This time of the year can be extra stressful for many people. There are lots of ways to help reduce stress.

Make sure to spend time throughout each day doing something for yourself! 

During the work day, a great way to help reduce stress is by taking breaks throughout the day, even if the break is only 10 minutes. Be intentional during this time to do something for yourself.

Being more active throughout the day can help relieve stress- anything to get your body moving even for a few minutes can help you feel better. 

Write down 3-5 things that you are grateful for and journaling is a great way to help reduce stress. We all have things we are grateful for - big or small! 

Eating healthy foods and eliminating sugars and alcohol can be helpful as well. We may not realize this, but too much sugar can cause a lot of stress. 

Getting enough sleep plays a role in stress relief. Try setting an alarm for the same time each night as your bedtime and avoid screens/electronics right before g...

Everyone at Northstar Fitness wishes you and your families a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy the time spent with loved ones! 

Wanted to take a few minutes this Saturday to shout out Bill!
Bill recently set new PRs in his core and upper body assessments.
He never fails to bring an infectious energy into the studio, and is our go-to guy anytime we need a new joke.
We're proud of you Bill!

We all have perceived limits of what we think we can do, but the ones who push those limits to the side, will accomplish things they never thought were possible. The sky is the limit! Push past that limit and try one more rep or try to go a little longer than what you have done previously and watch all that you will accomplish! 

Are you struggling with daily activities like lifting items off the ground?
If so, the deadlift and its variations are a must-have to build your leg, back, and core strength.

Balance is very important in every day life. No matter what activities we perfrom on a daily basis, it all involves balance and stability. Having good balance is especially important with the winter months when sidewalks and driveways become slippery or icy. Here are 3 exercises that work the core and also balance. 

Step ups are a great exercise, regardless of how high the step is. Step ups work the whole leg, particularily the quads, hips and glutes while also working the core. It is very important to keep the core engaged during the whole exercise, when stepping up and off the step. If you are just starting out with step ups, make sure to have a wall or something near you to grab on to, until you develop the core strength and stability. 

Calf Raises are another great exercise to perform to help with balance and stability. They predominately work the calf muscles but also work the core, if performing them properly. You want to keep the core engaged while lifting onto your toes, hold...

There will always be excuses for not working out, eating nutritionally healthy, etc. Whether it's schedule, state of mind, responsibilities, or otherwise, it doesn't take much searching to find an excuse.

However, what separates those that are successful is the ability to put their reasons above their excuses. They still have excuses, but they don't let them control their life. They keep coming back to why they're working out/eating healthy/etc., using those reasons to ground them and keep them committed.

Our challenge to you is to identify your excuses and your reasons. Which outweigh the other? If the excuses win, it's time to sit down with yourself and reassess what you want and why you want it. Find those reasons that trump the excuses, and your commitment and success will rise to new levels!

Continuously working towards a goal, will start to become a part of who we are. Instead of the goal feeling like something that we have to do, it will start to become a habit and part of your routine. Excellence is achieved by what you repeatedly do, day in and day out!

We've had a lot of questions recently on electrolytes and why we need them. What are they? Why/when do we need them? How much do we need?

What are electrolytes? They are essentially minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. The body needs these charges in order to facilitate many chemical reactions that make our bodies run properly, namely fluid balance/hydration, muscle contraction, and pH balance. The main electrolytes are sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate. Magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, molybdenum, copper, and chromium are also present but less essential. Studies estimate there are 37 billion trillion chemical reactions happening in our bodies every second, with almost all of them being dependent on electrolytes to run smoothly.

For most people, you get enough electrolytes through your normal diet. Electrolyte supplementation usually only becomes needed when you are participating in higher-intensity exerci...

We all have that negative voice that always says "you can't". Remember, that voice is only right if you allow it to be! Whatever your current situation is, your future isn't determined by the voice in your head, but by the actions you take.