rosecitybarbellclub

Revved Up: John's Road to Redemption

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 16:47:28 GMT

From Rock Bottom to Full Throttle

Meet John Pretti.

Born in 1964 and raised in Germany by a German mother and American father, who was a military officer in the U.S. Army. He grew up as an athlete, playing and competing in soccer, football, basketball, and wrestling.

In 1988, he moved to the United States and became a police officer at the age of 24 and later joined the Pennsylvania and Florida National Guard. John got by with limited physical training as he simply wasn’t interested and lacked discipline.

Fast forward to 2010, after working 22 years as a law enforcement officer, the job began to take its toll in the form of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Deep in his battle with depression, John turned to alcohol for comfort for nearly two years - almost losing his family along with everything else. He knew he had to get help. In 2012, he joined CrossFit Black Box in Tallahassee and there he discovered a place to channel his emotions and stress. He found relief.

In 2014 at 50 years old, John retired from law enforcement and bought a motorcycle training business and a home near Monticello, Florida and eventually discontinued his membership at CrossFit Black Box in 2019 due to the long commute. He was busy running his business and had begun working at a horse farm with his daughters which gave him more time with his family and helped with his PTSD.

Life was good. Until it wasn’t.

On September 26, 2023 at 2:00 pm, John’s life changed dramatically. While he was riding his motorcycle, he hit a coyote at full speed with an impact so violent, it threw him off his motorcycle. He endured two surgeries - one for his left shoulder where he received two long metal rods held in place with about 8 screws and one for his hip which needed two long screws to hold it in place. He broke 8 ribs and needed to have his ear stitched together by a plastic surgeon.

He suffered traumatic injuries, but he survived.

After spending a weekend in the hospital, he was sent home to recover for a couple of months before beginning physical rehabilitation. Even with the rehab, he wasn’t able to sit for longer than 30 minutes without his hip or shoulder aching. During this time, he lost his motorcycle training business and could no longer physically perform work at the horse farm. Depression began to creep up again along with his weight. His physician diagnosed him as pre-diabetic with an HbA1C of 6.0%.

In conjunction with taking medication for depression, he began taking a GLP-1 to help with weight loss and hopefully lower his A1C. But these things weren’t really moving the needle. John was still struggling.

In late May of 2024, John discovered Rose City Barbell Club. He saw our gym on Facebook and noticed the military flags and photos of first responders. He even saw a photo of his neighbor, Duke, an Army veteran, working out here. It looked familiar, like home. He scheduled his one-on-one consultation with Coach Nick, they created a plan, and began putting in the work.

It’s been just over a year since John joined our gym and he’s made significant lifestyle changes and progress. Coach Nick brought John back to the basics and laid a strong foundation in functional movement, helping him increase his strength, mobility, stamina, and endurance - domains of his fitness that were heavily impacted by his motorcycle accident. At the age of 61 and even after shoulder and hip surgeries, John has conquered squats, push-ups, rope climbs, and so much more.

A few months after joining RCBC, John sat down with Coach Abrie and together, they assessed his existing diet and metabolic markers. They decided on some nutritional changes he could make to improve his health - namely increasing his protein and fat intake and reducing his consumption of carbohydrates and sugar. He started making measurable progress with every monthly check-in. After his most recent check-up with his doctor in September 2025, we’re proud to share that John has a normal HbA1C of 5.4% and healthy triglyceride levels. John no longer requires any medications for depression, diabetes, or cholesterol and has quit both dipping snuff and drinking alcohol. He’s gained 8.6 pounds of lean muscle and lost 31.2 pounds of body fat since the start of his journey with us.

When we asked John why he trains at Rose City Barbell Club, he said “I feel so much better mentally and physically. I can ride my motorcycle from tank full to empty. I can tow a horse trailer to Virginia, I can climb a ladder, I can get off the toilet and I am off depression drugs. These were daily struggles until I walked into the doors of Rose City Barbell Club. There were numerous times that I wanted to quit. It was easier to lay on the couch and blame everything and everyone. But then I think about the banner hanging on the wall at Rose City Barbell that reads “Nobody Cares, Work Harder”. It always reminds me to stop feeling sorry for myself and get busy making a better me. Working on me has become my job now. I go to the gym at 8:00 AM because I finally told myself that this is my life now. My full-time job.”

Since working with RCBC, John has attended many of our community “coffee talks” with one in particular led by Lexi Davis, a licensed counselor and owner of SISU Elite Performance. Lexi’s talk and engaging discussion positively contributed to John’s mental health journey and led him to work on box breathing and meditation - and he felt encouraged to seek professional help through FSU’s Neuromodulation for TMS therapy (transcranial magnetic stimulation) - all of which has helped him make tremendous progress with his mental health.

