by Martha Hicks Leta

You may have noticed a preponderance of “30 Day Challenge” postings in your social media of late. It’s one of those trends that’s been slowly gathering steam over the past few years and suddenly seems to have exploded into the interweb zeitgeist. Some trends can be fleeting and silly, but the good ones stick when people find value in them.

“Thirty days is enough to get started in the right way, to begin to understand what makes change easier and most importantly, how to stay on the right track,” says Ariane de Bonvoisin, author of “The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier.”

For people thinking about fitness, the 30 Day Challenge concept has merit for beginners and experts alike. The idea is to pick an exercise or a small series of exercises and repeat them daily, gradually increasing reps throughout the 30 days with periodic rest days, building toward a goal on day 30 that is significantly greater than the starting point. It’s perfect for beginners because the starting number of reps and duration is very manageable and not terribly time consuming; most people can bang out fifty squats on a commercial break. Such a challenge is also worthwhile for those with more advanced fitness goals as a way to boost the benefits of an existing routine. The idea that you can make a gradual but significant change or achieve something in as short as 30 days is appealing in our world of instant gratification and often inspires greater challenges to follow.

Mike Eaton

Fitness Together trainer Mike Eaton has spent the last year rehabilitating a severe arm and shoulder injury and knows the value of baby steps; it takes patience and perseverance to claw your way through the tiny achievements of those painful post-surgery PT sessions. It takes still more discipline to fully reclaim your pre-injury fitness, flexibility and strength. As a Fitness Together trainer, Mike sees the value of accountability not just for himself but with his clients every day because they identify the accountability component of their appointments as the key to their fitness success. For Mike, building accountability into his own routine by adding a 30 Day Challenge gave him a “no excuses mentality” and kept him on task.

Toward that end, he designed a grueling 30 Day Challenge for himself. “I had to do at least 100 chest-to-floor burpees, 200 squats, and 200 double-unders (where) the jump-rope passes under you twice instead of once.” (See video box above). For added discipline, Mike decided that the workout had to be completed in one structured session, not in piecemeal throughout the day. He logged each workout with a running total of each day.

“There were plenty of nights after work that I just wanted to get home but I needed to push myself and get the challenge done for the day. After a week I kind of looked forward to getting it done and logging my numbers.”

Mike completed the challenge in early May and says it was definitely worth it. “During and after the challenge I definitely saw improvements in CrossFit as well as my long distance running. I highly recommend trying a challenge and structure it to what you need improvements on.”

Alicia Tansey & Karen O’Connor Ripley

Fitness Together Norwell trainer Alicia Tasney began the 30 Day Squat Challenge in April as a way to motivate a few friends who have been historically reluctant to begin exercising. She baited these friends into doing the challenge by promising them that she would to do twice the amount outlined on the challenge web site.

“The squat is a great exercise to focus on for it’s functional benefits,” says Tasney. “It translates to things we do regularly in our every day lives, like getting in and out of the car, walking up stairs, bending over to tie shoes or pick up an object.” When done properly, the benefits of the squat include building muscle; improving flexibility and balance; and gaining strength in the glutes, legs, knees, feet and lower back.

Form is important when doing any exercise, but especially where high reps are involved. Even more important if you’re adding weights. Tasney says that for such a simple exercise, there are many ways to go wrong, and that can lead to injuries of the knees and lower back. (See below for tips on proper form.)

As of tomorrow, Alicia will be on day 21 of the challenge, which means 180 squats for her friends and 360 for her. By the time all is said and done, she’ll have completed 6,590 squats! She says she’s already feeling the benefits from the challenge. When running, her legs feel stronger and take much longer to fatigue. Another benefit? Friends have offered compliments, which we’ll refrain from repeating, but suffice it to say we could rename this challenge the “30 Day ‘Damn, Gurl!’ Awesome Booty Squat Challenge.”

Fitness Together client Karen O’Connor Ripley, a client at FT for several years, is always looking for ways to push herself further. A busy mom who also runs a cleaning business as well as a facebook page, “Ecomomics,” Ripley is a busy person. But when she overheard her trainers, Mike and Alicia, talking about their challenges she decided to incorporate one into her own routine as a way to boost her fitness level without eating up a lot of time. To focus on the area she most wants to improve, Ripley chose an abdominal challenge. “It consist of sit-ups, crunches, planks and push-ups with the reps increasing everyday. This also got me to do plank and push-ups which are two exercises I don’t usually do unless I’m at FT. It’s going good, I like it, it’s gets me going.”

