Summer Snackin, Had Me a Blast.

We’re halfway through the year and it’s the perfect chance to reflect on everything that’s been going on in your life. Think of those goals you’ve crushed or the ones you’re still working towards. This month, we talk about the magic of the summer season with the perfect recipe, healthy tips and fun exercises to keep you fit.The Deviled Is In The Details

‍We celebrated National Egg Day this month and their health benefits and versatility as a food are almost unmatched. They are great foundations for every meal as well as a building block of a healthy diet. As always, moderation is key, but eggs are pretty beneficial.

Eggs contain:
‍6 grams of protein each
9 essential amino acids your body can’t make
Antioxidants
Multiple nutrients (selenium, vitamin B12, phosphorus) 

‍They can also help:
‍Raise good cholesterol (and the bad kind, BUT the good helps clear it out)
Lower triglycerides (thanks, omega 3s!)
Lower stroke risk and heart disease 

To celebrate nature’s gift of the egg, we put together a deviled egg recipe that’s too good to stay away from. 
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‍Devilishly Healthy Eggs
‍Ingredients:
6 large eggs
3 tbsp Greek yogurt (plain)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt

‍Other added flavors: For extra flavor, add a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of garlic powder. To add some zing, a tsp or two of pickle juice also helps.
‍Toppings: Paprika, crispy prosciutto, smoked paprika or whatever you want! The toppings of deviled eggs are where it gets fun.

‍Instructions:

Boil: Bring a large saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs to a boil. Slowly add the eggs using a spoon and boil for 12 minutes.
‍Ice Bath: After the eggs are done boiling, remove them from the hot water and drop them into an ice bath or wash with cold water until cooled completely.
‍Prep Eggs: Tap eggs on the counter to break up the shell and then slowly peel it off. Cut eggs in half, lengthwise, and pop the yolks out into a mixing bowl. Set the white pieces aside.

Filling: Mash the yolks with a fork. When that’s done, stir in yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, salt and optional flavors. If filling doesn't seem creamy or smooth, add a spoonful of yogurt. Taste and add ingredients in small doses until you’re happy.

Fill: Pipe/place the filling into each egg white and top off with your favorite garnish. Refrigerate for about 5-10 minutes and then enjoy!

‍Tip: Having a hard time making the perfect boiled egg? Here’s some hints: Put eggs in when the water is boiling. Boil for 12 minutes. When done, immediately wash the eggs in cold/ice water to stop them from cooking (this also helps the shells come off easier). 

‍Veggie TalesYour whole life you’ve been told to eat your veggies. Now you’re old enough to know how important they are for your continued health. For National Eat Your Veggies Day (it’s a real day!) we focused on some typical vegetables that help your health in and out of the gym.

Broccoli
Broccoli is a vitamin C powerhouse, with 135% of your daily value (DV) for vitamin C in a single cup. It’s also high in vitamin K, fiber, and folate.

Carrots
Cooked carrots release up to 40% more beta-carotene, which helps lower diabetes. This orange delight also helps strengthen bones thanks to calcium and vitamin K.

Artichoke
One medium artichoke has more fiber than a cup of prunes! They are also a magnificent source of fiber, vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Brussels sprouts
The sulforaphane that gives Brussels sprouts their unique flavor also helps lower cancer risks. They also help decrease inflammation and improve blood sugar.

What other vegetables do you enjoy? Chances are they are also loaded with important vitamins and minerals needed to keep you healthy and fit. For us, a medley with all the above veggies sounds tasty right about now. 😊 

‍X-traordinary Classes
‍Lifting weights or using an elliptical are not the only ways to stay in shape at our gyms. In fact, we have an amazing collection of classes geared towards all fitness levels. If you’re just starting out or even close to being able to teach your own class, we’ve got something that will get your heart rate thumping.

Dance
This includes Zumba, BODYJAM™ and more to make burning calories and meeting others fun.
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Cardio
Step, kick and sculpt your way through 9 different classes all geared to up your cardio and lose the fat.

Cycle
Rev up the RPMs and challenge your cardio with spin classes created to strengthen your legs and burn calories.

Mind and Body
Relax or reenergize with tranquil classes that refine the body and ease the mind.

Les Mills classes
High-energy, high-accomplishment sessions that invigorate the body, energize the mind and melt the calories away.  

Become strong, improve balance or just keep your health up with one of our many classes designed around helping seniors stay fit.

SilverSneakers Stability™
Focus on specific exercises to improve strength and power around the ankle, knee and hip joints, while improving your reaction time. This class is designed for fall prevention.

SilverSneakers Boom Muscle™
A 30-minute class that includes sports-inspired exercises to improve upper body conditioning, focusing on each muscle group during "blocks." Tone your muscles and build overall strength. 

SilverSneakers Circuit™
Offers standing, low-impact choreography alternated with standing upper-body strength work with hand-held weights, elastic tubing with handles and a SilverSneakers™ ball. 

SilverSneakers Splash™
This offers fun, shallow-water movement to improve agility and flexibility while addressing cardiovascular, strength and endurance conditioning.

Want to know more? Check out all our Group X classes on our website: https://fitnessconnection.com/classes/ 

‍June’s Motivational Members
‍@fitfreefearlesslyme

Avid, graceful dancer and strong in her faith, @fitfreefearlesslyme is a dynamic circuit crusher. This Frenchie bulldog mother blows us away with her dance-based conditioning that combines multiple aspects of fitness to create complete workouts for the whole body. Her mastery of balance borders on impossible while her constant-movement exercises leave us winded just from watching.

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Go show @fitfreefearlesslyme some love on Instagram and check out how she destroys her circuits with ease.

 @silverbackfitnessllc

Self-care guru and all-around beast when it comes to the gym, @silverbackfitnessllc rocks the weights with what seems like ease. We want to call it jealousy, but it’s more inspiring how he pushes workouts to the human limit and then beyond. Motivational and a mover, he doesn’t let anything get in his way of destroying it at the gym—not even a knee surgery. His humor and tasty looking recipes keep us coming back for more. Not to mention his incredible resolve and exercise routines.

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Follow @silverbackfitnessllc on Instagram to be completely wowed by what you thought wasn’t humanly possible. 

‍Namaste And Relax
‍National Yoga Day was June 21st and we wanted to talk about how amazing it is at getting you moving without putting undue stress on the body. It’s the perfect mixture of exercise and relaxation all rolled into one pose.

‍Yoga helps:

• Improve strength
• Relieve pain
• Lower stress
• Boost balance
• Increase flexibility
• And a ton more!

With its plethora of potential benefits, we wanted to highlight some general poses that will help you relax.

Child’s Pose
A restful position that stretches the hips, thighs and ankles. It calms the nerves and helps relieve fatigue and back pain.

Side Bend
A balancing pose that brings balance by stretching the abs, hips and thighs. It improves flexibility in the spine and helps open up your torso.

Forward Fold (Ragdoll)
The perfect warm up, this pose releases tension in the back and elongates the spine to fill your whole body with stress-releasing energy.

Legs Up the Wall Pose
Rebalance your body with this position that boosts blood circulation, increases energy, helps ease headaches and relieves lower back pain.

The Magic Of Summer
‍One of the best times of year, summer is ideal for sunny adventures, late night star gazing, backyard BBQs and everything in between. It’s also a great time to reconnect with your resolutions and make sure you’re on track to reach your fitness goals. If you find yourself unsure of where to go next on your fitness journey, don’t hesitate to come in and let us know. Our team is always ready to help you bring out what’s good and magical within yourself.