John would also like to give a big shout out to Major Mark Welch (retired) from the Florida Highway Patrol. “He has helped and continues to help me in my struggles with my mental health as my own agency kind of let me down when I retired. In their defense, there wasn’t much support in mental health back in 2014. Police officers suffer from PTSD, they just hate to admit it and hide behind the shield and drink for happiness,” said John.

When we asked John about what’s next for him at Rose City Barbell, he said “I am just hanging on for the ride! See you in the gym!”

As his coaches, we (Nick and Abrie) want to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to John for trusting us with his journey and allowing us to share his story with the rest of the world. We’re so proud of his progress, admire his work ethic, and love his presence in the gym every day. Keep kicking ass, John!

Zucchini Spaghetti

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 17:55:10 GMT

recipe: Zucchini spaghetti

The winter weather is upon us this week and that means hot, hearty meals, right? This one-pot zucchini spaghetti is one of my absolute favorites from the vault. I've been making this for years and I never get tired of it. Go grab these few, simple ingredients and try it for yourself!

Ingredients

1 lb. of lean ground beef (or turkey if that's your thing)
3 large zucchini, diced
1 - 24 oz. jar of Rao's marinara (or any marinara of your choosing - this is a personal favorite when I'm not making it from scratch, but be sure to check the label for "no sugar added" as well as no artificial sweeteners).
Salt & pepper to taste
Shaved parmesan (optional topping)

Directions

Saute the ground beef in a large sauce pan or pot until browned throughout.
Add the diced zucchini to the ground beef, mix thoroughly, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Once the zucchini has softened, add the jar of Rao's and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Then it's ready to serve! I top mine with 1 ounce of shaved parmesan for extra protein and flavor, of course.

The Macros

Entire recipe makes 4 servings. These macros are per serving WITH 1 oz. of parmesan.

Total Calories = 435 calories

Protein = 37 grams

Carbohydrates = 10 grams

Fat = 25 grams

Let me know what you think!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support or guidance when it comes to nutrition? Let’s chat!

Simple Tuna Salad

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 19:31:29 GMT

recipe: simple tuna salad

Some days are BUSY. We forget to meal prep or plan, there aren't any leftovers ready, or the day just gets away from us. This super simple recipe for tuna salad has been coming in handy for me lately. Whether you incorporate this recipe into your meal plan or just keep these ingredients stocked as staples in case you need a meal in a pinch, it's always a win and really gives you a boost toward hitting your daily protein goals.

Ingredients

1 - 5 ounce can of tuna in water
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 TBSP of mayonnaise (big fan of the Primal Kitchen brand avocado oil mayo because of the high quality ingredients)
1 tsp of stone ground mustard (regular yellow mustard works here too!)
sea salt & black pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients well in a medium bowl.
Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container for later. I love to pair my tuna salad with sliced cucumber and tomatoes for an easy high protein, low carb lunch.

The Macros

Total Calories = 370 calories

Protein = 37 grams

Carbohydrates = 2 grams

Fat = 22 grams

Add this one into your meal plan for next week!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support or guidance when it comes to nutrition? Let’s chat!

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:41:02 GMT

Recipe: easy egg roll in a bowl

It’s getting today and I really wanted something hot and savory for lunch, so I put this together in about 15 minutes and it was delicious! Not only am I satisfied, I’m excited to have leftovers for lunch this week - and I love a good accidental meal prep!

Ingredients

1 lb. of ground beef
1 - 14 ounce bag of cabbage slaw mix
1 tsp of sea salt
½ tsp of black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
3 - 5 TBSP tamari sauce (or coconut aminos or soy sauce - I use tamari or coconut aminos because they're gluten free)
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the ground beef is cooked through, add your salt, pepper, and onion powder and stir until distributed evenly.
Add a bag of cabbage slaw mix. This will look like a lot at first, but I promise, it cooks down.
Add the tamari sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil and stir to incorporate.
Let this simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 minutes or so - until the cabbage cooks down to your liking.
Serve and enjoy - and save the rest for leftovers!

Most “Egg Roll in a Bowl” recipes I’ve found on the internet have a sweetener, like honey, added to it, but I really prefer this dish without it. This allows me to keep my total carbohydrate and added sugar intake lower which helps me maintain stable blood sugar levels (and energy levels) throughout my day.

Let me know if you give this one a try!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support or guidance when it comes to nutrition? Let’s chat!

