Your muscles have glycogen stores (energy stores) that beg to be expended. If you don’t, your body stores excess energy in the form of fat. When performing cardio like walking, you use minimal glycogen stores, which in turn means that you burn calories only while you are working out.

When you incorporate guided, personalized high intensity training, you are able to fully deplete those glycogen stores when you reach the point of momentary muscular failure (MMF). It sounds bad, but it’s a good thing.  You've effectively exhausted the glycogen stores in your muscles, meaning your body will start to dig into your fat stores to replenish.  Your body also releases a hormone called epinephrine, which gives your body a rush of energy that makes you feel great.

One key way to to achieve this MMF is having increased time under tension.  You will also achieve MMF if you can work in both directions, both in pushing and resisting.  Often, our body's are only...

Obesity related illnesses are set to surpass smoking as the number one cause of death in the United States.  The impact to individuals, families is heartbreaking, and medical costs and the financial burden associated with it are skyrocketing.

One of those Obesity related illnesses that you might be familiar with is diabetes.   Type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes, is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes mainly from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose get into your cells to be used for energy. (https://www.niddk.nih.gov › diabetes › overview › what-is-diabetes › type-2)

You may know someone who has died or has had to amputate a toe, a foot, a knee, a leg, or even an arm due to the effects of diabetes.    People with diabetes are prone to nerve damage and circulation issues that...

One of the keys to maintaining proper fitness level starts with…core strength. Core is more than an abdominal six-pack; it is a group of muscles that stabilizes the pelvis and spine and influences the body from head to toe.  Just like the core of the apple is the center of which everything else grows, Core strength helps posture, keeps joints intact, improves mobility, prevents injury, and improves balance. If you have struggled sitting upright or standing up, you likely have a weak core.

As we age…

We lose that lean mass if we don’t implement strength training under proper guidance. This results in loss of strength, and bones and cartilage start to wear. We then experience more pain (back, hip, knee, foot, neck). Weakness results in an imbalanced core, which leads to problems up and down the body. For example, knee pain is often caused by insufficient pelvic stabilization. When we then stop working out due to pain, our fitness falls off, we put on weight...

Life can be crazy with travel, vacation, school shuttle for kids or grandkids, more family activities!   We have a tendency to put ourselves second to our schedules.  Want to know the secret to getting in great shape and being the best for ourselves and our family?  It's not how many miles you ran, it's having a Coach. 

Really?  That's right!  Virginia Tech published a study about 2 groups of people who were given the same exercise routine.  One group had a coach who regularly checked up.  The other did not.  The results?  The group that had a coach to check up and stay on track were 2200% more likely to be consistent towards achieving their goals than those who did not.  Having a coach is critical to your success.

By putting your health first, you can better put yourself first for your workers, family, and friends. You’ll feel better, be more productive and enjoy the lifestyle you want and deserve.  Search out a...

Water makes up almost 60% of the human body; it is one of the most important things we take into our body. Water not only carries vital nutrients, but also helps with nearly all body functions, including digestion and brain activity. It’s been shown to also increase metabolism.

What health problems happen to me when I don’t drink enough water? Without proper hydration, your body becomes dehydrated, which leads to many health issues such as, tiredness, exhaustion, headaches, depression, high blood pressure, obesity, kidney stones and other issues, even diabetes and heart disease. And…your breath can stink!  That's right, dehydration decreases saliva, which allows bacteria that cause bad breath to thrive.

When we work out, our bodies need more water. If you don’t have enough, you will feel a reduced amount of energy, shortness of breath, muscle cramping, dizziness, and even sick to the stomach. Having a dry mouth or early fatigue during a workout? You...

Slow cooker meals are a fantastic method for enjoying lean, homemade dinners without the hassle and time commitment that many recipes entail. By simply throwing the ingredients below into your slow cooker in the morning before you leave for work, you’ll have a hot, delicious meal ready for you when you return home!

The combination of soy sauce, ketchup, garlic and dried basil lend phenomenal flavor to tender chicken thigh in this too-easy-to-believe chicken dinner recipe. Serve with a salad made with dark greens and over a bed of cauliflower rice. Enjoy!

What You Need

Serves 8

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• sea salt
• black pepper
• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup ketchup 
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• *optional sesame seeds for garnish

 Instructions

1.  Generously salt and pepper the chicken thighs. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. Combine the soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic and dried basil....