Fitness – Reliv Blog

Reliv Champions Challenge Winners Announced —4th Quarter 2020

By Director of Product Development & Fit3 Trainer Tina Van Horn

Join us in congratulating the winners of the most recent Reliv Fit3 Champions Challenge! They worked hard at making positive lifestyle choices to complete all of the challenge criteria. With the support of Reliv’s optimal nutrition and the Fit3 Facebook community, each of the winners celebrated non-scale victories along with their measurable results to earn some fantastic prizes. Be sure to search #RelivChampionsChallenge to follow their journeys.

Beginner Division

Champion: $500 Cash
Jennifer Barnes, Michigan

“I tried for 6 years to lose weight but nothing was happening. This year with the help of taking Reliv products and weekly encouragement, I lost 18 pounds* and 11 inches during the 4^th Quarter Champions Challenge! I have more energy and feel stronger every day. My motivation levels have skyrocketed and I truly feel like a Champion. I am looking forward to the next challenge to keeping my health in my sights!”

Runner Up: $250 Product Credit
Erin Muhlestein, Arizona

“I have been on Reliv products for 17 years and I have seen many amazing results. Focusing on Fit3 I was able to curb my appetite and not crave the sugary foods at all. In fact, my body craves healthy food. I lost 13 pounds and so many inches! Now I even have more energy and stamina during the day. My mental attitude has definitely improved and I have a much better overall sense of well-being. Even though I am over 50, since I began the Fit3 Program and made my mental and physical health a priority, my clarity and focus have improved. I feel so much better about myself!”

Veteran Division

Champion: $500 Cash
Dawn Tucci, Pennsylvania

“This challenge I was faced with not being able to run because of some injuries so I had to modify my workout routine to reach my goal of getting stronger! The Fit3 principles really helped keep me on track with my nutrition choices so I could enjoy my “fun” foods in moderation, while using the workouts to balance my exercise program with more strength training and consistent use of Reliv products.

During this Champions Challenge, I gained approximately 1/2 inch in each arm and lost 2 inches from waist. My weight increased by 3 pounds, but I am smaller. I feel stronger and more balanced! I love the community that has formed in my area because of Fit3. It is a thrill to help others change by teaching them how to use the Fit3 principles that worked for me.”

Runner Up: $250 Product Credit
Angie Chinn, Ohio

“I am a Reliv Champion because since I started the Reliv products more than a year ago, I feel great. If I miss a shake I sure can tell. Looking back on my beginning pictures I just don’t recognize that person. I am more than 40 pounds lighter since I started participating in the Reliv Champions Challenges! During this Challenge, I lost another 10 pounds, 8 inches, and 2 sizes! Healthy feels so good! Thanks, Reliv!”

Runner Up: $250 Product Credit
Cathy Sudo, Pennsylvania

“I keep participating in the Reliv Champion Challenges because fitness is important to me in many ways. The best gift that I can give myself and my family is a healthy and strong body. Building strength has been my goal so that I can continue to fully enjoy the outdoor activities that my family loves. It’s also very important that I set a good example for my two boys and teach them the importance of exercise and good nutrition.”

Fitness Friends Division

Champions: $250 Product Credit Each
Vickie Grove and Christine Schleinkofer, Pennsylvania

Vickie: “I knew the holidays were going to be tough, but I refused to be defeated before I even began, so I wrote a note to myself declaring ‘I am a winner, I will reach my goal and not give up.’ I worked hard to make smart food choices despite so many family gatherings and I was very disciplined to increase my weekly workouts! I was hoping to maintain the 15-pound weight loss from the previous two challenges, so I was shocked when I realized that I lost 4 more pounds. I never imagined that I would get down to a size 6 jeans ever again, but I did! A healthier me is the best Christmas gift I could ever give myself! I have energy like I had when I was in my 30s and I am 65.”

Christine: “With Reliv in my life for almost 5 years I’m accomplishing things I never thought I could do, like Zumba and hiking. I have enough energy to do Zumba 4 times per week and keep up with my very active grandchildren! During the last 2 Challenges, I dropped 16 pounds, my skin improved, my clothes fit better and my sugar cravings are down! It’s a win all around!”