Roasted Maple Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprouts

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:27:59 GMT

recipe: roasted maple butternut squash & brussel sprouts

Need a last minute idea for a Thanksgiving side dish? Or maybe something to pair with all of your leftover turkey or brisket? I've got you! This recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and comes together within about 30-40 minutes and requires minimal cooking dishes. If you give it a whirl, let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 pounds of brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved from top to bottom
4 TBSP of bacon grease or avocado oil
1-2 tsp of sea salt
1/2 - 1 tsp of black pepper
4 TBSP maple syrup
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.
On one sheet pan, toss your cubed butternut squash with 2 TBSP of bacon grease or avocado oil, about 1/2 tsp of sea salt, and black pepper to taste. Place this in the oven to roast for 25 minutes.
While your squash has started to roast, toss your brussel sprouts onto your other sheet pan and coat with 2 TBSP of bacon grease or avocado oil, 1/2 tsp of sea salt, and black pepper to taste. After tossing, arrange your brussel sprouts on the sheet pan flat side down. Don't flip these while roasting because they will get that lovely golden brown color if you leave them flat side down. Place your sprouts in the oven to roast when your time has about 18 minutes left for your butternut squash.
After these have roasted, remove both pans from the oven. Coat the squash and sprouts with 2 TBSP of maple syrup each. Toss evenly, return the sprouts to flat side down and place both pans back in the oven to roast again for another 5-8 minutes.
Once their done roasting, place your squash and sprouts in a serving bowl and top with pecans and cranberries. Mix, serve, and enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition? Let's chat!

Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Veggies

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:46:21 GMT

Recipe: turkey meatballs with roasted veggies

I've shared a meatball recipe on this blog before - and I have to say, when it comes to meal prepping, they are my favorite. They're easy to portion out, they reheat well, and you can change up the flavors or protein type easily.

That Chicken Parmesan Meatball one was also a hit among our community, so if you haven't tried it yet - here's the recipe .

Feeling those Thanksgiving vibes? Use turkey and cranberries. Craving Italian? Try ground beef, marinara, and parmesan. The variations are endless which means you can keep meals new and exciting, get the benefits of lots of different nutrients, and enjoy your food!

For the Meatballs

1 lb of ground turkey (or ground chicken - whichever you prefer)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup of crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1 TBSP minced garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

For the Roasted Veggies

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lb of fresh green beans, trimmed
1-2 TBSP avocado oil
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
On a large baking sheet with parchment paper, add you cubed sweet potatoes and green beans. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Drizzle with avocado oil and stir to coat evenly. Bake for 13 minutes.
While your veggies are baking, add your ground turkey, cranberries, goat cheese, bread crumbs, minced garlic, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix to combine well and roll into meatballs - this should make 10-12 meatballs unless you choose to make them smaller/larger.
After 13 minutes, remove your baking sheet from the oven and add your meatballs to the tray, over the veggies. Continue baking for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip meatballs and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Divide the meatballs and veggies into containers and enjoy throughout the week! I like to reheat these in the oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Let me know if you give this one a try!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition? Let's chat!

The Benefits of Tracking Your Nutrition

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:07:36 GMT

The benefits of tracking your nutrition

You've probably heard it time and time again. If you want to improve your eating habits, lose weight, build muscle, etc. - you should keep a food journal. In this weight loss study of almost 1,700 participants, the people who maintained a daily food journal lost twice as much weight as those who didn't keep a journal.

For many of us, we think of having to weigh and measure every single bite of food we eat and every sip of a beverage we take. But when you're starting out, don't overcomplicate it. While using an app like Chronometer or MyFitnessPal can make the process more detailed and in some ways, more simplified, you can still start with just a pen and paper. If you have a method you prefer, roll with it!

Some Key Terms to Remember

Macronutrients: the nutrients we need in larger quantities that provide us with energy. The three essential macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

Here are some examples of these macronutrients:

Protein: eggs, beef, fish, chicken, pork, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese
Carbohydrate: sweet potatoes, rice, bananas, apples, oats, black beans, potatoes, carrots, blueberries, pasta, bread, corn, honey, candy
Fat: butter, peanut butter, avocado, olive oil, sunflower seeds

Reasons to Log Your Food

Identifying Patterns in Your Diet. For example, do any of your meals consist of only one single macronutrient? Maybe you ate a bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries and a drizzle of honey for breakfast. While oats contain a small amount of protein, the overwhelming macronutrient presented in this meal is carbohydrate. Ideally, we'd try to balance the three macronutrients within each meal. How could we make it more balanced? Add in some scrambled eggs with turkey sausage for a boost in protein and sliced almonds on top of the oatmeal for healthy fats and now we leave breakfast satisfied and fueled for longer.

