Are you excited for the comeback plan???

 Whether you sat on the patio with a margarita in hand or fell in love with your permanent lawn chair these past few months, it’s ok, set that gilt aside. It is never too late to form healthy habits again. It was a fabulous summer, but now it’s time to get back at it!

The trick? Keep it simple.

1. Book it! - schedule workouts like meetings and use your calendar to book your workouts, stick with it. Mark down 2-3 times a week and be realistic so you can be consistent. Add on once you get your groove. 

2. Support! - surround yourself with friends who work out, they will keep you motivated. Be accountable and text your workout buddies that you will be showing up. Group fitness again will have your back on this one, we always support our team, and we keep each other on track! 

3. Sleep! - don’t overlook this one. Sleep could be the most crucial ingredient for a healthy routine. When you get enough sleep, you will stay energized for workouts, and most importantly you will be able to make better choices for your mind and body. 

4. Eat healthy! - DO NOT deprive yourself! Yes, we all want a detox right now. But as I have said before, quick fixes won’t help in the long run. Make one small change at a time rather than transform your entire diet, such as meal prepping. Trust me, focus on eating healthier and keep everything in moderation. Then you won’t hate your life because you are “on a diet!” It will happen, be patient one meal at a time. 

Lyndsay Syverson
SoulBody Fitness Master Trainer

This summer felt different. Since our world has been upside down for the last few sunny months, people let loose more than ever this summer…. But wow, we all made it worth it! Sometimes you just need to reboot, and indeed we did. But now, we are all feeling those few “extra indulgences” so people are needing to get back into a healthier routine even more. Don’t feel bad, just get back to it. 

So, let’s take charge of our new routine. Time to reset and reprioritize. Every day is a new beginning, so take a deep breath, start again, and don’t make it complicated. 

Hip Hip Hooray! Let’s do it.

So my husband recently decided to join my group fitness classes. For those of you who know him, yes you read that correctly! Sy has played hockey his entire life and has always been active in sports, so he was never interested in joining any of my classes. But now, I am happy to report that he is now hooked, as most people are after attending these classes. After a few months of being dedicated to Yoga Sculpt and Barre he has noticed huge results! 

“Before going to Lyndsay’s classes, I could not cross my legs. All men should consider adding more of these classes to their workout routine, especially athletes! Not just to be stronger, but for flexibility! I finally understand why these classes are so awesome!”

~ Sy

 

Then I started to ask myself as an instructor why do most men have this misconception of group fitness?!?! I think it’s because GF has a stereotype over the years that it is a room full of women with leg warmers and sweatin’ to the oldies in the background. I also feel people have the idea that our classes are not challenging enough and they have too many complicated dance moves. This is sooo far from the truth, times have changed and so has GF. 

ATTENTION BOYS, if you are reading this, there is a bigger picture to be seen with our classes and the results are REAL. Check it out :

1.  We all love Friendly Competition - Healthy motivation will help you push past your limits and perform your best. It’s what we do and we do it well. 

2. Head to Toe - GF targets the entire body! It’s the full package. You will be working a more balanced approach and focusing on the areas that need extra attention! 

3. Workout is Ready!-  Our programs are professionally designed from start to finish, you do not need to make endless workout plans on your own. Show up and buckle up, we have your back! 

4. Day to Day - Stretching, balance, mobility and breath are not typical focal points of exercise routines. But we incorporate these into GF, especially SoulBody Fitness programs, which helps people stay healthy mentally plus with less injury outside of the studio. 

Lyndsay Syverson
SoulBody™ Fitness Master Trainer

Guys. Listen. Next time you walk past the studio at your club, take a moment to talk to the instructor or just join in! Trust me you will be praised for this! Try something new, incorporate GF into your daily exercise routine and guess what, you will become addicted like the rest of us. The power of group fitness is real and we encourage everyone to be a part of it! 

Give it a try boys. Trust me you will be surprised, just like Sy!!!

As a former club owner this topic speaks to me. Our team is the most valuable commodity within our club and can connect with our members both IRL and virtually. Research has shown that the average gym goer will maintain their membership longer and refer new members more than others because of their favorite instructor - much more  than their favorite treadmill or piece of equipment.

The industry has shifted, and true quality leadership is more valuable now more than ever. What if we began investing in our team as a retention tool for longevity? 

If you are lucky enough to have built a rock-solid team of players, then we must be willing to go the extra mile and value our talent. The industry has taken a big shift, and it’s time to adjust our sails and not only stay the course but to hold on tight and take our MVP’s along with us for the ride. 

