You’re absolutely right! A one-hour workout may seem like a significant chunk of your day, but when you put it into perspective, it’s only 4% of the total hours in a day. This realization can help motivate you to prioritize your health and fitness goals without making excuses.

Regular exercise has numerous benefits for both your physical and mental well-being. It can improve your cardiovascular health, increase strength and flexibility, boost your mood, reduce stress, and enhance your overall quality of life. Check out what WebMD has to say about the benefits of working out. By dedicating just a small portion of your day to exercise, you can reap these benefits and work towards your fitness goals.

Of course, everyone’s schedule and priorities are different, and finding a balance that works for you is essential. If one hour feels too long or difficult to fit into your day, consider breaking it down into smaller, manageable chunks. For example, you could aim for two 30-minute sessions or four 15-minute sessions throughout the day. The key is to find a routine that you can realistically stick to and enjoy.

Consistency is key when it comes to fitness. By making exercise a regular part of your routine, you’ll establish a habit that will benefit you in the long run. Here at Star Fitness, we are dedicated to coming along beside you in your fitness journey. Please stop by the front desk and let us know how we can help you. 

But remember, regardless of how busy or hectic your day may be, try to prioritize your health and make no excuses for not dedicating at least a small portion of your day to physical activity. Your body and mind will thank you!

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We all enjoy and need positive reinforcement in our lives, even after a trip to the gym. Studies show that rewarding yourself after a workout can be a great way to stay motivated and consistent with your exercise routine. Take a look at just a few of the benefits.  

1. Positive reinforcement: Rewarding yourself after a workout provides positive reinforcement for your efforts. When you feel good after a workout, you are more likely to continue exercising regularly.
2. Boosts mood: Exercise releases endorphins, which can improve your mood and make you feel good. Rewarding yourself after a tough workout can help enhance this feeling of well-being and positivity.
3. Helps prevent burnout: Rewarding yourself after a workout can help prevent burnout and make exercise feel like a more enjoyable experience. When you have something to look forward to after a tough workout, it can make the process feel more manageable and sustainable.
4. Provides a sense of accomplishment: When you set a fitness goal and achieve it, rewarding yourself can provide a sense of accomplishment and help you feel proud of your efforts. This can be a powerful motivator to continue pushing yourself to reach your fitness goals.

We see the benefits of a reward, but it’s important to find rewards that align with your fitness goals and make you feel good about your progress. Here are some great ideas for rewarding yourself and they will not compromise your workout routine. 

1. Take a relaxing bath or shower: A nice, warm bath or shower can help soothe your muscles and promote relaxation after a tough workout.
2. Enjoy a healthy meal or snack: Treat yourself to a nutritious meal or snack that will help refuel your body after your workout. Check out these suggestions.
3. Get a massage or stretch: Schedule a massage or stretch session to help release any tension in your muscles and promote relaxation.
4. Listen to music or watch a movie: Take some time to unwind and relax by listening to your favorite music or watching a movie.
5. Do something you enjoy: Engage in an activity that you enjoy, such as reading a book, playing a game, or spending time with friends.

Remember that your reward should be something that makes you feel good and helps you stay motivated to continue your fitness journey. Here at Star Fitness, we want to assist you with all your fitness goals.  Stop by the front desk and let us know how we can help.

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Just as you wouldn’t put low-quality gasoline in a luxury car, you need to make sure the fuel (aka food) you’re putting in your body can help it perform at optimal levels. What you eat before and after your workouts can be the difference between reaching your goals and falling up short.

Pre-workout:

There are certain foods you should eat before working out that will assist in your body being more prepared for the task. These foods are known for being the perfect balance of fats, carbs, and protein.  They can fuel your body, stave off hunger, fight fatigue, and even aid recovery. 

Carbs and Protein: The ideal combo would be carbs that break down quickly and are used as fuel during your workout while eating protein which is stored a little longer and is used to prevent muscle damage, so it really is a perfect pairing.

If you are a bodybuilder, you’re trying to stay lean and build plenty of muscle. Eating a small meal about an hour before your workout is ideal. Your small meal should be made up of equal parts lean protein and carbs. But for overall energy make sure you’re providing your body with complex carbohydrates that will help fuel your workout.