Making the Best Decisions for Your Future Self. If we're committed to journaling everything we eat and drink, this can help us make choices that align more with our goals. When we start to see how the office candy bowl, donut box, or soda machine negatively impact our daily intake, we can then begin to make positive changes and more informed decisions. We can take a moment to think about our hunger and thirst levels, available options, and which foods and beverages can serve us best.

Building Awareness. You will begin to think more about how you feel and listen to your hunger cues. While no food is "good" or "bad", each food does have a value in terms of macronutrient content (ex: 4oz. of chicken breast has about 35 grams of protein) and caloric density (196 calories). Seeing these values as energy and assessing our personal energy demands helps us determine what foods are required to help us thrive. Because you're giving extra attention to everything you eat and drink, you'll be more in-tune with how you feel. This can help you notice any negative or positive responses to foods like feeling bloated, energized, lethargic, nauseous, alert, happy, etc. Take notes and make changes, as needed.

Understanding Nutrition. If we're using an app, we will have a visual of how much fiber, sodium, sugar, and cholesterol we're consuming in addition to our main macronutrients. This can reveal deficiencies or imbalances in our diet and allow us to make improvements to see more health benefits.

Achieving Your Goals. Whether your goal is to lose body fat, gain muscle, improve your health or performance (or all of these), tracking your nutrition can be instrumental in that process. Tracking your daily diet in conjunction with consistent training and regular InBody Scans, you can see the changes in your body composition which can lead to better health and performance outcomes. With InBody Scans, we're able to assess your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), water weight, lean body mass (LBM), muscle mass, and body fat in pounds. This data helps us calculate your specific needs based on your personal activity level, lifestyle, and goals.

Planning Ahead. When you have a clear understanding of your personal nutrition needs, you can create weekly meal plans and track your nutrition in advance - eliminating all of the guesswork or decision fatigue that might make it more challenging to reach your goals. If you've ever spent a day just "winging it" and still had 50 grams of protein left to eat at 9pm, you know what I mean.

Checking In. It's a way to check in with yourself every day and evaluate if your actions align with your goals. Sometimes these check-ins can be harsh. Maybe there was a birthday or an office party or a family barbecue. It's about progress over perfection and doing your personal best to care for yourself.

It's Only Temporary. You don't have to track your food until the end of time. Anytime I feel like progress is stalling or my activity level or body composition has shifted, I use tracking as a tool to assess this vital piece of the puzzle - my nutrition.

Start Now! When starting, don't focus on making any immediate changes. Simply log everything you consume for 2 full weeks, then analyze the data or hire a coach (like me!) to help you. From here, you can begin identifying patterns and habits, making tweaks, and seeing positive changes - track these too! Don't let this overwhelm you. Need help? Call or text me today at 229-977-5707. I'd love to help you get started!

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today." -Chinese proverb

Stay strong!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

The information in this article is not intended as medical advice, but for educational purposes - feel free to reference it when consulting with your physician and remember to advocate for your health.

Fall Fruit Salad

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:43:32 GMT

recipe: fall fruit salad

Sometimes you just want something sweet.

Alongside your breakfast.

Before you head to the gym for a workout.

After a savory dinner.

Or maybe you need a dish to bring to a potluck...

Rather than reaching for options that may not align with your goals, prep this fall fruit salad and reach for it when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth! It's simple - no cooking required - and ready to go in minutes. To add in some protein, consider pairing this salad with Greek yogurt, scrambled eggs, or cottage cheese for a more balanced snack or meal.

Ingredients

2 cups of red seedless grapes, halved
1 large apple, diced
2 kiwi, peeled and quartered
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and halved
1 large bartlett pear, diced

Optional toppings:

½ cup of chopped pecans
½ cup of pomegranate arils (seeds)
¼ cup of unsweetened, shredded coconut
A dash of cinnamon

Directions

Combine all of your prepared fruits in a medium bowl, give it a good stir, and enjoy immediately or refrigerate for later.

Let me know if you give this salad a try!

In health,

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition or not sure where to start? Please reach out to me via phone or email! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family!

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 14:40:41 GMT

Recipe: Slow cooker shredded beef

This shredded beef recipe is great for making street tacos (ex: street taco tortilla topped with shredded beef, street corn, cotija cheese, and pickled onions) or pairing it with a roasted sweet potatoes and collard greens. It’s easy, versatile, and mostly importantly - full of flavor!

Ingredients

Beef chuck roast (roughly 2 lbs)

2 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

3 chopped chipotle peppers

1 14 oz can of diced green chilies

14 oz of beef broth

Directions

Cut your chuck roast into 2-3 inch chunks and discard any excess fat.
Place your roast chunks into the slow cooker and add your seasonings (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper). Toss the meat to coat it well.
Add your chipotle peppers, green chilies, and beef broth.
Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 4), but I prefer low and slow because it's more tender and easier to shred.
When the meat is tender, drain and shred it and place it in an oven safe container. Broil it on high for 6 minutes until crispy.
Divide meat into portions and serve or store in the fridge.