As inhabitants of a planet whose circadian rhythms are tied to the 30-day cycle of the moon, you might say we are hard wired to operate within the parameters of this increment of time. When thinking about making a change or an improvement that involves discipline, a month isn’t really a daunting amount of time, but you may be surprised at what you can accomplish.

If you take up a 30-Day Challenge of any kind, keep these tips in mind:

• Choose a challenge that is doable, but challenges you as it progresses. You’re in this to make progress, not waste time or injure yourself.
• Make sure you’re using proper form. Check with your trainer if you have questions.
• Journal your progress. This will keep you on task and give you a real sense of accomplishment at the end.
• Don’t Beat Yourself Up: If you miss a day, pick up where you left off if possible. If you miss more than a few days, back up or start again. Just don’t give up!

Here are the challenges happening at Fitness Together in Norwell. If you try one, let us know how it goes, or share your challenge here. We’d love to know how you’re doing!

Mike Eaton’s 30 Day Beatin’

To be completed in one session each day for 30 Days

• 100 chest-to-floor burpees
• 200 squats
• 200 double-unders

30 Day Squat Challenge

(Again, Tasney’s doubling this.)

To do a proper squat, keep this slightly bizarre visual in mind: you’re testing a metal chair with your butt to see if it’s hot, discover it is and stand up again. You can even place a chair about a foot behind you to lightly touch down on before standing up. Keep these other tips in mind for proper form*:

1. Begin in an athletic stance, feet shoulder width apart, feet slightly turned out, spine in neutral position, abs engaged.
2. Keeping your weight in your heels, your head up and your eyes looking ahead (not at the floor) bend your knees until your upper leg is parallel or deeper to the ground. Your butt should be moving backwards as well as downward as your knees hinge, preventing your knees from going forward beyond your toes.
3. Throughout the squat, your head is still up, eyes forward, shoulders back and chest out. Don’t collapse your spine and hunch downward.
4. To return to the standing position, engage your legs, glutes and abs and squeeze as you “explode” back to your starting position.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

*Have your trainer check your form or help you modify if you have any physical constraints, or if you wish to add weights to increase difficulty.

Day 1 – 50 squats
Day 2 – 55 squats
Day 3- 60 squats
Day 4 – Rest
Day 5 – 70 squats
Day 6 – 75 squats
Day 7 – 80 squats
Day 8 – Rest
Day 9- 100 squats
Day 10 – 105 squats
Day 11 – 110 squats
Day 12 – Rest
Day 13 – 130 squats
Day 14 – 135 squats
Day 15 – 140 squats
Day 16 – Rest
Day 17 – 150 squats
Day 18 – 155 squats
Day 19 – 160 squats
Day 20 – Rest
Day 21 – 180 squats
Day 22 – 185 squats
Day 23 – 190 squats
Day 24 – Rest
Day 25 – 220 squats
Day 26 – 225 squats
Day 27 – 230 squats
Day 28 – Rest
Day 29 – 240 squats
Day 30 – 250 squats

The Mean Ab Challenge
(It says “June” but Karen O’Connor Ripley couldn’t wait. “Thirty days is 30 days!” she says.)

For more about Ariane de Bonvoisin’s inspirational books:.  First30days.com

To set up an appointment with Mike, Alicia or Joe at Fitness Together in Norwell call 781-659-0034

To find a Fitness Together Studio near you go to FTGetsResults.com

By Lisa Swanson | Owner Fitness Together Andover

The snow has melted, the air’s a bit warmer, and the windows are starting to open. This is the time of year when most people renew their homes with a deep cleaning, a fresh coat of paint and de-cluttering the closets. How about taking that same approach with your body, mind and spirit? After a long winter of hiding under layers of clothing and eating comfort foods it’s time to refresh our workouts and clear our minds.

One of the best ways to relieve stress and clear the mind is to workout. You may have heard of “runner’s high”. This phenomenon is the result of your endorphins being pumped up; your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. You don’t have to run though to obtain these results. Any activity that increases the heart rate for an extended period of time will have the same effect. The key to success and consistency is finding an activity you enjoy. Along with spring’s promise of warmer weather comes a whole list of possible activities; biking, hiking, canoeing, rollerblading, swimming, and the list goes on. The repetitive movement and deep breathing necessary to perform these activities is like meditation in motion. Often after a walk or game of tennis people feel a sense of relief and calmness. The daily problems and stresses in life are easier to deal with.