According to the research of “Love Languages” everyone feels valued differently. While one person may feel valued by getting a monetary bonus, another may feel valued by simply getting praise for a job well done. Knowing your team is the key to success and the beginning stage of the investment process.

A few things to consider:

• Are you paying competitively?

• Do you offer benefits/ vacation time to your full time employees?

• Do you offer incentives, monetary and non-monetary based?

•  Are you investing in education/certifications  to further enhance the company’s needs?

We all know right now the world is struggling to return where it once was. Buying a Starbucks coffee everyday adds up to quite a bit of money. Finance 101 says, if I invest that money, I’d  be a lot richer by the end of the year. The same goes into investing in your team. The cost of a new treadmill is equivalent to a 10th of your instructor team's certifications cost for one year. 

A huge money grab in group exercise is the  monthly cost of  “licensing fees”. This expense is  a thing of the past, and is a no-brainer to alleviate when reputable companies are providing quality programming for FREE!! Wouldn’t it be great to work smarter, not harder, and invest in our team instead?

To quote Maya Angelou; “People will forget what you say, but they will never forget the way you make them feel”.  If investing in your team means making them “feel” valued, and appreciated, then it’s time to start looking at business and our industry with a more holistic human approach.  Let’s invest, and make a big comeback, but most of all, let’s make our team “feel” valued and start investing in the right places. Our teams are the ones who are by our sides rebuilding our industry, believing in us, our companies, our members, our communities and our mission to health and fitness. Dollars and cents are great, but personally I’d much rather invest in the goodness of a human being. 

Lori Carril

Director of Training and Development at SoulBody Fitness

I used to meal prep from scratch with such good intentions each Sunday. Buying all the fun containers, looking up new clean recipes and taking the time in the kitchen to plan my week. 

Cooking, grocery shopping and meal prepping is VERY time consuming, so there were more times then I like to admit that I didn’t prep, because life happened and quite honestly I was just exhausted!!! We all have good intentions to eat healthy, but we can only fit so much in a 24hour period. Life is busy and hectic for all of us, so those veggies in the bottom of our fridge are thrown in the garbage. Sad but true. 

I recently came to terms to stop meal prepping and to go a different route…. I CHEAT! I’m going to tell you a little secret, I let someone else do the meal prepping for me. No, I do not have a chef (I wish!) but I found the next best thing, Meal Prepping companies who do the shopping, prepping PLUS they deliver right to my door! Sounds too good to be true? It isn’t. 

I know what you are thinking, but they are actually very affordable!!! I have done the math and I am actually saving money from ordering these meals. I don’t throw out any veggies, fruits or even leftovers anymore, because my fridge is stacked and organized with my next clean meal. And also remember your health is an investment not an expense especially when it comes to healthy food. 

We plan our workouts each week so doing the same with your meals will really help keep you on track. Plus it will give you the results you are working hard to achieve. “Abs are made in the kitchen” - your body requires healthy food for endurance, strength and yes even weight loss. Consistent meal planning and what you put on your fork, should work with your fitness routine. They go hand in hand, you can’t succeed without the other. 

I have already mentioned so many great reasons why you should consider buying these healthy pre-made, fresh meals! But don’t forget if you are trying to lose a few inches these meals will:

• Manage your portion sizes.

• Will create a better relationship with food! 

• Keeps you on track by not having bad choices in your fridge. 

• Helps stress, because you don’t panic or worry about your next meal. 

Lyndsay Syverson
SoulBody™ Master Trainer

Might seem like a small thing, but these companies have changed my life. With my crazy busy schedule, I don’t even have to think about my next healthy meal. Therefore I can focus on more important aspects of my life, but can still continue to be healthy and strong. And yes I might actually cheer out loud each and every time that delivery truck shows up! Try it, you can thank me later!

It’s almost a New Year! 365 new days, for 365 new chances. An opportunity for all of us to reinvent ourselves. Pretty amazing right? 

Creating a plan to better your life is important and the New Year is a great opportunity to make some key decisions of where you want to expand your time and energy for the next chapter. But to be honest, I have never been a fan of New Year’s Resolutions. The reason is because people put way too much pressure and hype on these resolutions. Then over the process, it is a proven fact that most people do not make them happen. So in turn people are disappointed or even worse beat themselves up for failing. 

So why can’t most people succeed in resolutions? Because when you dive into a new start, no matter what you want to recreate or how hard you plan to achieve your new goals, change is difficult. We need to create step by step, long term goals in order to manage them and to become successful. No matter what major change you have chosen, look at it as creating better habits for yourself, not a resolution. Give yourself a break, but don’t give up.

What my approach is for the New Year is creating a fresh start and to look at the bigger picture, almost like a “year-end” review of my life. I ask myself the following:

• What has worked?

