Natural energy boost with Acai

The best part of eating/drinking healthy is that it doesn’t have to taste bad.

Looking for some extra energy throughout your busy day? Try Amazon Energy, or any of their beverage products.

“At Sambazon [they] use the worlds finest Amazon Superfoods™ to satisfy your mind, body and spirit”.

Amazon energy will give you energy just like all the other energy drinks, but wont leave you crashing. The energy from this drink is all natural, organic unlike the artificial sugar filled drinks that many of us try avoiding, but sometimes resort to.

Give Amazon energy a try and see for yourself. Sold at your Team Fitness counter.

Some of the super foods in the drinks are acai, acerola, guaraná, and yerba mate which are known to be some of the most potent and pure fruits on the planet.

For more information: http://sambazon.com/

Fuel your body

Before you hit the gym, there are some things you should know...

Get happy with your hydration. Hydrating can dictate just how hard you can work out, if at all. If you’re not hydrated I promise you that your workout will be a horrible experience. Drinking water is a great way to replace the fluids lost throughout the day and from prior workouts. Water is the best, most efficient way to hydrate, but not the only way. There are other options such as green tea, which may give you extra pep if your feeling sluggish, perhaps coconut water which has cramp-preventing potassium, or maybe even chocolate milk to help your muscles recover after a run.

Along with hydrating, it’s important to fuel your body before working out. Just like an engine in a car, you need to fuel it for it to function, and keep its fluids high (hydrating).

Simple, low calorie foods, and low intake is suggested.  “Grab a banana before you hit the gym; it may actually help you slice off more calories in the long run”. Some low calorie and low intake food ideas are: Yogurt, a piece of fruit, peanut butter and crackers, or half an energy bar are all excellent choices.

Now your ready for your work out. Remember, hydrate and fuel for best results!

Happy Squeeze

Organic, convenient, on-the-go, super food snacks.

Struggling for spare time and find yourself forgetting meals? Happy Squeeze is the easy solution. Happy Squeeze is packaged conveniently making it easy to take and eat almost anywhere, doing anything; whether your at work, in the gym, going to an appointment, or simply want to snack, Happy Squeeze is the simple, hassle free decision. This delicious snack contains "about ½ a cup of fruit and many have added nutrition, like the Salba® the SUPER chia, vitamins and minerals, and coconut milk". 

So many of us are picky when it comes to flavors, but with so many flavors, Happy Squeeze has something that everyone can enjoy!

 

With optimal nutrition, make Happy Squeeze your go-to snack.  

Now on the shelf's of your Team Fitness

For more information: http://happyfamilybrands.com/product_lines/happy-squeeze/

Healthy Home Cookies

You wont feel guilty eating these cookies, HOME FREE cookies

Allergic to certain foods and finding it hard to find a snack that you can love and enjoy? Maybe you’re like me and simply looking for a healthier snack, well look no further, HOME COOKIES is a delicious and nutrition filled cookie that will serve your craving.

These tasty treats are for everyone, including people with food allergies and sensitivities. The cookies are nut free and whole grain, prepared with great care in special baking facilities which are free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy. The ingredients are all natural and organic.

These allergy friendly recipes that you can trust and everyone can enjoy are now available to you on shelf at Team Fitness. 

For more information: http://www.homefreetreats.com/ 

Natural Energy Booster

By: Google images

Formulated by doctors, nutritionist, and trainers

EBoost is the new, natural way to boost your energy for maximum performance. Finding yourself tired, unmotivated, and fatigued? EBoost yourself! EBoost is packed with vitamins, minerals and super nutrients with no added sugar or artificial flavors, it’s a natural way for a natural you.

“Boost your body like a pro”

Try it for yourself, flavors available to you at your local Team Fitness: natural orange, acai pomegranate, pink lemonade, orange shot, and super berry shot.

Open, mix, and boost your way to maximum effort!

NEVO hair cair

by: Google images

The natural evolution of hair care

Your hair giving you more trouble then enjoyment? Treat it with NEVO! Nevo is a new product with exotic ingredients founded in the heart of the Amazon Jungle, thus, Drops of the Amazon.

The Nevo collection is made with pure hydrolyzed quinoa and soy protien to deliver long-lasting inner strength and outer beauty. This product is sure to help and improve your hair.

Not only will this product improve your hair, it's special packaging also improves our ecosystem! 100% biodegradable packing is something you can feel good about as well.

Products available to you: reparative shampoo/ conditioners, moister rich shampoo/ conditioners, hydra pearls, 60 deep treatment, and leave in color lock.