All Challenge Finishers: $100 Product Credit

Ali Crockett	Jennifer Barnes
Angela Malis	Jill Savage
Angie Chinn	Lauren Laird
Barry Williams	Laurie Eaton
Carol Rose	Loren Hallenbeck
Cathy Sudo	Lynn Devereux
Christine Schleinkofer	Mike Greenwood
Cristina Reguindin	Mindy Meyer
Darla Posner	Miriam V. Martinez/Owens
Dawn Tucci	Naomi Lydick
Dawn Williams	Nicole Martineau
Dodi McCune	Rene’ Kisrow
Erin Muhlestein	Ruth Kettler
Gloria Jane Bromley	Tami Martineau
Hermelinda Belt	Tara DeGroff

Make plans now to join the next Reliv Champions Challenge, which is set to kick off on April 1, 2021. Registration opens March 15, 2021.

*Results vary based on starting point and effort. Results achieved with Fit3 fitness program.

Fitness, Nutrition

Celebrating National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

A Q&A with Reliv Distributor and Fit3 Champions Challenge Finalist Richard Brandl

By Director of Product Development and Fit3 Trainer Tina Van Horn

In 1983, the President’s Council on Fitness designated May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. This was done in an effort to promote healthy lifestyles among all Americans and improve our quality of life. The hashtag “#MoveInMay” has been trending, and it’s my hope that people will remember to keep fitness a priority all of the other months of the year as well.

Fitness as a Lifestyle

For some of us, our fitness journey was launched through participation in youth sports. Others turn to fitness later in life for the health benefits, as well as the social connections. Regardless of age or whether you are fueled by competition or more intrinsic incentives, physical activity is a celebration of what our bodies can do.

Meet Richard

Richard Brandl, a self-proclaimed “jock” was a recent runner- up in the men’s division of the Q1 2020 Reliv Champions Challenge. He has been on a journey of physical fitness for more than 40 years. Now at age 60, Richard has no intention of slowing down. A former competitive body builder, Richard is currently training for obstacle course runs and uses Reliv nutrition to give him a competitive edge over his children and the younger competition.

Richard joined the Reliv Champions Challenge to jump start his training for the 2020 race season. He achieved his personal challenge goal to reduce his body fat percentage while maintain lean muscle. He was anticipating breaking some personal records in the upcoming season before his training was derailed by quarantine restrictions.

Modifying the Program

Even though his race plans are currently on hold and he has had to modify his strength training program, Richard is lifting and running and training with the equipment he has at home. Admittedly, he is still driven to be better than the other aging jocks and there is still a smidge of vanity behind his motivation. Ultimately though, he is determined to stay healthy and avoid the chronic health conditions that are in his family’s health history.

Motivation for Decades

Having seen Richard’s pictures from his prime body-building days, I was curious (and maybe a little envious) about how his fitness journey has evolved over the last 40 years and what really keeps pushing him to maintain physical fitness so I threw a few questions his way. His responses certainly resonated with my inner athlete, while validating the principles that the Fit3 program is build upon.

Tina: Fitness has been a part of your life for a very long time. Tell us a little bit about your history and what your fitness routine looks like today?

Richard: I started weightlifting in 1979, and got into bodybuilding in 1980, while I was assigned to my first duty station in the Army. I generally worked out for every day for about two hours, depending on the specific day and routine. I was always trying to progress weight and trained primarily for muscle mass, so cardio was minimal. I was really strict with my diet all of the time to maintain a body fat percentage below 8%. I participated in bodybuilding competitions from 1982 through 1986, but maintained this routine throughout the 80s.

Today my workouts last a maximum of 45 minutes, unless I am specifically training for a rucking event. I focus on circuit type training with minimal rest to be efficient with time. I definitely use more moderate weights and I stay with basic lifts that are multi joint and functional most of the time. Of course, I still like to maintain as much muscle as I can but realize that I’m not 26 anymore. I’m not lifting super heavy weights anymore because that might do more harm than good at my age. For cardio I use high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to get me ready for the obstacle course events

Tina: What are your motivations to keep moving and stay active? How are your motivations different today than 10, 20 or 30 years ago?