Here are a few pre-workout suggestions

• Fruit smoothies.
• Yogurt parfaits with granola and fruit.
• Bananas.
• Oats.
• Whole grain bread with a couple of slices of lean meat.
• Chicken with rice and vegetables.
• Apples with peanut butter and raisins.
• Greek yogurt.

Pre-workout:

On the other hand,  a post-workout snack is just as important. Skipping a snack can increase your level of fatigue and inhibit your body’s repair and recovery processes. It can also decrease your performance the next time you exercise. Here is what you need and why.

High-quality protein should be consumed afterward to build and repair muscle tissue that was broken down while working out. You should shoot for 10 to 20 grams of protein. 

High-antioxidant food is needed to protect your cells from exercise-induced damage.

Here are a few pre-workout suggestions

• Oats, Greek yogurt, fruit.
• Eggs, spinach, and potatoes.
• Meat, rice, vegetables.
• Smoothie with berries, avocado or nut butter, and protein powder.
• Greek yogurt, fruit, and grain-free granola.
• A protein shake made with two bananas, whey protein powder, and whole milk.

However, not all workouts require the same post work out refuel:

Exercisers who train two to three times a week for 30 to 45 minutes can easily recover by having their usual balanced meal that contains carbs, and protein.  

Those who spend 60 to 70 minutes working out at a higher intensity might benefit from a 200-calorie snack consisting of carbs and protein before their main meal.

Regardless of your workout routines, a pre and post-workout meal will contribute you a healthier happy you.  Have questions about your routine or workout?  We have answers! Stop by our front desk and we will be glad to let you speak with a trainer who can help.

Read more about Post work out meals and tips at Forbes Health

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Muscle soreness is extremely common for fitness enthusiasts. It can even prohibit fitness beginners from continuing with their goals. 

According to Lauren Murray, health fitness coordinator and personal trainer at Houston Methodist. “If your goal is to challenge your muscles — which it should be regardless of your age or gender — muscle soreness can’t be prevented. But the good news is that there are ways to lessen the severity of the soreness you experience.”

Let’s look at 5 of those ways to help lessen the soreness. 

Continue Moving:

This is probably not what you want to hear, but if it is just sore muscles and not an injury the best thing to do is continue to move and push through the pain. You may want to hold back and not push yourself to your full potential but get back to the gym and move.

Pain Relievers

Sometimes anti-inflammatory medications may help with the discomfort. It will not treat the sore muscles but may help you feel better as the muscles recover.  But take note these types of medications can cause stomach upset. So read the directions ad only take as directed.

Heat Therapy

Applying heat immediately after exercising can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. Studies have found that while both dry and moist heat helped with the pain, moist heat was shown to offer even more pain reduction. You may want to try warm damp towels, moist heating pads, or a warm bath.

Dynamic Stretching

Not all stretching is created equally.  Static stretching involves stretching a muscle to the point of minimal discomfort and holding it for a period of time. Which may actually inhibit muscular performance.  So instead studies have shown that dynamic stretching is much better for you. Such as repeatedly moving your muscles and joints like walking, lunges, and arm circles. Dynamic stretching prepares your body for a workout by increasing your heart rate, improving blood flow, and improving your flexibility.

Workout Recovery 

If you are experiencing muscle soreness you may want to spend time in your gym’s workout recovery room. Instead of giving in to the sore muscles and staying on your sofa, go in for a light workout and take advantage of the gym’s recovery room before and after the visit.  Then always make the gym’s recovery room a part of your workout routine to assist in future muscular soreness. 

If your gym does not have a workout recovery room then you need to consider joining a gym like www.starfitness.com that offers a recovery room along with many other amenities.  Call today to experience the STAR FITNESS DIFFERENCE!

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Most of us think that the holidays are the perfect time to break our routines and take time off from the gym.  Don’t get me wrong a little R&R is good for the soul, it can rejuvenate and help us become even more determined in our quest for a healthy lifestyle.  But we should not devote ourselves to a total derail like sleeping in, eating and drinking more, and basically becoming a holiday couch potato.  Here are a few reasons why we believe you should not fall into the holiday trap.  

Breaking Routine

We all have a tendency to never go back when we break our routines.  So instead of not going to the gym at all during the holidays try shortening your work out or instead of 3 classes a week opt for 2. 

Holiday Stress

We all know the holidays can be super stressful, so what better way of combating the extra stress than a good workout before the inlaws arrive? According to the American Psychological Association exercise is the perfect antidote for stress. 