Shown below is a lower carbohydrate variation I made with the prepared shredded beef. I sautéed some collards and reheated my beef in the same pan. Once warmed, I topped it off with cotija cheese, pickled onions and a homemade spicy chipotle sauce.

an extra recipe: Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup nonfat greek yogurt

2 chipotle peppers

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 TBSP honey

A little salt

A little garlic powder

Directions

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Add this sauce to your street tacos or as a dipping sauce for meat and veggies. It brings a lot of flavor and some good heat!

Let me know if you give either of these recipes a try!

Stay strong!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

The Training Journal

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:50:24 GMT

the benefits of tracking your performance

When people think about tracking performance, they might initially think about leaderboards and where they rank in the class, the gym, or in a competition. There’s so much more to it though. Let me give you a little bit of personal history from the athlete's perspective…

I've been tracking my fitness performance for over the last 12 years. I have several hard copy journals with workouts, weightlifting maxes, gymnastics notes, running and rowing splits, and nutrition data (a blog for another day). Early on, since I had a very minimal athletic background, I saw a lot of progress very quickly which was very well documented - both on paper and committed to memory. Because of the effort it took for me to learn new skills, I vowed to never forget where I started. If you’ve ever assumed that double unders or pull-ups came easily to me, guess again.

For the last eight years, I’ve been tracking all of my performance in our gym app, Wodify. The cool thing about this app is that I can see my performance history, max percentages, benchmark workouts, and assess where I am in my fitness journey. In 2016, I would argue that I was at my fittest. I was 32 years old with four years of CrossFit under my belt, training a couple of hours per day at about 5-6 days per week, eating well, sleeping great, and setting lots of PRs - the recorded data reflects my heaviest lifts, fastest miles run and meters rowed, muscle-ups, and so on. I paid a lot of attention to leaderboards and personal records (PRs). My main goal was to be competitive - something I never imagined for myself prior to this time in my life.

Fast forward to the middle of 2017 when I became pregnant with my oldest son, Julian. My goals changed from competitor to expectant mother and so my training changed - sometimes in volume, other times in movements, and eventually scaling down the intensity. Maintaining my health as I grew a human and preparing my body for childbirth were of primary importance to me. Coach Nick helped me find modifications that worked for me during each trimester based largely on the data I had tracked over the years. This allowed me to stay challenged, but safe and healthy. I still tracked my performance during this period.

Upon my postpartum return from each of my children (in 2018 and 2021), I was able to use my previous data as a goal and motivator for myself - although being careful to respect my new body and it’s realistic capabilities in that season (postpartum, nursing, higher body fat, exhausted, etc.). Still tracked performance…

Now it’s 2024, I’m 40 and I have 6 and 3-year-old boys. I’m training more consistently again, sleeping great (most of the time), eating well, focusing on mobility and active recovery more, and still tracking my performance. As a result, I’m hitting lifetime PRs again. It’s exciting to know that I’m becoming fitter at 40 than I was at 32 - and definitely fitter than I was in my 20s. I wouldn’t necessarily know this had I not tracked the data all along - and to be honest, I’d miss out on that reflection, probably not really notice the progress, and struggle with goal-setting.

Tracking my performance over all of these years has truly helped me:

Set and achieve goals: from competitor to expectant mother to postpartum to a busy mom who wants to be able to lift and outrun her kids for a really long time
Help motivate me and hold me accountable with my habits: training, nutrition, sleep, hydration
Evaluate and reflect on my progress: identify weaknesses, check my mindset, and remember where I started!
Prevent injury: see trends in overtraining, lack of sleep, subpar nutrition, etc.
Understand that progress is not linear: there will be good days, bad days and everything in between and that is OK!
Define the data: the number on the scale, the weight on the barbell, the score on the leaderboard… does NOT determine my self-worth
Enjoy the process: comparison can be a big motivator, but also the thief of joy - my journey is my own and will have ups and downs - and your journey is yours!

Performance tracking is not only evidence of consistency, but a testament to your programming and its effectiveness. We encourage our community and anyone who begins a training program (whether in a group or individual) to track performance, pay attention to your data, and utilize it to understand and improve your health and fitness.

As a coach, I want to remind you that as you train, life is always happening. Priorities shift and goals change. Your data helps your coaches address your needs and goals, specifically - which is to your benefit as an athlete. Keep showing up for yourself and tracking your progress!

