Our clients are continuing to knock it out of the park in our Spring Challenge.
Keep up the good work everyone!
Congratulations to Dawn Fundell for winning this week's drawing - a package of USANA Protein!

Do you get bored with your workouts or have fewer results as you go? Progressions are a very important aspect of any exercise program, ensuring progress is made safely and continuously. They also keep the program fun and engaging! Here's a simple pushup progression. Remember as you do these, ensure you have proper technique, no pain, and ability to do multiple reps before fatiguing before moving on to the next.

Do you get discouraged from exercising because you don't see immediate change?
While there are many short-term benefits of exercise, most results happen over long periods of time.
Next time you go into a workout, don't do it for what you get in the moment - do it for yourself weeks/months/even years from now.
You're creating a lifestyle of health that will be far more gratifying than a fast fix!

In order to growth in life, we must start with having discipline even if we may not have the motivation to do something. Discipline then leads to habits which leads to consistency! If you do something often enough, it becomes apart of your normal routine! You can do it!

Do you struggle with staying active when traveling?

Many of our clients have mentioned that they are most likely to "fall off the wagon" when they are on a trip. They oftentimes beat themselves up for not keeping up their usual routine, or don't get back on track when they return. This leads to huge gaps in exercise that makes it even tougher to get back into it.

We've found that simple is better while on vacation. All you need is enough exertion to keep your muscles activated. Expecting to have a perfect workout schedule with a routine that matches your normal gym is a pretty tough ask, and will usually lead to failure. Instead, we tell our clients that your vacation should be a vacation. True muscle loss only STARTS at 10-14 days of disuse, so you won't be setting yourself all the way back by taking a week off. The best thing you can do is get additional workouts in before or after your trip, so that your total volume will be the same as if you had kept up with a routine (the timin...

• Everyone wants to be successful in their personal health and fitness. What Northstars come to learn is that definition of success becomes much more than just being fit. They are better equipping your mind and body for all areas of life, including having a positive impact on those around them.  However, that success doesn’t come easy. It takes commitment, consistency, and effort over a long period of time. Here are three key habitual behaviors that every successful person develops:

  “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” Success is never a straight line, and that’s why successful people embrace obstacles that come their way.  When things don’t go to plan, they look inward to identify what can be improved, and they always keep moving forward. That’s also why we address positives and negatives in our goal review system, and identify obstacles that may arise while we strive for our goals.  It’s also important to look forward and realign on the focus for the coming period, because as

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Have you been feeling low on energy? One common reason may be caused from not consuming enough carbs throughout the day. We often think we should stay away from carbs but carbs is the body's primary energy source. 

Carbohydrates, also known as starch, is one of the 3 important macronutrients that your body needs, along with protein and fiber. If you are not consuming carbs in your diet, your body will need to use protein to help with energy levels which then will take away from that lean muscle. Carbohydrates also regulate blood sugar level, which is why if we cut carbs from our body, we may feel dizziness or low energy levels. 

Some examples of healthy carbs to eat would include: whole grains, pastas, rice, starchy vegetables (potatoes), etc. 

Carbs to avoid would be sugars, white bread, etc. 

Try to start getting more carbs in your every day routine to help with energy levels and blood sugar levels! 

Sure, being fit and healthy means you look good. However, being fit for life is so much more than that. The combination of physical, mental, and emotional benefits gained from a healthy lifestyle cannot be understated. Keep going, because you're not only changing your body for the better. You're changing your life!

Are you looking for a new cardio option that is easy to use and safe for your joints? Many of our clients love using the recumbent bike for these reasons and more. Before you try, take a look at these tips to make sure your biking is safe and efficient!

Happy New Year from all of us at Northstar!

As we head into 2024, many of you are making your New Year's Resolutions. While these resolutions can be a great tool for motivation towards changing for the better with a blank slate, many fall into similar traps. Here's a few common ones, and some solutions to avoid them in 2024.

More often than not, we try to solve the world without any real plan to do so. "I want to lose 20lbs". That's great! How? In what time frame? What's your game plan to get there?

With too many undefined aspects, there's nothing holding you accountable to your process or results. Along with that, an entire year is wayyyy too long of a timeframe for a realistic goal. Things will change, life will get in the way. By March, you'll have forgotten what your resolution was. By October, you'll already be on to 2025. Instead, start with January. 1 month, 4 weeks, definable actions. That way your structure will be more solid and you'll have the motivation and intention to ...