What's Happening

Congratulations, Lucy Stoops!

Lucy is the winner of our annual Fit for the Holidays contest. She lost 5 lbs over the holidays and had a choice of prizes: an hour massage or an hour workout at CoachMeFit with her trainer. She chose the workout! What a champ!

Congratulations to all of our clients who maintained or lost weight over the holidays!

CoachMeFit to Partner with Make a Wish Foundation

CMF will be offering a free online training program for participants in the Wish-A-Mile fund raiser to be held July 24-27. If enough people are interested, we will offer a conditioning class to participants.

The Wish-A-Mile 300 is a three day, 300-mile bicycle ride from Traverse City to Chelsea, Michigan, to raise funds and awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. Last year WAM raised enough funds to grant 167 wishes to Michigan children facing life-threatening medical conditions. Find out more at www.wishmich.org.

Thank You

Several clients allowed us to videotape the studio during their recent workout. Others agreed to be interviewed. Thank you so much for participating. Our video tour couldn't have captured the experience of training at CMF without having actual footage of trainers and clients. We'll be adding the video tour to our website soon.

CoachMeFit Franchise Adds Locations

CoachMeFit Franchise Corporation recently signed franchisees in East Grand Rapids' Gaslight Village district and will open a West Bloomfield studio in spring 2008. With the Birmingham location opening in March and the original Ann Arbor studio, CoachMeFit will have four locations in Michigan since it formalized its franchise status less than a year ago.

If you haven't checked it out yet, visit our new website: www.coachmefit.com.

Upcoming Triathlon

June 14, 2008
Rocky Gap Sprint YMCA Triathlon, Cumberland, Maryland
Location: Rocky Gap State Park
Course Info: 1/4 mile lake swim, followed by an 8 mile rolling country road ride, finishing with a 5k run on hard surface in the park.
http://www.cumberlandymca.org/

Client of the Month: Ann Kubek

"I intended to come to CoachMeFit one time to use a gift certificate a friend gave me. But at that first visit a year and a half ago, I realized what training at CoachMeFit could do for me. I even added a second weekly session over time because working out on my own wasn't as effective.

"Ann Marie, my trainer - actually she's more like my personal coach - is outstanding. She knows how to challenge me without being unrealistic. She uses her knowledge of exercise and all kinds of equipment to make workouts interesting, and to accommodate my occasional injuries. At the end of my training sessions we plan when I will do cardio workouts in the coming week. My work requires that I travel frequently, so Ann Marie creates workouts I can do anywhere - even in my hotel room.

"The results say it all. I reached my goal of running two 5K races last year and I've lost 30 pounds."

Thank you, Ann, for sharing your experience at CoachMeFit.

Experts Identify Fitness Trends

With the explosion in Americans' interest in fitness and exercise, new trends emerge every year as others taper off. Here are just a few of the trends that the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has identified in the last few years.

1. Teenagers and kids are utilizing personal trainers for sport-specific training. As the number of student athletes increases, so does the importance of sport-specific training. On today's playing fields, the kids are bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. A sport-specific training program involves focusing on the specific skills associated with an activity (e.g., tennis players strengthening the rotator cuff muscles to improve their serve), while improving cardio respiratory endurance, muscle strength, core stability and flexibility.

2. Personal Training: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, personal training is one of the fastest growing professions. Consumers are demanding competent practitioners. Competent personal trainers offer clients invaluable expert guidance and motivation. Positive accountability can be among the most important factors in helping individuals make a lasting commitment to an active lifestyle. Many clients view personal training as a wise investment in their long-term health.

3. Balance training continues to be a strong trend. Balance training activities (e.g., Tai Chi, yoga, Pilates, etc.) and equipment (e.g., foam rollers, wobble boards, Bosu balls, etc.) are among the fastest growing and most popular exercise options for adults. Health clubs and trainers are offering balance training programs for virtually all levels and types of participants.

4. More and more restaurants are offering healthier nutrition options. Many Americans are demanding to know what's in their meals and restaurants are responding by offering nutritional content listed on their menus. These listings can keep help keep you on track and in control of portion sizes when dining out.

5. Functional fitness continues its strong presence in personal training sessions and group fitness classes. Functional strength training and/or core strengthening activities enhance coordination, strength and endurance in everyday activities. Focusing on exercising several muscles and joints together rather than working a particular muscle or group of muscles better prepares the body for daily activities and recreational pursuits.

