Sweat is Good!

Working out is never easy, but it is worth it! Let's talk about what it feels like to go to the gym. You wake up, you hit snooze (if you are a morning 'worker outer'). You dread getting out of your warm bed to go out into the cold to drive to the gym to workout.

But, what motivates you is the feeling you get after the workout!
The achievement of something good accomplished for your day. Not to mention the endorphins and positive energy churning through your body during the workout and after the workout.

You feel great about yourself the rest of the day. You did what was good and healthy for your body!

Remember that when you hit the snooze too much. Hit it once, then hit the ground and get to the gym! Your body and mind will benefit.

Here's some more fun facts to get you even more motivated to workout:
Thanks WebMD for the tips!

1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower
Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function.
"Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity,"

2. Movement Melts Away Stress"Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He says it also helps elevate your mood and keep depression at bay.

3. Exercise Gives You EnergyYou might be surprised at how, say, popping into the gym for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise, "you feel much more energized the rest of the day."

4. Fitness Can Help Build RelationshipsThink of what exercising with a partner can do for a relationship, whether it's with a spouse, a sibling, or a friend you used to go to lunch with once a week.

5. Helps you sleep better
Although it may seem like common sense knowledge, studies linking regular exercise and improved sleep patterns are fairly recent. These studies have shown that moderate to vigorous 20- to 30-minute workouts three to four times a week help you sleep better.

Anytime Fitness Farragut thanks you for reading our blog post today. We are your gym in Farragut and the Knoxville area to lose weight, find a personal trainer, and get in shape!

4 Tips For Keeping Fit Through The Holidays

Stays Fit During Holidays!

Without fail, the gym always seems the MOST popular hang-out right after Thanksgiving and New Years to get back into shape and make up for the compromised fitness routine. Think about it. We all indulge a little bit more than usual and feel the detrimental effects the day after.  We then try to make it all right by putting in some extra time at the gym.

Don’t get me wrong. The holidays are a time to celebrate and enjoy the company of friends and family.  It’s only natural that delicious food and beverages play a big role in these gatherings.

But let’s face it. You just ate enough to feed a small army. And when the dust settled, you realized that maybe they weren’t crazy when they told you that you CAN have too much of a good thing.

Let’s try to take a more strategic approach… preventing the damage BEFORE you enjoy the moment.

Here are a few quick tips that will avoid having your trainer send you to boot camp after the holidays.

1. Control your carbs, soldier!
There are various studies that show you should keep your insulin at low levels all day, then raise them at night.  Try eating predominantly healthy fats and protein for breakfast and lunch. Examples are whole eggs, egg whites, turkey bacon, olive oil, coconut oil, lean beef and tons of vegetables. Limit your fruits to low glycemic ones like blueberries, apples, peaches or strawberries.
Keeping insulin low through the beginning part of the day will allow your body to burn fat more efficiently. Once the afternoon or evening comes and it’s time to indulge, go for it!

2. Remember to move
Combat your huge meal with a brief walk around the block shortly after. For many people (myself included), it’s easy to go to the couch and nap away or watch some of the game. But a 5-10 minute brisk walk can have many positive effects, ranging from helping digestion to activating your body’s fat burning system.

3. Squeeze some lemon
Have food items that will cap or stabilize blood sugar levels, such as lemon.  There’s a good reason many restaurants offer lemon with water. Lemon has been known to put a perimeter around blood sugar levels when taken before meals.  If you don’t like lemon, try some cinnamon (I like it dashed on some plain yogurt) or vinegar (on a salad).  These can help keep insulin in check, which can limit the amount of fat you’ll store.

4. Eat your breakfast
Make sure to eat a healthy breakfast! So many times, I’ve had clients believe that skipping meals will ultimately result in fat loss. Quite the opposite. Eating a breakfast full of proteins and healthy fats can help kick-start your metabolism, help you feel full throughout the day, and give you the energy you need to perform. My ultimate breakfast is egg whites, chicken or tuna and a greens shake made by blending kale/spinach, cocoa powder (unsweetened), 1 scoop of all natural peanut butter, ginger, coconut oil, blueberries and cinnamon.  The cocoa powder really brings it all together.

5. Try 4-minute HIIT
Tabata is a type of High Intensity Training that has come into vogue recently. It’s a quick, 4-minute workout where you “work” for 20 seconds, then “rest” for 10 seconds.  Repeat 8x, for a total of 4 minutes. Generally speaking, it’s not long enough to truly constitute a full workout, but it can have some nice fat burning effects for the rest of your day.  Below is an 8-minute workout.  Try doing both parts, but if you want to stick to the 4 minutes, just pick one movement or the other.

1.     Burpees for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds: 8x
2.     Rest for 30 seconds.
3.     Air-squat for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds: 8x

Happy Holidays!


Anytime Fitness Farragut thanks you for reading our blog post today. We are your place in Farragut and the Knoxville area to lose weight, find a personal trainer, and get in shape!

Enter to Win a Trip to Hawaii or $5k cash!

