Gratitude is a powerful tool you can use to improve mental health and increase consistency in nutrition and exercise. To fully optimize gratitude, here's 3 of the best times to be intentionally grateful and how to do it.

1. When you wake up in the morning. "Your attitude determines your altitude" may seem like a corny saying, but it really is true! How we start our morning is crucial for setting the tone for the entire day. We've all fallen into the trap of waking up angry that we didn't get enough sleep, or our partner hogged all the covers, or looking forward to a long commute into our job. All that does is make our good days less enjoyable, and our bad days nightmares. To combat that, as soon as you wake up in the morning, say (out loud!) something you are grateful for. "I'm grateful I woke up with a roof over my head/had enough to eat last night/etc.". It can be the simplest thing, but it will make a huge impact on the rest of your day.

2. After you've done something hard....

Whether you're 1 month or 3 years into your fitness journey, it never gets easier. The only way progress happens is trough pushing your body out of its comfort zone. With time, however, your body and mind will adapt so that exercising is a normal part of your routine!

There is a lot of information in the fitness world about when or if you should eat soon after you workout, which can be confusing and lead you to keep trying different opinions without reaching a consistent routine. 

When you workout you break down your glycogen stores, so with that being said you need to replace those glycogen stores for your muscles to recover properly. A great way to do this is to eat a meal containing both carbohydrates and protein within two hours of your exercise session. If your goal is to achieve weight loss, it would be best to eat both carbohydrates and protein within the first half hour after you are done exercising.

A few great food options for after your workout would be the following; greek yogurt with berries, protein shake, cottage cheese, protein bar, tuna, banana, eggs, apple and peanut butter, etc. The goal is to consume an adequate amount of protein post exercise to help build and repair the muscles you just worked, so don't forget about...

We want to welcome Kalli Cress to our Northstar Team!

Kalli graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science and a minor in Nutrition.  She was a good fit to our core values, and has a solid background.  She is from Hammond, WI, a small town in Northwest Wisconsin, and she enjoys weight lifting, hunting, fishing, spending time outdoors and on the river, cooking, baking tasty pies with her grandma, and spending quality time with my family and friends.  

We are excited to have her join our team!  Welcome Kalli!

Acting as the body's fast-acting energy source, proper carbohydrate intake can drastically improve your performance in workouts. Any carb intake will help you exercise better, but eating the right kinds at the right time will take you to the next level!

First, how do carbohydrates work? When carbs are digested, they are broken down into glucose. That glucose is used up quickly in the brain, which is why you feel a surge of energy whenever you eat carbs and sugar. Excess glucose is also transported to your muscles and converted to glycogen. Glycogen is the body's main source of fuel during exercise, and the first source that's tapped into.

For best results, start by eating complex carbohydrates 3+ hours before exercise. Complex carbs include breads, noodles, rice, etc. If you've been a part of or know anything about big endurance events like marathons, you know that a heaping spaghetti dinner is usually an athlete's go-to the night before. This is an example of a much higher...

These spinach and prosciutto frittata muffins are easy to make and will last all week as a great snack!

Nonstick cooking spray

6 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled

5 ounces baby spinach, wilted and chopped#

1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced

2 ounces prosciutto, sliced into ribbons*

# place spinach in microwave 1-2 min and squeeze out water.

*alternatively, use Diced ham

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the cheese, spinach, and roasted red pepper.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each), top with some prosciutto, and back 20 to 25 minutes, or until just set in the center.
4. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes, then remove them from the cups. Serve warm.  These can be refrigerated up to 4 days; to reheat, microwave on High 30 seconds. 

...

"Drink water!"

We've all heard it a thousand times, from parents/teachers/fitness experts, etc. Even though we're constantly reminded, around 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. 

The big question is, why is it such a big deal to stay hydrated?

Our bodies are made up of 50-70% water. Every part of our bodies contain water, from our brain to our bones and skin.  Being as it's located everywhere, it has a major impact on how our bodies function.

- Mobilizes glucose for the muscles

- Regulates body temperature through the skin

- Moistens oxygen in the lungs and transports nutrients

- Protects and cushions vital organs

- Aids in waste removal from kidneys

- Aids in nutrient digestion in intenstines

- Lubricates joints

- Makes up 83% of blood

- Composes 22% of bones

...The point is, there isn't any part of the body that doesn't at least partly rely on water to function at 100%.

Now, that water isn't just permanent. It's constantly lost through sweating, urination, even...

"Healthy" doesn't have to mean you look like the model or bodybuilder you saw on Instagram.

Being healthy is a very personal experience that is different for everyone. For the 20 year-old playing college sports, healthy means running a 4.5 40-yard dash and squatting 500lbs.

For the father with a full-time job, healthy probably means still being able to beat his eldest son in a game of driveway basketball.

Somebody that just got out of the hospital after a serious car crash would call walking without pain "healthy".

A grandma that is able to pick up one grandchildren and make it all the way up the bleachers at another grandkid's basketball game would say she's healthy.

Point is, don't compare your current situation to others, especially those in the highest level of physical performance. Odds are, you won't look like that. If you think about it, you probably don't even want to! Comparing ourselves to others is one of the biggest reasons we fail in fitness journeys, because we're...

The best way to get into those skinny jeans is not what you think.

It’s not the fad diet or weight loss pills, full of gimmicky marketing before/after pictures, that will give you lasting change.   It starves your body of the nutrients it needs, leaving you malnourished. 

And I recently saw an ad showing fat melting away.   I have an important message for you…if it melts fat, it will attack any of your other organs in your body.

It’s why the $30B weight loss industry thrives, while 98% of all diets fail.   Despite countless “Weight Watchers” classes and yo-yo dieting, my mother was never fit into her skinny jeans while trying.   

Or people think they need to spend hours at the gym or doing hours of conventional exercise, 7 days a week…that ultimately leaves them tired, is not sustainable, and gets them injured.

We’ve done years of research and found that if you want to make lasting change, have...