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Shop Small Saturday Sale: $25 just for you!

Blakely Fit RARELY has sales. WIth our love for small business and our small group training “Strength In Numbers” we are celebrating Small Business Saturday with a sale! 

New clients:
$25 off Strength In Numbers Assessment when you email interest today (click here)

Current clients (because we love you so):

$25 off your next bill when five friends sign up for our Friday Quickie (link here)

Email train@blakelyfit.com. We’ll let you know which of your nearest and dearest signed up – must sign up by Tuesday at midnight.

Current client sample text options to make your life easier:
“Hey pals, sign up for this awesome, quick, Friday morning email for some fitness inspiration. Save me $25 in the process! Thanks!”
“Ladies, as a source of all things fabulous in Chicago, trust me when I recommend you sign up for Blakely Fit’s ‘Friday Quickie’ – concise, inspiring and catering to women. You’ll love it and I’ll save $25 in the process.”
“Remember how we’ve been talking about getting back into shape? Here’s a great springboard- save me $25 when you sign up for Blakely Fit’s ‘Friday Quickie.'”
“You know how I’ve seemed healthier lately… here’s my secret. Join me and we can both save $25. A million thanks!”

Thanksgiving Help

My favorite Thanksgiving tips:


First thing this morning- go for a walk outside – five minutes or fifty – the fresh air and movement will make for a great start. Can’t this morning? How about with your favorite cousin before dinner?

Eat plenty of fruit with your breakfast. (Pack in the nutrients and yes, I absolutely recommend you do eat breakfast.)

Park conversations away from the appetizer table or desert table. (mindless eating is too easy over a spread of delicious treats)

Do not go to the party ravenous – have a snack and plenty of water before you arrive
Looking up from underwater
Mingle, walk around or help your host between dinner and desert. It may help alleviate “food coma” feelings and reduce additional grazing. Lake front
My thanks to you…

I am so very fortunate to have a thriving business and healthy client base. Every compliment, referral and opened email has a tremendous impact on Blakely Fit. A very heartfelt thanks for your continued patronage and wishes for a very healthy and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!   All my best, Michelle

Women Don’t Work as Hard

 

This was stated at the Illinois National Strength and Conditioning Association State Clinic this past Saturday. As an attendee, I almost jumped out of my chair to protest. Working solely with women, I had hundreds of examples of their perseverance and fortitude at my fingertips. Then, I saw the study. It was right.

Here is the research: Journal of Strength and Conditioning

In short, women will SELF SELECT a less intense load for a strength training exercise (ex. 50lb leg press instead of 80lb leg press.) This is a missed opportunity. Having the proper load for resistance training is incredibly important for obtaining all the wonderful benefits of lifting weights including but not limited to: increasing resting metabolism, improving bone density, decreasing risk of injury, increasing flexibility and adding strength.The other professionals in the room took time to speculate on why this “self select load” problem exists in women. I guessed “fear of injury,” others correctly supposed that women are driven to complete the directive. If she is asked to complete  three sets of ten, she will select a weight (ex. 5 lb dumbbell instead of 8 lb dumbbell) that will ensure that success. The unfortunate truth is that resistance training is different. It is more beneficial to lift a heavier weight (safely of course) and NOT complete the task than to complete the task with too easy of a load.I kid you not, a client the next day expressed this exact concern when I asked why she was reluctant to attempt a particularly challenging exercise. It’s amazing what you can learn when you sit still for a moment and listen.

The take away? All Blakely Fit clients will be checked and double checked regarding their load intensity. (Get ready, my beauties.) We are committed to safe and effective workouts and this knowledge is just one more tool in our belt. Email if you need help with your own workouts, I’d be delighted to learn how I can help: train@blakleyfit.com

Learn more about Michelle Blakely, Featured Trainer at The Trainers Gym

Guess who is the Featured Trainer at The Trainers Gym? Get to know more about Michelle here:

Name: Michelle Blakely
Age: 39
Hometown: Chicago
Current city: Frankfort, IL
Favorite gym equipment: Barbells – too few women use them
Favorite food: Dark chocolate covered grahams
Favorite TV show: 30 Rock (Tina and Alec – geniuses in their own right)

