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A Resource to Assess & Improve Your Health

Most people know that I’m a huge advocate and fan of almost all things Tim Ferriss, author of the 4-Hour Work Week, 4-Hour Body and 4-Hour Chef (his most recent). So, whenever Tim endorses something, I’m all over it. Recently, he introduced me to WellnessFX, a blood marker testing company.

Here’s what this is all about:

“WellnessFX reveals your true health with insightful visualizations and gives you actionable recommendations for improvement. Take control today.”

“Only WellnessFX combines extensive biomarker diagnostics with a personalized phone consult with the healthcare professional of your choice.”

So, why should you care about your blood results?

70% of data needed for accurate health diagnosis and management is in your blood. To really get an idea of your overall health, blood work needs to be done. What’s more, you need to actually understand your results and what to do with them. Most people either ignore their results or succumb to side-affect ridden medications before exploring alternative, more natural approaches.

This service is super user-friendly, fast, and informative. It’s cool because your blood data gets stored online for your future viewing, analysis, and comparison. Plus, the information that is gathered and the consultation call with the physician that follows (in the comfort of your home!) regarding your results will shed light on dietary and lifestyle changes that you may want to implement to optimize your health.

This is just a great tool to assess if what you’re eating and doing at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym is putting you on the right track. It’s a tool to keep you in check in order to remain on the path of progress.

As of now, you can purchase the Checkup blood work option for FREE. There is also a Baseline, Performance and Thyroid option if you want more comprehensive work done. All of it is relatively inexpensive.

Get on it to support your health and your performance at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. Take control of your health.

Resource: WellnessFX Website

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Two Ferocious Chest and Back Circuits

Next time you are at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym, destroy yourself with these killer chest and back circuits inspired by fitness innovators and educators Krissy Cags and Travis Baker.

First, enjoy this dirty, giant set of fortifying chest and back exercises:

  • Incline Barbell Press x 12 reps
  • Pull Up x 12 reps
  • Flat Bench Press x 12 reps
  • Bent Over Row x 12 reps
  • Dip x 12 reps
  • Reverse Grip Chin Up x 12 reps
  • Push-ups x 12 reps

Repeat this circuit 5 times, resting 45 seconds between rounds. Ouch.

Not going to lie, this will hurt. You’ll immediately feel like you put on some extra pounds of muscle after manning your way through this circuit beast. What’s more, you’ll definitely feel this one the next day. That’s a good thing! It means you successfully worked those chest and back muscles. It means you are moving forward, tackling your Greenville gym fitness goals and creating your best you.

To add more brutality to the fitness mix, here is a further series of exercises you can perform at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym to fire up the muscles of the chest, back, and more. Get ready and pumped to slam, swing, and slam some more.

Slam. Swing. Slam. via Krissy Mae Cags Webstagram

  • Rope Slams
  • Kettlebell Swings
  • Ball Slams

Fun, right? Right. You definitely gotta muster up some enthusiasm for this set!

Perform exercises as repeats of 40-30-20-10-20-30-40. That’s 40 of each exercise, 30 of each, 20 of each, and so on. We’ve got plenty of exercise equipment at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. However, if you can’t find some of the equipment necessary, ask a trainer or staff member at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville athletic club to help steer you in the right direction or modify the exercise. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

What’s the hold up? Transport yourself to the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym. Suffer the burn. Generate a sweat. Strengthen and sculpt those chest and back muscles. Meet your fitness goals. Create your best version of you.

Kill it.

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Psych Yourself Up for the Gym! – Part 1

Before you can step through the doors of the gym for the very first time, there are several other important steps you might need to take. It’s important to get the right mind frame to change your lifestyle before it can become a reality. But if you’re feeling intimidated (as we discussed last week), there are mental exercises you can do even before you come to check out our facilities and try our free Greenville gym membership trial.

