You read the headline “New Weightloss Supplement Burns Fat Faster” on the cover of a popular magazine while waiting in line at the checkout at your local grocery store. You see your favorite TikToker post, “Do These Three Exercises to Burn Belly Fat.” You flip over to Facebook and see your friend has shared an article titled “The Secrets to Gaining Muscle Fast.” You may wonder, can I trust this? Surely, based on the publication’s popularity, social media influencer, or website, this has to be rooted in scientific research, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. But there are some ways to decipher scientific research from attention-grabbing headlines. Here are a few ways that you can tell if it’s fact or fiction: Check your sources. Peer-reviewed scholarly articles are a great source of trusted information. We get most of our blog post ideas from peer-reviewed articles, scientific journals, and experts...Read more

Have you ever wondered which is better- free weights or machines? While both have their benefits, there are some major differences between the two. Both have benefits, and obviously, if you don’t have access to free weights, machines are just fine, and it’s not a question of what’s “right” or “wrong”. However, we tend to lean towards free weights, and here’s why.  Free weights work more muscles. Ever wonder why you can lift heavier on a machine than you can when you perform the same movement with a barbell or dumbbell? Machines use a track to guide the weight for you, which means you don’t have to engage other parts of your body to stabilize the weight. However, when you use free weights, the rest of your body has to support the movement. When you do a shoulder press with free weights, for example, your core, traps, and triceps are...Read more

Did you know that almost 80% of people who make New Year’s fitness resolutions experience a slump by February? January sees considerable increases in gym memberships, while February sees an 80% decline in attendance. (We don’t notice that dramatic decline at Fit because our members are total rock stars! We see the dedication you have for being your best self!) But if you are struggling with motivation, here are some tips to take back that fire to change you at the beginning of the year!  Make your workouts fun! Exercise shouldn’t be a chore. It should be something you WANT to do. Reframing your workouts as time that you invest in yourself helps! Adding different activities is a good idea, too. In addition to gym days, try out a new sport or activity. You can also make a new playlist or work out with a friend. This is part of...Read more

Imagine this all too common scenario: you wake up, you’re tired, you aren’t motivated, and you know you have a long day at the office ahead of you. So maybe you think, “There is no point in working out this morning. There’s no way it would be a good workout.” Objectively, you know that’s not true. Anything is better than nothing, right? Well, when it comes to your cardiovascular health, the answer is absolutely yes. And it might not take as much as you think.  A study at University College London, supported by the British Heart Foundation, set out to prove just that- any moderate to vigorous activity made a difference in heart health. Specifically, they wanted to know just how little activity could start making a difference, and honestly, the results are shocking. For instance, replacing even just a few minutes of sitting with a few minutes of standing...Read more

Today, we will discuss another facet of long-term weight loss management- encouraging and discouraging experiences. Last time, we examined people’s challenges and how they can be overcome. After facing several challenges and succeeding, most people note that these challenges were an encouraging experience that made them feel liberated and motivated! In short, these challenges empower you- they become encouraging experiences! What other encouraging experiences, and what kind of encouragement can you seek? What do discouraging experiences look like, and what do they mean for you? The most prominent discouraging experience is the fear of gaining the weight you’ve lost and the fear that these new, healthier habits won’t stick in the long term. Believe it or not, fear after success is normal for many people. We all sometimes remember how we felt physically and mentally worse overall before establishing a fitness-based lifestyle, which can lead to fear and discouragement when...Read more