Weekend Countdown Workout
Kickoff the weekend with this quick countdown workout.
Round #1 – Perform 10 push-ups and 10 swings, then 9 and 9, and 8 and 8, and so on down to 1.
Push Ups
Kettlebell Swing
Round #2 – Perform 10 push-ups and 10 swings, then 9 and 9, and 8 and 8, and so on down to 1.
TRX Rows
Lateral Lunge
If you want more information about fitness coaching click here:
https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/
Recipe of the Week – Pasta with White Beans, Broccolini, and Lemon
1 lb. dry whole-wheat chiocciole
2 bunches boccolini, chopped
1 can white beans (15oz)
½ cup olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package. Add broccolini during the last 2 minutes; drain pasta and broccolini together.
2. Toss with white beans, olive oil, and lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes.
Source: Men’s Health, January 2017 issue
1 Kettlebell, 1 Awesome Workout
Need a quick and efficient workout. Grab a kettlebell and get started.
Kettlebell Swing – 15 reps
Renegade Row – 10 reps each arm
Goblet Squat – 10 reps
Kettlebell Windmill – 5 reps each
Overhead Press – 10 reps each arm
Rest 1-2 Minutes
Perform each movement. Then rest after completing all four. Repeat for five rounds.
Get started with a coach who will guide you each step of the way today!
https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/
A Cheat Or Two Is Fine, An Entire Weekend Is Not
Four awesome workouts and five days of cleaning eating. You’re feeling good and a little proud of yourself. So you feel like you deserve a little reward for all of your effort.
The key words being “little reward”. Not dinner and dessert with friends followed by a night of drinking until the last bar in town closes and then hitting McDonald’s or downing a pizza before heading off to bed. Only to then wake up feeling like death warmed over and spending the next day on the couch eating hangover comfort foods.
Unfortunately for many this is exactly what they do and is why they struggle to see the results they want. Coming into the weekend with a daily 200 calorie deficit, or 1000 for the week, and then binging on 4000 extra calories over the weekend still adds up to a weekly surplus of calories.
A couple glasses of wine, your favorite meal of fish and chips or pasta, a delicious slice of cheesecake are all fine by themselves. The problem is when they all come together. They taste great in the moment, but are regretted later.
Enjoy life, don’t deprive yourself of the foods you enjoy. Just make good decisions around them and don’t undo all your hard work on the weekend.
Need a coach to hold you accountable? Get started today:
https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/
5 Soups To Keep You Warm This Winter
Wedding Soup – https://pittsburghnorthfitness.com/recipe-of-the-week-wedding-soup/
Creamy Cauliflower Soup – https://pittsburghnorthfitness.com/recipe-of-the-week-creamy-cauliflower-bacon-soup/
Rustic Cabbage Soup – https://pittsburghnorthfitness.com/recipe-of-the-week-rustic-cabbage-soup/
Minestrone Soup – https://pittsburghnorthfitness.com/recipe-of-the-week-minestrone-soup/
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup – https://pittsburghnorthfitness.com/recipe-of-the-week-slow-cooker-chicken-taco-soup/
Exercise of the Week – Kettlebell Windmill
Strengthen the core, shoulders, and hips with this weeks exercise of the week, the kettlebell windmill.
How to do it:
Grab a kettlebell in your right hand and press it overhead. Keeping your eyes focused on the kettlebell, hinge your hips back and to the right. Keeping both knees slightly flexed with the left leg and foot rotated out, slide your left hand down the inside of your left leg until your hand reach the floor. Then stand back up tall. Repeat for 5 reps and then move to the opposite side.
Keep your workouts fresh and exciting with a coach. Get started today with our 21-Day Shape Up Challenge here:
https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/
Exercise is simpler than you think.
Sure a workout filled with exciting exercises is fun, but you do not always need that to be healthy.
Exercising can be as simple as walking each day and is a great place to start if you currently do not exercise. After a few weeks you will find your jeans fitting looser and your ability to move without getting out of breath.
Twenty minutes a day is all it takes. That can be 10 minutes at lunch and 10 minutes after dinner. If you want to do more go for it, but 20 minutes is a good starting place.
Exercise DVD’s, gym memberships, and trainers are all great and can be very valuable, but fitness can be as simple as taking a walk.
Got you walk down and looking to take you fitness to the next level. Then check out our 21-Challenge Shape Up Challenge here: https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/
By: Tammy Zubasic
One of the biggest misconceptions about joining a gym is believing you need to get in shape first before joining.
Over my career I’ve heard this so many times that it breaks my heart.
Because of social media, many people feel intimidated and self-conscious about walking into a gym. They envision a gym full of people who are 10% body fat and all decked out in sports bras, booty shorts and tank tops. When you are not feeling or looking your best, this is the last environment you want to step foot in.
There is no shortage of gorgeous people in terrific shape, scantily clad, filling up your social media feed and sharing insane exercises to showing off their new PR (personal record) or their washboard abs.