"Nevo not only redefines beauty, it redefines care".

Learn more about these products through: http://www.nevocare.com/

Revolution to waxing!

Sugaring hair removal available to you

 Are you tired of irritated skin, rashes, red blotches, and the annoying/ un-needed pain from hair waxing removal? Avoid those sticky ways by switching to sugaring hair removal, now available to you at your local Team Fitness.

I was personally skeptic at first, but after my first try at it, I will never go back to waxing again. It was quick, easy, and painless. 

This practice uses an all-natural paste made from food-derived ingredients such as sugar, water, and lemon juice.   

ALL ORGANIC

The results can last up to six weeks, and I promise they do. I usually get my eyebrow waxed every 2 weeks, but since my last sugaring, it’s been about 2 weeks and I’m still hairless! Only natural ingredients are used, and it benefits your skin more then waxing would by only pulling away dead skin near your unwanted hair, not ripping away the healthy skin as well.

Come into your local Team Fitness Salon and make an appointment for sugaring hair removal, you too will choose to never go back to plain ol’ waxing.

https://www.facebook.com/TeamFitnessLLC?ref=hl

Evolutionize your health drinks with Evolution Juices

By: Google Images

“Squeeze life for everything it’s got”

Evolution Juices are the purists of the pure, tastiest of the most tasteful. This incredibly delicious tasting juice smoothie is all natural, packed full of nutrients, and bursting with flavor in every drink. Why go to a smoothie or juice bar when you can have Evolution Juice? Founder Jimmy Rosenberg first started squeezing naturally delicious juice in Santa Monica more than 30 years ago that has had consumers hooked and wanting more.

Different juice smoothies available

-Fruit

-Vegetable

-Juice + more

-Nourishment

-Hydration

For flavors of each type of smoothie follow the link: 

http://www.evolutionfresh.com/en-us/juices

Where to find the product nearest you?

http://www.evolutionfresh.com/en-us/where-to-buy

And now the essential greens, sweet greens and orange flavor sold at your local team fitness.

Just Great Stuff Bars

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By: Luckyvitamin

Betty Lou’s Just Great Stuff Bars

Full of Amazing Nutrition!

Struggling to find a quick snack full of nutrition, and a great taste? Look no further; Betty Lou’s Just Great Stuff Bars have just set the bar. The tasteful bar is vegan, gluten-free, all natural, certified organic, and full of antioxidants! Whether you’re on the go to work or workout, or your child is off to school or to go play with friends, these Just Great Stuff Bars are friendly and delicious for everyone.

Some insight of the ingredients inside these bars are: natural freeze-dried fruits and vegetable powders, organic dried fruits, unsalted natural cashews, organic soy-free dark chocolate, wholesome cacao nibs and other great ingredients.

Each bar has one full serving of fruit, and is sure to satisfy you. Decide for yourself! Come down to Team Fitness and give them a try, they're even on sale for a limited time only. The bars will live up to their name, because they are “Just Great Stuff Bars”.

feel incredible with Incrediwear

Aches, strains, and stress? Find simple relief through Incrediwear

New Nano anion technology products, created by Jackson Corley, are being used by Podiatrists, surgeons, sports teams, universities, diabetics, Olympians, world renown athletes, and now, your very own local Team Fitness.

Find relief fast and feel the difference within minutes of wearing the product. Some of the different products available are back, knee, and ankle braces, along with waist, wrist, calf, arm, and elbow sleeves. An everyday wear for maximum comfort are the different socks available! Buy these socks at the front desk of your Team Fitness Center. If you have arthritis, cold feet, sprains, recovering from surgery, want to increase performance, or have any other injures, Incrediwear is the product for you! Incrediwear products are made with Nano Bamboo-charcoal, Germanium, OR BOTH!

These products are important because they release Negative Ions. “The Negative ions are the product of you body heat “energizing” bamboo-charcoal and Germanium fabrics. As the Negative Ions pass through your body, they give some of their energy to your cellular walls causing them to vibrate. The vibrations increase your blood circulation and blood volume, both of which work together to help your body feel relief, comfort and increase performance. Negative ions are completely natural and pose no side effects””. In a nutshell, Incrediwear is sure to increase your blood flow helping reduce inflammation and pain.

Ever heard of Aissa Dghoughi? Aissa was the 2013 Morocco half marathon national champion, in which he wore the Incrediwear sport recovery shorts for training and recovery in 2012; within in a six week period he lowered his 5K time from 14:34 to 14:09! INCREDIBLE, with Incrediwear.

Whether you’re training to compete, or recovering and finding relief, Incrediwear is the product for you.