More Energy

Keeping up with a busy holiday schedule can be exhausting.  The first thing we usually consider cutting out of the schedule is, our gym time. But according to an article from Harvard Health Publishing, that should be the last activity to remove from the holiday calendar. This blog describes how exercise actually increases our energy and what better time is there to get an energy boost.  

Mood Booster

Not everyone finds the holidays particularly joyful. In fact, for those who have recently lost family members, have split with a partner, or those already struggling with loneliness, the holidays can be extra painful. Therefore exercise during the holidays can become an instant mood booster.  Plus just being around other people who are also in the gym can put a smile on your face as well. 

Holiday Weight Gain

No one wants to turn down all those amazing holiday treats. But we also don’t want to step on the scales in January to realize we just gain 15 pounds. Exercise can combat this risk by burning calories, and by maintaining muscle mass which sustains metabolic rate. So if we continue to work out we can eat drink and be merry without all the extra stress of weight gain. 

If you feel you need help staying on track over the holidays stop by our desk and let us help by finding you a holiday accountability workout partner.  As we all know, we are in this together! 

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Last month we looked at 4 of the top 2022 Fitness trends: Personal Trainers, Wearable Technology, Group Workouts, and Yoga. To learn more about these visit https://www.starfitnesstn.com/2022-fitness-trends/

This month we are going to learn about 4 other trends that have taken gyms by storm in 2022. So let’s dive in. 

1. High-Intensity Workouts

You may be familiar with the term High-Intensity Interval Training. More and more people are jumping in on this regime, and it can be highly effective.  As a participant, you perform several high-intensity workouts with short intervals of low-intensity sessions. This is a great program choice for someone who wants to get in share quickly.

2. Senior Fitness

Senior citizens are becoming more health-conscious and in tune with their overall fitness needs.  This has led to people living longer healthier lives, and it has created the need for specific workout programs geared toward this age group. Here at www.starfitnesstn.com we recommend the Silver Sneakers program and we offer additional support through other classes such as yoga.  Take a look at our up coming classes and join in. 

3. Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight training is a regiment that assists you in getting into shape through the use of your own body. This is done by implementing exercises like the plank, push-ups, and other similar activities. Because these exercises are only based on your body weight, they generally don’t require any equipment. But it is safer if this form of exercise is done in a gym setting with a safe surface workout area.

4. Medical Exercise

Exercise is now becoming one of the more prescribed forms of treatment for patients who are experiencing a range of disorders. Physiotherapy is growing incredibly popular, and people are constantly being told to engage in some form of exercise to maintain good health. This is something that is essential, even for those who aren’t facing any immediate medical conditions.

As we begin to wrap up 2022 we are already looking ahead to 2023.  Whatever the trends, Star Fitness will keep you informed and be ready to provide you with all the latest classes and equipment. If you have any questions about these trends or any other fitness questions contact us https://www.starfitnesstn.com/contact/

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Fitness and its importance to our health have exploded in the past few years. People are realizing that if they want to live a healthy and strong life they need to exercise regularly. With the newfound awareness, we are seeing new or improved fitness trends. These trends have assisted people with everything from staying on track to developing a better workout.

Here are a few of the most notable 2022 trends.

1. Personal Trainers

The fitness industry is demanding more and more personal trainers and over the past few years, there has been a spike in certified professional trainer certifications. Most people are opting for individual training sessions because of the personalized fitness regime that they can implement. Which in turn allows for better results from their workout routine.

2. Wearable Technology

We see the wrist gadgets on our arms everywhere we go. Wearables, as they are referred to now, provide valuable data for those who are serious about their progress and workouts, and there is an option out there for everyone. According to Split Fit fitness technology is an excellent way to measure, track, record, analyze and keep us motivated. But these are only tools. The important ingredient will always be the wearer. Wearables do not determine our health and fitness level, they simply offer a way to help us see the tangible effects of our exercise.

3. Group Workouts

When we are at the gym we don’t see as many long rangers as we use to because 2022 has ushered in the trend of group workouts. Just like personal training, group training sessions hold you accountable for turning up and putting 100% effort into your workout. Combining group training sessions into your weekly workout routine can give you a structured foundation. A couple of other benefits are; people are keeping an eye on each other which offers a safer environment that can lead to fewer injuries and your group can evolve into a support group of friends.