If results are what you want, then you also need to change up your resistance-training program. Our muscles respond very quickly to the demands we put on them and will get “bored” rather quickly if we don’t refresh the routine. If you are mindlessly going through a weight training circuit performing 3 sets of 15 repetitions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, then your body is in need of an exercise overhaul! What better time to try something new than Spring time! There a so many different ways to stress our muscles, but they won’t respond unless you have a plan. Consider hiring a trainer to not only to motivate you, but to educate you on how to put together an effective exercise routine. You will be reaping the benefits of this investment for years to come. Remember the “mind to muscle” rule when working out: When you concentrate on the muscle you are working, you increase the response of the each muscle fiber. Another bridge crossed in the mind/body connection!

Lastly you need to eat clean! Which means, forget the processed foods, sugar, white flour, and chips. Eating clean means whole foods, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. The further away from its natural state a food is, the more processing it has under gone. Not only is eating clean good for your waistline, nutrient-dense natural foods do wonders for your arteries, hair, skin, and yes, your mood.

So let’s renew our spirits and start or re-start a balanced exercise and stress reducing lifestyle. As you bring balance in to your life you will be better able to cope with the daily stresses of work and family.

If you found this helpful and you would like to suggest some topics for next month or you have some general questions, please feel free to call or email me at anytime: P (978) 623 8181 Email: lisa@swansonfitness.com. Visit our website at www.ftandover.com for more information on fitness and nutrition.

To find a FT Studio near you, go to FTGetsResults.com

by Martha Hicks Leta

“Regardless of what your challenges are, just walk through the door,” assures Myers. “And life becomes beautiful all over again.”

After Lisa Myers received her breast cancer diagnosis five years ago and endured the long and difficult course of treatments, she wasn’t sure if she could trust her body again to carry her back to fitness level she dreamed of.

“I thought fighting cancer was tough,” says Myers, “but losing the confidence in yourself from that experience is just devastating.”

Her treatments left her with weak muscles a very limited range of motion, especially in her arms. When doctors gave her a clean bill of health a year and a half after her last treatment, she decided to recommit to getting fit.

Myers, who lives in Methuen, found her way to trainer Frank Francis at Fitness Together in North Andover. Francis saw right away he was dealing with a woman who was determined to reclaim her life. His comprehensive experience as a personal trainer coupled with Lisa’s extraordinary determination quickly yielded some very satisfying results for both trainer and client. “Lisa has the kind of drive to succeed that you just can’t coach; it comes from within.”

When Francis ran Lisa through her 8-week fitness assessment he was amazed. In just two months of training, she was able to increase from 27 sit-ups in one minute to 40. She had gone from holding a plank position for 1:43 and a wall sit for 2:43 at her first assessment to being able to easily maintain those skills for five minutes each.

Francis, who’s seen his share of impressive physical accomplishments, was blown away. “As a trainer, you do your best to inspire your clients. Lisa is one of the few who, whether she knows it or not, inspires ME.  That drive still exists and she brings her best EVERY session.  Currently, she is training for a Sprint Triathalon in the fall.”

Myers is grateful for the improvements to her life. “Walking through that door was the best thing I could have done for myself. It’s an experience that I highly recommend to anyone who has gone through what I went through. You can get your life back, you can get your body back, you can get your self back.”

For more about Fitness Together in North Andover

To Find a Fitness Together near you go to FTGetsResults.com

Bob Lexander – age 60
Production supervisor for the Dedham/Westwood Water District

For most of Bob’s adult life, he’s been an avid runner, marathoner and all around fitness enthusiast, partly because he loves being active and partly in hopes of hedging a family history of health issues. “My father had heart disease, arthritis and cancer,” says Bob. “I always hoped I could outrun it.”  But as he got older, his knees began to break down. After his third knee replacement (the second on his right side) failed to heal as well as he’d hoped, doctors put him on heavy doses of arthritis and pain meds and told him he’d just have to live with it. Despite physical therapy his exercise routine all but came to a complete halt.

Last April, Bob’s wife, Mary Ellen Kelly, became concerned at seeing her husband slip into a funk the longer he went without exercise. Kelly, an attorney, had heard of Fitness Together through her professional networking group. When she suggested to Bob that a personal trainer might be able to help, he agreed to give it a try.