As part of our anniversary celebrations this year, we are offering one lucky customer a trip to Hawaii or $5,000 cash! ENTER HERE: http://giveaway.anytimefitness.com today for a chance to win!

How Does It Work?
This is a referral giveaway program and it's very simple: members and non-members can enter our Hawaiian Giveaway Sweepstakes by signing up and sharing! The more friends you get to sign on social media, the more your chances to win!

Step 1: Register your email here http://giveaway.anytimefitness.com.

Step 2: You will be prompted to share our special "Join for $1" on October 7 offer with your friends!

Step 3: Share with as many friends as possible to increase your chances of winning! Remember: Referred friends do not need to join in order for your member’s entries to be valid.

The winner will be notified by October 21, 2014 and will have the option to select a five-night all-expense paid trip for two to Hawaii OR win $5,000..

Good luck and Happy sharing!

Notes:
a) This giveaway is open to the 50 United States and District of Columbia, as well as Canada (excluding Quebec).
b) There is no alternate way for members to be entered into the giveaway. They must register online at http://giveaway.anytimefitness.com.
c) The sweepstakes page will go live at midnight, September 22 and will end at 11:59PM on October 7.

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5 Simple Rules To Maintain a Healthy Diet

You can't go a day without hearing someone talk about a new diet or new superfood. With so much information, it can be confusing. But, food and nutrition shouldn't be rocket science. It's actually simple; eat whole foods and listen to your body.
 
I'm not perfect. I've struggled with finding a balance in my diet. But as a runner and food lover, I've discovered a few things that have worked for me and would like to share my experiences with you.

1) Eat What You Want

If you're craving a burger, go ahead and eat it. Well it's not that simple.
If you decided to eat a burger, opt for a healthier option. Why not make your burger at home instead of going to a fast food restaurant. Use turkey meat instead of ground beef. Choosing a healthier variation is generally a good rule of thumb.

2) Eat When You Want

Just because your lunch break is at noon doesn't mean you must adhere to eating at that specific time. If you're hungry at 10:00 a.m., and your snack isn't going to cut it, then go ahead and eat your lunch. Will you use the excuse, "Oh but then I'll want dinner really early."? Not a problem. Eat dinner earlier. The 'food-time fairy' isn't going to punish you if you don't eat at exactly 7:00 p.m. The bottom line is to listen to your body and eat when you're hungry.

3) Portion Control

Portions aren't so easy to decipher. That half rack of ribs on your plate, with a side of mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies isn't a single serving. But, you don't want to let it all go to waste, right? You don't have to let it go to waste. Ask for a to-go box. Eat half of your meal and save the rest for the next day.

4) Rewarding Yourself

Stop rewarding yourself with food. Runners tend to be an entitled bunch when it comes to food. They finish a run and reward themselves with food. Many times I hear this, "I ran 3 miles; surely I can eat this bucket of wings." Not so fast. Find a new reward. How about a foot massage? Eat to run, don't run to eat.

5) You are What You Eat

You've heard it before and you'll hear it again. You are what you eat. Personally, I don't find food to be all that attractive (A bell pepper just doesn't look sexy to me), but that's not the point. This phrase makes more sense if it said, "If you want a simple life, eat simple foods. For a complicated life, choose foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce." It's totally your choice. I prefer the simple life, free from complications. Besides, I feel better when things are simple.



Anytime Fitness Farragut thanks you for reading our blog post today. We are your place in Farragut and the Knoxville area to lose weight, find a personal trainer, and get in shape!

Anytime Fitness Brings You 7 Wonderful Foods That Will Give You Best Skin

These 7 foods will give you best skin

There are many tasty foods that can give you great skin, and including some of them in your eating plan is essential. When you have a healthy skin, you look much younger and fresher, no matter how old you are. The foods you consume every day play a significant role in the health of your skin as well as your overall health. Nowadays it’s hard to choose foods that are tasty and healthy at the same time. Hopefully, this list of 7 foods to eat to have a gorgeous skin will help you keep your skin healthy and young.

1. Flax seeds
Flax seeds are rich in omega-3’s that play a critical role in controlling the appearance of age spots and fine lines. A study shows that consuming flax seeds every day helps relieve skin redness and irritation and helps make skin look fresh and soft. Add some flax seeds to your oatmeal, smoothies or your favorite muffin recipe.

2. Purple and blue fruits
Purple and blue fruits are among the best foods to eat for a great skin. Blueberries, blackberries and plums are all rich in antioxidants, which combat free radical damage. If you don’t know, free radicals come from a poor diet or chemicals in the environment. Purple and blue fruits can also help keep your skin looking younger longer.

3. SunFlower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E, an important nutrient that helps protect your skin from the daily sun damage. Sunflower seeds make a perfect, portable snack to eat on the go. You can also use these wonderful seeds in your oatmeal, salads, cereal, or trail mix. Just make sure you don’t add too much salt to your salads, salt isn’t good for your skin.