Here are the first three easy exercises to put you in the right state of mind:

  1. Think about goals. The first thing that any fitness advisor will ask you is what you want to gain by visiting the gym in Greenville. This might be certain body parts that you want to tone, a specific weight you want to achieve or less specific ideas like flexibility, durability and a longer lifespan. Having an agenda not only helps motivate you to go to the gym, but it also helps you figure out what kinds of activities and exercises you’re going to be interested in. It’s also just much easier to reach your goals once you name them and make them real.
  1. Assess your health. You may have an idea of your goals, but do you know where you already stand when it comes to meeting them? You can assess your BMI to get a general idea of where you stand on the healthy weight ratio. Do you have any injuries, illnesses or other physical limitations that a trainer might want to know about? How is your stamina? Go for a long walk and see how long it takes for you to need a rest or get out of breath. Look at the foods you’re eating and see if you can make more nutritious choices that might complement your workout plans. You should also learn what kinds of foods to eat before and after you work out in order to make the most of your gym visit.
  1. Think about timing. What’s the best time of day for you to visit your local Greenville gym? Maybe it’s on your way to work, or maybe it’s later in the evening. How many days of the week do you aspire to visit the gym? You might not need to find time for an hour of working out each time you come if you can come everyday during your lunch break for a short run. Coming up with a routine and schedule that might work for you — even if you have to adapt it down the road — will help make the idea more concrete.

Check back next week for three more tips to psych yourself up!

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BMIs on Report Cards?

In early childhood, kids might receive marks for satisfactory or unsatisfactory behavior. In secondary school, they begin to receive grades A through F. In college, you can pass or fail a class. All of these educational performance symbols culminate in a GPA. But what about a report card that also brings home a BMI?

Arkansas, Massachusetts and New York are among the states listed that are effectively beginning to measures students’ Body Mass Index. In light of new studies chronicling the nation’s rampant child obesity and first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign that targets the issue, schools are contemplating how to take a more active role in shaping children’s health. In most states, physical education is already a mandatory part of any public school curriculum. Seniors often have to pass a health class before they can graduate high school. And advocates continue to seek ways to modify school lunch menus to make them more enticing, healthy and cost-effective for youths. But is it wise for schools to also being weighing and measuring kids and informing them about these statistics? Will young adults benefit from having this information and learning what it means to take responsibility for their weight? Or will it simply provide fodder for the fragile self-esteem issues they already face in these formative years?

To best serve and inform our members, Pivotal Fitness Greenville likes to stay on top of national health and fitness news. And we’d love to hear what you think about these issues. Creating a dialogue and forming a health-invested community is one of the reasons we enjoy being a local, neighborhood gym in Greenville.

So tell us: What would you think about BMIs on report cards in South Carolina?

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New Year’s Resolutions and You

“I resolve to be healthy and lose weight in 2011.”

Okay, that’s nice. But a resolution is just a set of enticing words if it isn’t followed by action. It’s like making a promise to yourself with zero intention of keeping it—and you know that you should be kinder to yourself than that.

So how do you go about enforcing the resolutions you’ve lain out for the upcoming year?

First of all, break it down. When we think about a major goal, all at once—like losing 20 pounds or visiting the gym three times per week—it can seem daunting and make us quickly lose hope. What you need to do is begin at the beginning. How do you start?

Schedule an appointment to come by Pivotal Fitness’ Greenville gym and meet with someone who can give you a tour, explain membership options and recommend specific ways to address your body shaping or weight loss goals. Then, you’re not making a huge leap or considering a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. You’re just making a phone call.

And that baby step is followed by showing up. And then, hopefully, showing up again (this may be made easier with your 7-day free gym pass to explore our center at your leisure). But you can make an informed decision once you’ve come by, and there’s no need to think that far ahead. You don’t need to worry about the long haul. Just think about dialing a few digits. Just think about that short, convenient trek from your home to your gym in Greenville. Just think about one complimentary tour, one hour of your time, which can get you started off on the right foot for your entire New Year.

And all the rest? Well, we can help you with the next small steps once you get here; that’s what we’re for. And by then, you’ll have a whole team of helpful staff to support you with the follow-through. But don’t even worry about that yet—just contact us.

