never been able to do it before, but 2025 feels like my year!” 😂
Sorry my dear, but the likelihood of that panning out is low to quite low.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for enjoying yourself at parties and living your life . . . . that’s not what this is about. This is about not letting the last few months of the year take you down. If you’ve been reading along for a while, you know I’m not suggesting perfection. At all. I’m suggesting you get a head start on your fitness journey now. Don’t wait for January to start feeling better!
There are 12 weeks left in 2024. If you work out 3 days/week for the rest of the year, you’ll get 36 workouts in before January. Imagine how different the beginning of 2025 would feel for you! Taking action today, rather than waiting for a new year's resolution, is the best way to make real, lasting change.
Need some help getting started? Grab our New Member Special - 2 weeks of unlimited classes for $25!
let’s start 2025 feeling GOOD!
it won’t happen overnight
We live in a world of instant gratification. Anything you want to watch can be streamed, anything you want to eat can be delivered to your doorstep, anything you want to learn can be googled, and so on. And I’ll tell ya, it’s quite nice 🤷♀️
Getting used to this can be a slippery slope though, because some things still take time. And yes, you guessed it - I’m talking about fitness. Unfortunately for our somewhat spoiled society, it takes time to get fit. Whether your goal is to lose body fat, build muscle, improve cardiovascular health, get out of pain, or live longer . . . . . it will not happen overnight.
Real fitness progress takes time. You might not see results day to day or even week to week, and this can be frustrating - I get it! But don’t let that be your excuse to quit. Keep at it, even when you don’t feel like it and even when it doesn’t seem like it’s working. Because it is. A year from now you’ll be so happy you listened to me 😉
It won’t happen overnight. But if you quit, it won’t happen at all.
Need some help with your results? Grab our New Member Special and come workout with us! We’ll help keep you accountable on those days you don’t feel like showing up.
recovery = results
Recovery. Not a very sexy topic, but one that’s essential if you want to see results from your training. It’s easy to overlook rest and recovery when you’re super motivated, feeling great, and eager to reach your goals . . . but it’s necessary for long-term success and sustainable results.
What actually happens when you rest?
Every time you engage in intense exercise, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers. This may sound alarming, but it’s not! It’s part of the natural growth process. When you rest, your body repairs these tears, making your muscles stronger and more resilient. While it may sound counterintuitive, you don’t build muscle in the gym - you build it when you rest.
What happens if you don’t rest?
This happens a lot when people begin their fitness journey. They get so excited and addicted to how great they feel from working out (which is FANTASTIC!) that they don’t want to stop. They worry that if they take one day off they’ll fall off the wagon completely and will have to start all over.
But if you don’t rest, it can lead to:
Decreased Performance: fatigued muscles can’t perform at their best, limiting your ability to push harder in your next workout. You won’t see many gains if you can never push it.
Injury: repetitive stress on muscles and joints without adequate recovery can lead to strains, pulls, tears, and all the other injuries that can leave you hobbling around and miserable.
Burnout: if you keep at anything that hard for that long, you’ll eventually burnout. Motivation does not last forever unfortunately.
How often should you rest? This can vary, but most people do well with 1-2 rest days per week. I personally feel my best with two rest days each week.
This doesn’t mean you need to sit on the couch and eat cheetos a couple days a week - although I could get down with that too 😛 You can still move on your rest days, you just want to take it easy. Walking, mobility work, and gentle yoga are great rest day activities if you can’t hold still.
Recovery isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. You’re not lazy for taking a day off, and you’re not going to lose everything you’ve built. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Need some help with rest? Grab our New Member Special and come workout with us! We’ll help you with your weekly workout schedule so you’ll be looking and feeling your best in no time.
balancing HIIT, strength training, and cardio
This is a question that comes up a lot! How often should you be doing HIIT, strength training, and steady state cardio each week?
Let’s start by breaking down each modality.
HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training
HIIT is a method of training that alternates short periods of all-out intensity with longer periods of recovery. Think :20-:30 of an all out sprint followed by :60-:90 of rest.
