Apr. 19, 2012

3 comments

Holocaust Remembrance Day – Choose Health While You Can…

A Post Honoring the Victims of the Holocaust and a Plea for YOU to Live a Healthier Lifestyle While You Have the Choice by Chanhassen Personal Trainer Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

Single Rose a Tombstone Holocaust Remembrance Day Choose Health While You Can...

Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazis tried to wipe out all the Jews in Europe.  The result was the murder of 6 million Jews by torture, shooting, starvation and any number of other horrific means.  Burned into our memories are the pictures of the emaciated bodies of the captured Jews.  The Holocaust was one of the darkest times of our world’s history, and we must never forget, so that history never repeats itself in this way.  Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Let’s honor those who’ve fallen by learning how to celebrate life… Read the rest of Holocaust Remembrance Day – Choose Health While You Can…

Posted in Wellness by Justin | 3 Comments

Apr. 17, 2012

2 comments

Stress Busters for Tax Day – How to Reduce Stress…

A Post about Reducing Stress by Chanhassen Personal Trainer Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

Calendar Showing April 15th tax day Stress Busters for Tax Day How to Reduce Stress...

It’s that time of year again:  tax season. 

If you are like many people, you feel increased stress around April 15 (or 17th this year).  Tensions can run high from the pressure of getting the forms filed on time or coming up with the funds to pay your tax bill. 

But you owe it to yourself to keep your stress under control as much as possible.  When your body is subjected to ongoing stress, unhealthy changes occur at the chemical level, and these changes can lead to food cravings and weight gain. Read the rest of Stress Busters for Tax Day – How to Reduce Stress…

Posted in Personal Development, Weight Loss, Wellness by Justin | 2 Comments

Apr. 15, 2012

6 comments

Chanhassen Weight Loss Contest Winner Loses Over 25 Pounds in Just 2 Months!

Chanhassen Fitness Revolution Announces Results for Nationwide Fitness Transformation Contest!

 

Two months ago, Chanhassen Boot Camp participants started their journey towards better health and thinner waistlines at Chanhassen Fitness Revolution.  The group, participating in the Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge, lost an average of 9 pounds (finalists lost over 13 pounds!) – a remarkable achievement considering how difficult it can be to lose even just a few pounds of unwanted body fat.

The group trained at Chanhassen Fitness Revolution three to six times per week and followed an 8-week easy-implementation nutrition plan.

I gotta tell you… It’s great to get a group of people together who are determined to make big changes happen.  By entering this contest, these people put themselves in a position to succeed like never before!

I couldn’t be more proud of all the contestants who participated.  Brenda Miller, Diana Frye, Nancy Simon, Rick Sutton, and Justin & Shanna Ballsrud were the other top finalists in the Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge – a.k.a. “The Sexy Six”

To see their results CLICK HERE.

In the end, there had to be one winner and the votes were pretty clear… Read the rest of Chanhassen Weight Loss Contest Winner Loses Over 25 Pounds in Just 2 Months!

Posted in Boot Camp, Member Success Stories, Weight Loss by Justin | 6 Comments

Apr. 13, 2012

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Declare your Independence from Decay

A Salute to Thomas Jefferson and a Post about Healthy Aging by Chanhassen Fitness Expert Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

Thomas Jefferson Statue Declare your Independence from Decay

This is the day that we celebrate Thomas Jefferson’s birthday.  He is thought to have been born on April 13, 1743.  Though Jefferson was a brilliant man remembered for many significant accomplishments, it is his writing of the Declaration of Independence that brings him the highest regard.  This document made clear our country’s intention to be free from the tyranny of King George, and what previously seemed inevitable (a predictable future dictated by forces beyond their control) was now negotiable. 

Our forefathers realized that they could choose a future different from that which everyone expected would happen, and they pursued it with all their strength.

What about you?   As you contemplate your future, do you expect that as you age, slow decay is inevitable?  Do you imagine that aging brings with it certain, non-negotiable maladies that begin slowly and worsen over the last 30 years or so of your life?  After all, that is certainly what happens to nearly every person in our society.  The pain and stiffness and fragility begin whispering to us in our late 40’s, and the slow decline begins.

But is decay inevitable? 