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More Than Exercise: Extra Gym Perks

At the Pivotal Fitness Greenville health club, we believe that targeting your best health means more than just working out. While exercise is an important part of any routine, you can get the most out of your Greenville gym membership by establishing a lifestyle that supports a strong mind and body in every aspect.

Aside from exercise, here are other ways joining our gym in Greenville can build you up:

1) Support. Pivotal Fitness’ Greenville fitness center is comprised of individuals who want to help you meet your gym goals. We are always willing to help you learn about our services or answer general health questions. From personal trainers to class leaders to all of the staff who contribute to our gym’s efficiency, you can rely on our support as a valued member.

2) Routine. When you start coming by the gym on a regular basis—for example, the same time every day, the same days of the week or the same weekly classes—you establish a routine. Routines keep you calm and motivated in an otherwise chaotic schedule. You can plan your week around fixed appointments and never stress about making time for fitness. Routines get easier the more you do them, so just stick with a consistent plan and you’ll be benefiting from the perks of regular gym visits in no time.

3) Community. Pivotal Fitness personnel aren’t the only ones who can contribute to your success. When you take classes and participate in gym activities, you begin to form bonds with fellow gym-goers. Whether you meet other moms and dads at KidZONE or make friends with fellow yoga participants, the more you come to the gym, the more you establish a community who understand and share your goals.

Another key aspect to total wellness is eating right. Check back for upcoming blog posts dedicated to nutrition, vitamins and supplements.

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Yoga for Kids

Pivotal Fitness is family friendly gym in Greenville. Your kids are welcome in the KidZONE where they can take part in fitness activities designed just for kids. What is more, the lessons and classes in which you partake at Pivotal Fitness’ Greenville health club can also be taken home to benefit your family members. After learning more advanced training and positions in one of our ongoing group exercise yoga classes, you can tailor techniques to share with your kids.

Yoga breathing alone can help center your children and calm them in times of stress. Teaching your kids to focus and meditate is a great way to help them learn self-discipline and about how the mind and body interact. They can also learn about philosophy and compassion.

Yoga is also a wonderful way to introduce more physical activity into your child’s daily habits. Teaching him or her about exercise and nutrition is made easier when you sit down and explore yoga methodology as an easy example–and perform it by their side.

Bringing home your lessons is an excellent way for you to bond and spend time with your kids—while still practicing your hobby and doing something that you enjoy. If it’s something that they come to love, you can always bring them to the Kid’s Yoga Class offered in the KidsZONE.

Please note that Pivotal Fitness Greenville does not endorse that our adult yoga lessons are in any way intended for children; please use your own discretion when bringing home the many benefits of yoga. Please remember warming up and stretching are important best practices whenever you practice even the mildest forms of yoga, especially to set a good example for young kids.

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Help! How Often Do I Eat?

Three square meals a day is a mantra that we’ve always held to be true. The main meals that most Americans emphasize are: breakfast, lunch, dinner. But of course, many of us have heard modern nutritionists talk about eating five or six small meals throughout the day rather than three larger courses. So which is best?

One perk to eating more often throughout the day is that it keeps your metabolism going. This means consistently burning calories. Plus, your energy levels also stay up throughout the day as your body consumes and applies the nutritional benefits of your meals. And eating every three hours or so keeps you from every getting really hungry—a factor that often leads to grabbing not-so-smart snacks.

However, others argue that three meals per day is a satisfactory amount for giving us all of the food we need and that our bodies are able to process, store and redistribute calories in a perfectly healthy way. Studies have been largely inconclusive, and dietitians often flex eating schedules according to a person’s lifestyle.

Ultimately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet that applies to every individual. You may need to try a few options before settling on the plan that best adheres to your dietary needs and daily schedule. However, all nutritionists agree that if you increase your number of meals, you must decrease portion size and limit your caloric intake.

Of course, every food schedule is best complemented by a physical exercise routine to help you stay in shape and feel great. Those who are working out and burning more calories should be sure that they intake enough calories within a properly balanced diet to sustain the energy needed for a more physically active lifestyle. To add fitness to your daily diet plan, check out the membership options at our gym in Greenville.

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