5 Exrcises to Protect your shoulder

5 Exercises to Protect Your Shoulder

When some one wants to workout out their shoulders they typically think of doing some deltoid, pec, and trap exercises.  While these major muscles are important, none are as important as the rotator cuff muscles.  Chances are you have heard of the rotator cuff but may not necessarily know what it is or its function.  The rotator cuff is made up of a series of smaller muscles and ligaments that stabilize the shoulder through the many different movements it can perform.  For example in order to reach behind your body to put on a coat or snap a bra, your shoulder lifts and rotates in the joint.  This is typically no problem for a strong rotator cuff but if the muscles become weak because of injury, inactivity, or improper technique even the basic daily activity can become difficult.  Here are some simple exercises you can do to strengthen your rotator cuff.  Perform each with a light weight and a tempo of 10 seconds each rep. 1 set of 50 for each.  

Internal rotation:

External Rotation:

Front dumb bell raise: 

Angled dumb bell raise: 

Lateral dumb bell raise: 

Extension: 

Questions or comments please email Kevin Hansen, CSCS at khansen.fit@gmail.com or stop by the Snohomish Team Fitness

Speed, Agility & Quickness

SAQ

(Speed, Agility & Quickness)

Speed: the ability to reach  a high velocity of movement.

Agility: the ability to explosively brake, change direction and accelerate.

Speed Endurance: high impact and high velocity training with minimal rest in between.

Based on whatever your sport is, all this develops a FAST Athlete!

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Training for speed has several procedures of training that are vital to being a quick (or fast) athlete. One important part is Strength and Power Training. This will increase both "maximal force production" and the "rate of force production".

You want to condition the neuromuscular system to improve the firing patterns of fast twitch muscle fibers by practicing moving and accelerating faster. The basics of speed training are assisted and resisted speed training which help improve stride frequency, stride length and speed strength. 

A lot of us are taught to move in one plane of motion; forward or in a straight line. Agility training teaches to move in all planes of motion; lateral, backward and to brake when needed. Most athletes struggle with changing directions in that split second, when needed, so we perform drills that require these movements in all sport-specific situations.

All of these methods combined will enhance you, as an athlete to be strong, react, and move rapidly. Most sport-specific training is "Strength Training" only, where you build a foundation to compete on the same level as your competitor but if you add speed, agility and power training, you will out-perform your opponent in your sport-specific scenario.

If you, your son, daughter, or team are looking for this Specialty Training, we are currently forming groups based on age and sport-specific. Inquire within or ask for Mike or Charles.

Charles Miskel, Team Fitness Personal Trainer

Schedule a complimentary session with Charles

Special Occasion Beauty: Look your best this spring for proms, weddings, and sweet sixteens

With prom coming up and wedding season just around the corner it's time to start planning hairstyles, make-up applications and general beauty practices for the special events in our lives. Team Fitness Salon and Spa is here to help with our list of beauty "do's"
Hopefully these "do's" will guide all who read them towards greater beauty for that special event.

One of the biggest misconceptions about special occasion hair is that your hair will absolutely not stay in place if you've washed it in the last two weeks. I have been asked by many brides-to-be and prom-goers if they need to have "dirty" hair for a proper up-do and to that I say maybe... which brings me to my first "do"
Do have your best hair day for the event.
By this I mean try to time washing your hair so that the day of the event is the day on which your hair is your favorite. If you are any every-day washer it is safe to wash your hair the night before or even that morning. If you love your hair the evening of the third day after you washed it, try to wash your hair two or three days before the event. The dirty hair rumor roots from the notion that squeaky-clean hair has a tendency to slip or fall out of the pins that hold up-do's in place, but I have to point out that hair weighed down by grease can look flat or just leave you feeling less than glamorous. As a stylist I prefer to work with second or third day for special events however I'd prefer not wondering when the last time you bathed was, so find a happy medium. You know your hair more than I do and if you want to shampoo the morning of an event, clean hair can be "dirtied" right up with sprays and powders. Don't buy into the filthy hair rumor... do have your best hair day.

Do bring pictures
If you are getting your hair and make-up done professionally and have something specific in mind, a picture is a sure way to communicate the look you are going for. The internet is a great reference as are the hair magazines you can pick up at supermarkets and drugstores. Pick styles that are consistent with each-other. It is OK to be torn between a few styles but try to narrow it down to two basic ideas. Maybe you know what kind of curls you want but you don't know if you want it half-up or all down. Bring pictures of one or two different looks and let your stylist guide you. Pictures can be extremely helpful to your hair and makeup professional. She is your best reference for what will look best with your face-shape, hair type, and dress.