Stay strong!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Roasted Vegetable Medley

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 20:40:17 GMT

recipe: roasted vegetable medley

If you're looking for a healthy side dish of carbohydrates to pair with your protein or just trying to incorporate more veggies into your meals, this mixed veggie medley is for you! If there's any vegetable in this mix that isn't your favorite, simply replace it with one you DO LIKE and carry on! You can also consider switching up your seasonings to keep this dish exciting week after week - don't be afraid to spice things up.

This works well for meal prep as I simply pop a portion back in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients

2 large red or gold potatoes, cubed
1 cup of baby carrots or 2 whole carrots, sliced
1 red onion, quartered
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 tsp minced garlic
About 1 tsp each of:
salt
pepper
cumin
paprika
3 TBSP avocado oil
Juice of 1 lemon

Optional toppings:

Feta cheese
Parmesan cheese
Blue cheese

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Add potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper, squash, zucchini, red onion, and garlic, in a baking dish (I use a 9x13" glass Pyrex one). Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and cumin. Drizzle with avocado oil. Mix everything well, so that your veggies are evenly coated.
Bake for 1 hour or until the veggies are fork tender. Broil on Hi for 2 minutes to give the veggies a little char.
Top with the juice of 1 lemon, some freshly shredded parmesan, feta or blue cheese and enjoy!

Macros

If you divide this recipe into 4 servings...

Each serving contains the following macronutrient breakdown (without cheese topping):

205 calories

Protein: 4 grams

Net Carbohydrates: 22 grams

Fat: 11 grams

Stay strong!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition or not sure where to start? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Tomato-Basil-Sausage Frittata

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 21:23:16 GMT

Recipe: Tomato-basil-sausage frittata

School is back in session, so meal prepping my breakfast ensures that I get some fuel in the tank quickly. I love frittatas because I can switch up the veggies (from tomato-basil to broccoli, asparagus, onions, or mushrooms) and protein sources (bacon, sausage, cheese, ham, etc.) and keep things interesting. I also like that everything goes into one skillet - minimizing my dishes and simplifying the entire cooking process. Feel free to make substitutions here - get creative and have fun!

Ingredients

8 eggs

16 oz. turkey sausage

¼ cup milk or water

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 TBSP basil (dried or fresh)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Add your turkey sausage to the skillet, brown and use a spatula or spoon to separate.
While the sausage is cooking, grab a large mixing bowl. Crack your eggs into the bowl and whisk. Add your milk (or water), salt, pepper, basil and cherry tomatoes and give her a stir.
Once the sausage has browned, pour the egg mixture into the skillet.
Place the skillet into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are no longer runny in the center.
Divide into 4 servings and serve or save it in airtight containers in the fridge for later as meal prep!

*For best results when you reheat, place it in the oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Macros

For me, this made 4 servings.

Each serving contained the following macronutrient breakdown:

393 calories

Protein: 36 grams

Net Carbohydrates: 6.6 grams

Fat: 23 grams

Stay strong!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition or not sure where to start? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Prioritizing Protein

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 11:36:22 GMT

why is protein so important?

Let’s get into the science of it - but I’ll try not to bore you…

A Refresh of What We Learned in School

Proteins are the building blocks of your bones, muscles, cartilage, and skin - and amino acids are the building blocks of your protein. In order to build muscle, skin elasticity, and recover from sickness or injury, we need to make friends with protein when it comes to our nutrition.

A group of amino acids form a peptide, a group of peptides form a polypeptide and then those polypeptides work to grow hair, muscles, skin and nails. When we eat protein, this process works in reverse as we break the proteins down.

There are 20 amino acids…

Non-essential amino acids, which we make in our body.
Essential amino acids, which we have to get from our diet. BCAAs are branched chain amino acids which help support muscle metabolism and are important for us to build muscle tissue. They are found in meat, dairy, and legumes (beans).
Conditional essential amino acids, which we can make ourselves, but not always effectively, so it helps to get extra from our diet. Stress can impact our ability to make these.

Since our bodies need proteins and amino acids to produce important molecules in our body – like enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and antibodies – without an adequate protein intake, our bodies can’t function well at all. We are always breaking down and building new proteins. While we can store carbohydrates and fat, we can’t store protein in the same way. So, we need to get enough protein from our diet.

Consuming protein can also increase levels of the hormone glucagon, and glucagon can help to control body fat. Glucagon is released when blood sugar levels go down. This causes the liver to break down stored glycogen into glucose for the body.