• ️What hasn’t? 

• ️What do I want to change? 

• ️What do I want to achieve? 

 When you answer these questions, keep the following points in mind when you decide to make some new changes in your life:

Lyndsay Syverson
SoulBody™ Fitness Master Trainer

• Make your goals realistic.

• Know the “why” and the reason you want to achieve these goals.

• Stay positive, find support and if you slip, start over. 

• Remember it takes time, don’t put pressure on a date. 

 Let’s all make January 1 2022, the first page of our book, making sure those 365 pages are filled up, to make it the best story ever written with a fantastic ending!!! There is a reason you want to improve your life, so take the reset, and make it happen! Write your story.

Christmas is one of the most memorable times that we spend with our family and friends. But food is usually a focal point during the holidays which we all look forward to. We indulge, we at times go overboard and then come January we are feeling the holiday guilt. But guess what? You can still eat, drink and be merry without overdoing it. If you plan for it and pay attention, you will not end up on the naughty list.

DO NOT ABANDON HEALTHY HABITS, just because it’s Christmas!!!! Still exercise, get your zzzz’s, drink water and just overall pay attention to your food choices, moderation! It will just add more stress if you ignore it. Yes of course it will be challenging, but if you use smart strategies throughout the festive season, you will not be disappointed with your choices come the New Year. 

So here are my tips to keep in mind over the holiday season to keep us on the right track:

Lyndsay Syverson
SoulBody Fitness Master Trainer

• Do not skip meals to save up for the feast. Try to have a healthy snack before the big meals, which will help with overdoing it. 

• Use a small plate and slow down. Portions are always important, do not rush to grab seconds and slow down. Ask yourself do I need another plate? Or am I satisfied? Enjoy the meal, it usually takes our brain some time to realize we are full.

• Try not to sit in front of the chip bowl or box of chocolates!!! Instead, take a small portion, enjoy and move on. Mindless eating happens so just be aware. 

• Stay active. This is your secret weapon over the holidays. This usually is on the bottom of the Christmas list, but make sure it isn’t! A simple walk with the family after meals is perfect! I have been reminding my participants to keep up with exercise, take a few days off, but don’t stop the workout routine. Even at Christmas. 

• If we eat a little more than expected don’t sweat it. We shake it off, then focus on our next healthy meal! Give yourself permission to enjoy all the wonderful food over the holidays. No guilt. Stay consistent and you can still indulge during this wonderful time of year! 

Most of all, remember what the season is about—celebrating and connecting with the people you care about. When you focus more on the fun, it’s easier to focus less on the food.

Keep in mind, you have worked so hard to create healthy habits, so don’t completely forget them. Be a little naughty, but don’t forget to balance it out with the nice.

As Group Fitness instructors we are very passionate about our jobs and personal health. We are individuals that definitely “talk the talk” and “walk the walk.” We pour our hearts and souls into our classes for our members because we truly believe in what we do. 

So since we are walking the walk and talking the talk, we definitely listen to our bodies as health and fitness professionals right???? You would think. We LOVE fitness, but unfortunately most of us overdo it. Sure we are all in pretty good shape and our bodies thrive from our healthy lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean we are immune to injuries. 

How many of us have been injured?  

How many of us ignore the signals but teach anyway?

We all do it because this is our passion. 

• Group fitness instructors perform with participants, plus we practice and prepare for classes, which in turn can lead to major injuries that we do not address. 

• Overuse injuries occur from exercising too much and too often without giving our bodies adequate time for rest and recovery. We teach a lot and we train hard. 

•  We always show up for our members. No matter what. Doesn’t matter what kind of injury you have or even what kind of day you are having. We are motivators, and we do it for them, every single class. 

Lyndsay Syverson - Master Trainer

Does this mean you should stop teaching? No of course not. But it might be time for all of us to realize that our bodies are only capable of so much. We should come to terms that rest can be productive for our body, not a waste of time, especially in our industry. 

Continue to inspire others, but also be the role model of self care. When we take the time to recover or to reassess how much or what programs we teach, it will allow us to be stronger long term for our members. This will in turn enable us to continue teaching for years to come, which we all want. 

This is what we do. We live it, we breathe it and can’t imagine a world without it. So take a moment and pay attention. Your body is like the quiet talker, with the most important thing to say.

Mind+Body

Most people have this idea that exercise must be strenuous and the best way to get results is overworking the body to exhaustion. But here is a secret, more does not always mean better. 

