How to be successful at the gym, Part 1: Nutrition

Start by making sustainable changes For weight loss,members changing their whole lifestyle at once may work for some, but definitely not everyone. People who start with big changes usually start well, they’re focused and committed to eating healthy foods, meal prepping, working out 5x a week and setting up a crazy caloric deficit. However, most of those people are just setting themselves up for failure and disappointment because they drastically cut out on the amount of daily calorie intake and eliminate foods they love to eat. They could make this work for a week or two, then something happens that

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Setting Yourself Up For Success

You’ve decided that you want to better your life so you started coming to the gym a few times a week. That’s great…but what else? Do you have a plan for what you will be eating? Where is your mindset in this whole process? Getting to the gym to join a class or to get a workout in on your own is a great first step, but the saying “you can’t out work a bad diet” is quite true. If you are not eating a healthy balanced diet or not eating enough, getting to your goals will be an uphill

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Motivation vs Inspiration- What gets you through your workout?

Earlier this week a client asked me, "what do you say to get yourself motivated to come workout?"  My short response to this question was something along the lines of, "I don't really need extra motivation, I really enjoy my own training and working towards my fitness goals."  The longer answer to this question, as a fitness coach and as a competitive weightlifter is the same: I don't really deal in "motivation" because I am playing at a bigger game, INSPIRATION!   To many people these words carry the same meaning but when we look deeper they are actually quite different.  Motivation involves me prompting the client.  Whether I am pushing them to

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Why EVERYONE Should do Pilates

Hello, Maria Barry here! As most of you probably know, I am the Pure Pilates and Group Fitness Manager at Commonwealth Sports Club, Boston. Over the last 20 years of teaching strength, cardio, yoga and barre classes, I realized there was one common factor preventing me from injury: the core strength I’ve developed from Pilates training. After speaking with clients, friends and members, all of whom work out in many different ways, I have put together a list of the top reasons to practice Pilates studio equipment and Pilates mat. 1.       It’s exercise while you’re laying down AND a great workout!

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It’s that time of year again…

It’s that time of year again- New Year’s resolutions and all of the weight loss challenges that come along with it. “Lose all of that weight this year, join this challenge, workout like crazy and starve yourself for this many days!” But is that a realistic goal? Is it a sustainable lifestyle once the New Year’s glow wears off? How many times do we see the weight come back on? Or lose interest after a couple of weeks? So what if this year instead, you commit to staying active through these crucial first few months. Commit to going to the

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Why Booties and Cookies Don’t Mix

Let’s face it, the holidays can be very challenging. Getting into the festive spirit tends to mean abandoning all notion of self-control and consuming insane amounts of sugar.  But you know what…? It’s OK!  The cookies are colorful and pretty, the punch looks beautiful and there is loads of candy, pies and all kinds of chocolatey treats at every party. So let your inhibitions go and give in a little! I gave myself just 24 glorious hours where I allowed myself unchecked treats including cookies, midnight snacks and candy all day long. I let myself splurge like this because I

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Fueling Your Workouts

You’ve probably wondered how to make the most out of your time at the gym, or you wouldn’t be reading this. One of the pillars of success in fitness is eating right for exercise. This means eating the right foods, at the right times, to get the best possible workout. You shouldn’t be showing up to the gym starving, or totally stuffed. You should be properly hydrated, and you shouldn’t be feeling hungry or weak by the end of a training session. (more…)

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2017, The Year of Self-Care

Happy 2017, CSC Family! In thinking about resolutions for 2017, I find myself circling back to the same, popular ideas from previous years: be healthier, get more sleep, eat better, etc. Realistically, how long do those resolutions last, maybe a month or two? Too often, we set the bar unrealistically high and then burn out because we can’t maintain whatever we promised to do (for example, going to the gym 7 days a week). (more…)

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