6. Boomer Fitness Focus: Individuals age 50+ are redefining their expectations about age, vitality, and life realizing the importance of physical activity as they age. For the aging population, regular exercise is critical in keeping the body limber, injury free, and more youthful.

Muscle Memory

Exercise is as vital for mental performance as it its for physical well-being. "The brain stays sharp by having plenty of oxygen, which metabolizes glucose for mental energy," explains cognitive researcher Pierce Howard, PhD, Director of Research at the Center of Applied Cognitive Studies. "You can optimize the brain through good circulation and new synapse growth, and aerobic exercise is hands-down the best way to achieve this."

Aerobic exercise also neutralizes another cognition-clogging force: stress. "Chronic stress is especially detrimental to mental function," explains Howard. "As stress floods the body with cortisol, initiating the fight-or-flight response, it reduces our mental ability to be creative, to make decisions, to be analytical by up to 90%." In fight-or-flight mode, the body diverts energy away from mental processing and instead primes itself for peak physical performance.

The cortisol that triggers flight or flight can stay in the body up to 60 hours; a concept that resonates with the perpetually stressed who feel they're living in a mental fog. Exercise is the only way to metabolize and eliminate this lingering cortisol. "You've got to turn off the cortisol faucet, and then drain the tub," Howard explains. "Relax to stop cortisol production; then exercise to metabolize cortisol that's already in your system."

Similar to omega-3s' activity, exercise also boosts levels of the BDNFs that are so critical for building, rebuilding and protecting the brain's neurons: "Aerobic exercise produces neurotrophins, which are like a fertilizer for the brain," explains Howard. "Neurotrophins promote new synapses and make the neural membranes more supple."

US researchers have also found, through analylsis of brain MRIs, that this exercise- induced brain cell growth may be targeted: blood flow to the regions of the brain associated with memory was increased when individuals exercised regularly.

(excerpted from "Staying Sharp" by Marissa Candela in Energy Times Magazine)

Tid Bits for February

Sweat Stains: It's the Pits

Sweat leaves a yellowish stain, especially on light clothing. So it's best to opt for dark colored workout wear and use plenty of anti-perspirant. Always wash workout gear immediately to keep sweat from sinking in, but to remove stains try applying white vinegar directly to the stain.

Check Off Your Check-Up

Here's a New Year's resolution for everyone...get your annual physical. Make sure you get your cholesterol and blood pressure tested.

Cholesterol
What is it? HDL + LDL + Triglycerides
Should be less than 200 milligrams per deciliter

HDL (high density lipoprotein)
This is the good cholesterol. It carries fat away from arteries to the liver for disposal.
Should be 50 mg/dl or higher

LDL (low density lipoprotein)
This is the bad cholesterol. It builds up and forms plaque that can cause heart attacks.
Should be less than 100 mg/dl

Triglycerides
These are fatty acids that store energy.
Should be less than 150 mg/dl

Avoid the Winter Winddown

Here are some different tricks to help you stick to your fitness plan during the winter.

1. Sign up for races scheduled in February, March, and April.
2. Set a consecutive days workout goal.
3. Chocolate. Have a little as a reward for working out.
4. Turn the heat down in your house so you have to exercise to warm up.
5. Adopt a buddy system. Set a time to workout with a friend so you can motivate each other.
6. Plan a swimsuit weather trip at the end of winter.
7. Buy training sessions at CoachMeFit :)

Answers to the Holiday Traditions Crossword

1 commemorate 2 menorah 3 responsibility 4 wreath 5 myrrh 6 dedication 7 tinsel 8 chorale 9 enchanting 10 nativity 11 mistletoe 12 miraculous 13 wassail 14 blessing 15 creative 16 indulgence 17 decoration 18 fasting 19 collective 20 revelation 21 ornaments 22 cooperative 23 Santa

Move of the Month

Windshield Wiper Ab Workout

3 sets and 12 reps; Rest for 60 seconds between sets.

Bend your knees and lift your legs until your thighs are above your hips (A). Press your palms into the floor and lower your legs to the left. Go as far as possible while keeping your right shoulder glued to the floor (B), then bring your legs back to center. Next, lower them to the right. Alternate until you've completed 12 reps on each side.