No, it isn’t. Read the rest of Declare your Independence from Decay

Posted in Exercise, Wellness by Justin | 3 Comments

Apr. 10, 2012

9 comments

Sinister Sitting: If You Want to Lose Weight…Just Say NO!

A Post About the Long-term Effects of Sitting on Health, Wellness and Weight Loss by Chanhassen Personal Trainer Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

 

Are you sitting down? 

If so, you are putting your health and life at risk. Most of us sit for the greater part of each day. But research has shown that it is making us sick and shortening our lives.

Business Man Sitting at Desk with Laptop Sinister Sitting: If You Want to Lose Weight...Just Say NO!

Whether we are watching television, driving our car or sitting at our desks, we sit more than humankind ever has. Gone are the days when we had to grow our own food and carry our water for long distances.  We live lives of ease. But our ease is costing us dearly; scientists have determined that people who sit for  many hours each day are more likely to become obese, have a heart attack, be diagnosed with diabetes and die early.

There’s a simple solution however:  stand up and move! Read the rest of Sinister Sitting: If You Want to Lose Weight…Just Say NO!

Posted in Exercise, Wellness by Justin | 9 Comments

Apr. 7, 2012

3 comments

It’s Easter! If You Want to Lose Weight, Back Away Slowly…

A Post About Healthy Eating Tips for Easter Sunday by Chanhassen Weight Loss Expert Justin Yule, BS, CPT. FMS

 

The warm breezes of spring mean that Easter is around the corner!  After the heavy colors of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine’s Day, the bright, cheerful colors of spring are a welcome sight.  But the cheerful colors are not limited to flowers and eggs.  There is no escaping the onslaught of sugar that threatens us at every turn.  From jelly beans to chocolate bunnies, empty calories abound.

 

Jelly Beans in Fancy Glass It’s Easter! If You Want to Lose Weight, Back Away Slowly…

You need a plan. Read the rest of It’s Easter! If You Want to Lose Weight, Back Away Slowly…

Posted in Nutrition, Weight Loss by Justin | 3 Comments

Apr. 5, 2012

3 comments

Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge 2012 – The Sexy Six

The results are in for the 2012 Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge sponsored by Fitness Consulting Group and Personal Trainer Foods…

FCG PTF Challenge Logo Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge 2012 The Sexy Six

Over the course of 8 weeks, from Monday 2/6 – Saturday, 3/31, twenty-two Chanhassen Boot Camp and Chanhassen Personal Training members participated in friendly, but fierce, competition to see who could transform their body the most by Spring Break.  The results were nothing short of AWESOME!!

On average, the Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge participants lost:

  • 9 pounds (more than a pound of fat lost per week)
  • 5 inches (over half an inch per week)
  • 2 1/2 percent body fat (1/2 – 1 percent per month would be considered good)

On average, the Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge finalists lost:

  • 13.3 pounds (more than a pound and a half per week!)
  • 7 inches (almost a full inch per week!)
  • 3 percent body fat (double of what would be considered good!)

Yeah, you could say these Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge members kicked some serious butt!

Well, now it’s time to take a look at the Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge finalists and CAST YOUR VOTE… Read the rest of Chanhassen Weight Loss Challenge 2012 – The Sexy Six

Posted in Boot Camp, Member Success Stories, Weight Loss by Justin | 3 Comments

Apr. 4, 2012

5 comments

Ladders & Pyramids Interval Training

A Post on Ladders & Pyramids Interval Training by Weight Loss & Fitness Training Expert Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

 

Would you like to breathe new life into your current workout and break out of your plateau?

You can do it with ladder intervals!  I’ve got some great workouts for you; but first, let’s take a quick crash course in interval training, in case you aren’t familiar with this type of workout.

Swimmer male doing butterfly Ladders & Pyramids Interval Training

Athletes have known about the benefits of interval training for years.  It is a great way to

  • Melt fat
  • Build endurance
  • Strengthen your cardiovascular system
  • Increase your speed
  • Burn off calories.  (According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you burn more calories during short bursts of high intensity exercise than you do during longer, endurance-type exercises.)
  • Save time!  Two minutes of moderate intensity work is about equal to one minute of high intensity work.  If you are pressed for time, intervals are a great way to get in shape!