Trainer Kate McNally likes to take a holistic approach, striving to carefully match a client’s personality and goals to his or her program. Specializing in body composition change and endurance training, McNally uses a wide variety of training styles to fit her clients’ goals. Though she started Bob on a gentle regimen, she quickly saw that his determination could take him beyond his limitations.

“In his time at Fitness Together Bob has greatly increased leg strength and flexibility; two really important achievements for guy as active as Bob. All this with little complaint,” says McNally. “Bob Lexander is the model client. When you ask him to do something, he not only does it, but will give 110%. He really wants this. Wants to be stronger, healthier, more fit.”

Since first beginning at Fitness Together last April, Bob has lost 20 lbs and completely weaned himself from his medications. “It’s been a big deal to me to get off those pain meds,” says Bob. “It’s just been so good for my outlook.”

His wife, Mary Ellen, was so inspired by Bob’s success, she also signed on. After increasing her fitness level and losing weight, the couple is enjoying a more active lifestyle.

“Our quality of life is so much better now. I’m in better shape than I’ve been in years. We enjoy walking and hiking together. Now we can walk up big hills without breathing hard and my knee is even flexible enough that I can ride my bike. Going to Fitness Together has been a wonderful thing.”

Says his trainer, “I really enjoy training Bob, training someone with his motivation makes my job easy. Bob comes to every session ready to work hard, usually already dripping sweat from his so called “warm up” (30-40 mins hard on the elliptical). He is just as dedicated in life to family and work as he is in the gym. Bob is making great strides toward his goals and you can tell by just looking at him. He looks great!”

FT Dedham

For  more FT Studios near you go to FTGetsResults.com

Dear Flabby,

I’m wondering if you can settle a bet between me and my friend Pauline. Lately me and Pauline, we’ve been trying to eat healthier and get into a smaller size of Spanx. We’re seeing a personal trainer we found in the classifieds who has us keeping food journals and watching Richard Simmons on the VCR and he’s made us cut out desserts and cheese. (Boy has that been hard. I love a good cheese, don’t you? Those little individual slices with the cellophane wrapper get me going, ya know?) Anyhoo, my girlfriends and me, we were out to the ladies night over at the Holiday Inn out on Route 1 like we do every Sunday after Bingo and Pauline, she sees I’m not recording my cocktails in my food journal and she starts mouthing off like there’s no tomorrow about there being calories in martinis and I should count them in my food journal just like I do regular food. I told her she’s crazy and to take a hike. How can there be calories in something that’s clear like water? I ditched the olives into the ficus bush just to be safe, but I’m pretty sure it’s okay to have a few cocktails, right Flabby? Like, sometimes to have a few strawberry margaritas on account of all the fruit? So, who’s right, me or Pauline? There’s a nice David Hasselhoff poster riding on this one.

Thanks,
Tiny

……

Dearest Tiny,

Judging by how skinny celebrities like Lindsay Lohan look in their drunk driving mug shots, I’d say there are absolutely no calories in alcohol, so my answer is: Yes!

Sincerely,
Flabby

P.S. My third cousin, once-removed, Earl goes up to that ladies night sometimes. If you happen to see him, short guy, usually in a Ramone’s T that’s a few sizes two small and should have been retired back in 2000, balding with a comb-over, orders “A Nice Tall Girl” instead of asking for a St. Pauli on draft, well, tell him I want my drain snake back.

……

Dear Tiny, Pauline and Flabby,

Hi. It’s Derek Maxfield here from Fitness Together in Beverly.

Really, Flabby? Just “Yes?”  What does that even mean? Of course there are calories in alcoholic drinks. Sometimes lots!

Tiny, as diligent as you may be about counting your food intake calories, the cocktail menu is where you can really get yourself into trouble.  Whether it’s at a family barbeque in your backyard or ladies night at the Holiday Inn, alcoholic beverages can directly influence what belt loop you’re notching.

The difficult part about alcohol is that it’s often overlooked when logging calorie intake in your journal and those calories can quickly put you over your daily allowance. You should know that 1 gram of alcohol contains 7 calories.  To better relate that figure:  1 gram of fat equals 9 calories, so alcohol contains just about the same amount of calories as fat.  To put it another way, one of those martinis of yours probably had between 200 and 300 calories, more than a serving of potato chips. (You’d count potato chips in your food journal if you ate them, right? Though you shouldn’t be eating chips if you really want to downsize those Spanx!)