4. Yoga

Yoga has become one of the fastest-growing wellness practices in the past decade and has even more popular in the last two years. According to Yoga Earth, worldwide approximately 300 million people regularly practice yoga. Approximately 36 million Americans practice yoga regularly. In the past 5 years alone, yoga practitioners in the U.S have increased by over 50%. You may have noticed the trend of yoga stations in mainstream fitness centers. This is because doing yoga after a strenuous workout has been found to be extremely beneficial. Yoga is a great recovery tool as it can stretch out your overworked muscles, while also aiding in bringing your heart rate down to a normal rhythm. So grab your mat and give it a try.

If you are looking for a personal trainer, group workouts, or yoga info, stop by our front desk or give us a call at 423.543.6730 and we will be glad to answer all your questions. Also, follow along with us next month as we will be exploring other 2022 Fitness Trends.

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One of the most important elements of performance and exercise is the recovery stage and it’s also one of the hardest things to do! According to ACE, recovery is the most important part of any person’s program. Taking time to recharge your body can be challenging mentally but has significant physical benefits.

Body stress

Then you are exercising you are exposing your body to stress. Different exercises induce different stress to different parts of the body. Once the body has been under these stressors it needs time to recover. Neglecting the recovery stage can lead to injuries. Therefore after every exercise, there should be a built-in time for recovery.

Recovery leads to better performance

The whole purpose of recovery in exercise is to allow your muscles to repair themselves and to engage muscles sore from your workout. There are also different things that you can do during the recovery stage to help move the process along and come out ready to perform better than in your pre-rest stage.

Keep in mind that just because you’re done building a sweat doesn’t mean that your workout is finished. What you do in the hour after you end the activity can be as important as what you do during it.

Here are a few recovery techniques that will ensure great results.

Stretching:

Take between 5-10 mins to transition to a resting state. This will assist with built-up muscle tension.

Hydrate:

During your workout, you have drained your body’s reserve of water. Hydration can lead to muscle cramps, headaches, and fatigue. Learn more about hydration by visiting https://www.starfitnesstn.com/blog/june.html

Massages:

Not everyone has the opportunity to get a massage after a workout. But using a handheld massage gun or setting in a therapeutic massage chair helps to loosen up muscles, increase oxygen and blood flow into muscles, remove lactic acid buildup (which is what makes you sore), and deliver nutrients from your body to your muscle.

Sauna:

Spending a few minutes in a sauna after your workout relaxes the mind and muscles while releasing endorphins. The high heat of a sauna also increases blood circulation which also helps to remove lactic acid that causes soreness.

It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or advanced in your workout regime, you need to take time to recover. It will benefit your performance in significant ways down the road. Also neglecting the recovery stage can lead to injuries. Different recovery technics work for different people, so experiment and determine what’s best for your body. You can also consult one of our team members here at Star Fitness. Most importantly, take time to recover.

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So a gym membership is like a relationship. First, you begin by choosing the right person or in this case gym. But if you don’t give the relationship the attention it needs then both can be a lot of money and time wasted. Just like a relationship the gym is no different, as one usually only receives back in return the same quality of investment.

We can’t help you with your personal relationships but we can help direct you on how to choose a gym. Check out these 6 suggestions:

1. Environment: Look around! You hope to be spending a lot of time in this environment. Do you feel comfortable? Is the gym spacious or does it feel crowded? Is it clean? Are the bathrooms clean? Does it smell bad? It doesn’t matter if they are the least expensive gym closest to you. If it’s not a nice environment you won’t be happy.
2. Equipment: Are there ample machines for the number of members? Is the equipment old or broken? Take Star Fitness, for example, they have installed brand new top-of-the-line Arsenal Strength Equipment. So you want to make sure your gym is investing and making your experience the best it can be.
3. Features: Make sure your gym has everything you want to participate in— fitness classes, specific machines or equipment, personal training, tanning, yoga, etc.
4. Family Friendly: Will your family be joining you? If so, make sure you find the right gym for your family’s needs. Ask questions, and bring the spouse and kids along for a tour. Like you, if they don’t feel comfortable they will not use the facility.
5. Hours: This is an obvious one, but often overlooked by many of us, assuming that most gyms are open all hours of the day. Double-check to make sure the gym is available for the times and days you want to work out.
6. Fitness Goals: Communicate your goals to the gym, and let them know what you are hoping to get out of your time and commitment. They are there to help you succeed.

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