HIIT has wonderful benefits if done in proper doses. For most people, 1-2 HIIT sessions per week is plenty. If the volume gets much higher than that, joints won’t be happy and the body can actually start to have a negative response.
Somewhere along the line people got obsessed with HIIT and feel they need to do it all the time. In fact, many group fitness studios only offer HIIT and want their members to train there 5 days/week! Aye aye aye.
Do I hate HIIT? No. (actually yes, personally I have to force myself to do it HA but that’s beside the point) I do hate to see people waste their precious training time on it when they could be getting better results elsewhere though.
Strength Training
Properly loaded and well-executed weight baring exercises are the preferred foundation of physical fitness. Not just for body builders, athletes, or meat heads - for everyone. Weights and reps will vary depending on the movement and fitness level of the individual, but muscles should be challenged to near failure (sometimes to actual failure) with adequate rest between sets.
So that group fitness class that involves 700 reps of random weighted exercises for an hour straight is not strength training. That’s cardio with weights, it’s not NEARLY as beneficial as true strength training, and it’s mislabeled. I’m sorry I said it!
When completed with good technique and full range of motion, strength training:
Builds and maintains muscle, strength, and power
Improves bone density
Protects joints
Supports fat loss
Builds self confidence
The list goes on . . . . .
We recommend at least 2 solid strength training workouts per week, with 3 being optimal.
Steady State Cardio
“Steady state” cardio refers to low/moderate intensity cardio at longer durations. This could be a 20-60 minute incline walk or elliptical sesh; or 2-5 minute intervals on a rower or bike at a moderate intensity level followed by a shorter rest. The idea is to keep your heart rate around 60-70% of your max. You should finish a steady state cardio workout with a nice sweat, slightly elevated heart rate, and an energy boost.
When done in the appropriate volume for one’s goals and fitness, steady state cardio can improve heart health, recovery, and cognition. 1-2 sessions per week works well for most people.
There ya have it. Hope you find this rundown helpful!
Ready to get the best results from your training program? Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for $25!
Our weekly class schedule is set up so that you can get everything I mentioned above without having to think about it. Just show up and we’ll take care of the rest!
Monday - Strength Training
Tuesday - Steady State Cardio
Wednesday - Strength Training
Thursday - HIIT
Friday - Strength Training
Saturday - HIIT
Sunday - Steady State Cardio
fitness through tough times
Last weekend a friend of mine from home passed away. Needless to say, these last few days have been pretty sad. There are a lot of rough emotions out there, but “sad” is one of the worst if you ask me. Life must go on, and you can’t let things take you down - but it can be hard. Really hard.
One thing that has been there for me through this tough time, and is always there for me. . . is my fitness. I know that if I can just get myself to class, I’ll feel better. And when you feel like dog doo doo, you need to do as many things as you can to feel better.
I’m not talking about walking into a gym alone and depending on yourself to get a great workout. This works for some people - but not me. Knowing that I have a trusted training program, coach, and supportive community at the gym waiting for me every day is what I need. Am I plugging my own business big time right now? Haha yes, I am indeed! Because I believe in it and it’s there for me through the good times and the bad - and it can be for you too.
Even if it’s not at Heat, having a consistent relationship with fitness will save you in many ways. You already know the physical benefits (if you don’t, check out my other blog posts!) Strength, cardiovascular health, improved bone density, and longevity to name a few. The emotional and mental benefits are just as powerful though. Every workout is a chance to boost self confidence, enhance your mood, and reduce stress. Like a non-pharmaceutical anti-depressant :)
So no matter how you’re feeling today, prioritize exercise. And beyond that, prioritize intelligent training with a trusted professional. It’s so important.
anti aging secret - MUSCLE!
Our society is obsessed with anti aging. We spend a lot of time, energy, and money trying to retain our youth. And no shame from me, I have a very regimented skincare routine myself!
But did you know that in addition to regular facials and $$$$ skincare products, muscle mass can also help you look and feel younger?! Here’s how:
Better Skin
Building muscle improves skin elasticity, structure, and dermal thickness (1), reducing the appearance of those fine lines and wrinkles we spend so much time worrying about. Building muscle mass reduces oxidative stress in the body, which causes physical signs of aging (2). More muscle = younger looking skin.
