July 18, 2013
 

Greetings!
 
We hope you all had a fun, happy, and safe July 4th celebration.  It was a great day for barbeques, the beach, and fireworks amidst all that rain we had!

We have an exciting announcement to make this month. The owners of Evolution Fitness have co-authored a book that will be released in September of 2013!  Full details are below.  Please let us know if you would like us to reserve you a copy.

We also want to give a shout-out to co-owner and fitness coach, Brian Kane, for his participation in the Spartan Death Race last month.  In this issue, he offers some insight into his experience of the race, which was challenging to say the least. 

If you haven't yet committed to our Century Workout Challenge, it's still not too late!  The goal is to complete 100 workouts by the end of this year and it's a great way to stay motivated to finish 2013 as strong as you began it.   Plus, you could win $50 in Evo-Bucks!

Finally, our focus this month is on hydration, which is oh so important on these hot summer days.  Please, please, please remember to stay adequately hydrated as the summer heats up.   It's important not only for your workouts and ability to lose fat, but your overall health as well, not to mention your risk for heat stroke. 
  
  Committed to your success always,
  
The Evolution Fitness Team
Healthy Hydration 
 

Now that we are in the dead heat of summer, it is extremely important to maintain hydration and drink plenty of water. Water is one of the most essential nutrients; we don't live long without it. Water regulates our body temperature, cushions and protects our vital organs, and aids in our digestion. It is also responsible for transporting vital nutrients to our cells and dispelling waste from our bodies.  

 

Hydration & Exercise Performance

We have a saying here at Evolution Fitness that helps our members understand how to get the best results from their workouts: "Form is King & Intensity is Queen." Without proper hydration, both form & intensity go straight out the window. That's because dehydrated muscles fatigue very quickly, compromising form and rendering intensity an impossibility. If you're looking to get results from your exercise regimen, proper hydration is a vital component.

 

Hydration & Weight Loss

Dehydration can slow down your metabolism, thus making it harder to lose weight. Furthermore, dehydration will cause feelings of fatigue, particularly mid-day. This fatigue can lead to over-eating. Dehydration can also cause sensations in your gut similar to hunger pangs. This, too, can lead to an over-consumption of calories, because your body is tricked into thinking it's hungry, instead of just thirsty.  

 

Hydration Tips

  • Aim to stay consistently hydrated. It is not effective to "get it all in" right before your workout. Instead, drink water continuously throughout the day.
  • Water is the best source of hydration. If you have been profusely sweating, coconut water is a great, all-natural way to replenish those lost electrolytes.
  • Limit caffeinated drinks to 1-2 cups per day due to their diuretic properties.
  • Strive to consume roughly half your bodyweight in ounces of water daily. Use your urine output as a guide to your hydration levels. It should be a pale, pale, pale yellow color.
  • Eat lots of fresh veggies and fruits to help add to your overall water intake.

 

L-R David Duzenski, Helena Duzenski, Danielle Kane, Brian Kane

Book Release: September, 2013

 

Helena Duzenski, David Duzenski, Danielle Kane and Brian Kane, owners of Evolution Fitness, have joined a select group of leading fitness experts from across the United States and Canada to co-write the forthcoming book titled, Get With The Program: The World's Leading Fitness Experts Reveal Their Best Workouts to Help You Get Lean, Happy and Healthy in No Time Flat!

 

Evolution Fitness was born of four friends' passion to change the way fitness was done. With the growing number of people trying to get healthy and change their lives for the better, co-owners Brian, David, Danielle and Helena could see the need for results-oriented, solution-based, lifelong fitness. They knew that the only way to really help people change their lifestyle long-term was to provide them with the same type of scientifically-based, individualized exercise program design, motivational coaching, and commitment that is usually reserved for the elite athlete. They understood that while most of their members would never get paid a single dime for anything they did in the athletic realm, they nonetheless were deeply impacted by the health of their bodies and, therefore, deserved the same thought and care.

 

In this book, the title Get With The Program has a particularly important meaning for readers. The fitness experts who have written this book all wish you to enjoy great health. With time at a premium for the typical reader, they show you various programs and methods to follow in order to improve or maintain your good health.

 

Helena, David, Brian and Danielle are proud to have co-authored this book along side this select group of health and fitness coaches. They are deeply honored to have won the Editor's Choice Award for their contribution to Get With The Program and are excited for its release in September of 2013. Copies will be available for purchase at the Evolution Fitness facility after the release. Please call (856) 751-1300 to reserve your copy today!





In This Issue
July
Shake of the Month
   

Nutrition Spotlight:
The Cucumber 
 

Although it is not often the star of the show, we've chosen to highlight the humble cucumber this month. If the cucumber is considered at all, it is usually in the summer months because one, it is a fruit that helps you stay hydrated due to its high water content (about 96%) and two, it fights heat, both inside and out. Eat some cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber to your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.

 

Of course, we've all seen that woman, either in a movie or advertisement, with slices of cucumbers over her eyes. It's a clich�, but cucumbers do, in fact, help reduce under-eye bags and puffiness. They also contain vitamins and minerals that are great for your skin, nails, and hair, helping you to look healthy and vibrant. High in both fiber and water, cucumbers aid in weight loss and help to flush out toxins. In fact, eaten regularly, they have been known to dissolve kidney stones.  

 

Cucumbers are also beneficial to the health of your mouth, helping to heal diseased gums and giving you fresher breath. They cut down the risk of certain cancers and contain compounds called sterols that help reduce bad cholesterol.

 

Cucumbers are an easy addition to almost any salad, plus a good snack to pair with nuts or cheese. Be sure to check out our recipe this month, cold gazpacho soup, a unique and refreshing way to incorporate cucumbers into your diet this summer.  Cold soup on a hot day is as good in the summer as hot soup on a cold day can be in the winter! 

     
Recipe of the Month

Gazpacho Soup

 
Ingredients  

1 hothouse cucumber, halved and

seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

 

Preparation  

 

Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. It is important to not over-process so you maintain texture.

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop
. Top with fresh cilantro just before serving.

    
 Enjoy!
Congrats
Coach Brian!


Recently, Coach Brian Kane, co-owner of Evolution Fitness, competed in the Spartan Death Race, a hard-core endurance race that stays true to its name.  Very few people actually complete the race; that's the way it is designed.

This was the second time Brian competed in the race; the first time was in 2011.  In the 2011 Spartan Death Race, Brian competed for 27 hours straight before having to call it quits.  This time he raced for 45  hours before having to bow out due to a bad case of trench foot that just wouldn't allow him to continue. 

Of all the challenging physical feats he was asked to perform, Brian said the 20 mile hike over Bloodroot Mountain while carrying a 40 lb stone was the hardest.  When asked what he was most proud of he answered, "I'm proud that my mind never wavered, that my training held up strong, that I outlasted my 2011 race, and that I did my absolute best to the very end."  He also added that one of the biggest motivators that helped him push through in the tough moments was all the support and encouragement he knew he had from his Evolution Fitness family.  "Thanks everyone!  I couldn't have done it without your support!"