 

1. How long have you been/how did you decide to become a Personal Trainer?
I have been training for 12 years. I danced professionally in Europe and North America after college. An injury left me looking for answers. Strength training was a huge component to my recovery (and although not the original intent – weight management.) As I healed and continued my research, the benefits of strength training extended beyond recovery and athleticism. Strength training offers a solution to weight management, metabolism struggles, healthier living, flexibility and stress reduction, as well as consistently creating a long, lean physique. I love all things efficient and proven. I have been hooked and helping others ever since.

2. What are your core beliefs when it comes to health and wellness?

  • Be skeptical of hype and fads.
  • Make change systematically and incrementally.
  • Never underestimate your daily habits – they are powerful and life changing.
  • Seek out reputable experts and quality data.
  • When in doubt, participate in what is fun and joyful.

3. What is the most rewarding thing about being a Personal Trainer?
Client success. No doubt about it.

4. What kind of clients do you specialize in, if any?
Women only. Age 25 and better. Professionals and homemakers seeking efficient, ways to be be active, fit and lean.

5. Do you have any tips on ways to burn a few extra calories through the day?
Yes, get out of your chair. Seek excuses to move more. Pace every phone call. Walk a lap every hour. Never take the elevator. Meet for a walk instead of coffee. Park as far from the door as possible. Get off the train one stop early or late. Dance every time you hear music. (silliness might be required – well worth it.)

6. What is your favorite snack food (fruits, vegetables, snack bars, etc.)?
Currently, pureed vegetable soup. Perfect for really busy snack times, I don’t even have to chew.  Microwave a cup in a coffee mug. Surprisingly tasty. GET THE RECIPE HERE.

7. What do you think is the most valuable benefit of working with a Personal Trainer?
We don’t know what we don’t know. An expert’s insights can make all the difference.

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Treats, Tweets and the Twins

First, the treats. Yesterday was Halloween and each of us are surrounded by candy. My advice? TOSS IT. TODAY.
Or, if you are guilt ridden at the idea of placing unwrapped food in the garbage (I hear you), give it to Operation Halloween Candy Buy Back and share your sweet treats with our troops.
BlakelyPumpkin2
Second, some of you have asked, “why is Blakely Fit on twitter?” Here are a few answers (in 140 characters or less of course)

  • 140 characters is the perfect format for hilarious comments. I’m not hilarious, but it’s the perfect format if I was.
  • Plenty of immediate inspiration for those wanting to be fit
  • Brief daily recap of client revelations – fascinating
  • Candid client struggles and dilemmas – learn from those in the trenches
  • Congratulatory shout outs – our digital “high-five”
  • It’s where we share reputable research worth your time – be informed and empowered
  • Excellent opportunity to watch me fumble through social media, every post is NOT a winner
  • Help this little bird fly… the more followers the better for our Blakely Fit business
  • Connect. We love hearing from you … dialogues on twitter are easy and simple.
  • Although you can just join and watch, I love saying “tweet” every time I post. Say it with me, “tweet.” Fun, right?

Hope you’ll join us and help spread the word. Peek our tweets here and see if it’s worthy of your time.

Third, October was Breast Cancer Awareness month. In addition to contributing to Bright Pink, Blakely Fit has been posting breast exam advice on twitter form our very own, Blakely Fit client, Dr. Shayna Rubin. In case you missed it, here is her very accessible advice for keeping the twins safe and inspected.

DrShaynaRubinandMichelleBlakely

  • So it’s all about learning your body over time. Learning what’s normal for YOU helps you to be the best person to detect if anything ever changes.
  • Approximately monthly, feel around. There’s no perfect way to do it. Feel around until you feel like you felt it all.
  • Also, if you feel something you’re not quite sure of, feel the other breast in the same place. In general, symmetry is reassuring.
  • Over time you’ll learn what’s normal for you, and should something CHANGE, then you can alert your doctor.
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STRENGTH TRAINING EXCLUSIVELY FOR WOMEN