Almost all of us have had some type of fitness goal as our New Year’s resolution at one time or another. Whether that goal be to shed a few extra pounds or to gain more muscle mass, January tends to be that time where we kickstart that goal. Many of us tend to set these goals for ourselves due to the weight gain and indulgence that can come from the holiday season.

The holiday season can be a difficult time to stay focused, especially when it comes to hitting the gym and eating healthy. No matter what you do sometimes, it feels like there's not enough hours in the day to get everything done and these healthy habits tend to get pushed to the back burner. In this blog post, we'll be discussing some easy tips and tricks that you can carry with you this season to help get you...

Weight gain is inevitable, especially as we get older. It’s not uncommon or unhealthy for us to gain some weight. In fact, as you develop and grow, your body needs that extra weight to be healthy. However, too much weight gain can be harmful to your body, especially as we get older.

According to a study that was published in 2013 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, we tend to gain weight at the rate of about one to two pounds per year. This may not sound like a large number, but that weight can add up, and if you’re not especially health conscious, you may be gaining way more than just one or two pounds.

Many times, people equate weight gain with the slowing of their...

While not all of us venture into the fitness world for weight loss, a large portion of us do. For anyone who has tried to lose weight, it may seem as if you need to intensely track the numbers on the scale. It can also be extremely disappointing when you’re motivated, crushing your goals, getting in all your workouts, and eating properly, but when you go to step on the scale, it says you’ve gained a pound. It’s important to understand that while the numbers on the scale can be important, they’re not everything.

What The Scale May Not Be Measuring

The scale can be a rather blunt way to assess your progress, to put it lightly. That’s because the scale just reports your overall weight. But there are so many different aspects that make up that overall weight,...

Many of us enter into the fitness world because we want to lose weight. We’ve all been there before; you’ve been busting your butt in the gym and trying to eat healthily but you’re still not seeing the results that you want. It’s frustrating to not be seeing the results that you want, especially if you feel that you’re doing everything right. So why does this happen? In this blog, we will be going over some of the various aspects that may be contributing to your weight loss and why you’re not losing the weight you want to be. At Fit In New England, we want to be a part of your fitness journey and are here for all your needs. Our trainers have ample experience and will be able to guide you to whatever fitness goal you have. So let’s take a look at some of the underlying reasons you’re...

Fueling your body properly after a workout is just as important as the actual workout itself. Post-workout recovery is essential, but it tends to get overlooked. Whenever we finish a workout, no matter how great it was, we often finish our last set, head to the locker room, and grab our things and head out the door. But with all that, you’re missing out on the opportunity to give you body some crucial things.

Studies have shown that people who take certain measures to cool down after a workout, like stretching, foam rolling, and other aspects, saw huge benefits. These benefits include things like less muscle soreness, shorter recovery time, and better muscle gain. So what should you include in your post-workout routine?...

With warm weather approaching, the time for pool parties and summer barbecues is upon us. Summer is an interesting time because there is so much emphasis on food-related events, but it’s also a time where people are wanting to look their best. It’s easy to lose track of all the progress and motivation you may have gained in the previous months, but we’re here to help get you out of that rut.

Summer is a great time for healthy food. Many of our favorite fresh foods are in their prime season and are easily accessible and affordable. Superfoods are also in abundance this time of year, and are an easy and quick way to get all your nutrients in one sitting.

You may be asking yourself what a superfood is, and no, it’s not a vegetable that flies around in a red cape. However,...

Before we get started, let’s stop calling them cheat meals. The word cheat has a negative connotation that can make you think you’re doing something bad: the word can make you feel guilty and ashamed. Instead, completely erase that mentality right now. We’re going to call them “treat meals” or “treat days” instead because that is what it is — it’s a treat! Treat meals are important in two ways. They benefit your mental health and your physical health. Probably something you never thought you would hear, right?

The whole idea behind a treat meal is that if you’re eating healthy about 80-90% of time during the week and following a consistent schedule of working out. That other 20-10% of your meals can consist of something that isn’t chicken and broccoli. This treat meal might be...

Whether it’s from your job, your relationships, your finances, or your health, we all experience stress from time to time. In fact, 79 percent of American adults report feeling stressed every day. While stress is a normal part of life, too much stress can lead to a variety of physical and mental health symptoms, and can contribute to significant, long-term health conditions. Therefore, it’s important for everyone to find healthy ways to cope with stress.

Exercise

This tops the list, not just because we are a gym in Medford. Sure, we may be biased, but this is also supported by...