Do get most of your prep-work done before the day of the event
Prep-work includes beauty procedures like nails, facials, and spray tans. Get your pre-event facial a few days before-hand to allow your skin to recoup. After a facial your face can be completely flushed from peels and purifying so it's a fun thing to do with your bride's maids the weekend before. I also tell my brides to avoid heavy makeup or dramatic changes in their skincare routine the week of the wedding to avoid breakouts for the event. If you are considering a spray-tan (which I highly recommend), find out the "timing" for the formula you are getting. Spray tans coat your entire body and appear orange until the top coat is rinsed off in the shower, leaving behind a natural, even tone for flawless photos. Different spray-tan formulas have different timing and can range from 1 to 24 hours. Most of the time getting your spray tan the day before the event is your best bet. If you aren't sure or have never had a spray tan before it can help to "practice" and get one a few weeks before the event to see how you like it. Last but not least is nails. get your nails done after the spray tan because the product can stain clothes and nails orange (another reason we don't recommend it the day of the event-spray tans can get on your dress or his shirt). You have enough to worry about when it gets close to crunch time and having your nails already done when you wake-up can be a real relief.

Do be prepared for touch-upsAt any special event there is bound to be a need for touch-ups whether it is your mascara from crying or your maid of honors hair-do after she tried catching the bouquet. Be prepared with lip-color, eye-liner, make-up remover wipes, face-powder, hairspray and a comb. If I had it my way there would be an entire salon at every wedding reception for just-in-case moments.

Do enjoy yourselfThis is my last and most important beauty "do" because whether it's your wedding night or prom, whether you're there with that special someone or a group of close friends you will absolutely glow if you're wearing a smile. Moments like these are meant to be enjoyed so let loose and let your inner beauty shine.

Cardio Exercise of the Month

Cardio exercise of the month:

 

For some of us, cardio can seem just plain boring! Well i've got the cure for that! This workout can be done on the treadmill, eliptical, stationary bike, or essentially any piece of cardio equipment you desire. It's all about pushing yourself to the "next level". Cardio doesn't have to take you an hour to be effective. Start small, (10-15 minutes) and increase according to your fitness level. Try adding a few minutes a week to your regiment.  

 

Want to burn fat and get in shape quick? High intensity interval training (H.I.I.T) is a better and more effective training method to lose fat and condition your heart muscles. The concept of H.I.I.T. cardio workout involves repeated bouts of harder Intervals followed by periods of easier recovery . This form of cardio is a very intense method of training which burns a very high amount of calories and keeps your body's metabolism increased for much longer periods than conventional "long & slow" cardio training.

If you've been cruising at L.I.S.S. (Low Intensity Steady State) on the treadlmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine while reading books, listening to your iPod workout music or watching sports on TV, challenge youself with the following H.I.I.T. treadmill routine.


H.I.I.T. Treadmill Running Routine

 

Warm up by walking for 5 minutes.
Run at 6-8 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes
Run at 8-10 miles/hr pace for 2 minutes
Walk at 4 miles/hr pace for 3 minutes

Repeat this cycle 2 to 3 times for a very intense H.I.I.T. "cardio" session followed by cool-down and stretching.

You got the idea? You can also change up the intensity or work-to-recovery ratio by modifying the pace and duration. If you increase the grade or incline level like running uphill, your cardio intensity increases as well.

 

Melanie Elliott

Personal Trainer / Group Exercise Instructor

starlamae1@yahoo.com

Facebook

 

Baseball ready, Strength & Conditioning

Baseball ready, Strength & Conditioning

The strength & conditioning program for baseball is designed to improve performance and reduce risk of injury. To improve performance you have to increase sport-specific strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, and power. To prevent injuries you have to condition the entire body to perform the explosive and repetitive tasks encountered in game play.

The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.... Most college and high school athletes play all year-round. MLB plays 162 games and the Minor Leagues play 142. The key to effective, injury-free performance is consistency. You have to work on some aspect of your game and fitness every day. You can't play yourself into shape in Spring Training. You can't stop working out on Opening Day. You just can't have a hit-and-miss program and expect to play your best.

How to train is important. For max results and steady gains, use my comprehensive, year-round program based on a periodization model that systematically varies the exercises performed, the intensity of the workout, and the volume of the workout done from week-to-week and month-to-month, 365 days a year! If you or your son have a goal to make the "Major Leagues", then please ask me how I can help!

Tip: As a pitcher, there is a 3-link chain that is a big concern for a power pitcher; generating force through your legs and applying it with your arms, but that energy must be transferred through the trunk.

