nutrition

Get it together, really.

It's been one of those days.  You know, where you start off feeling like you are conquering the world, and then one thing leads to another, and all of the sudden you wanna hide under a rock and stay there for a few days because you can't get your sh*t together.

Or so it seems.

You spill your coffee all over your shoes, you forget your phone, you lose your keys, you get a call from the sitter that she needs to leave early, you have an 'emergency' at work, you're out of cash and they don't take credit, you burn dinner...or all of the above.

Suffice it to say, we have all had those days where everything seems off.  The bad news is that some of us see these days as tragic failures on

our part and we require 2-3 days beyond them to recover our self-esteem.  What's worse, is that many of you aren't getting your act together when it comes to your health, your activity, and/or your nutrition.  Unfortunately it is all too easy to let workouts and eating right slip by the wayside when we have a bad day and then use our lack of discipline or planning to be one more reason to beat ourselves us.  I know because I have done it at least a thousand times.  And I finally got sick of it.  I'd say the reason I stay healthy is more to keep my self-esteem up than it is any other reason.  I hate wasting time beating myself up for something that I could avoid if I would just do what IO say I want to do.

What do you want to do for your health that just isn't getting done?

Is it because you "still have to get the rest of your life figured out"?  Well, guess what, life is moving on whether you are or not, so you might as well MOVE with it!

If you know what you need to do and you just aren't getting to it, here's some ideas to get you moving (and stop procrastinating):

  1. Declare your plans publicly: send out an e-mail, call 3-4 friends, post it on facebook.  There is power in announcing your plans to the world.  it makes it more official, gives you inspiration- and a great reason to keep going- you can't lose face in front of your friends!
  2. Put a date on when you will complete your goal and declare that publicly too: Putting a date on something helps you to know how to work backwards to get it done.
  3. Structure your calendar around what you want to get done, even if it means moving a few things around or getting help.
  4. Make up your mind that you won't let yourself go another week without getting through as much that needs to be completed as possible.
  5. Get an accountability buddy or Coach.  I can't tell you how much having a coach has changed my life.  We offer wellness coaching that can help anyone stay on task and focus in on what needs to be done so you can free yourself from the guilt trips and excuses.

Your greatest motivator is going to be your passion for why this is so important to you in the first place.  For an added push, consider writing your goal over your mirror, save it as a screen saver, write it on your hand every morning...whatever you need to do to keep the task at the top of your mind and inspiring you to live with urgency around getting it done.  In the end, what matters most, isn't always that you got the goal or get the task done, it's that spent your time with focus and intention to do the things that matter most.  And that's getting it together all by itself!

June's Member of the Month: Jack Unrue

Jack Unrue is a pleasure to be around. Anyone who has worked out beside him will agree he is all smiles and great attitude. He always shows up on time and ready to give his best; earning his title of June Member of the Month!

Jack is originally from upstate NY but moved to Colorado 20 years ago with his awesome wife and fellow Restoration Fitness member, Danielle. The two of them are incredibly active, humble about it, and an enjoyment to train. They live in Lafayette with their cat, Ripley. Jack is a software engineer and avid runner. He has been a RF member since  mid February when it became obvious to him that what he had been doing up until that point wasn't cutting it. He wasn't getting the results he was hoping for and was looking for some accountability and coaching. He also felt that his back pain was consistently getting  in the way. Danielle did a google search for Boulder personal trainers and they found us, and we are so glad!

Restoration Fitness: What positive results have you had since joining our community in February?

Jack: I'm stronger! My body feels different; I've lost weight and 11 1/4 total inches off my body circumference. My attitude towards health is a lot better; I want to come here! I absolutely love and thrive off having a coach and a group of people in classes, the collective energy is awesome.  I aslo think about nutrition much more than before I was a member. And, I've also brought my 3 mile running time down from 29:40 to 25:53.

RF: We are so proud of you, Jack!!!!

 

RF: What keeps you motivated?

Jack: I'm so able. I'm doing what I need to with my workouts rather than wasting time. I also really enjoy the group atmosphere here. I haven't been in this kind of shape in a long time, being able to sign up for the Bolder Boulder with confidence is pretty awesome. I know I can do it!