As you may already know, the typical interval workout consists of alternating between high intensity and low intensity effort.  Typically, this is a fixed ratio throughout the workout session.  It’s a very efficient way to get a workout, because you are able to take advantage of high intensity work while also letting your muscles have short recovery periods.  These recovery periods reduce the chance of injury.

A workout session that is typical of the fixed ratio is one which uses a 30-30 or 45-45 interval.  If you were doing this workout, you would work for either 30 or 45 seconds and then rest for the same amount of time.  This work to rest ration is referred to as 1:1.

Keep in mind that fixed ratio intervals are a great way to work out.  You will love the results of this type of interval training, and it is relatively easy to understand.

But there are other ways of doing intervals, and you might enjoy mixing up your workouts from time to time.  One way of doing this is to add in different types of interval ratios within your interval training session.

And if you have hit some plateaus in your training, this is a great way to shock your body! Read the rest of Ladders & Pyramids Interval Training

Posted in Boot Camp, Exercise, Method Behind the Madness, Weight Loss, Work Outs by Justin | 5 Comments

Apr. 3, 2012

3 comments

YOU Healthy: It’s Time for a New Beginning

A Post About Getting Started On YOUR Weight Loss, Health & Fitness Plan by Chanhassen Personal Trainer Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

 

Hands holding plant YOU Healthy: It’s Time for a New Beginning

Spring is a time of new beginnings.  As the world wakes up from its long sleep, our minds feel energized, refreshed and ready to celebrate.  Does your body feel the same way? 

If you haven’t been working consistently on your fitness and health this winter, your body may be struggling to keep up with your mind. It’s hard to make a new start when you feel sluggish and discouraged.

That’s why I exist:  to help you move from reality to your dream.  If you have tried and failed at fitness, then you likely feel too paralyzed to try again. Motivating people to get healthy, however, is what I do best.  But you have to let me help you!  Let’s get started.

 

A quick look back   

We are going to focus mainly on what is ahead for you; the past is the past and it is best to leave it there.  However, in order to make the best start, we need to take a look at what may have sabotaged your previous efforts to get in shape

  • Impatience.  Because we live in a society that is used to instant gratification, it can come as quite a shock to find that fitness doesn’t happen fast.  I don’t care how many infomercials you watch that promise you a 6 pack in 6 weeks, it is not going to happen. There is no short cut to fitness.  If you grew frustrated in the past because results didn’t happen as fast as you would like, prepare yourself now for a different attitude:  we will celebrate small results and be patient as the transformation happens.
  • Lack of planning. The biggest sabotage in any fitness plan is lack of planning.  If you have tried fitness and failed, it is almost certain that you came up short in the area of planning.  Without forethought and intentionality, you cannot eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep each night and stick with an exercise routine.  This time, you will plan before you start.
  • Support.  If you have attempted to get fit with little support, you are not alone.  Many people try to change their lifestyle on their own.  The trouble with this approach is that those around you will probably not value what you are doing.  They will unintentionally or intentionally sabotage your efforts.  For example, they may resent the time you take to workout, or they may ridicule you for the radical changes you make to your diet.  However, you will have support this time, and the difference will shock you.

 

The Beginning YOU Healthy: It’s Time for a New Beginning

 

Forward from here

Today you start fresh and leave the past behind.  Yes, you may have quit during your previous attempts to be healthy.  That doesn’t matter now.  What matters is what you do today, tomorrow and next week. 

The following tips will help you make a strong start and make this time different. 

1.  “Do not be afraid of the space between your dream and your present reality.”

This is where patience and courage comes in. 

What is your dream or your goal?  Do you want to lose 20 pounds?  Do you want to run a mile?  Do you want to eat a diet that energizes you? Maybe you want to exercise for 6 days a week.

Do not let the distance you have to cover cause you to give up before you even begin. Recognize that this will take some time.  Every single fit person you know started somewhere short of where they are now.  How did they get to their present condition?  By taking it one day at a time, celebrating every victory and getting up when they fall down. You can do the same.

