Categories
Motivational Personal Development

How to Get Fit Without it Taking Over Your Life

Good morning!

I had a powerful talk with one of our members at the gym the other day.

She’s a busy mom of two who loves to workout, but struggles to come consistently to the gym more than 3x a week.

She felt because she wasn’t able to come 4x a all the time that she wasn’t pushing herself and wasn’t motivated.

Now, we all have our ruts, but this person in particular I know fairly well and motivation is not her issue.

She had come from a previous gym environment that was about working out as much as you can – and working out for the sake of just working out.

Knowing her goals, I explained to her that:

1. Adding extra sessions to her week could actually be hurting her progress

and

2. The whole reason she is working out in the first place is so she can have better relationships with her family

I only knew the second part from previous conversations – but its important to know what your goals are because if you don’t, you could end up putting in some hard work and going no where.

Yes losing weight is a goal.

Toning up is a goal.

But those are surface level.

What do you REALLY want?

Why do you want to lose weight?

Why do you want to feel better?

What happens when you feel better?

When your’re in a better mood, how does that improve your life?

By asking yourself these questions, you’ll figure out pretty quick that you aren’t just working out to lose weight.

When you identify your deepest goal – then you can start building a plan that integrates working out with your family, your hobbies, and your job.

In our free goal setting sessions at Hybrid Fitness with people looking to join our classes for the first time, we help you do all of this for free. We’ll walk you through each step and give you a clear vision for what your life can look like without overwhelming you.

If you would like to setup a session with us, shoot as an email and we can set it up!

On the flipside, if you’d like to go all in with understanding what makes you tick, and ultimately being to take control of your life so you can stick to your health goals (or any goals by that matter), we have 7 spots left in Beautiful U, our nutrition / personal development challenge starting April 14th.

To learn more about this visit http://online.hybridfitnessgym.com/beautiful-u-challenge/

Whether you’re interested in these or not…

Go deep. What do you really want?

What is your Why?

And you can get your workouts in, without it taking over your life.

Have a Fantastic Friday!

Categories
Motivational Personal Development

How I Used a Couch to Motivate Myself

Good Morning!

The past few months I have been reflecting on myself and really taking the time to uncover, “Who is Hunter Grindle?”

As my mentor once told me, “Success always begins with Truth“.

The hard part about discovering who are and what you want is that it always changes.

I needed to take this time to reflect because I was feeling unaligned with what I was doing, not as happy as I thought I should be, and extremely unmotivated.

So, I started adding and removing activities from my day to see if I could get that motivation and drive back.

I love what I do, but Id just been burning the candle from both ends for too long.

One test that I recently ran was scheduling one day a week (during the work week) where I don’t come to the gym at all.

I scheduled Brandon and Susan for all of the classes, and I stayed home.

I slept in.

Cooked myself a great breakfast.

I sat on my couch and played some video games.

And then worked.

Basically, I dedicated my entire morning to myself.

I found that by the end of the morning, I was being pulled to my computer to work. I was inspired. I was CRAVING working on Hybrid Fitness.

This is a motivation I hadn’t had in over a month.

What did it take?

Giving myself ME TIME. It took me doing the things I always want to do but can’t find the time to do.

And as soon as I did those things, I was itching to get back to my work!

Give this strategy a try for yourself.

What are the things you wish you could do each day but don’t have the time. How can you schedule them in once a week?

You’ll feel good about yourself, and you’ll be motivated to do the tasks that take willpower!

On a similar note, next week at Hybrid Fitness we are running a 6 Week Nutrition Challenge Called “Beautiful U“.

What’s different about this challenge is… yes we will give you the nutrition strategies it takes to reach your health goals.. (but a lot of you already know how to eat healthy). What we’re really going to focus on is how to help you get started and stick to those strategies for the long term.

We will be working on you, and helping you find what makes you tick.

There are only 8 spots left, for more details and to sign up if you’re interested, you can check out this link:

http://online.hybridfitnessgym.com/beautiful-u-challenge/

Have a Terrific Thursday!

P.S.

We also adopted a cat yesterday from the Shelter! His name is Montgomery (we call him Monty). Now there are two tuxedo cats in the house! #classy

Categories
Flexibility/Recovery Strength Training

Rest and Recovery

Rest and recovery are essential parts of our self-care routine and critical to our overall performance. Most of us know that we need to rest after a long week or a big event, but many of us are still figuring out how to manage the rest and recovery of a workout schedule. Last week dead lifts came back to the gym routine. I’m glad we do them at the end of the week so I can recover over the weekend. Those big movements always zap me. But dead lifts aren’t the only thing that we need to recover from; we should be recovering after each workout. We hear consistent messages about getting to the gym, pushing ourselves, and the virtue of hard work. These are good motivating messages, but sometimes they eclipse part of the self-care picture. My challenge is turning off that noise and listening to my body so that I can maximize my efforts. Invariably my body gives me the message – rest and recover. And that is exactly what I do.

I rest and recover every day.

Why is this so important?