Are you picking up on a theme here? Hope you’re still awake. Grab a meat stick and let’s continue…

Animal vs. Plant Protein

In general, animal proteins have higher protein digestibility and a better essential amino acid profile relative to dietary requirements. These measures of protein quality indicate that animal proteins can more readily provide the daily requirement of essential amino acids than plant protein. Dairy is the only animal protein to carry a carbohydrate load. Your meat, fish, eggs are primarily protein and fat. Your plant protein sources (mostly beans) carry a higher carbohydrate load.

How Much Protein Should I Eat?

The CDC states that the mean protein intake among men and women in the U.S. is roughly 15-16% of their daily total caloric intake. So if I’m consuming 2,000 calories per day, that’s around 300 calories or 75 grams from protein (in content) per day. According to Harvard Medical School, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is .8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight or .36 grams per pound. The current (2020-2025) U.S. Dietary Guidelines suggest consuming 5-7 ounces of protein per day.

Let’s see what this actually looks like and use me as an example, shall we?

I’m a 5’6”, 165# active, 40-year-old female.

.36 x 165 (my weight) = 59.4 grams of protein per day

That’s one 4 oz piece of salmon + 3.5 oz of chicken breast.

This might be a minimum protein recommendation to keep me from getting sick, but that doesn’t mean it’s ideal or optimal for me to perform my best in everyday life - physically and mentally. I don't want to simply survive, I want to thrive.

In the opinion of many esteemed scientists and doctors, these protein recommendations are very low. Here are some links to doctors, biochemists, and health experts who "walk the walk" when it comes to health, fitness and nutrition.

Biolayne: Protein Requirements: Amount, Timing & Type

Huberman Lab: Protein Intake

Robb Wolf: Meal Plans

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon's Podcast: Unlocking Protein's Power

Evidence-based research shows that consuming .7 - 1 x your bodyweight in grams of protein per day is optimal for building building lean muscle mass and preventing sarcopenia. The calculation truly depends on you, as an individual - your current body weight, your age (because our protein requirements increase as we get older), lean body mass, activity level and personal health and fitness goals. If your goal is to gain healthy, lean muscle, lose additional body fat, and/or maintain your lean body mass, .7 x your bodyweight is a great place to start. If you’ve completed an InBody Scan with us and have your lean body mass (LBM) details, this is also a great number to use.

My current LBM is 127#, so I set that as my baseline in grams of protein consuming 1:1 (127 grams/day up to my total body weight at 165 grams - depending on my activity level). One of my goals is to grow more healthy, lean muscle mass.

127 grams of protein per day looks like:

1 scoop of 1st Phorm collagen in my coffee

3 large scrambled eggs at breakfast

5 oz of salmon at lunch

5 oz of chicken at dinner

2 oz 1st Phorm meat stick as part of a snack or a post-workout protein shake

This winds up being a tiny bit more than 127 grams, plus there will be additional grams of protein from plant sources, but don’t get too hung up on being exact. Every day is different and that’s OK.

Again, this is based on my personal needs, goals, and data - and years of evidence. What works for me will not necessarily work for you, so I highly recommend scheduling a consultation with me (a certified nutrition coach) if you need more help and direction when it comes to what your macronutrient needs should be. I'd love to help!

Protein Content vs. Protein Weight

This concept can be confusing if you’re new to counting macros or weighing and measuring your food. When I say “127 grams” of protein, I don’t mean 127 grams in weight (as in a piece of chicken weighing 127 grams on your food scale). I mean 127 grams of protein as in protein content. On average, most meat sources contain 7 grams of protein (in content) per 1 ounce, so 4 ounces of chicken breast (in weight) is roughly 28 grams of protein (in content). This is why it’s really helpful to input your weighed and measured foods into an app like Chronometer or MyFitnessPal because it does the calculations for you and reflects how much protein you're consuming fairly accurately - in short, it makes your life easier.

Some Tips for Adding More Protein to Your Diet

Plan your day! Entering just your protein into MyFitnessPal or Chronometer (my fave) one day ahead of time can help you reach your protein goals everyday, so that you’re not eating hard boiled eggs at 9pm.
Balance every meal . Include protein in every meal and snack - so that it isn’t ONLY a banana - this can help you squeeze extra protein in and help regulate your blood sugar and keep you satisfied.
Example 1: sliced deli turkey (protein), apple (carbohydrate), and peanut butter (fat).
Example 2: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs (protein and fat) with roasted spaghetti squash (carbohydrate)
Supplement . Whole food sources are always best, but sometimes we need to rely on convenience. Add collagen peptides in coffee or other beverages, sauces, dips, soups - and you won’t even know it’s there. Sip on a protein shake post-workout to help repair muscle tissue and boost recovery (and it’s easier than chowing down on chicken right after a training session).
Increase your protein portions. Adding an extra ounce of meat per meal can make a big difference over time. On average, 1 ounce (or 28g) of meat equates to 7g of protein (in content).
Add extras. Top eggs with cheese, add beans to a salad, mix nuts into your oatmeal.
Prep and plan your favorite protein sources . Use your crockpot, grill, Instant Pot, and grab a meat stick as you’re leaving the gym! Having these foods readily available helps keep you on track!