 

2.  “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” -Alan Lakein   

Have you ever heard of the tyranny of the urgent?  It means that if you don’t have a plan, the matter that seems to be the most urgent at the time will get attention, at the exclusion of the others. Without a plan, your own health will always take a backseat to what seems the most important at the moment—and that could be as simple as a television show that you want to watch!  Having a plan will keep less important things from creeping in and sabotaging your health.

Count on it:  if you do not plan for fitness and health, it simply will not happen.  This time, make a plan. 

           Before you even start your new healthy lifestyle, decide:

  • When and how you will get your exercise (boot camp?  personal training?  yoga?  workout at home or a gym?
  • What foods you will eat and how you will ensure that you have access to those foods (Do you have a small cooler that you can take along with you? Will you use a food delivery service?  What will your breakfasts consist of?  How much caffeine will you allow yourself?)
  • How you will arrange your schedule so that you get at least 7 hours of sleep each night (Do you need to get the kids in bed sooner or prepare your lunches on the weekends to save time in the morning?

Without a strategy, you set yourself up for failure.  Plan on succeeding!  Take some time right now to jot down some ideas to overcome the obstacles that you know will arise.  Be prepared for them, and you will breeze through them.

 

3.  No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it. -H.E. Luccock 

It is no secret that the biggest predictor of whether a person succeeds in their fitness and weight loss efforts is whether or not he has accountability.  I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating:  getting fit is not easy.  If it were, we would not have our current epidemic of obesity.  If it were easy, more people would be doing it!  In order to make sure you succeed this time, get some support.  That support could come from a few friends who are making a new beginning with you, a personal trainer or a boot camp instructor. 

The people in your support system will be genuinely interested in how you are doing.  They will encourage you when you lose your motivation.  They will cheer when you get up early to exercise.  They will talk you out of eating those brownies.  They will expect you to tell them how you are doing.  And they will not let you fade out of the program:  they will come after you if you start slacking.

Are you ready for your New Beginning?  It is within reach!

 

HAVE FAITH & TAKE ACTION!

Signature YOU Healthy: It’s Time for a New Beginning

Justin Yule, BS, CPT

Justin Yule, BS, CPT is the owner of Fitness Revolution in Chanhassen, MN as well as the Director of Franchisee Support for Fitness Revolution International.  Justin holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a Concentration in Adult Fitness.  Justin is also a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a Functional Movement Screen Specialist, a Workout Muse Metabolic Training Expert, a Youth Fitness Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, a Kettlebell Coach with Kettlebell Athletics, and a Resistance Band Training Specialist with PerforMax Performance Training.  Justin has been helping clients achieve their health and fitness goals since 1997, and became a Best Selling Author in 2011 with his contribution to Total Body Breakthroughs.  In addition, he has been nominated as one of the top Rising Stars in the Fitness Industry, and was featured in USA Today as a member of the World Fitness Elite.  To contact Justin for training, education or to have him speak at an event please email Justin@justinyule.com.

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Posted in Personal Development, Weight Loss, Wellness by Justin | 3 Comments

Mar. 29, 2012

1 comment

Don’t Stop Resistance Training IF You Want to Lose Weight!

A Post About Resistance Training and Weight Loss by Chanhassen Personal Trainer Justin Yule, BS, CPT, FMS

 

Now that the weather is getting nice, you may be tempted to forgo your resistance training and head outdoors for some aerobic exercise in the fresh air.  But beware:  if you give up your resistance training, you will be giving up more than you bargained for.

Shoulder Press with Dumbbells Don’t Stop Resistance Training IF You Want to Lose Weight!

Why resistance train?

Resistance training is critical for true fitness.  Without it, your muscles will atrophy.  If you aren’t building muscle, you are likely losing it.

And if you are 20 or older, you are definitely losing muscle, unless you are working hard to build it.  Beginning at age 20, we begin naturally losing muscle mass every decade.

The old liché holds true for muscle mass:  if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Have you ever broken your arm or leg and had to wear a cast for a few weeks?  Remember  what greeted you when the cast was removed?  Your arm or leg was a lot smaller and felt weak.  That is because just a few weeks of disuse caused the muscles to begin atrophying.

Here are some of the benefits of resistance training:

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Posted in Boot Camp, Exercise, Weight Loss by Justin | 1 Comment

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