During strength training and exercise, our bodies experience depletion of energy, loss of fluids, and muscle tissue break down. Because of how our bodies function, the work we are doing to get strong happens outside the gym just as much as it does at the gym. Physiologically, rest days and recovery time give the body time to repair, rebuild, and strengthen, and the repaired tissue is stronger than the original muscle. We also want to avoid over-use injuries. It is hard for me to imagine skipping a day at the gym, but I can’t imagine the pain of being sidelined for weeks or even months, especially if it is avoidable.

The second half to the rest and recovery equation is psychological. No one wants to dread going to class, or have to drag themselves to the gym. If we are too tired to be excited and look forward to this week’s progression, to enjoy class, or to even get a full workout in, what is the point of going? If that keeps happening- guess what? We probably won’t stick with our workout routine. Most of us love how we feel at the gym, accomplished, empowered, energized, happy, and we don’t want to jeopardize that.

And finally, something we hear a lot about- life balance. Going to the gym is wonderful, but bringing the joy you find at the gym to the other areas of your life is enriching too. Being strong and healthy so you can enjoy time with your family, gardening, hiking, work, or other hobbies is important to all of us. If we aren’t rested we won’t have the energy to participate in any other life enriching activities and this throws us out of balance.

How do I get stronger, prevent injury, continue to enjoy my workouts, avoid burnout, and create a balanced life?

I rest and recover every day.

Here’s my strategy: Hydration > Nutrition > Stretching > Sleep > Manage Stress

Hydration: I drink at least half my body weight in oz. of water.

Nutrition: I use food as fuel to nourish and support my daily activity.

Stretching: I never miss the dynamic warm-up and static stretch cool down. Foam rolling is a welcomed bonus.

Sleep: I try for 8 hours of sleep a night, and I look forward to at least one day a week without an alarm clock.

Stress management: I pay attention to stress triggers and try to keep these to a minimum. This includes a few minutes of deep breathing in a quiet space in my home.

Here’s the bonus question: “What if I go to the gym 5 days a week, how do I rest and recover between each workout?”

Here’s my strategy: I listen to my body!

I have a few rules about working out. I never lift more than 2 days in a row, and this helps promote a natural rhythm for my body from day to day. I start every workout with a dynamic warm-up. These movements allow me to take a full body inventory so I can adjust my workout. This is my listening time. If I feel tired, or have joint pain I might opt for low impact movements. If I feel a strain, I check in with a trainer, and modify a movement or go to a lower weight and work on my form. Adapting to the messages I hear from my body is the best way to use the time at the gym to promote the next recovery. And finally, if I am sick, sleep-deprived, or hearing a “slow down” message from my body, I stay home. Progress does not mean all the time, all the way, over the top. Progress includes self care, rest, and recovery every day.

Even Hunter needs time to rest!
Categories
Motivational Personal Development Uncategorized

On Being a Beginner

Midcoast Maine hikes
Weekly walk up Beech Hill
Midcoast Maine hikes
View from weekly walk up Beech Hill

Hi everyone! I thought I’d give you a little background on how I came to be a guest blogger for Hybrid Fitness. About a year ago I invited Hunter to join me on my weekly walk. I use this time to clear my head and get some fresh air. He joined me, and now my walk is our walk. Our conversations meander from business advice, to personal development, to fitness, to general wellness. We talk about books we are reading, ideas, goals, relationships, challenges, and I always try to leave him with a little nugget of wisdom. It was only a matter of time before he decided he wanted to start sharing some of these nuggets of wisdom with all of you. It didn’t seem quite right that he kept them all to himself. Hunter is a big fan of the live camera, as we all know, and he’s a big fan of pushing me outside my comfort zone. One day he put the camera on me and said, “Let’s go live on Facebook!” What?! I’m not a Let’s Go Live kind of person. As an introvert, I’m a listener, and I think A LOT. I am not shy, but I do not perform, or give on-demand wisdom. Going live is not my style, but I agreed that some of the things we talk about and I think about might be interesting to all of you. He’s always thinking of ways to enrich everyone’s experience at Hybrid Fitness, and so our compromise for the past few months has been the Weekly Thought from Dar. I take a picture and share on Facebook one insight from that week with the hope of bringing you a new perspective, a challenge to grow on your path to the best version of you. Given that platform, I realized there’s so much more to share. Hunter and I agreed that these little nuggets of wisdom could be expanded to blog style articles with more depth.

It’s not easy for me to put my thoughts out there, but this community is the perfect venue. We all come to Hybrid Fitness because it is judgment-free. We are supportive and encouraging of one another. So while I am not going “live”, I am outside my comfort zone (another win for Hunter). I hope to bring you quality content for your own personal development, while sharing a little of my story. I am not an authority on any given topic, but I am passionate about wellness, including fitness and nutrition. Over the next few months you will learn more about me, but more importantly, by bringing you information about wellness, fitness, and nutrition, hopefully you will learn more about you.