I never expect anyone to fully eliminate alcohol from his or her diet.  However, limiting how much you drink can make stepping on the scale less stressful and save your health in the long run. Slowly enjoying a nice glass of wine instead of swigging down numerous potent cocktails can potentially save hundreds of calories.  If  you have one glass of wine at approximately 170 calories instead of 3 martinis at 250 calories each, you’ll save upwards of almost 600 calories, as well as a hefty hangover!

And don’t be fooled, Tiny. Just because certain types of alcohol like vodka or gin are clear like water, they are not low in calories.  A shot of straight alcohol can range from 120 to 180 calories—just as much as your average beer or even glass of wine. When sugary mixers are added to hard alcohol to create a margarita or fancy martini, calories can exceed 500!  And don’t be fooled into thinking that tonic water is low in calories, either. It’s loaded with sugar and has about 124 calories per 12 oz.  serving, almost as much as regular cola! Better to mix with club soda and a squeeze of lime, which has no calories.

When it comes to beer, my suggestion would be to go for light beer instead of heavy beer (Sam Adams Light instead of Sam Adams Octoberfest) or choose a glass of Cabernet, and try to avoid mixed drinks.  After selecting your drink: enjoy it, make it last, and sip – don’t chug.

So, Tiny, I hate to tell you this, but I guess Pauline is now the proud owner of that David Hasselhoff poster. Just remember, those cocktail calories count just as much as food calories do. Be sure to log them in your food journal, and keep them to a minimum.

Yours in Health,
Derek

Fitness Together in Beverly is located at
Cummings Center 950 Cummings Ctr, Ste 98X
(978) 922-3636

To find out about lower calorie cocktail alternatives, click here.

Go to FTGetsResults.com to find more FT studios near you.

Derek Maxfield
Owner/Personal Trainer, FT Beverly
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Over 8,000 sessions experience
Derek Maxfield enjoys seeing his clients reach their goals and looks forward to exercising. He strongly believes that nutrition is a very important apsect of fitness and finding the correct activity is the key to total comittment.  Derek is certified through the American Council of Exercise and has enjoyed working with clients ranging from 14 years old to 83 years old, from athletes to those who have had various injuries.  He started his career working in a public gym, but joined Fitness Together in December of 2008 in Concord, MA.  After two years of service which he thoroughly enjoyed, he became owner of Fitness Together in Beverly

By: P.J. Castaldini, Owner & Certified Fitness Trainer,
Fitness Together Belmont (Waverley Square)

All the sly marketers out there will tell you fitness results can be achieved in as little as 1 week…I’m sure you all know this is simply untrue, but perhaps you’re not aware of a realistic timeline. Most professionals agree (this one included) that 12 weeks is a good timeframe to see quantifiable results. Some may achieve results in 10 weeks and others in 14. Nevertheless, somewhere around 12 weeks is what you should shoot for when beginning a fitness routine. Anyone that tries to tell you it can happen in less time is simply uninformed or trying to SELL you something.

What do I mean by quantifiable results? It means measurable changes, not just when you look in the mirror and think to yourself, “Hmmm, I think I look better.” The only way to have measurable changes is to MEASURE YOURSELF before you start. And no…no…no, don’t just get on the scale and use your weight as the starting point…WHY??? Because weight is a very poor indication of your success; weight is made up of 2 different (and very important) variables: 1.) Lean Body Weight and 2.) Fat Weight. You want MORE of the first and less of the second. Yes, more of the first…and depending on your body type and starting point…you very well can and perhaps should GAIN some weight in the beginning. Time after time my clients tell me and readers email, “P.J., I’ve gained 3 lbs. since starting; what am I doing wrong?” DON’T WORRY! This is a good thing as long as the Lean weight is what’s going up and not the fat weight.

How do you know it’s the lean weight and not the fat? This is where the measuring you do at the beginning comes in to play. If you measure your body fat % before beginning your exercise routine, you can measure it again later and see QUANTIFIABLE CHANGES. If you start with 40% body fat and later have only 30% body fat, you know you’re headed in the right direction because you lost 10% body fat. Conversely, if you only use your weight to gauge results, you may start at 200lbs and later weigh only 180 lbs, but how do you know the 20 lbs you lost are from fat? Far too often people will lose a majority of their weight from lean body weight; therefore, causing more harm than good. You want to retain lean body weight because this is what burns fat. If you’re not sure how this works, email or call me (617-484-9048) and I’ll give you more information.

