February 2018

Break Out of Your Workout Rut

The month of February is prime time for losing your workout mojo. Studies show that by February the majority of people who resolved to get fit for New Years have already fallen off the wagon. And, even those who stay in shape year round can find it hard to stay motivated during the doldrums of late winter.
If you’re finding it hard to keep moving forward consider these ways to break out of your slump.
  • Switch things up. Do you always do the same workout routine or always use the same machines at the gym? Try something new. We keep each small group training session at Synergy varied to help prevent your brain from getting bored and to keep your muscles feeling challenged. If you’re working out on your own, try out some different exercises to target your muscle groups. For example, if you always do tricep extensions, switch to dips or close grip push ups for a change. If you only do the elliptical, try the recumbent bike or the stepper instead.
  • Find a Buddy. Research has shown that people who workout with a friend or a partner stick to their plans and achieve their goals more than those who go it alone.

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A Food Diary Makeover

This week’s newsletter was inspired by a Synergy member experience. In an effort to lose weight, this member was on a diet of 1,500 calories per day. After an initial weight loss of about 20 pounds, she found herself at a plateau. Although she was keeping up with her small group training sessions at Synergy and kept a meticulous food diary to ensure she did not exceed 1,500 calories per day, her weight loss seemed to have stopped.
To try to understand why she had plateaued, we sat down and reviewed her food diary together. It was detailed and tracked each meal and snack she was having over the course of the day. And while it was clear she was not “cheating” or taking in more calories, I noticed that the majority of the food she was eating was processed or packaged. Her diet was seriously lacking in whole, natural food.

So, to help her make a transition to a healthier whole food diet, we decided she would start by just changing her breakfast. From then on she had eggs and fruit instead of her usual processed breakfast of a bagel or cereal.

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Eat These Carbs Every Day!

Are you one of those people who has been conditioned to believe that carbs are bad for you? If you are, you’re not alone. For years the media has molded our perception of carbohydrates leading us to think that if you want to lose weight or get fit you should avoid them at all cost. But, carbohydrates are the number one, most important source of energy for your body. They are essential. And in fact, eating certain carbs is critical to losing weight.
The truth is, you should avoid certain types of carbs if you want to slim down. But, there are actually some carbs that you should definitely not avoid – in fact, you should embrace them!
First, let’s cover the carbs that should be on your list of foods to steer away from.
  • Refined, white flour, and processed carbs like bagels, breads, muffins and other baked goods
  • White pasta, white rice and white flour foods
  • Candy, sweets and sugary treats
  • Sugary drinks like soda, juices and blended coffee drinks
You’re probably not surprised to see any of those items on the “avoid”

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