4. Chocolate
The great news for all chocolate lovers, chocolate is good for your skin, despite all the myths that it causes acne. I love dark chocolate and eat it almost daily (of course, in moderation), and from personal experience I can say that chocolate doesn’t cause acne. Chocolate actually increases flavonol intake that translates to gorgeous skin. Since chocolate has some calories, make sure you it eat in moderation.

5. Sweet Potato
I was really happy to learn that sweet potatoes are good for skin. They are high in vitamins A and C, which are both essential for glowing and healthy skin. The thing is, vitamin C increases collagen production that keeps your skin supple and smooth, and vitamin A is a potent antioxidant that fights free radical damage and prevents skin cancer. I think it’s a great reason to add sweet potatoes to your eating plan.

6. Tomatoes
Many people say that eating tomatoes can cause acne. But tomatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants, namely lycopene, which helps improve skin health as well as protects pigmentation. Add tomatoes to your salads or put some on a sandwich. When you cook tomatoes, you increase their lycopene content, so feel free to eat pizza sauce and marinara too.

7. Yogurt
One of the best snacks that most of us like is yogurt. Did you know that it’s great for your skin? Yogurt contains protein that keeps your skin firm and that helps fight the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Stay away from fruity versions since they are packed with sugar. Opt instead for plain yogurt and add some fresh fruits to it to make it more delicious.


Anytime Fitness Farragut thanks you for reading our blog post today. We are your place in Farragut and the Knoxville area to lose weight, find a personal trainer, and get in shape!

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Anytime Fitness Gym in Farragut Wants You to Get Inspired

Anytime Fitness Gym in Farragut knows that working out is as much a mental process as it is a physical one. One does not function well without the other, and that’s why your Anytime Fitness Gym in Farragut wants you to get inspired.

Clear the mental clutter

Do you have a closet or drawer in your house that is just filled with clutter? You know you need to clear out that drawer or closet, but you just haven't done it.

That's what sometimes happens in life. You know you need to work out. You know you’re going to feel better after you hit the gym. You know all the benefits of going to the gym, but you can’t seem to clear the clutter from your head and just do it.

3 tips to get you inspired

Whether you have decided to start exercising for the first time in your adult life or you just need some motivation to get back into the gym, follow these tips to clear the mental clutter and get you back on the path to a healthier, happier you:

1. Read – to get the negative out of your head and start thinking more positively, find books, blogs and websites that inspire and motivate. From Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff to Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking, Inc.’s Geoffrey James shares 10 of the most inspiring books to help you create positive thoughts.
2. Watch – Hollywood has produced some of the best motivational movies with some of the most memorably inspirational monologues. Rudy, Remember the Titans and Chariots of Fire are but a few examples of films that will motivate you to think positive. And, you may laugh, but Rocky and Rocky Balboa provide some of the most inspirational monologues of all time. Check out this speech Rocky makes to his son for a real kick-you-in-your-pants-and-get-you-up-off-the-couch moment.
3. Listen – not to the negative voices in your head, but to music, motivational speeches and audio books. When you go to sleep at night, stick your earphones in your ears and listen to hypnotic motivational music, books and messages. During your morning or afternoon commute, listen to inspirational audio books. See #1 above for suggestions.

Anytime Fitness Gym in Farragut knows you want to get back to exercising and once again make it part of your regular routine in Farragut. Sometimes, though, you have to clear the mind before the body will follow.

Anytime Fitness Farragut thanks you for reading our blog post today. We are your place in Farragut and the Knoxville area to lose weight, find a personal trainer, and get in shape!

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Anytime Fitness Gym in Farragut has tips for healthy eating

Anytime Fitness Gym in Farragut knows exercise is only part of the healthy living equation. Along with a proper fitness program, help from your personal trainer, and the convenience of our 24-hour gym in Farragut, Anytime Fitness has tips for healthy eating.

Making the gym and nutrition priorities

Even the best workout plan will fail if you choose to eat unhealthy foods. Healthy eating and exercise go hand-in-hand.

In addition to incorporating healthy meals as part of your weekly meal plans, consider adding these wholesome and healthy foods into your regular diet:

1. Blueberries - containing anthocyanins, other pigments and various phytochemicals, these tiny little berries are under preliminary research for their potential role in reducing risks of diseases such as inflammation and cancer.
2. Ginger – this funny looking spice aids in digestion and helps with circulation.
3. Parsley – more than just a garnish on your plate, this herb promotes the elimination of toxins in your body. Tabbouleh is a tasty and healthy dish made with parsley.
4. Peppermint – this refreshing mint not only freshens your breath, it acts as a natural appetite suppressant, helping you feel fuller longer.
5. Lemon – the antioxidant compounds in this tart delight activates detoxifying enzymes in your body.

Whether you want to detox your body or you just want to start adding healthy foods to your weekly meal plans, consider adding these food items to your main recipes and snacks.

Anytime Fitness thanks you for reading our blog post today. We are your place in Farragut and the Knoxville area to lose weight, find a personal trainer, and get in shape!

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