I’ll use another post in a few weeks to go into greater detail. So watch this space. But not intently as I want you all to push away from the computer and do some exercising, of course.

So class, for homework, find out your body fat percentage and overall measurements before you start on your journey. Moreover, don’t set yourself up for disappointment by expecting big changes in an unrealistic timeframe. Plan on approximately 12 weeks for quantifiable results; if you do so, you’ll set yourself up for success and just in time for the good weather!

FT Belmont

To find a Fitness Together studio near you, go to FTGetsResults.com

Managing owner of Fitness Together in Burlington and Melrose, Brendan Stapleton, was recently recognized with the Making a Difference Award from among 240 Fitness Together studio owners at the company’s recent national conference in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.

Stapleton was presented with this award for his efforts in making a difference in the Burlington community and beyond. During the past year, Stapleton raised nearly $200,000 by participating in numerous races, including marathons, triathlons and a 12 hour walk, and donated the money to local chapters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, American Diabetes Association (ADA), St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Nashoba Learning Group, among others.

“While there are many well-deserving studio owners in our system this year, Brendan Stapleton went above and beyond,” said Jeff Jervik, CEO and President of Fitness Together Holdings, Inc. “He is truly an asset to the Fitness Together family, and this award is a token of our appreciation for his dedication to making Fitness Together successful in his local community and in the industry.”

Last year Stapleton ran in his fifth Boston Marathon to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. Between 2011 and 2012 Stapleton competed in 4 full marathons. Over the course of his career, he’s run in too many to count. In addition, Stapleton and four friends raised $25,000 for the Nashoba Learning Center, a school for children with Autism where his good friend and fellow running mate, Peter Argriros, is a staff member.

“I couldn’t have raised this money without the generosity of my clients, family and friends, so this award is really for all of us,” said Stapleton. “My passion has always been helping to make people’s lives better. That’s why I got involved in the fitness industry. Whether it’s by helping clients get healthier by working out at my studios or raising money for organizations, I think it’s important to make a difference in whatever way you can.”

Stapleton works closely with each client to develop a personalized program that meets the client’s fitness needs and agrees with their budget. This includes strength and cardio training in addition to nutrition counseling and a level of accountability and coaching not found with other programs. Stapleton also recently took ownership of Fitness Together of Melrose and is helping to make the community a healthier place.

“After being with Fitness Together for all these years all I can say is I love my job! There is nothing better than seeing a client reach their goals and become who they have always wanted to be!”

Fitness Together of Burlington is located at 212 Cambridge Street. For more information, please call (781) 273-0093 or visit FTBurlington

Fitness Together of Melrose is located at 445 Franklin Street. For more information, please call (781) 665-8282 or visit FTMelrose

To find more FT Studios across Eastern New England, check out FTGetsResults

Healthy Ways to Say “I Love You” this Valentine’s Day
(Roses Not Included)

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to spend some quality time with the ones you love—but it often means going out to a nice (heavy) restaurant meal and eating lots of chocolates.

There are plenty of other ways to show the love on this special day. Why not try cooking your own healthy and easy, yet elegant, meal at home instead? Or going on an adventurous date?

Here are better, healthier ways to show your valentine you care this week (or any date night!).

Cook a Romantic Meal at Home

You’ll be surprised how a simple entrée of roasted chicken breast can be transformed into an impressive meal with the addition of flavorful sides and a unique dessert. These recipes (all from our Recipes for Healthy Living!) offer a balanced meal that you can enjoy without much effort:

Roasted Chicken Breasts

These quick chicken breasts can be used for anything—serve with steamed veggies and brown rice, use them for chicken salad or slice thinly for a sandwich with whole grain bread, spicy mustard, fresh spinach and thinly sliced tomato.

This Recipe Serves 4

Ingredients

Instructions

Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

This festive salad is easy to put together and makes for a light yet tasty side.

This Recipe Serves 5

Ingredients

Instructions

Rustic Red Potatoes and Green Beans

This mixed veggie dish is a great example of how to increase your vegetable intake while controlling your carbohydrate intake.

This Recipe Serves 6

Ingredients

Instructions

Grilled Fruit Salad with Chocolate Drizzle

Try this for a delicious and somewhat different dessert! If you have fresh mint, chop some up and add it to this salad for even more flavor!