Richard: We all have certain level of vanity and I’m no exception. I like to look the part of a fitness professional. I also use the obstacle course runs as a motivator to be more structured and consistent with workouts. I am also motivated to stay healthy and to avoid serious illness. And I still have that competitive fire to be better than the other aging jocks.

Tina: What do you do when you don’t feel motivated?

Richard: When my motivation is low I know that I probably need to take a break from lifting, without feeling guilty. Sometimes I will substitute walks or biking for an active rest or really shorten workouts just to stay in the habit. If all else fails, I try something new, like the Reliv Champions Challenge. I see myself as an ongoing experiment to maintain as much muscle as I can. It’s a game that I play with myself when I have been slacking off.

Tina: Do you every take time off from exercise? How did you get started again?

Richard: Yes, I do take time off. After 40 years, I do experience burnout and to be honest it gets boring. When that happens, I join a class just to do something different and see what the trends are.

To get motivated I look in the mirror and do a “pec check” and decide I look puny and decide to get back to it; vanity again. I start slow, maybe a week of circuits and some cardio to get ready to increase intensity. I also have to get the mind ready as well. I’m also motivated by like class reunions, wedding things that I want to look good for. It’s a mental thing I have about that.

Tina: Tell us a little about your Reliv health story: How did you find Reliv, what have been your results with the products?

Richard: I found Reliv about 7 years ago when I heard about it on a radio ad. I had always used supplements and I was curious as to the results I would get compared to the past. I have certainly seen improvements with sustained energy, sleep, muscle recovery and management of joint discomfort. As I get older and with my profession as a physical therapy assistant, I definitely put more emphasis on joint health and workout recovery.

Supplement technology is so much more advanced today than it was 30 years ago. We have a new understanding of nutrition through the lens of epigenetics. Health issues run in my family and I know that optimal nutrition will benefit me in many ways. I’m committed to doing everything I can to stay healthy and keep my body in top shape.

Tina: What prompted you to join the Fit3 Challenge and what kind of results did you experience?

Richard: Initially my goal was to use the 90-day challenge to jump start my training in January as preparation for obstacle course training in the spring. The first event was supposed be in June, but has been canceled because of the pandemic. I also wanted to see how much body fat I could reduce while maintaining my weight and muscle mass. I also wanted to increase the weight I was lifting without causing joint discomfort. Really, I just to see what I could do at 60 years old.

Throughout the challenge, I lost about 1.8% body fat and my weight was stable. I was lifting heavier weights, too, before the pandemic restrictions took effect. I am happy to report my shoulder and knee discomfort was all but eliminated. I never say eliminated because I just don’t think it’s possible with as much activity I do and my age.

Tina: What advice would you give to someone afraid to take that first step on their fitness journey?

Richard: I suggest finding a trustworthy and practical coach to get you started and keep you accountable. Master the fundamentals that match your goals and commitment level. Ignore all the latest trends that promise rapid results. Instead think long term overall lifestyle habits. Keep it simple and be sensible!

If you are intimidated by a long laundry list of do’s and don’ts, just work on a couple of easier ones. Give yourself a chance to experience success and build your confidence. We live once and I encourage people to enjoy those parties but maintain a level of composure and to be ready to “work” it off. You’ve got to enjoy life and find a balance that works for you.

Fitness, My Story

Why Working Out with a Friend is Good for You

By Reliv Bronze Ambassador Joyce Holthaus

One of the things I love about having a fitness friend (or two) is accountability. I may not stick with my workouts on my own but when I know that someone else is counting on me, I am more likely to show up.

A Happy Distraction

I love a good distraction when I’m doing something challenging and when I’m working out in a class or with a friend I get distracted. Before you know it the workout is over and it didn’t feel like it went on forever and would never end.

As a fitness instructor who teaches a newer workout format (Pound), I’ve noticed that many times when people come to my class for the first time, they come with a friend. I think that’s because we are more apt to try something new if we have a friend to do it with us.

A Friendly Challenge

Exercising with a friend pushes me to do my workout to the best of my ability. I like the added challenge of trying to keep up with them and test my own limits.

