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How to Break Through a Weight Plateau

Feb 12, 2020

How to Break Through a Weight Plateau

Weight loss is most certainly not linear. Plateaus in your weight loss effort can sometimes be inevitable but that doesn't mean that they should stop your efforts. Stalls in weight loss very simply mean that something needs to change--and if you can troubleshoot a little bit, that's easy enough to conquer. Where to go first? Before changing anything in your diet and exercise, take a look at how you are sleeping. Prioritize getting enough rest each and every night--between 7-9

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Why Everyone Should Be Lifting Weights

Sep 23, 2019

Why Everyone Should Be Lifting Weights

Lifting weights doesn't have to look like bodybuilding, or Crossfit or any of the other visuals that come to mind when you think about performing resistance training. Lifting won't make women bulky or men into the Hulk, but it will do a bunch of other beneficial things. 1. It speeds up your metabolism: Lifting weights will actually make your metabolism work a little better. First off, lifting weights builds muscle which in turn burns more calories! 2. It helps you look better

How to Improve Your Metabolism

Aug 24, 2019

How to Improve Your Metabolism

A few weeks ago on our Facebook page and Instagram,we asked for suggestions of what people wanted to see in videos/posts/etc. One of the requests was for metabolism improvement. Buckle your seat belts--here we go. 1. Lift Heavy Weights: This goes for everyone--you won't turn into the Hulk or get "bulky." Lift weights that you find challenging to get through your reps/sets. Lifting weights will build muscle, which will burn fat. The more muscle you have = more calories burned

Artificial Sweeteners: the Good, Bad and Ugly

Aug 13, 2019

Artificial Sweeteners: the Good, Bad and Ugly

Sucralose, aspartame, sacchrin and erythritol are just a few of the sweeteners made from chemical molecules have been developed to give you the taste of sugar without actually ingesting the calories. Artificial sweeteners are anywhere from a few hundred times sweeter than sugar to 20,000 times sweeter. Artificial sweeteners have been the topic of heated debates over the last several years on whether or not they effect insulin levels, can cause diabetes, can cause cancer, may

Lose Weight Faster with a Food Journal

Jul 7, 2019

Lose Weight Faster with a Food Journal

In the time before smart phones and trackers, food journaling in a notebook was a commonly prescribed tactic when it came to helping people lose weight. Even Weight Watchers helped people on the program learn to write in a food diary/track points with a pencil and paper. A food journal is a basic record of what you are eating: what you ate, how much you ate and when you ate it. If you're trying to lose weight and you've never written down what you're eating, then it's time to

Say Goodbye to "Bat Wing" Arms (Forever!)

Oct 3, 2018

Say Goodbye to "Bat Wing" Arms (Forever!)

[Imagine: Wo/man grabs area beneath arm and pinches. "I want to get rid of this"] We've heard many different names for the jiggly bits underneath the arms. Whether you call them "bat wings," "bingo flappers" or just "flab," we're here to tell you how to reduce that underarm wiggle and start feeling better about your arms overall! The answer to how to get rid of bat wings is actually very simple. There are two things that need to be done: 1. Lose weight 2. Build muscle While i

4 Reasons You Need to Eat Carbs

Sep 7, 2018

4 Reasons You Need to Eat Carbs

Poor carbohydrates have been victimized for too long and it's time to put a stop to it. Between Atkins, Paleo, Keto and all the other diet fads, many have become accustomed to dropping out the carbs when they need to lose weight. Carbs are needed as a part of a healthy diet and removing them won't be the magic wand in your weight loss efforts, maintenance or health journey. First and foremost, let's simply define a carbohydrate. Carbs are broken down into glucose, which is th

5 Reasons You Should Start Today

Aug 30, 2018

5 Reasons You Should Start Today

This post is for the people who are currently scared to take action, don't know what they want to do in the gym, are 10 pounds heavier when beginning their fourth 30 day cleanse or just don't know where to begin. To those people: I've been in your shoes. I understand the confusion, difficulty in finding the time and trying, failing and then being scared to try again. If any of those above sound like you, then we're here to say: the first step is the hardest but they all get a

Fitness Myths We're Crushing

Aug 24, 2018

Fitness Myths We're Crushing

When it comes to fitness (the health and wellness field in general actually), there's a million different trains of thought regarding just about everything. While some of these things are personal preference to the individual trainer and trainee, many of them are just not right. There are SO MANY fitness myths that this is only Part 1! If you're questioning whether you're doing something right, maybe you'll find your answer here! If not, stay tuned for more. Fitness Myth 1: C

Gut Health and You (+ How to Help)

Aug 16, 2018

Gut Health and You (+ How to Help)