By Charles Miskel, Personal Trainer.  e-mail: mrmiskel@yahoo.com

Exercise & Pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy

Does exercising sound too much like a chore? We've got seven fantastic reasons why you'll actually love it!

1. Boosts energy

2. Sleep better

3. Reduce pregnancy discomfort

4. Prepare for childbirth

5. Reduce stress and lift your spirits

6. Improve your self image

7. Get your body back faster after childbirth

Pregnancy can steal your energy, but regular bouts of exercise will help you get thru your day! And the good news is you can safely start an exercise program during pregnancy even if you’ve been a couch potato up until now! According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you can safely take place in 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise everyday, as long as you don’t have a medical condition or complication that your doctor or midwife has told you rules out exercise or limits your activity level.

Start slowly and wisely

Beginners should start by exercising 15 to 20 minutes at a time, three days a week -preferably with a day of rest between workouts. Don't go for the burn and don't exercise to exhaustion. A good rule of thumb: Slow down if you can't comfortably carry on a conversation.

Stick to low impact exercises such as, Walking, low impact aerobics, cycling, swimming, prenatal yoga and stretching.
Be careful to eat properly and get enough fluids. Being pregnant means you need approximately 300 extra calories a day, depending on your pre pregnancy weight. 

If you are not new to fitness, then the general rule of thumb is, if you did it before, then you can do it during. With of course some common sense involved! Every woman is different. So listen to your body! Talk to your Dr. and most of all, get a lot of rest!

 

Melanie Elliott

Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor

6 Months Pregnant

Holiday Recipe

Apple Crisp

5 peeled organic apples (save peels)

Handful of dates - chopped

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ cup chia seeds

4 T. lemon juice

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 cup rolled gluten free oats

¼ cup coconut flour

¼ cup un-sweet shredded coconut

¼ cup ground golden flax seeds

1 tsp. real vanilla extract

¼ cup agave nectar

1 egg

½ cup coconut oil

Molasses for drizzling

Chop apple in bite size pieces and process peels in food processor until finely ground.

  Mix apples, peels, dates, lemon juice, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, coconut sugar

And chia seeds in a large mixing bowl and transfer to a deep pie dish or square baking dish.

Then mix together rolled oats, coconut flour, shredded coconut, flax seeds, and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

 Add agave nectar, vanilla, egg and coconut oil and cut into oat mixture with fork

or mix with fingers until crumbly.

Top apples with oat crumble and press down firmly. 

Drizzle with molasses and bake at 325 for about 30 minutes until a little bubbly around sides.

  If top browns too quickly cover with foil.

Serve with a dollop of Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream.

Enjoy every bite slowly and mindfully!
Cheri Soraparu, MS, CCN
www.bewellbalanced.org

Health Food

We have just returned from yet another Natural Food Show with a few new products for your convenience!
We work very hard to bring you the healthiest minimally processed and convenient foods on the market.  As a nutritionist I diligently read all the labels to make sure the ingredients are as clean as possible.  I also speak with the manufacture to understand where the food is sourced from.
We try and choose our food products from local & honest companies.  Most of our products are gluten free, corn free, contain minimal to no dairy and minimal cane sugar.
We have done the work for you!  No longer will you have to spend hours reading labels at the grocery store.
We appreciate your support of our wellness efforts.  Contact me if you would like us to carry something specific! Nutrition@TeamFitness.INFO

Be Well,
Cheri Soraparu, MS, CCN
Director of Nutrition & Training

Fat Fall Off Results for Spring Session

Congratulations to our Fabulous Fat Fall Off Participants!  You all did wonderful and had incredible results!

Our Biggest Loser this time was Ms. Joanne with a 10.95% reduction in body fat!

Tied for 2nd was Agnes & Shanice with over 9% body fat lost.

Spring session lost over 150# of body fat (and a few have yet to be weighed!)  an average of 13# per person.


Summer session begins June 6th!

Sexy Summer Slimdown... you can achieve the above results too!

Kids Fitness

Kids Fitness & Kids Club

Are you a Facebook user?  Kids Fitness now has it's own page on Facebook.  Here you can get daily updates on what's going on with our kids programs and ask questions or leave comments for the Kids Fitness staff!  Just search Kids Fitness on Facebook and and "like" it and wham-o!  Direct connection to what's happening for kids at Team Fitness!

We recently had an Easter coloring contest and here are our winners! 
Drake Willard (age 3)
Sophia Lochmann (age 6)
Kaitlynn Itska (age 9)
Congrats kids!