My last reason for working out with others is because I like to laugh! I find that I laugh a lot more working out when I’m with others. We sing loud to the music playing, laugh at our mistakes (I’m uncoordinated and have balance challenges) and just have fun. Laughing definitely makes the workout less painful and go quicker!

Moving Forward Together

Whether I’m going for a walk, going to the gym or attending a class I love doing it with another person (or more). So go grab a friend (or a few) and get moving together! You’ll challenge each other, encourage each other and make the workout so much more fun!

Whether you’re working out with a friend or solo, check out free Fit3 Workouts online! You can do them on your own schedule and in the comfort of your own home. You can also use the Fit3 Daily Moves calendar, which is new each month, and invite your friend to become an accountability partner! This works great if your friend lives far away, or if you can’t get together in person.

Whatever you choose to do, incorporating a friend into your fitness routine is a win-win!

fit3, Fitness

Trainer Tina’s Perfect Workout Playlist

By Director of Product Development & Fit3 Trainer Tina Van Horn

We may not always feel like exercising, but the right playlist can really get you motivated and help you scorch calories like nobody’s business! So we got to thinking… what are those iconic songs that can really get you pumped up and ready to sweat? For this one we went straight to the source and our Head Coach Tina Van Horn hooked us up with her go-to playlist. Take a look at a few of Tina’s favorites then pop over to our Fit3 community and share your favorite workout music with us!

1. “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey: The quintessential workout song! You can’t go wrong here.

2. “Her Strut” by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band: Well, because that’s just how I roll! This may actually be my theme song.

3. “Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga: Not only is this one the ringtone on my phone but also a motto as I prefer to walk on the edge of a lot of things in life!

4. “Love Runs Out” by One Republic: Such a strong beat, you can’t help but move your feet!

5. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor: For when you start to doubt yourself, this one will get your motivation right back!

6. “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins: Growing up in the 80s, this one is iconic!

7. “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins: Top Gun soundtrack! Still love that movie – beach volleyball scene, anyone?

8. “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson: The lyrics, the beat, the voice! Everything about this one makes it a great addition to the playlist.

9. “Livin’ On a Prayer” by Bon Jovi: For the days when a prayer is all that I have!

10. “Feel Invincible” by Skillet: The lyrics to this one definitely push me out of my comfort zone. A necessity for a strong workout!

11. “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down: This one helps me channel my inner super hero while I’m conquering big hills during a run.

12. “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Go’s: A bunch of girls just having fun!

13. “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees: Get ready to break out the disco moves!

Business, Business Builder Tips, fit3, Fitness, Healthy Living Tips, Nutrition

Simple Changes To Make This Your Year

tinaerin blog

By Director of Marketing Erin Koch & Director of Product Development & Fit3 Trainer Tina Van Horn

This is the year to better your health, boost your business and find the new you! We have collaborated to make a list of simple changes you can make in 2019 to make this your year!

Trainer Tina’s Health & Fitness Tips

Pack your lunch instead of eating out. This will not only be better for your diet, but also for your wallet!

Make a delicious dessert-inspired Reliv shake instead of sugary alternatives. There’s no better way to end a meal than with the best core nutrition available.

Walk while you talk. Get moving during your meetings and phone calls to minimize your inactivity.

Squeeze in a 30-minute workout during your lunch break. This solves your problem of not wanting to wake up earlier or being too tired after work. Lucky for you, the Fit3 workouts are all accessible on the Reliv Mobile App!

Carry a water bottle everywhere you go. Ideally, you should be consuming at least nine glasses of water a day, but this can also depend on your weight and activity level.

Meditate for five minutes. Whether it be in the morning or during the workday, or even at night, taking the time to reflect on your day and just being present makes a big difference to your overall mood.

Set a kitchen curfew. Don’t eat after a specified time you have set for yourself. For example, I try not to eat past 8 p.m.

Tweak a favorite recipe by replacing or reducing added sugar and unhealthy fats, even if that simply means drinking your coffee black or using dates to sweeten your favorite treats.

Track everything you eat for just one day. Keep a notebook and you’ll be surprised by the amount of “just one bite” or samples sneak into your day.

