July 19, 2023
A New Year For Better Health.
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July 19, 2023
The New Year always brings with it a new set of resolutions and a desire to better ourselves. Whether you rocked yours or are stumbling a bit, we wanted to tell you that WE BELIEVE IN YOU. It’s not always easy to jump into a new routine or diet, but you got this. It takes just little habits to start bettering yourself and you have already taken those steps this year. With the first month of 2021 winding down, we want to say, WAY TO GO! You’re starting the new year right.
Gluten Tag! Let’s Talk Wheat.
National Gluten Day was January 15th and as much as it has taken over our foods and even pop culture in recent years, gluten has always been around. What has just come to light is its effects on people, especially those with allergies. We wanted to do a deep dive into gluten this month to help you know what it is and how to deal with it.
What Is Gluten?
“Gluten is the general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye.”* Essentially, gluten helps foods keep their shape. It acts as a glue (get it? Glue/gluten?) to hold everything together. This is great news for breads, but not always good for your body. *https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/what-is-gluten/
Where is Gluten found?
This is the fun part. Even though gluten is primarily found in wheat and some of the other items we mentioned above, it can also be used to hold other foods together such as:
Sometimes even the healthier alternative—oats—can get cross contaminated with gluten which can be a boon to those who are allergic to it
Who Is Allergic To Gluten?
People with celiac disease have a serious reaction to gluten. Celiac disease is a genetic immune response that can actually damage the small intestine. Like most diseases, everyone who has Celiac will respond differently to gluten. However, many of the common symptoms include:
There are also those who may experience some of the above symptoms but don’t have Celiac Disease. It’s quite possible that an allergy to wheat, barley, etc. may be the cause instead of gluten itself. If you suspect an allergy, let your doctor know so you can find out for certain.
https://medlineplus.gov/celiacdisease.html#:~:text=Celiac%20disease%20is%20an%20immune,wheat%2C%20rye%2C%20and%20barley.
Should I Avoid Gluten Altogether?
According to Harvard Health Publishing, if you don’t have Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy, there isn’t enough compelling evidence to suggest that avoiding gluten will have any effect on your health. But, you aren’t Harvard. Everyone is different and while we won’t tell you how to eat, it’s good to discover on your own what works for you and your body. If you are Celiac and allergy free but find that a gluten-limited diet just makes you feel great, go for it
!https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/ditch-the-gluten-improve-your-health
Circuit of the Month
Because it’s a new year, we wanted to go all out by suggesting more than one different style of exercise. This month we are focusing on little healthy habits you can adopt in order to start off strong and keep the good going all year long.
Healthy Habit 1: Cardio
Ever tried to hide your wheezing after climbing some stairs or after a quick walk to the mailbox and back? This could happen because of a low aerobic capacity within your body. Cardiovascular (cardio) activity has been shown to help increase energy because more oxygen is being delivered throughout your body. This will also help you conquer stairs, hills and any other fitness goal.
Just 30 minutes of walking, swimming, biking or any other cardio can also help:
Healthy Habit 2: Weight Training
You don’t have to be training for any Strongman® to reap the wonderful benefits of free-weights. In fact, you’ll burn more calories when you have more lean mass (see muscle) than with cardio alone. If you’re looking to drop those pesky pounds or tone up, weight training is the perfect addition to your fitness routine. With our dedicated team to keep our weights CLEANER, you can focus more on your workout.
You can start out small and work your way up, but weight training can help:
Healthy Habit 3: Classes
Fitness classes are great because they cater to every individual’s taste. No matter what is happening at the gym, you’ll find a group class you can enjoy. If you like what you’re doing when working out, you’re more likely to keep doing it! And since we adhere to strict rules to keep you SAFER, you can take classes with peace of mind.
Not only can group classes help improve your health, they can also help you:
Use the FC app or visit us online at fitnessconnection.com/classes/ to discover our selection of classes you can take in gym or at home.
Healthy Habit 4: Gym Machines
We know how intimidating the machines at the gym can be. You don’t want to hold anyone up or embarrass yourself by getting into them upside down. We all started where you are, so don’t be ashamed about asking a Fitness Connection team member to help you out. After all, the machines are your friends. Because we have a BIGGER area to put more social distance between machines, you’ll be able to get fit and stay healthy.
Aside from pinpointing specific muscles, our gym machines can also help:
Featured Member
Every month we like to give a shoutout to a specific member who embodies the Fitness Connection lifestyle and drives us to stay strong. If you’re just hitting the gym for the first time, go visit Bryce of @redcon_bryceb for some dynamite examples on what to do to build muscle and use our machines.
This dynamic gym buddy is an avid enthusiast who always looks on the bright side and never skips leg day. He enjoys trading advice and sharing smiles—along with his gym fashion sense.Follow Bryce on Instagram (@redcon_bryceb) for machine tips and to share your inspirations as well.We Have An App For That!The Fitness Connection app is a great way to stay even closer to your fitness journey. Since you’ll be bringing a friend with you to the gym, our app also has some awesome guest features:
Download the app today!
You Are Amazing.
2021 is here! We have already gone full steam into the New Year, and we hope you are rocking those resolutions. Don’t forget to take some time for yourself and focus on what makes you truly happy. Remember, a better you takes little steps and we are always here to support your journey. Our facilities are CLEANER, SAFER, BIGGER and ready for you to stop in and get your workout on. We can’t wait to see you.