Body Composition (aka: look better naked)
Muscle mass gives us the strong, defined, “toned” look that many of us are after. Increased skeletal muscle mass improves insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake (3) as well, reducing risk of diabetes, inflammation, pain, and many other health issues that can cause people to look and feel older.
Mood and Energy Booster
There are many ways lifting weights will improve your mood, but I’ll leave you with two today:
Better sleep! Resistance training has been proven to improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety and depression (4).
This is a fun one: increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (5).
WTF is BDNF and why does it matter? When BDF levels are high, learning new information is easier, memories are easily accessed, pain sensitivity is decreased, and anxiety and depression are massively reduced. The higher the better my friend!
There are so many benefits to strength training, many of which you’ve heard me talk about here before. And now we get to add anti aging to the list? If you haven’t gotten in the weight room yet, maybe this will be just the kick in the butt you need :)
Ready to start lifting? Join us! Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for just $25!
I’ll workout when I have more free time.
I’ll get to the gym when:
things slow down at work
all my travel is done
I have more free time
These are things I hear quite often. And I get it. Sometimes life is so crazy it’s really tough to squeeze in workouts. Exercising can feel like a luxury you just don’t have time for. One that you genuinely plan to tackle when life slows down.
But there’s two big reasons why this mindset won’t serve you well in the long run.
#1. You’re always going to be busy.
I don’t know a single human being that isn’t busy. Are some of us more busy than others? Do kids play a big role in time management and flexibility? Yes of course! But you my dear reader - you’re smart, successful, and always trying to get better. So I hate to break it to you, but you’re probably not going to get less busy 🤷♀️
#2. If you wait until you have free time to workout, you’ll stop as soon as life gets busy again.
It seems perfectly logical to wait until you have free time to start. But when do you consistently have free time? I’m guessing your answer is -rarely-
Learning to get your workouts in even when it’s hard will ensure you stick with it long term, not just when it’s convenient for your schedule.
Once you’re working out consistently for a few months, it will become part of your normal routine, your normal (BUSY) life. So as loco as it may sound, the ideal time to start is when you’re busy. Master the most challenging version first, then the rest will feel like cake.
Need some help getting started? Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for $25! We’d love to workout with you.
WE’RE HALFWAY THROUGH 2024!
And just like that, we’re halfway through the year. Hard to believe right?
Personally, this is my favorite time of year. I LOVE summer. Beach, pool, vacation, I’m there. So trust me, I’m not trying to rain on your summer parade. . . . . but it’s a great time to reflect. Where have you been this year and where are you headed? Are you on track with those goals you so diligently set for yourself in January?
If you are, then hell ya! Good for you. Keep on truckin.
If not, that’s also ok. You have 6 more months to make a shift and I think you can do it.
NO ENERGY TO WORKOUT?
Don’t feel like working out? I get it. Sometimes you need a few days off, maybe a week off, or even longer in some cases. But what happens when you take too much time off? When the couch becomes your bestie and the thought of going to the gym fills you with dread? You’ll have even LESS energy and motivation to get to the gym than you did before!
A body at rest remains at rest and a body in motion remains in motion until an outside force steps in. It’s Newton’s Law my friend and it doesn’t only apply to outer space, it applies to human physiology as well :)
If you have no energy to work out, working out will give you more energy to work out. No, that was not a typo 😂
Those first couple workouts back will be tough, but once you get going you’ll wonder why you ever quit.
RANDOM WORKOUTS VS. A TRAINING PROGRAM
While popping into random, spontaneous workouts can be entertaining; there’s no substitute for an intelligent training program. If you want to see results in the gym, sticking to a training program is crucial.
Structured Progression:
A smart training program is designed to provide a clear path of progression. It ensures that you’re gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts in a way that’s sustainable and safe. You should know what you’re working on and see improvements from the first week of a program vs. the last week.