It’s not easy to make healthy food choices all the time. Life gets busy, and when you have a stressful day, stopping at the drive-thru on the way home sounds much better than spending the evening cooking. This is where meal prep comes in to save the day.

Benefits of Meal Prepping Save Time

How much time does food take up for you in a week? If you’re cooking every night, your evenings are pretty much hijacked by dinner. Imagine if instead of having to go home to cook every night you want to eat healthy, a healthy meal was waiting for you. What would you make time for? Maybe you would come to visit our gym in Medford after work, knowing that once you got home, all you would have to do is heat up some healthy food and relax the rest of the...

Many people spend months working out without seeing the results they crave. This disappointment often leads them to give up on their fitness goals entirely. This is unfortunate because the missing ingredient to their success is often simple: consistency. If you’re going to make any progress, it’s imperative to be consistent with your workouts. It takes several weeks to see the fruits of your labor, but if you get to the gym on a regular basis, you will find your results come more quickly and are more robust.

In our previous post, we went over why consistency is so important. In this blog, we will help you put this...

If you are someone who is trying to get fit, chances are, you have heard a million and one workout tips at this point. You may have tried different workout routines, working out at different times of day, or getting a workout buddy or two, but still struggle to make any progress towards your fitness goals. There are many factors that contribute to the success of your workouts, but perhaps the most important is consistency, and this is where many people fail. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you exert yourself fully into a workout; if you aren’t going back to the gym again and again, you won’t get anywhere. In this blog, we will focus on the importance of consistency, and why you should prioritize this above any other factors in your fitness regimen.

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These days, more and more women are incorporating weightlifting into their fitness routine, and we couldn’t be happier about it. Traditionally, the weight floor has been monopolized by men. This may be due to some gymtimidation; it might be scary to imagine approaching a room full of men with giant muscles. Alternatively, it could be due to the fact that many women are under the false belief that lifting weights will somehow “bulk them up.” At Fit in New England, we have created an inclusive environment, and would like to encourage women to come lift weights with us! We would also like to dispel any rumors about weightlifting altering your physique to make you look too “manly.” In reality, weightlifting is the perfect way to achieve a variety of fitness goals, and it isn’t going to...

As the top personal trainers in Medford, we often get this question: “Should I work out even though I’m sick?” This is a fair question. After all, working out comes with a variety of health benefits, including boosting your immune system. However, when your head is pounding and your nose is running, the last thing you may want to do is go for a run. At the end of the day, whether or not you workout when you’re ill is a personal choice, and if you decide to sit on the couch for a couple of days instead of sticking to your usual routine, it isn’t the end of the world. However, if you are jonesing for a workout and are wondering whether or not your ailment is going to set you back from your goals, here is a handy guide to help you decide whether or not to visit our gym in...

The deadlift is one of the ultimate full-body exercises, so it’s typical to see it incorporated in any strength training routine. It may seem simple — after all, you’re just picking up a weight and putting it back down, right? In fact, there are many things that go wrong when you deadlift, and if you are going to add this to your routine, it’s worth it to work with one of our Medford personal trainers to ensure you have the proper form. In the meantime, here are some common deadlift mistakes that you want to make sure to avoid.

The Wrong Starting Position

The work of the deadlift begins before you even pick up the weight. You don’t want to lean too far over the bar, as this will cause stress...

The bench press is one of the most important exercises in terms of measuring strength. When you are trying to improve your upper body strength, the bench press needs to be in your workout routine. That’s why many people have the goal to increase their bench presses. However, it isn’t as easy as doing a set or two every couple of weeks; to make genuine improvements, you need to be strategic. Fortunately, there are some simple tips for improving your bench press, which we have outlined below.

Get Pumped

Making gains isn’t solely dependent on what you are doing with your physical body. It’s also about your mentality. You have to be mentally prepared before exerting your body through lifting. This isn’t just pseudo-science;...

At Fit in New England, we spend a lot of time telling you what you should do after your workout. The hours after your workout are just as critical as the workout itself in terms of seeing the results you seek. So what should you not do after your workout? Read this post to learn more.

Not Sleep

Our bodies need sleep to recover. After a difficult workout, it’s more important than ever that you give your body this time to repair itself by growing new muscle tissues. When you don’t get sufficient sleep, it stunts the production of your growth hormones, increases your cortisol levels, and decreases your immune function. If you want to make the most out of your workout, make sure you’re catching some zzz’s after your workout.

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When you’re contemplating how to optimize your physical fitness, you might not give much thought to sleep, but it’s actually an integral aspect of healthy behavior. When you prioritize sleeping well, you are less likely to make poor food choices and you have the energy you need to make your small group training classes at Fit in New England. If you’re a troubled sleeper, here are some pro tips for better sleep.