Use a smaller plate at meal times. This classic trick will help you train your brain to be better at controlling portion sizes.

Marketing Expert Erin’s Business Branding Tips

Be the brand. You represent your business, so wear or carry gear with a Reliv or Fit3 logo on you when you’re on the go. You will be amazed at the prospects you get who will ask you “What’s Reliv?” or “What’s Fit3?”

Define who you are. Write down 3-5 topics that you are passionate about and use that to write your online bio and one-minute story. Your story could be about the Reliv products, the Reliv business or both. But it has to be authentic to you and your brand. If you don’t know who you are, your prospects won’t either. And remember that people only buy from those they know, like and trust.

Get the Reliv Mobile app. If you’re in business in today’s world, you need technology that goes with you. This is the EASIEST and FASTEST way for you to share videos and websites with prospects, place orders and signup someone on the go. Plus, who wouldn’t love to get instant notifications with every new order, new customer or new Distributor?! We have seen our Distributors who use this app take their business to new heights! Plus, they are the FIRST ones to hear about a new sale, promotion and exclusive videos.

Use professionally designed marketing materials. As a Reliv Distributor you have the benefit of having an entire marketing team who has done all of the hard work for you! Using beautifully designed presentations, brochures, event signage and more makes you look like a pro, plus it gives you more time to build your business! We want people to look at you and know right away that you’re a Reliv Distributor. Get logos, beautiful product photos, incredible before and after weight loss photos and so much more at flickr.com/reliv. Just click the “Albums” tab and click the down arrow to download the images. Then you simply email the images to your local print shop. You can also click the right arrow to share images online with your prospects – so easy!

Host a Shake Bar. Invite your friends and their friends over for a fun shake bar and watch your product sales grow! We have delicious recipes on Flickr that you can send to your local print shop, so you look like an expert! This is such a fun way to introduce someone new to our products… and they will always remember how delicious it tasted. Just be sure to have plenty of product on hand for purchase.

Start a Fit3 workout group. Pick one or two days a week to get together and do one of our Fit3 workouts. Invite new people each week, encourage your team to do the same, and watch your team and business grow! Public places like a park or community center are even better and you should have a sign that welcomes new people.

Host a Girlfriends’ Getaway. This does NOT have to be complicated. The point is to get your girlfriends and their friends together to have fun and to show them how they can get healthier and live happier! Serve shakes, have a dance party, host a clothing swap day, meet for a walk in the park…there are so many ways to get together and have fun. We were amazed at the turnout at our Girlfriends’ Getaway last summer and plan to do more in 2019. But why wait for us when you can host your own! If you need tips, check out our Reliv Facebook Page and click the “Videos” tab. You’ll see our Shake Chat on Shake parties, which has tips to get you started!

Go to Reliv Live. Pick a city, but make sure you get there! Why? Because you are investing in YOURSELF. Going to Reliv Live is telling yourself that you’re worth investing in – and you are! You’re going to leave with inspiration, a notebook full of new ideas and motivation that will give your business a push forward in 2019. Plus, let’s not forget that there is nothing more fun than a Reliv event with all your friends! Invite at least two new people to go with you and let them catch the spark of inspiration they need too! Check out the fun cities and start planning your getaway now at reliv.com/events.

Tell someone new about Reliv today! All the other tips listed will help you do this. That is the first step in truly building your business.

We hope these tips will help you make 2019 the best year ever! Try one at a time and you’ll reach your personal wellness and business goals in no time.

fit3, Fitness, Healthy Living Tips, Nutrition

How To Boost Your Mood In The Winter Months

By Director of Product Development & Fit3 Trainer Tina Van Horn

As the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, you may find your workout motivation waning, too. It’s not just your imagination—there really are biological and physiological reasons our moods tend to change with the season!

Seasonal Mood Shifts

Seasonal mood shifts often include the following:

Having less energy
Being less social
Craving carbs
Losing interest in your favorite activities
Changes in your quality of sleep—you might be having trouble sleeping or wanting to sleep more than usual!

The primary culprit of these symptoms is the lack of daylight hours in colder months and how it affects hormone production, temperature regulation, metabolism and mood.