Avoid Overtraining and Injury:
Randomly increasing your workout intensity or volume can lead to overtraining, which increases the risk of injury. A well-designed program includes planned rest and recovery, allowing your body the time it needs to repair and build strength. This balance helps you stay healthy and continue progressing without throwing your back out (or worse!)
Tracking Your Progress:
Any solid training program will require you to track your progress along the way. How will you know you’ve improved by the end if you don’t know where you started? Ya won’t. Recording your weights, reps, and how you feel over time will also help your trainer make necessary adjustments as you go.
Consistency and Discipline:
If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, then you already know how imperative consistency and discipline are to success in the gym. You gotta show up even when you don’t want to sometimes, and on some days that takes serious discipline. It’s a lot easier to skip a workout when there’s not one scheduled. If you’re on a smart program, you know exactly what you’re supposed to do and when you’re supposed to do it.
I’m not saying there’s no room for a spontaneous, random workout from time to time if you enjoy it. If you want to get your cardio in through a trampoline class, a choreographed dance routine on a spin bike, or anything else you like - have at it! But when it comes to your strength training, you need to stick to a program if you want to see results. And you deserve results!
Ready to get on a smart training program? Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for $25! Let us do the programming for you, we’re pretty darn good at it :)
YOU ARE THE SUM OF YOUR DECISIONS
In the grand scheme of life, it’s the small, seemingly inconsequential decisions that often hold the greatest power. Every choice we make, from the mundane to the monumental, contributes to the way our life plays out. We are the sum of our decisions.
I think most of us realize the power of the big decisions we make - our jobs, where we live, who we attach ourselves to, etc. But what about the small ones? Every day we make hundreds of decisions that affect our trajectory.
Every day most of us have the choice to:
eat nutritious, nourishing foods or eat junk that makes us feel like crap
sit on our butts or move our bodies
order takeout or cook at home
scroll IG or get to the gym
. . . . . . these are just a few that are specific to fitness! There are so many more choices we’re faced with on a daily basis.
If you want to change anything about your life - how you feel, look, perform, etc. - you have to change your ways. You can’t expect to continue making the same decisions you always have and suddenly get different results.
Is it easy to make healthy choices all the time? Absolutely not. And am I saying you have to make the healthy choice 100% of the time? No! I don’t even think that’s possible. Just remember that you are a culmination of the choices you make. So if you’re ALWAYS letting yourself off the hook or making excuses for yourself, you’ll continue down the same path. And maybe you’re ok with that. . . but if not, start paying attention to the decisions you make every day.
It’s the little things that add up.
Small changes = big results!
HAVE YOU HIT A PLATEAU?
When we first embark on a fitness journey, we see results FAST. If you go from sitting on the couch to working out, or from eating everything in sight to eating say only half of everything in sight . . . . your body will react, and probably pretty quickly!
Same goes for switching things up. Many people see immediate results when they start a new training or nutrition program. Your body responds to new stimuli, so anytime you change your input (for better or worse) you’ll probably see noticeable changes.
Once you find a high-quality training program and your body starts to adapt to it, the rate of your progress will eventually slow down. Does that mean you’ve hit a “plateau” and need to change things up? Absolutely not.
No weight loss for a week is not a ‘‘plateau.”
No strength gains for a week is not a ‘‘plateau.”
No visible progress for a week is not a “plateau.”
It’s all part of the process.
So please, please, please! If you don’t see results for one week, don’t start a whole new fitness routine, don’t starve yourself, don’t start working out multiple times a day. And pretty please don’t give up and quit altogether.
Stick with it and be patient. Progress takes time, commitment, and discipline. Keep going. When you look back a year from now, you’ll be so happy you did!
Need help finding a high-quality training program? Join us! Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for $25.
Want a trainer all to yourself? We offer personal training as well! Get more info here.
DON’T LET YOUR WEEKENDS DERAIL YOUR PROGRESS
Spring is in full effect! Warm weather got you ready to partaaaaaaaaaaay?
beach trips ✅
drinks on the patio ✅
pool days ✅
This time of year makes it difficult to stay on track. Perhaps you find sticking to your fitness/healthy eating routines attainable Monday-Thursday, but then Friday starts a 3-day indulgence extravaganza that leaves you feeling like @ss on Monday morning.