Go to Sleep When You’re Sleepy

This might seem obvious, but many people either go to bed before they’re tired or stay up even though they are exhausted. The key is to find the middle ground between these options. If you hit the hay before you are ready to sleep, you will sit in bed and stare at the ceiling, your mind racing. You want your brain to...

Many people are unhappy with their body, particularly their weight. Much of their self-worth is contingent on the number on the scale, and when they go to the gym, it’s to punish themselves for not living up to unrealistic expectations. At Fit in New England, we would like to help you find the joy in exercise. Working out doesn’t have to be about reaching a certain pants size; in fact, focusing solely on weight loss to motivate you to work out is usually not enough to keep you coming back. There are so many great reasons to head to the gym, and they don’t have anything to do with your body mass. In our previous blog, we started going over the reasons why you should work out that have nothing to do with weight; below, we continue the list.

Get Stronger

As we...

If the messages you get from the media are any indication, everyone is obsessed with weight loss. The entire fitness industry seems to use the number on the scale as a way to shame people into working out. At Fit in New England, we appreciate that weight loss may be one of your fitness goals, and are happy to help you achieve it. However, weight loss alone is more often than not insufficient for motivating people to exercise over the long-term, and in reality, it is only one of many reasons why it is worth it. Not only that, weight loss is something that takes patience and consistency, so many people don’t stick to a workout routine because they aren’t immediately seeing the results they seek. Fortunately, there are reasons to work out that do provide instantaneous benefits, so you can...

These days, there are so many different options to pursue when it comes to your fitness training when you have a gym membership. You can workout solo, take a workout class, or work with a personal trainer. When you work out alone, the advantages (and disadvantages) are pretty evident. You are able to work on your fitness on your own time, but you also don’t have the accountability and expertise of working with a trainer. The difference between what small group training and personal training offer you is a little less clear, and once you decide you want to start working with a trainer, you might be unsure of which would work best for you.

ADVANTAGES OF SMALL GROUP TRAINING

There are a lot of ways you can benefit from small group training. It’s human nature...

If you have ever felt lost on your fitness journey, there is nothing like personal training to get you back on track. With a fitness coach, you have greater accountability, a deeper level of commitment to your fitness goals, a comprehensive fitness plan, and all the expertise of someone educated and trained in working out. That being said, if you aren’t putting in all of the work necessary to get everything you need out of training, your personal trainer can only do so much. In this blog, we will go over some tips for how you can get the greatest value from personal training.

FINDING THE RIGHT PERSONAL TRAINER

It’s important to match with the right personal trainer for your needs. Your fitness journey is a personal one, and if you’re going to invite someone...

It’s common knowledge that exercise is beneficial to your physical health, but many people don’t consider the positive impact of regular physical activity on your mental health. Getting on a regular exercise schedule can benefit everyone’s psychological well-being, but can be especially effective at managing symptoms of certain mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Research shows that exercise can relieve stress, improve sleep, enhance memory, and boost mood. While your desire to look better may have previously been your sole motivation for heading to the gym, this isn’t as sustainable when you’re focused solely on what you see in the mirror. If you can focus on the ways exercise helps you feel amazing, you will keep coming back again and again to our small group...

Whether you have been a vegetarian for years or you’re a carnivore who is trying to incorporate more meat-free meals in your diet, when you’re cooking vegetarian, the most important macronutrient to keep in mind is protein. Vegetarians often struggle to get enough protein in their diets when they first make the switch because they are used to getting it from animals. While eating meat certainly makes it easier to eat a high-protein diet, you can still be plant-based and protein packed. In this blog, we will go over some simple vegetarian recipes that have plenty of protein to fuel your workout!

Mexican Zucchini BoatsIngredients

• 4 zucchini (large)
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of corn
• 1 cup of your favorite salsa
• 1 cup of brown rice...

Drinking more water is an important step towards your personal fitness. Water fuels your workout, prevents overeating, and ensures that your body is functioning optimally. That being said, if you’re not much of a water drinker, it might be hard for you to imagine upping your intake. Like any good habit, drinking more water is often easier said than done.

ADD FLAVOR

You might struggle to drink more water simply because you don’t like the way it tastes. Fortunately, there are easy ways you can make your water more appetizing and naturally drink more. You can add virtually any fruit, veggie, or herb to water to add some flavor without adding sugar and calories. Lemon-cucumber water is delicious and refreshing, for example! Feel free to get creative by experimenting with your...