 

RF: What's the biggest challange you've overcome?

Jack: Food and nutrition which I'm still working on. Also, I never worked out when I was younger - I started around 30. So, I find that being in control and in tune with my body can be more difficult. So, I'm loving the feeling of empowerment I'm getting with my workouts lately.

 

RF: What does health mean to you?

Jack: Health means not procrastinating. Being healthy enough to get things done that HAVE to be done. Feeling well enough to tackle things.

RF: Great insight!

 

RF: What's your favorite healthy recipe?

Jack: Danielle and I make ground beef, green peppers, onions, lots of ground red pepper, and canned tomatoes. Very yummy!

 

RF: What's your favorite song to workout to?

Jack: It used to be loud, angry music... Right now it's Massive Attack's song Angel. Check out the video, it's cool!

 

RF: What's your favorite workout?

Jack: Fitness Fire classes and running.

 

We are so glad to have Jack as a RF member and appreciate him greatly. His continued hard work and dedication is most definitely only going to help him reach goal after goal. Here's to all our amazing, dedicated members!

 

Hibiscus Cooler

Hibiscus CoolerIngredients: 6 hibiscus tea bags 6 cups boiling water 2 cups sparkling water 1 tbsp lime juice

-Place tea bags and boiling water in a pitcher, let steep 8 mins -Dispose of tea bags, pour in sparkling water and lime juice -Put pitcher in refrigerator until cooled

*Optional: Add honey or stevia while tea is still hot. You could also add some mint sprigs before serving.

This drink is such a beautiful color and is incredibly refreshing! It's great to cool down on hot days and a perfect drink to serve to company.

Jerk Chicken Wings

Ingredients: 1/4 cup minced red onion 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 1/2 lbs chicken drummettes (you can also use chicken thighs, breast, even tofu)

-Combine first 11 ingredients in a large bowl; add chicken and liquid to a ziploc bag and marinade overnight. -My preferred method of cooking these is on the grill for about 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. -You could also cook them on a pre-heated medium-high heat pan on the stove.

These are so delicious and easy to make! We usually grill up a couple plantains and some asparagus to go with it. To grill a plantain, make sure it's black and ripe, cut it in half lengthwise. Brush them with olive oil and a sprinkle of brown sugar if desired and grill about 8 minutes on each side. Try this recipe out, I guarantee you won't regret it!

February's Member of the Month: Bob McCool

Bob became a member of Restoration Fitness in October of 2011. Since then he has been committed to improving his health and has had some awesome results. We are also very proud and impressed by Bob’s learned perfection of squats! We sat down with him recently and asked him some questions. Meet Bob!

 

(RF) Tell us a little background info about yourself:

(Bob) Originally, I’m from Columbus, OH and was raised in PA. I’m the youngest of 8.  I’ve been living in Colorado since 1994 with my wife Daryl and our 7-year-old son, Jackson. I work as a partner of a computer services company.

 

(RF) What results have you seen since joining RF in October?

(Bob) To start, I’ve lost 20 pounds! My energy level is ten times higher than it’s ever been which helps me keep up with Jackson. I’ve noticed continuous improvement of previous injuries. I can also snowboard much better than I ever have been able to in the past. Another positive result is that with the help of RF, I’ve been eating so much healthier.

 

(RF) What keeps you motivated?

(Bob) The accountability of RF has been great. I love coming here! It’s also been a great stress relief and managing stress is important to me. I want to feel good! And, above all else, having the energy to keep up with Jackson. Being healthy for him is very motivating to me.

 

(RF) What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?

(Bob) Food. I used to stress eat a lot. Having workouts as my new stress relief is great!

 

(RF) What’s your favorite healthy food?

(Bob) Grilled trout with a spicy rub

(RF) Yum!!

 

(RF) What’s your favorite song or artist to workout to?

(Bob) The Police

 

(RF) What’s your favorite type of workout?

(Bob) Fitness Fire classes! They’re a really great, hard workout and they’re fun!