Beat the Winter Blues

Darker days combined with the demands of new goals in the new year may lead to some serious internal conflict when it comes to making good Fit3 choices. The best solution is to take advantage of as much natural sunlight as you can and follow the the Fit3 program. Fit3 workouts and good nutrition are great strategies for beating the winter blues.

While you probably feel like curling up with a blanket and a warm pan of brownies, simple carbs and sugars can spike your blood sugar levels and then send them crashing down. Your mood will fluctuate with this sugar roller coaster, as well. To avoid this spiral, stick to your Fit3 nutrition plan. The vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in your Reliv products are also essential to keeping your seasonal mood swings from getting the best of you. This is not the time of year to be skipping a shake!

Exercise promotes the production of endorphins, and endorphins make you happy! When you really don’t feel like fitting in a workout, you need to ditch your excuses and just get moving. You may have to play some mental games with yourself, but that winter workout is worth it!

No matter what you do during this changing season, take care of yourself and listen to what your body needs. Drink your Reliv shake every day and keep moving to beat that seasonal mood shift!

Fitness, Nutrition, Weight Loss

The Truth About Holiday Weight Gain

By Director of Product Development & Fit3 Trainer Tina Van Horn

In the chaos of travel, family, food, and shopping, it’s hard to feel like yourself! After Thanksgiving and Christmas, I could feel the extra water weight from the heavy meals and treats. However, by making smart choices after those days, that water weight became a distant, sugar-laden memory. I did not really gain 5 pounds during the holidays and neither did you!

Most of us have been led to believe that holiday weight gain is inevitable. This is a myth! We are so sold on this notion that we significantly overestimate the amount of weight we can actually gain. By the time January rolls around most of us think we have put on 7-10 pounds when in reality the average holiday indulgences add up to around only 1 pound. That’s pretty good news, but the flip side is that most of us don’t lose that pound after the holiday season, and it contributes to the “weight creep” that occurs over months and years.

Fit3 is your post-holiday recovery plan! Dig out your weekly tracking sheet and pick a couple of things you CAN do today! You CAN take your Reliv shake and drink lots of water. It’s also the time for resolutions, so start now by hitting the gym! You don’t have to do anything crazy or dramatic. Just do something today to get yourself back on track to making better choices.

My other strategy is to get rid of the leftovers! Yes, throwing them away will be a little painful, but not every day is a holiday. We will go back to our busy lives and stay on track!

Remember this through the end of this year and as you enter the New Year. Make a choice today that you will feel good about tomorrow!

Fitness, Nutrition

Workout Moves To Get You Through The Holidays!

BLOG holiday workout

By Product Marketing Specialist & Fit3 Head Coach Tina Van Horn

The holiday season is busy for everyone, but that’s no excuse to completely abandon your workout plan. Travel and family gatherings may disrupt your usual routine, but if you are willing to be creative, you can sneak in some exercise right in the middle of the holiday festivities.

Check out my favorite moves for maintaining your fitness through the holidays:

Walk! Walk! Walk! – Go for a walking tour of the Christmas lights. Participate in a Turkey Trot or Jingle Bell Walk/Run. Get some extra steps in while shopping by parking farther away from the store. Invite the family to join you for a stroll after your big holiday meal. Get the kids outside to burn some energy. Tromping through the snow is a great workout. Strap on your fitness tracker and try to hit your step goal every day! Little bursts of activity throughout the day add up to big benefits.

Pushups – Of course this one will be on the list. Do 5 pushups every time you eat a Christmas cookie. Make the kids do one before they open a gift. If you are watching one of your favorite holiday films, knock out a few every time a bell rings. Make it a game!

Squats – Pick up your niece or nephew and start squatting! They will be squealing for more while all of the other kids line up to take turns! If the kids are too big, a frozen turkey will do for added resistance. Or you can just look around the house and find something heavy-ish to lift. If you are hitting the road, do some squats whenever you make a pit stop.

Planks – Start a new tradition on Christmas morning. For example: Whoever can hold a plank the longest gets to open the first gift. Just one minute a day and you’ll be ringing in the New Year with a super strong core.