Hippocrates once said "All disease begins in the gut" and to his credit, he was right. Your gut is responsible for almost everything when it comes to your health and wellbeing. What is your gut exactly? Well, it's "your digestive, or gastrointestinal (GI), tract is a long, muscular tube that runs from your mouth to your anus. It’s about 30 feet long and works with other parts of your digestive system to break food and drink down into smaller molecules of nutrients. The blood

Hormones That Effect Your Weight

Jul 31, 2018

Hormones That Effect Your Weight

"I eat right and I exercise 5 days a week for an hour but I'm still not losing weight!" If the above sounds familiar, it's likely time to take a closer look into what your body is doing rather than what you are doing. Hormones play a significant role when it comes to losing, maintaining and gaining weight. What exactly is a hormone? According to hormone.org, "Hormones are special chemical messengers in the body that are created in the endocrine glands. These messengers contro

The Ketogenic Diet: Your Questions Answered

Jul 15, 2018

The Ketogenic Diet: Your Questions Answered

Being in the health and fitness realm, we get a TON of questions about different diets, fads, supplements and every other thing that might help with weight management. Lately, there's been a lot of talk around the Ketogenic Diet (keto). We explored the keto diet by trying it out for a month and seeing how we felt. We're taking to this post to discuss many of the questions we've gotten during our experience (as well as the video above). What is the keto diet? The keto diet is

Why You Should Walk After Dinner

Jun 12, 2018

Why You Should Walk After Dinner

If you've ever tried to go swimming after eating, take a run after breakfast or exercise at night and been stopped in your tracks, then this article is for you (and for you to share with those that slowed you down). The age-old adages that say cramps, fatigue and other ailments that will occur when engaging in activity after eating have proven to be mostly false. In fact, it's been shown that walking after a meal is not only safe but incredibly effective for losing and mainta

Why You Aren't Losing Weight

May 22, 2018

Why You Aren't Losing Weight

If weight loss is your main goal but you feel that you aren't reaping the rewards of your work, then it might be time to get to the bottom of what's really going on. You might be doing all the right things but there are small changes you might be able to make to really jumpstart what you're looking for. 1. You Don't Know How Much You're Eating Whether or not you're tracking your calories, macros, points, etc., right now, food journaling can be an important aspect when it come

Lose Weight Faster with a Food Journal

Apr 17, 2018

Lose Weight Faster with a Food Journal

In the time before smart phones and trackers, food journaling in a notebook was a commonly prescribed tactic when it came to helping people lose weight. Even Weight Watchers helped people on the program learn to write in a food diary/track points with a pencil and paper. A food journal is a basic record of what you are eating: what you ate, how much you ate and when you ate it. If you're trying to lose weight and you've never written down what you're eating, then it's time to

Online Personal Training and YOU

Mar 28, 2018

Online Personal Training and YOU

With the launch of the Commence Fitness Weight Loss Challenge , we are introducing Online Personal Training to Commence Fitness. Online Personal Training is versatile: you can do it from your home, hotel room, ANYWHERE! We've been doing Online Personal Training with a few of our current clients and have found that online training can be just as effective and enjoyable as an in-person session. Our online sessions are done from the Southington, CT studio to Pros: 1. You can do

Healthy Lifestyle Choices That Make a Difference

Mar 20, 2018

Healthy Lifestyle Choices That Make a Difference

Leading a healthy lifestyle is important for so many things: reaching your goals, feeling your best inside and out, learning new habits. It can be hard to get everything in order for leading a healthy lifestyle but we're here to help. Here are our 5 tips for making health a lifestyle to work with everyday. 1. Plan to Eat You may have read our post on food prep and discovered that food prep can be an important part of success when trying to be healthier. Even if you can't do

Weight Loss Challenge Beginning April 2

Mar 12, 2018

Weight Loss Challenge Beginning April 2

Have you heard the news?! The first Commence Fitness Weight Loss Challenge is starting April 2, 2018! This challenge will be done completely online: posted workouts (videos and written), tips and tricks, nutritional guidance and a private Facebook group for community building. All you need to join is a set of resistance bands (we suggest these), a before photo and a positive attitude. The challenge will run for 8 weeks (through May 28th) and the person with the greatest trans

Five Exercises You Can Do Almost Anywhere

Mar 6, 2018

Five Exercises You Can Do Almost Anywhere

At the average desk job, sitting is an issue. Sitting for hours a day not only decreases your metabolic rate but also increases your risks for diseases. When your Apple Watch or FitBit tells you it's time to get up, try some of these easy exercises to get your heart rate up for even just a few minutes. Tricep Dips: 1. Position your hands on the edge of a chair or bench with your palm down and fingers pointing towards your body. 2. Bend your knees into a sitting position (to c

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