twitter-icon facebook-icon instagram-icon googleplus-icon VISIT OUR SISTER SITE
  twitter-icon facebook-icon instagram-icon googleplus-icon
VISIT OUR SISTER SITE

Thank You

Thank you so much to everyone attending our Open House Sunday and to those that helped spread the word. It was a pleasure to connect with each of you and I look forward to our individual follow ups. BFIT Open House Jan 2012

Need a public speaker? Email train@blakelyfit.com

   

My advice this week is simple: sit back, curl up on the couch and watch a movie (one in particular.) I recently viewed Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, a documentary by Australian, Joe Cross. It chronicles his journey to be free of medications, pain and imbalance as he travels across the United States on a juice fast. I found this movie motivating, unpretentious, and accessible. Add it to your Netflix cue (search under documentaries), tablet or laptop. It’s a great choice for anyone in need of some logical inspiration in an entertaining package. Drop me a line with your review.

Good on ya, mate! ~ Michelle

Rest if you must…

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit…
Grandma and Dad Fishing 
During post holiday blues and overzealous fitness routine soreness, I have a few words for you: “Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.” This message has always been very close to my heart as it was first delivered to me by my paternal grandmother (above with my father), a remarkable woman in her own right – authentic farm girl, RN, survivor of the Depression, mother of 5 (before nannies and formula), pleasant, happy, engaging and unequivocally one of the kindest and most resilient women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Over the years my grandmother taught me a lot by how she lived her life and one that has always stuck with me was: “rest if you must, but don’t you quit.” 

Changing your life for the better is hard – rewarding and worth every drop of sweat in the end – but, still hard. So, during what might be a precarious week for New Year’s Resolution commitment, I implore you NOT to quit. I’ve attached a version of the poem below. I do hope that “rest if you must, but don’t you quit” will help you in a challenging moment. This being “healthy and happy” journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Taking a break here and there, or reevaluating your plan to find better support or more realistic timelines are good decisions. Think of individuals that inspire you when the going gets tough, keep your chin up and keep on with the good fight. You can do this.

And in the vein of my grandmother, THANK YOU. Thank you so much for reading. It is an honor to have your attention and feedback. All my best on those resolutions! ~Michelle

 
I’d love to see you at the open house: 

Open House Sunday, January 22nd from 10:30am to noon. 

Email to reserve your space train@blakelyfit.com

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit-Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow -You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

Whe he might have captured the victor’s cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out –

The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit -It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

OPEN HOUSE

Personal Training Open House 

Sunday, January 22nd

10:30am to 12noon

Informative presentation: 

“The Ultimate Secret to Weight Loss for Women.”

Talk starts promptly at 10:45am.

Free Caribou Coffee, treats and tours.

$50 off all personal training purchases on the day of event.

$20 Lululemon gift cards to the first five women that bring a friend.

(must register at train@blakelyfit.com to qualify)

Blakely FIT Open House takes place at 

Symmetry Center 401 West Ontario, 4th Floor

Reserve your space by emailing train@blakelyfit.com

FREE

What the Today Show and New York Times Missed

During my warm-up at the gym, the Today Show caught my attention. Dr. Nancy Snyderman and Joy Bauer, RD were discussing the results of a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine that addresses the hormonal implications to dieting. They gave some good suggestions and validated the incredible challenge that overweight people experience in the efforts to lose weight. After my work out, I went to my computer and read through the New York Times article referenced. Columnist, Tara Parker-Pope discussed the topic in detail in her article The Fat Trap. The overwhelming data states that we are more challenged after losing weight via intense dieting. Our hormones change and cravings alter. When you cut back on your calorie intake significantly your body tries to save you from the famine (because why else would you reduce your food intake so drastically). It alters protocol and holds on to body fat. This coverage COULD be demoralizing to another reader, but my hope is that you know better. What the well intentioned authors missed was strength training. Not only does strength training have significant positive implications for your bones, brain, hormones, pregnancy, physique and weight maintenance it is the only method that I know of to increase the number of calories you burn while at rest. And that is a message that needs to be delivered.

 

Call it what you like, resistance training, lifting weights, toning, strengthening, adding muscle. Whatever the term, the idea is to add muscle mass to your body to increase your metabolism (calorie expenditure).  This is still being overlooked in the mainstream media as an important part of the weight loss / being healthy solution- I want you to know better. Whether it’s joining me for personal training or push ups and resista-band squats in your living room, we can enjoy the tremendous benefits of strength training. Hopefully, success will spread the word, one person at a time.

(Well, maybe a few at a time, I did email NYT author – will keep you posted if I receive a reply)

blakely-fit-newsletter-signup
STRENGTH TRAINING EXCLUSIVELY FOR WOMEN