Stretch – Sit in the glow of the lights with holiday music playing and spend a few minutes stretching at the end of each day. This is the perfect time to sip on a Reliv shake and focus on what’s really important to you during this season.

Fit3 Workout Video – Crank up the high-energy holiday tunes and press play on your favorite Fit3 workout! Just make sure you don’t get tangled up in tinsel when you do the kicks and punches.

The most important part of the season is to enjoy it and have fun! Make these moves part of your family activities.

Love & Lunges,

Coach Tina

fit3, Fitness, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Why Your Scale Isn’t the Be-All, End-All

By Fit3 Head Coach Tina Van Horn

There is this little device in my bathroom that appears very innocent and demure, but it can be a very powerful, deceptive, two-faced, no-good, lying hunk of junk! That scale just sits there—ready to ambush me and lure me into its lair where, inevitably, I will find despair and disappointment. Yes, I am being a bit dramatic, but you know exactly what I am talking about.

In my head I have an ideal weight for myself. In my head I also have a realistic weight for myself. Those numbers are about 15 pounds apart. So maybe I should rephrase the first part of the statement to say “In my head I have a fantasy weight for myself.”

There are all kinds of tools, tables and calculators available to give you a range of healthy weights for your height. While they might give you a reasonable range, they are also very arbitrary. Meaning: They don’t take into account all of the cool things that make “you” who “you” are. In other words, your scale only has the capacity to communicate with you in one language.

I have come to terms with the fact that I am not a Victoria’s Secret model (It has nothing to do with ice cream! I can’t do anything about being 5’5 ½” tall, but I have not come to terms with that). I have moved past my sixth grade aspiration to wear the same size jeans as “Christi C.” (Those jeans are out of style now anyway.) I know that I will never run fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I have even come to celebrate and appreciate that I have what’s been called “an athletic build” (i.e. not always what women want to hear).

Now that I’ve matured and had a couple of babies, it’s probably time to reevaluate my definition of ideal weight. I found an article that suggests your ideal weight is “the weight you’re at when you’re doing everything you can to promote good health.” What a great perspective! (Be sure to read the last page.)

When you started Fit3, you probably had an ideal weight in mind. This program has the capacity to get you closer to that goal. But the focus is more on helping you experience good health, in everything you do. We want you to be healthy, so you can enjoy life and not be limited in any way.

Your scale can’t measure that!

fit3, Fitness, Healthy Living Tips, Nutrition

How To Workout With Your Kids

WorkoutKids

By Fit3 Head Coach Tina Van Horn

Fitness friends come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I met a new walking buddy, Lilly, recently at a local 5K and we had an interesting conversation. I learned that her favorite movie is the original The Wizard of Oz and how much she enjoys studying the Revolutionary War, how she plays golf and volleyball and loves the dance exercise class at the YMCA. Lilly, who happens to be a very mature 10-year-old, even has two pesky little sisters who were in a wagon being pulled by her mom behind us. By the time we crossed the finish line, I had told Lilly some entertaining secrets about my sister, her 2nd grade teacher, and she told me how her dad turns every question into a history lesson (insert the pre-adolescent eye roll). I helped her forget that she didn’t want to be walking in a 5K and she helped me forget that my feet hurt. It was a win for both of us!

If you have kids or grandkids, it can be difficult to squeeze in a workout. But if you include them, you have a built-in fitness friend! Just keep the moves simple and find ways to interject a little competitive fun. For example, challenge them to see who can do the most jumping jacks in 30 seconds. You can even break a sweat together with one of the Fit3 workouts.

Kids and teens should get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. I know it can be tough to tear them away from their electronic babysitters, but it can be done and you can still get in a good workout too.

Here are a few ideas to get the whole family moving:

Turn household chores into a game
Crank up the tunes for a dance party during commercials
Walk or run for a charity special to your family
Walk or run in a holiday 5K
Do community service or volunteer work together
Have a weekly sports night
Make up a playground workout
Use your kids as “weights” when you strength train
Run relay races in the backyard while picking up sticks
Compete to see who can rake the biggest pile of leaves

The possibilities are endless when it comes to helping your family stay active. Find out what works for your schedule and for your family’s lifestyle and you will end up having so much fun and making lifelong memories together!