We need new t-shirts and our members make the BEST designs!

Create a new 24/7 T-shirt design and email it to:

GetFit24-7@GetFit24-7.net

Designs will be posted to Facebook beginning April 15th. Most ”Likes” wins!*

Winner gets a 3-month FREE membership!

Click Here to see complete contest details.

*By submitting designs, participants agree to release the rights of their design to 24/7 Health Club and Wellness Center, and agrees to all other contest terms.

Most people know they need

If it’s time to add better foods into the diet to promote improved health and weight loss, here are some great ways to make sure several servings of fruit are worked in:

Shop Smart

Fresh fruit can be a costly purchase, but it doesn’t have to be. Consider buying fruit from a local produce stand for what will typically be the best prices around. Make sure to pick a variety of different fruits and don’t overload too much. Remember the shelf life of fruit isn’t too terribly long, so it’s best to buy what will be consumed within a few days.

Best Bets

Grabbing any fruit instead of a processed sugar laden or fried snack is always the better choice. That said, when picking up fruit to work into the regular routine, consider fruits that are:

• Easy to carry – Bananas, apples, pears, peaches and other similar fruits are easy to toss into a bag to consume later.
• Rich in vitamins – Just about any fruit fits this order, but some choices are better than others. Citrus fruits, berries and bananas are always excellent choices here.
• Sweet – When fruits will replace “normal,” unhealthy snacks, chances are they’ll be used to combat cravings for sweets. With that in mind, oranges, tangerines, strawberries and other sweeter fruits are great choices to beat back a sugar craving.

Slipping Fruit into the Routine

It’s really not as difficult to work fruit into the regular diet as it might seem. Here are some tips for making sure good, healthy choices are made each and every day:

• Stock up on fruit before leaving the house – Toss a few pieces of fruit into a lunch sack or purse      before heading out for the day. It’s easy to peel a banana, for example, to snack on in the office. An apple is also a great choice here. If it’s easy to carry along a knife for peeling, citrus fruits work well, too. Berries carried in a baggie can also satisfy after-lunch cravings for something sweet.
• Add fruit slices to regular meals – Cut up a banana and add it to the morning cereal. Toss berries into a yogurt cup to get an extra burst of nutrition. Use orange slices and pineapple to enhance a salad. Apple slices also go great with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Making sure to get several servings of fruit a day doesn’t have to be a chore. Just pick up a few pieces of fruit on the way out the door to make sure snack time provides the body with the fuel and nutrition it needs to get through the day.

The hardest part of getting fit

So, how can fear be conquered? Here are several tips for taking that first step and making it a whole lot easier:

Start Out Small

Exercise doesn’t have to involve two hours at the gym five days a week to produce results. While the fact is a gym membership can be very useful, it’s not the only way to go. If necessary, take baby steps to get on the road to fitness. Do such things as:

• Start walking to neighbors or a nearby store instead of driving;
• Take the stairs instead of using the elevator;
• Play more vigorously with the kids;
• Swim;
• Garden;
• Go dancing.

Getting active for even a few minutes a day can be the start of something great when it comes to fitness.

Pick Activities that are Fun

Working out isn’t solely defined as lifting weights and running. Find an activity or activities that are personally fun and dive in with both feet. When you do that, “exercise” won’t seem like work – it will be more like play.

Consult a Trainer

Coming up with good ideas to maximize workout time for the greatest results can be a little tough. Our trainers at 24/7 Health Club and Wellness Center, however, might have some great ideas on how to help you get started. Even if you’re not sure you want to join a gym, come in for a tour and a consultation. The ideas offered might very well help uncover the perfect activities for personal fitness.

Lose weight and improve your fitness! This contest incorporates challenging boot camp workouts, team relays, and other fun contests to help you get in peak physical condition. Join us for the contest kick-off for complete details!

You’ve been working out almost every day. You’re latest trip to the scale showed the results you’ve been seeking. Now it’s time to dive into a great big slice of chocolate cake as a reward for getting the job done, right?

Wrong!

Using food as a reward for doing well in the gym and on the scale is a plan that can backfire in the long run. While you might not have to resign yourself to a life without cake forever to keep your weight off, you don’t want to allow yourself an opportunity to redevelop old bad habits when your weight loss successes are so fresh. Rewards, however, are very important and you should use them when you’re striving to reach exercise and weight loss goals.

If not food, what should you use to reward yourself?

There are all kinds of options that can reward and keep you motivated. Rather than reach for an ice cream cone, cave in on a big dinner out or sneak a slice of cake, why not try:

• A massage – You’ve been working hard and if you have reached a weight loss milestone, you’ve probably been working out hard, too. Why not give those muscles some much needed TLC? A      massage is a great reward that won’t add calories to your routine.
• Doing something fun – If you’ve always dreamed of going up in a hot-air balloon, skydiving or just going out and dancing, just do it. Use fun, exhilarating rewards to treat yourself for a job well done.
• Buy something special – If you’ve had your eyes on a new piece of jewelry or a nifty electronic      gadget, go for it. It’s okay to treat yourself to a fantastic reward if you’ve reached a milestone.
• Get a good book – Working out and losing weight are taxing, take a break for yourself with a good book.
• A trip to the spa or salon – Give yourself a makeover to go with your new look. Get your hair done, have a facial, get those fingernails fixed. Just treat yourself to a little indulgence.

Rewarding yourself is a great way to keep motivation high for weight loss success. Your rewards, however, shouldn’t come in the form of food. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for goals and appropriate rewards, work with your trainer to set up a milestone system. Think small rewards for mini-goals and big rewards for reaching the long-term goal.