Sound familiar? No judgement, happens to the best of us.
There are a couple things that are likely happening here.
YOU'RE BEING TOO RESTRICTIVE DURING THE WEEK
Most people only have so much self control. If you're not allowing yourself certain foods during the week - especially foods you love - there is a strong likelihood that eventually you'll binge TF out of them. For example: you love dessert but don't allow yourself any during the week because you're being "good." Then Saturday night one bowl of ice cream turns into an entire tub real quick.
You'd be better off eating a small bowl of ice cream every night. That way you avoid eating so much at once that you feel ill, inside and out.
YOU'RE DRINKING TOO MUCH
Sorry, I said it. And I'm not judging you - I love a good cocktail! But if you're drinking multiple days per week, it's going to be really difficult to meet your fitness goals.
While drinking obviously adds extra calories to your daily intake, it's not just that. Most people's eating habits change drastically while they're drinking and of course the next day. Do you come home and indulge in some late night broccoli? Is your go-to hangover meal grilled fish, rice, and vegetables? 🤢 I think not.
YOU’RE BEING INCONSISTENT
In order to continue progressing in your fitness journey, your body needs consistency. Consistently getting to the gym and consistently nourishing our body.
Under-eating Monday through Thursday then blowing it out of the water Friday through Sunday will probably result in an overall caloric surplus (which can cause weight gain) AND probably leave you feeling like crap for about half the week. If you feel like crap, you probably won't have the best workouts . . . . or might even miss them altogether.
And that my darling, is not what I want for you.
I want you to reap all the benefits of working out, I want you feeling your best all day every day.
PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS OVER YOUR MOODS
One of the most important keys to progress in the gym is prioritizing your goals over your moods.
Whether your goal is to lose body fat, build strength, look better naked, or anything in between . . . if you rely solely on your moods to get you to the gym everyday, you probably won't be hitting that PR anytime soon :(
I don't know about you, but I don't always FEEL like working out. Sometimes I want to continue whatever it is I'm working on, sometimes I'm cranky, and sometimes I'm just downright lazy 🤷♀️ But if I skipped my workout every time I wasn't feeling it, I'd be a lot less fit than I am now - and that doesn't align with my goals.
So next time you're wavering on getting into the gym or not, instead of asking yourself "do I feel like it?" ask "who do I want to be tomorrow?" And hopefully that will steer you in the right direction.
Enthusiasm fluctuates, but consistent action accumulates.
goals > moods
WHY WE LACK SELF CONFIDENCE
A lot of people struggle with self esteem, and for many reasons.
Maybe we grew up hearing criticism from family members, teachers, or coaches. Perhaps we internalized and believed things about ourselves for so long that they're hard to change. This stuff can run deep.
At the highest level though, the most common source of perpetually low self esteem in adults is not keeping your word to yourself.
If you keep saying you're going to work out, eat better, go to bed early, get your steps in, etc, etc. and you don't actually do it, you continuously let yourself down. Each time this happens your self confidence takes a hit.
So how do we change this?
We start doing what we say we're going to do when we say we're going to do it.
We become reliable. Not just reliable to others, which is very powerful; but reliable to ourselves. Each time we do what we say we're going to do is a small victory until eventually we're proud of the person that we are.
Start keeping your commitments to yourself and watch how your world starts to change. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)
TURN IT ALL AROUND WITH JUST ONE STEP
You know something amazing about fitness? You can spend years trashing your body . . . . eating like crap, not moving enough, getting poor sleep . . . . and you can turn it all around with just ONE step in the right direction.
One healthy meal.
One walk.
One workout.
One good night sleep.
One healthy choice can completely change your wellness trajectory.
The human body is extremely resilient. People can spend years, even decades in poor health and then reverse it with consistent effort.
Whether you've fallen off for weeks, months, or years - you can get back on track. Start with one healthy choice. You'll not only feel better physically, but you'll be proud of yourself too - and THAT might be more powerful than anything.