While I am not too proud to admit I always do feel a twinge of envy. After four kids, three of which are triplets, washboard abs are not something in my future. I always wonder what the purpose of this is. Yes you look amazing and I’m sure have worked very hard to get there, but let’s be honest genetics do come into play.
But what is the big picture here. I realize that some only may be doing this to impress you, while others may be doing this to try and impress upon you the fitness lifestyle and the benefits of fitness. But, this doesn’t help the mom, sitting at home in her sweats, who hates her body and how she looks, and will do anything to avoid putting on a bathing suit. Instead, it reinforces the message that she is not perfect and will never be perfect unless she looks like the person depicted in the picture.
This is not the norm in most gyms. Don’t get my wrong, there are a lot of very fit, gorgeous people in gyms, but they are there to better themselves and to motivate those who are new to the journey. They themselves may have even walked in 20, 30, 40+ pounds overweight and have worked very hard to better themselves. All while holding down a full time job, working long hours, supporting a family, and taking care of aging parents.
Don’t ever feel bad about yourself after seeing some of these pictures and post on social media, as a majority of them are “paid” models. It is their full time job to workout and look the way they do.
I even have had members suggest following some of these women to me on social media. I am always looking for new role models and experts in this industry to learn from. But many times these are just very fit, very beautiful, photo shopped models doing “cool” exercises. Many times they have no background in exercise science, personal training, nutrition, or any other qualifications to qualify them to help anyone; other than being blessed by great genes, eating incredibly clean, working out for hours a day, and getting paid for it. All of which is extremely unrealistic for most people.
Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not knocking these people. Good for them!! We just have to put things in perspective and understand that to get into that kind of shape is a full time job; one that most mothers, fathers, and “regular joes” do not have the time or money to pursue.
Pittsburgh North Fitness does not promise to make you perfect, but we do promise to make you wonderful not matter what size or shape you are or what your goal may be.
You do not have to get into shape before coming to the gym. We exist to help you get into shape to enable you to live your life to the fullest!!!
Start your fitness journey today:
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“I’m so happy I found PNF!” – An interview with PNF Member Patty P.
What were your workouts like before joining?
I’ve tried many different kinds of workouts before joining PNF. I had hired a personal trainer at a larger “chain” gym and not that the trainer was bad, but I did not lose any weight!
I just don’t think he tailored it enough to my specific needs. I also joined other gyms, but found myself focusing solely on the elliptical and treadmill. I lost some weight, but then I think my body grew accustomed to the same workout, and I stopped losing weight.
I also bought several workout DVDs, but soon lost the motivation to keep up with those as there was no customization with the workouts, and they soon grew boring.
As far as nutrition, I did not eat terribly. If anything, at times I did not eat enough! This I found later only hindered my progress. Now, I am more aware of the choices I make and how my nutrition affects my exercise and vice versa. Exercising makes me want to eat healthier, and eating healthier helps my workouts! It’s a win/win!
What obstacles did you have to overcome to join and how did you overcome them?
It wasn’t so much an obstacle I had to overcome to join, it was just that I finally was fed up with feeling unhealthy.
I actually remember the day sitting at work when I realized I had had enough and needed to make a change. I had gained weight, was tired a lot, and knew I wasn’t eating right. I saw an ad on Facebook for a three week Bootcamp at PNF. I loved the Bootcamp and joined as a member shortly after! It was the best decision I’ve made to try it out! I’m healthier, happier, and have made some amazing friends thanks to PNF!
What are your workouts like now?
I workout 3 to 4 times a week, and take part in mostly the Cardio Power and Boxing Bootcamp classes. I love the variety that each class offers, and I always leave each class feeling like I was pushed enough to really get an effective workout. It’s kind of crazy to say, but I actually crave going to this gym!
What specific results have you gotten since joining?
I joined PNF a little over a year ago, and have since lost 41 lbs. I think more importantly though I just feel healthier and stronger, have more energy, and I don’t tend to get sick. My eating habits and nutrition have improved as well since starting at PNF.
Would you recommend PNF to someone and why?
I definitely would recommend PNF, and have already to several friends and family. I can’t help but talk about all of the benefits of being a member of this gym, how it has improved my overall health, and the awesome staff that work here!
Start your fitness journey today:
https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/
A good workout is not one that just burns a certain number of calories.
You need to burn calories, but you also need to control what goes in your mouth. Focusing on burning a high number of calories in each workout results in muscle wasting, a slower metabolism, a craving for carbs, and a tendency to overeat. This works if your goal is to be skinny-fat.
Workout to improve your life and create the best version of yourself. Don’t workout to punish yourself for what you ate yesterday or will be eating today. You should feel good and alive after your workout, not dead and beat.
A workout that has you doing total body movements, carrying heavy things and working in the 70% heart rate zone produces better results than one that is only focused on burning 1,000 calories.
Calorie burn determines very little about the quality of the workout and what the end result will be.
To get started on your fitness journey and have a coach guide you every step of the way, click here:
https://pittsburghnorthfitness.leadpages.co/21-day-shape-up-challenge/