Your best friend works out six days a week, looks great and is almost ready for that upcoming marathon. You’re ready to start working out, but that routine sounds too intense to meet your tastes. How can you select a fitness routine that fits you, your lifestyle and your personal physical abilities?

The key lies in selecting a routine that does, in fact, fit your personal needs. It’s best to seek out a program that makes sense for you. That friend of yours has probably been working out for quite some time. You don’t want to start with a routine that grueling or you’re likely to not make it past day one.

To find the right routine for you, consider such things as:

• The frequency of the routine – Sixty minutes a day, five days a week might not sound like a huge time commitment, but it can be tough to stick with. If you have a lot of demands in your life, you might want to find a fitness routine that’s a little less involved. It’s better to select a routine you can truly stick with than go overboard right out of the gate and fail to reach your goals.
• The types of exercise involved – There are many different exercise opportunities out there. Not every person has to take part in the same one to see results. One person might do very well with aerobics, but another might see better results with a routine that blends traditional strength training with biking, running, swimming or some other form of cardio.
• Your personal interest – It is vital to pick a routine you actually find enjoyable. Choose an exercise that’s personally boring and you’re likely to want to quit before you even get off the ground.
• Its targeting ability – Most people have very personal concerns when it comes to fitness. Perhaps      there’s a need to burn off a few extra pounds and tone the legs and arms. Maybe you’re looking to simply build a little muscle? Whatever the case, you will be more motivated to complete your routine if it will show the results you truly want. Remember, there are different routines that are meant      to help participants reach very different goals. A marathon runner, for example, will need to subscribe to a different workout plan than a person trying to shed 20 pounds for health.

One of the best ways to make sure you select a fitness routine that suits your personal needs is to work directly with a 24/7 Personal Trainer to create a workout program just for you. Our experts can help you tailor a routine to your needs and help you make sure your concerns are addressed.

MADISON COUNTY, Ala. – Thousands of Americans will make same New Year’s resolution this year.  It’s one that’s easy to make, but notoriously tough to accomplish: losing weight and getting into shape.

Teri Gatlin joined 24/7 Health Club in Harvest during the summer of 2010.  Her motive: being able to care for her 8-month old son.  She explains, “The only way I was going to be able to keep up with him was to lose weight.  And I knew I had to do something about that.”

Since then, she’s come to the gym nearly every day, and her hard work is paying off.  Gatlin says, “I’ve lost about 80 pounds. And I can get on the floor with Daniel, and I can get up off the floor and not be dying.”

Gatlin still has 60 more pounds she’d like to shed.  However she isn’t afraid of failing, thanks to a simple secret: setting a goal and creating a plan to achieve it.  She explains, “I do 5-pound increments, because I know that 5 pounds is attainable, 60 pounds is overwhelming.”

Jeffry Robinson is the personal training manager at Gatlin’s gym.  He says fitness plans like hers are essential, because 95 out of 100 people who start exercising without a plan won’t succeed.  That might explain why all those New Year’s resolutions are so tough to stick to.

Robinson says, “There’s a bible quote I like, which states, ‘What man would build a house without first sitting down to consider the costs?’”  Gesturing to his own body, he continues, “This is our house, our home.  So if we were going to renovate our home, the first thing we would do is come up with what we call a blueprint.”

Trainers say the first step to getting into shape is working on your flexibility to reduce the chance of injuries.  Robinson adds, “Once you’re comfortable with your flexibility level, then the next thing is to get up and get moving. Get your heart rate pumping, work on your cardio.  Then the next thing is to get into some type of resistance training.

Throughout all of that, consistency is key: working out when it’s the last thing you feel like doing.  Gatlin says, “It’s not easy.  Some mornings I’d just as soon stay in the bed, but I feel so much better afterwards.”

And now that Gatlin is well on her way, she has a new goal: encouraging others to get started, and stay on track.  Teaching a Zumba fitness class helps her do that.

Gatlin explains, “I’m not your most typical instructor, but I like to think that folks see me up there doing that, and think well, she can do it, I can do it. And that’s the biggest thing.  I want folks to know that they can do something if they try it.”

As Gatlin continues on her weight loss journey, she has some New Year’s resolutions of her own.  She says, “I do have certain sizes I want to get into, and I aspire to have a cute swimsuit in the summertime.”

And thanks to her fitness plan, she knows those dreams can become a reality.

Since the beginning of the New Year is a popular time to begin a workout routine, 24/7 Health Club offers several promotions to help jumpstart your fitness success.  These include a new membership discount, Weight Watchers meetings beginning in January, and a New Year’s weight loss contest beginning in February. 

 Attention Redstone Federal Credit Union members!

When you sign-up with 24/7 Health Club and Wellness Center and use your Redstone credit or debit card for payment, you can save $5/month on your membership!

With a 24/7 membership, you get:

24-hour access to two facilites
24-hour tanning
Group exercise classes
Kidz Zone Child Care
Health Assessment
Personal Training Session
And much more!

To view this discount and other discounts Redstone Federal Credit Union is currently offering,

 CLICK HERE.

*See office for complete details.

We need new t-shirts and our members make the BEST designs!

Create a new 24/7 T-shirt design and email it to:

GetFit24-7@GetFit24-7.net

Designs will be posted to Facebook beginning April 15th. Most ”Likes” wins!*

Winner gets a 3-month FREE membership!

Click Here to see complete contest details.

*By submitting designs, participants agree to release the rights of their design to 24/7 Health Club and Wellness Center, and agrees to all other contest terms.