4 WAYS TO MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS OTHER THAN THE SCALE
It's super common for people to use weight loss as the only measure of success when it comes to their workouts.
This way of thinking can be harmful for many reasons! Exercise has so many amazing benefits besides some arbitrary number on a scale.
If any of these apply to you, then your workouts are working, whether the scale changes or not.
You're getting stronger. You can lift more weight, do more reps, or do exercises you weren't able to do before.
You're feeling more energized and productive throughout the day. Your brain is firing at work and you're not hitting that 2pm wall like you used to.
Your clothes fit differently. This is a great sign you're losing fat and/or gaining muscle!
You feel more confident. Whether it's carrying heavy groceries/dog food/children/etc. or playing pickleball with your friends, you can handle it!
Let's learn to celebrate these victories and keep showing up even if the number on the scale isn't dropping.
IF I FOLLOW THE 80/20 RULE, I’LL BE GOOD RIGHT?
You've likely heard about the 80/20 rule when it comes to health and fitness. According to this rule, as long as you stay consistent 80% of the time, you can still make progress towards your goals.
While staying consistent can mean different things for different people, let's focus on the basics. The things most people need to be nailing to reach their goals:
Working out 3-5 days/week
Getting 7,000-10,000 steps per day
Eating about 1g of protein per pound of body weight per day
Sleeping 7-9 hours a night (sometimes this is not possible with little ones in the house)
Drinking enough water
If we're following the 80/20 rule, we're achieving these basics 80% of the time.
If there are 30 days in a month, 80% consistent means you'd be on point at least 24 of those 30 days. That's . . . . a lot of days.
My point here isn't to make you feel bad if you're not being 80% consistent. My point is that 80% might be more than you think. So if you feel like you're consistent 80% of the time and not seeing the results you desire, you might need to take a closer look at your consistency rate.
You can still make progress at lower consistencies, it will just take longer. And for some, that might be totally fine! Just make sure you're honest with yourself about where you are and where you want to be.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING JACKED
We're getting a little sciencey today!
You've heard me talk about the general benefits of strength training before, and while those still hold true. . . today I want to dive a little deeper.
Research shows that muscle mass is positively associated with various health biomarkers and longevity. (1)
One of the most obvious benefits of having muscle mass is protection against fragility. As we age, injuries are much more difficult to recover from. Most of us know someone that was never the same after they fell and broke their hip :( Muscle mass serves as a protective barrier around your bones and joints, so the more you have the better your body will handle injuries as you age. (2)
If you're thinking, "Meg - I'm young! This doesn't apply to me." Well, you won't be a spring chicken forever and you don't have to be a grandparent to hurt yourself. Develop your healthy, strong habits now and thank me later :)
Research also shows that higher muscle mass is positively related to insulin sensitivity. WTH does that mean and why should you care? Generally speaking, if you are insulin sensitive, your body's cells are able to effectively use glucose as energy and lower your blood sugar to healthy levels after you eat. If you are insulin resistant, it takes much more insulin to reduce your blood sugar after eating which can be very taxing on your body. So taxing that it can lead to Type 2 Diabetes, inflammation, and other chronic illnesses. (3)
So in addition to the many strength training benefits you've heard before, now we can add living longer with lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes and other life-altering illnesses to the list.
I don't know about you, but I'm trying to stay healthy as long as possible. Life is hard enough without being chronically ill!
Stay strong and live long my friend.
CONSISTENCY ≠ PERFECTION
Many people think that being consistent means they can never fall off track. That they have to nail their workouts, nutrition, water intake, steps, and a million other things 100% of the time.
But that, my friend - is not consistency. That's perfection. And perfection is not realistic.
Consistency means staying on track most of the time, but more importantly. . . . getting back on track immediately when you fall off. Whether you fall off intentionally or not, being committed to getting back to business asap is what drives consistency.
Being consistent is about persistency, not perfection.
So next time you fall off (because you're human and you will) try not to beat yourself up over it. Do your best to avoid the "F it, I already feel like crap - who cares if I make it worse" downhill spiral. Get back to your plan and keep pushing. Until the next time you fall off 😬 then rinse and repeat!