This Recipe Serves 6

Ingredients

Instructions

Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Parfait

If it works with your meal plan, try our parfait with a quick five-minute prep time and only 19 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

This Recipe Serves 4

Ingredients

Instructions

Get Your Heartbeat Going

There are plenty of fun fitness ideas that you and your significant other can enjoy just as much as a heart-shaped pizza. Take a dance lesson together, like a waltz or ballroom class. Get outside (weather permitting!) and go on a romantic hike or bike ride. Challenge your partner to see who can get to the top while rock climbing—indoors or outdoors!

Once you’ve worked up your appetite, reward yourself with a healthy, sophisticated meal (see above!).

Skip the Food and Go out on the Town

Whether you’re single or romantically involved, there are lots of fun things to do on Valentine’s Day without having to feel guilty. Take a trip to a museum you’ve always wanted to visit, or go see a movie (if you can decide on one together!). Watch a film at home if you’re trying to save money. Learn new healthy recipes by signing up for a cooking class or relax with a massage (you might need it if you use the exercise tips above!).

Still Gifting?

FT has just the thing for you. Special deals just for Valentine’s Day. Check it out here.

So, what’s the plan for Valentine’s Day this year? You going to dash out to the pharmacy, grab a dinged-up card from the picked over card rack and a box of chocolates to get filed next to the moldering leftovers from Christmas and Halloween? Or maybe you’ll be driving home from work on Thursday night empty handed and you’ll remember that you forgot again, to come up with something just a little special for Valentine’s Day. Hey, nothing says, “I love you” like a bunch of half-dead flowers purchased from a sketchy looking guy at a stoplight, right?

The good news is, it’s not too late to do something simple but special that will have a lasting and positive impact on both of you—your health, your energy and your stamina–and that’s never a bad thing. Make Valentine’s Day a memorable and healthy experience this year by giving your Valentine the gift of fitness.

Couples who workout together can build stronger bonds and grow their relationships to new levels. Invite your loved one to join your health and fitness regimen this Valentine’s Day. Call or come into your Fitness Together studio today to purchase your Valentine’s Day gift card and start getting fit together with your loved one.

For Valentine’s specials at an FT Studio near you go to FTGetsResults.com

Offers and prices may vary.

Cooking dinner for your Valentine? Check out these elegant, easy, and tasty recipes recipes from the American Diabetes Association. Your valentine will never guess they’re actually healthy.

Woody Allen as a sperm in the movie Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex…

A new study finds that if you want to have the best swimmers in the gene pool, turn off the TV and get to the gym.

By Martha Hicks Leta

Psst, hey you. Yes, you, the young healthy guy over there. You’ve got it going on, right? You got all kinds of game and, if you do say so yourself, when the lights are low, the libido is All Systems Go. No complaints there, right? So, let me ask you this: How much TV would you say you watch per week? Be honest. A couple of hours a night? Maybe, more? Well, if you think you might want to be a dad someday, hide the clicker and read on because, as it turns out that all that TV watching isn’t doing your little swimmers any good.

That’s right.  Over the last several decades, scientists have been keeping an eye on, of all things, semen quality. As it turns out the state of our man stuff has been in decline and the reasons for this are as yet unresolved.

Toward that end, a recent study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has evaluated the relationship of exercise and TV watching with sperm quality in healthy young men. The study gathered data on a group of 189 men ages 18-22 years of age over the course of three months. A questionnaire was used to assess hours per week of exercise and TV viewing. Semen quality of the test group was also evaluated based on sperm concentration, motility, morphology and total sperm count.

The findings showed that the men at the highest quarter of the exercise spectrum, those who exercised more than 15 hours per week, had 73% higher sperm concentration than the men in the lowest quarter of the exercise spectrum.

TV watching, on the other hand, had an inverse effect on semen quality. That is, the men in the study group who watched the most TV, more than 20 hours per week, actually had 44% lower sperm count than the men who watched the least.

The study concluded that, “higher moderate-to-vigorous activity and less TV watching were significantly associated with higher total sperm count and sperm concentration.” In other words, more exercise and less TV make for righteous swimmers.

So, the next time you’re planning on sitting around the man cave and watching sports with the guys all weekend, take a moment to ponder the results of this study. If you want your little fellers to swim like Richard Phelps, you may want to drop the clicker and get yourself to the gym.

For the complete study go here

To help you get your edge back, get your free fitness assessment at a Fitness Together studio near you. Go to FTGetsResults.com for more information and a list of studios in Northern New England.