And now what you came here for…the weekly thought from Dar…

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” –Meister Eckhart

It takes courage to be new to something. We reach our adult lives and most of us have become professionals in a field, or we have our routines that are really familiar. Being a beginner is uncomfortable and unfamiliar. When we walk into a new place, a new job, a first date, or the weight room at the gym, it can be a little scary. Try to remember in the midst of that fear, that it is never as scary as it seems. We’ve all survived the scariest, newest times in our lives. That’s how we got here, right? On the other side of the beginning, all of the new possibilities are waiting for you. In anything you do, you are a beginner first. What possibilities will be open to you if you let yourself be a beginner again?

Categories
Uncategorized

Moms Around the Country Discover Fitness Program that Eases “Empty Nest Syndrome”

Mothers throughout the US have been dealing with the effects of “Empty Nest Syndrome” for years.

“Empty Nest Syndrome” happens when children have grown and left the home, leaving parents with a physical and emotional void.

Although its known that fathers can also fall victim to this, mothers tend to be more susceptible and have severer mom-sending-son-off-to-collegesymptoms.

Its not uncommon for women to experience other life changing events simultaneously, such as menopause or caring for elderly parents, which can cause added stress.

Studies have shown women who are empty nesters can suffer from severe grief, anxiety, and in some cases, depression.

One mother said,

“It’s like I no longer had a purpose. I felt lost.”

Many psychologists recommend finding a new hobby, working on yourself, and exercising to help relieve the symptoms.

Luckily, there is a solution that has helped many empty nesters already.

It is a new but challenging fitness program that pushes both your physical and mental wellness. It meets you where you are at and progresses you steadily physically as the endorphins for the workout improve you mentally.

“When my son left for college in 2015, I faced the dreaded empty nest. Having time to myself for the first time in a long while, I joined the fitness program. Through the program, I reconnected to my identity as an individual. After years of prioritizing other’s needs, I rediscovered the joy and value of self care. I explored this new interest and made new friends. The program fulfilled many needs and eased the restlessness that comes with the empty nest syndrome”.

Looking back after taking the course, one of the mothers said,

“Having an empty nest is like staring at a blank canvas, and what better master piece to work on than yourself?”

Don’t leave your canvas empty and find out how you can start creating your masterpiece by clicking the blue button.


Get Started

Categories
Nutrition Uncategorized

Fish Oil: Why Omega-3 is Better Than Omega-6

Fish oils are a staple of many people’s diets, but you have to know WHICH you should be taking.

In this video, Hunter Grindle of Hybrid Fitness discusses why omega-3 fish oil is better than omega-6, and other options.

Omega-6 oils have many bad side effects, such as inflamation. These side effects outweigh the benefits and can harm you over time.

Omega-3 WILL help you focus, have a better recovery, and MANY more benefits.

http://hybridfitnesssystems.com —- More Training Videos, Workouts, and Content!

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Categories
Uncategorized

Tour of the NEW GYM

It’s finally here! Although still a work in progress, finally see our new gym in all of its glory!

In this video, Hunter Grindle shows off the new gym located on Main Street in Thomaston, Maine. This gym will be open soon for monday classes.

We also want to thank all of you who contributed to setting up this past week! We assure you will love the new gym!

http://hybridfitnesssystems.com —- More Training Videos, Workouts, and Content!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HybridFitnessSystems
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Categories
Motivational Personal Development Uncategorized

Learn To Make Sacrifices for YOURSELF

While sleep and free time are good, there are always things you can do instead to make yourself happier. Learn how to make these sacrifices.

In this video, Hunter Grindle of Hybrid Fitness discusses a recent night he had where he learned how to make certain sacrifices to better himself and make himself happier.

Not only will this better yourself, but it will improve your relationships with the people that matter most to you.

http://hybridfitnesssystems.com —- More Training Videos, Workouts, and Content!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HybridFitnessSystems
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Categories
Motivational Personal Development Uncategorized

Remember To Be COURAGEOUS

Courage is essential to achieving your goals, whether they may be fitness goals, career goals, etc. It is important YOU know how to obtain YOUR courage,

In this video, Hunter Grindle of Hybrid Fitness reminds you to have courage in your life, and the importance it has to achieving your goals every day.

Having no courage will make you refrain from reaching out and making it possible to better yourself.

It helps give you the drive needed to not let your body take and over and inhibit you from improving.

http://hybridfitnesssystems.com —- More Training Videos, Workouts, and Content!

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Categories
Personal Development Uncategorized

NEW Hybrid Fitness Location!

We are proud to say that Hybrid Fitness will soon be getting a new gym, TBD. Stay Tuned!

In this video, Hunter Grindle of Hybrid Fitness discusses his past experience with Hybrid Fitness, and how it has changed his way of life along with everyone else’s. He also discusses his new gym in the works!

Don’t worry; any of you currently in classes will be able to continue working with Hunter and all of Hybrid Fitness.

http://hybridfitnesssystems.com —- More Training Videos, Workouts, and Content!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HybridFitnessSystems
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HybridFitnessSystems/