Face the Sun & Stay Motivated

This month we focus on what brings out the best in our members, including their successes and how they motivate others. Enjoy this month’s blog as we learn from others, dive into some tasty snacks and always keep our face to the sun. 
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Hummus Tell You Something
Hummus is one of the best snacks. Maybe the best EVER. We’d love to hear your thoughts, but we’re pretty sure we’d still be right. It’s amazingly versatile, always delicious and can be made to fit your personal food preferences. Did we also mention that hummus can be kinda healthy for you?

In fact, hummus can help:

• Improve bone, muscle and skin health (it’s packed with protein)
• Lower cholesterol (thanks chickpeas!)
• Deliver more antioxidants
• Lower anemia (chickpeas and tahini are great sources of iron)
• You lose weight
• More!

For National Hummus Day, we posted an easy recipe. Here it is again for any who missed it. 

‍Customizable Hummus of Awesomeness

‍Ingredients:
‍1 can of chickpeas,
Garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and cumin to taste.

Instructions:‍

Blend all the ingredients and taste until you’re happy. 

Dig in with your favorite dipping snack (fingers count) and enjoy!

Chew On This

We asked what your go-to snack was with the caveat that you could ONLY have 3 for the rest of your life. After diving further into their benefits, we aren’t so sure we could just pick 3 either. Looks like we may have to break our own rules and choose ALL THE SNACKS.
Whichever healthy snack you decided to choose, we wanted to let you know there are no wrong answers. Everything we posted has health benefits and ingredients that can help you lose weight, get fit and keep it that way.

1. Yogurt & Granola – loaded with fiber, calcium, protein and probiotics
2. Apples & Peanut Butter – abundance of fiber, healthy fats, protein and minerals
3. Avocado Toast – large amount of potassium, fiber, healthy fats and vitamins
4. Fruit Smoothie – contains essential vitamins, antioxidants and fiber
5. Mixed Nuts – good source of nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats and fiber
6. Banana – lots of potassium, B vitamins and magnesium
7. Oatmeal – loads of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and helps lowers blood sugar
8. Hard Boiled Egg – high in protein, B vitamins, calcium and zinc
9. Cottage Cheese & Fruit – tons of B vitamins, calcium, protein and minerals

Did we leave out other healthy snacks that you enjoy the most? Feel free to give us a shout on social media to let us know what we’re missing out on.  

May’s Motivational Members

@karlacariaga

‍This month we celebrated Mother’s Day, so it’s only fitting that we feature an inspirational mom who just absolutely crushes it in and out of the gym. Karla from @karlacariaga on Instagram is a #fitmom who, when she isn’t showing off her hard work (killer shoulders!), she is inspiring us with words of motivational mom wisdom.

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“Focus on the step in front of you and not the whole staircase,” is just one of many aspirations this #FitcoMom has graced us with. It lets us know that whether we have difficult fitness goals or overwhelming life problems, we can overcome them by taking one step at a time.

Go follow @karlacariaga on Instagram and check out her awesome circuits and inspirations. 

‍@breannalaw15
‍Breanna from @breannalaw15 on Instagram stood out to us this month because she isn’t afraid to drop the “F” word: Fail. Some of the most motivational content comes from those who have failed and keep on going. Dog mom Breanna says, “Anything is pawsible,” and that when she doesn’t quite make it, “it’s NOT ok to quit.” We are inspired by her drive and passion. Every fitness journey has potholes along the way, but it’s what we do when we trip that determines how we reach our goals. Breanna turns her falls into burpees of determination that keep her plowing ahead. We want to toast this Army veteran who keeps us grounded and always pushing forward.

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Follow @breannalaw15 on Instagram and see her MANY wins, exercises and cute dog. 

‍@ajaxxfit
‍Looking for small circuits catered to your personal level of fitness? Check out @ajaxxfit on Instagram! This former UNT Eagle puts together exercises he has learned over the years and shares it with the world to help others get fit. It doesn’t matter if you are an expert or just starting out, Anthony has done an amazing job of creating dynamite HIIT workouts with steps for all different fitness journeys.

Go follow @ajaxxfit on Instagram and watch him destroy the battle ropes while giving the rest of us something easier to do. 

What motivates you?

May is that time of year when we can end up in exercise purgatory. The resolutions of the year have worn off and we find ourselves wondering if all this work is worth it. IT IS! It’s easy to get down, but as we’ve pointed out this month, it’s not OK to give up. We asked you what motivates you to keep going when things aren’t as wonderful as they normally are. We won’t go into all 10 reasons we posted, but we did want to put some science behind why some of your motivations work.

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2. To maintain overall happinessWhen you workout, your brain dumps a bunch of chemicals through your body. These include endorphins, dopamine and even adrenaline which have all been shown to help increase feelings of happiness! Short story shorter, if you’re feeling down and need motivation, just know that exercising will help keep you upbeat and positive. Not to mention confident.

6. Reduce stressWe just mentioned that exercising increases endorphins for happiness, but it also lowers hormones related to stress, including cortisol. Not only is your brain releasing literal anti-stress chemicals, but the added health benefits for your heart and overall body from working out can help your feel better.

9. To keep a healthy lifestyle
All we hear about is the benefits of exercising. It can boost your metabolism, help you lose weight, reduce stress, increase happiness and confidence and SO MUCH MORE. A healthy lifestyle branches out into all aspects of your livelihood including your family, friends and community. It’s fun to think that exercising for yourself will also have a beneficial impact on everything else around you.

What motivates YOU? Everyone has their own ambitions and goals when starting (or continuing) a fitness journey. What’s yours? Let us know on social media with the hashtag #FitnessConnection and you could be one of our featured members. 

Here Comes The Sun

We’re quickly gaining momentum into summer and the middle of the year! Take time to remind yourself about what gets you moving and what keeps you on track. Remember, it’s ok to take a break or fall down every once in a while, but it’s not alright to quit. We believe in you so much, so if you’re ever feeling like you need a boost. come visit and we’ll be sure to help get back your time in the sun.