 So what type of workout can you perform, that gives you all the benefits you crave and possibly more? Mind-Body exercise is the answer. This is when we combine controlled breathing, mental focus, flexibility and balance all together, while promoting a calm, easy state of mind. We also add mindful movements of our muscles, which means when leaving each class, we will feel more focused, in tune to our bodies and even stronger then we did when we started. 

 It is a more smooth, safe and efficient way to move your body that will give you a new perspective on how to workout. It did for me and I am in the best shape and mindset of my life because of these programs. I have come to realize that my mind and body are so closely linked, that when I take the opportunity to slow down my movement, but still challenge myself, my body feels better, and in turn so does my mind. I have become more aware of how much strength it actually takes for my body to perform certain movements and I am now more appreciative of what my body and mind can accomplish. Pretty powerful. 

 Like anything new it takes some practice, especially if you haven’t yet been a part of a mind-body workout. So it really is about being open minded and simply giving it a try. Coming first hand from a person who loves high impact cardio sessions, these programs have changed me for life. 

Lyndsay Silverson - SBF Master Trainer

 We live in such a fast paced world that at times letting ourselves slow down almost seems like a foreign concept or even a waste of our time, especially when it comes to your sweat session. But when incorporating mind-body exercise into your routine, it will awaken you. 

The activity is so simple, yet the experience is so profound. It will give you a new perspective and relationship with movement, that is more kind and everlasting. I promise it will transform you completely….mind, body and soul. 💚

A lot of us have been out of practice for many months, so getting back into the fitness routine has not been easy, or let’s be honest just down right SCARY! But remember that having gym intimidation is completely normal. Feelings of fear and being self conscious is what most people experience with any new situation, especially when entering the gym or starting back into workouts from a long break. 

I remember returning to the gym after having my daughter. I was petrified. It had been years since I set foot into a gym, I was really out of shape and not sure where to start. I set myself in the back row in the group fitness studio hoping the instructor wouldn’t notice me. So on that note, first thing to remember, you are not alone! Gym anxiety is universally experienced by most or all exercisers. 

So what can you do to overcome your fear? 

👻 Remember we all had to start somewhere. I mean EVERYONE. Athletes, trainers, instructors, all those people who you think magically became pros. They had to start at the beginning just like every other person. So don't be afraid to be the new kid in town, you must take that first step to begin your fitness journey. 

👻 Have confidence, be proud you are working toward a healthier you! One of the hardest parts of fitness sometimes, is to just get the motivation to do it. But once you make the decision to commit to your workout, you lace up and show up, it will be the best part of your day. So keep that chin up and do not let anyone, especially that little voice in your head, keep telling you can’t do it. Because you absolutely can. 

Lyndsay Syverson
SoulBody Fitness Master Trainer

👻 Most importantly, people are not watching you, they are busy with their own workouts or watching an instructor or trainer! Trust me on this one. When a new participant enters my class one of the first things I tell them is to remember no one is watching them. Every single person in that room is focusing on getting through their own workout and following the instructor. So go for it!!!! You have nothing to lose and all the benefits of exercise to gain.

Keep your goals in mind and the reason why you want to be at the gym. Don’t give in to those feelings of insecurity. The more consistent you are at going, the more comfortable you will become. Everyone deserves to be at the gym to better themselves. And that includes you!

Most of us are creatures of habit, especially when it comes to our fitness routine. We usually stick to the same workout and the same schedule week by week, month by month. So why are we accustomed to holding on to repetitive routines? Because it makes us feel safe and comfortable. It relieves us of a lot of pressure when we are in control of our daily activities. 

But when it comes to exercise, changing up your fitness routine of new movement patterns will benefit you more than you think. Of course any movement for your body is beneficial, but there are a few key points to keep in mind on why we should change things up in the gym:

• It will avoid or delay a plateau. Feel as though you are getting your workouts in, but you are not seeing results? Over time we need to train the body in completely different ways to see the benefits. Change it up. 

• Prevent boredom of the same routine. Are you not looking forward to your class or gym routine? Then step out of your comfort zone and try something completely new. You might be surprised on what programs you fall in love with. Change it up.

• Instructors, are you feeling the burnout of teaching the same class each week? Learn a new program! It will not only help you physically, but mentally as well. So you get the picture, change it up! 

Lyndsay Syverson

We all have set routines and our daily habits keep us on track, but take the chance to develop fresh new schedules with your workouts. Push yourself to new levels to become even more passionate about fitness. And keep an open mind because you need to change up your exercise routine to achieve a balance between variety and consistency. 

If you are not sure where to start, we are here. Reach out to your fellow fitness peeps and we can guide you on which programs would best suit you. 

Embrace the seasons and the cycles of life. There is magic in change.