Stay strong!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Curried Chicken Salad

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 16:30:44 GMT

recipe: curried chicken salad

I really love chicken salad as a quick lunch option - and adding a little curry spice takes it to another level. This is something I can easily meal prep for the week and then pair with veggies or fruit to make a complete meal. I used nonfat, plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise to reduce the overall fat and increase the protein in this dish to better suit my personal macronutrient needs. If you're looking to increase your overall protein for muscle gain or fat loss, this is a simple swap and you won't notice the difference.

For me, this made 4 servings.

Each serving contained the following macronutrient breakdown (not including any sides):

298 calories

Protein: 40 grams

Carbohydrates: 11 grams

Fat: 9 grams

Ingredients

1# of chicken breast*

½ cup of nonfat, plain Greek yogurt

2 tsp curry powder

½ TBSP lemon juice

½ tsp salt

½ cup shredded carrots

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped, roasted cashews

Instructions

Place your chicken breasts in a pot of cold water, covered. Bring the water to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and using a meat thermometer, make sure the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. Let the chicken cool.
While the chicken is cooling, combine your yogurt, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, shredded carrots, raisins and cashews in a small mixing bowl.
In a large bowl, shred your cooled chicken breast with two forks or a hand mixer.
Pour your yogurt mixture on top of the shredded chicken and stir until well combined.
Portion out your servings and then place in the fridge to chill.
Enjoy your curried chicken salad chilled with your favorite sides!

*If you prefer to take a shortcut on this recipe and use a rotisserie chicken, that’s fine! Simply remove the skin, debone and then weigh out your chicken for the correct ratio.

In an effort to keep my meals quick and easy, I paired these with fresh, raw fruits and veggies for some healthy carbohydrates. Everyone's macronutrient needs are different, so I encourage you to do what works for you.

Hope y'all give this a try and love it as much as I do!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition or not sure where to start? Let's chat!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 12:16:50 GMT

Recipe: Chicken parmesan meatballs

If you're looking for a quick high-protein meal prep option this week, try this recipe! I paired each serving with a different side - I'm a veggie fan, so it was either roasted green beans or broccoli or some fresh arugula.

For me, this made 20 meatballs and I divided that into 5 servings.

Each serving contained the following macronutrient breakdown (not including any added vegetables or sides):

541 calories

Protein: 43 grams

Carbohydrates: 19 grams

Fat: 33 grams

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 small bunch of Italian parsley

4 oz Parmesan cheese

8 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese

1 lb. ground chicken breast

1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/2 tsp oregano, dried

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

6 tsp avocado oil, divided

For the Sauce

2 - 8 oz cans of tomato sauce

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Take 1 small bunch of Italian parsley, wash & dry it and then shave the leaves off the stem and mince the leaves. Divide the minced parsley evenly between two medium bowls.
Finely grate 4 ounces of Parmesan cheese and divide it evenly between your two bowls.
Chop or coarsely grate 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese. Add it to one of your bowls. Stir your parsley, Parmesan, and mozzarella to combine and set this bowl aside for later use!
Add ground chicken, bread crumbs, eggs, 2 tsp avocado oil, and spices (oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper) to the other remaining bowl (the one with only parsley and Parmesan). Combine the ingredients using your hands or a spoon. Using a tablespoon to measure, form the mixture into meatballs and place on a plate.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
While skillet is heating, place tomato sauce and spices in a 9"x13" baking dish. Stir the ingredients to combine.
Once the skillet is hot, add 4 tsp of avocado oil to coat the bottom of your skillet. Add the meatballs (in batches, if needed) and cook, turning often, until all sides are browned (about 3-4 minutes). The meatballs will NOT be cooked all the way through. Transfer the meatballs to the baking dish with the sauce and turn to coat.
Once all of your meatballs are in the baking dish, top them with your bowl of parsley, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese mixture. Place baking dish in the oven and bake until cheese in melted and meatballs are cooked through (7-10 minutes). Remove from the oven.
Divide into serving sizes for meal prepped lunch or dinner throughout the week or serve it up as dinner for the family!

Enjoy!

Coach Abrie Sellers

Precision Nutrition L1 Coach

Need some additional support and guidance with nutrition? Let's chat!

Mobility Matters

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 15:35:43 GMT

finding flexibility

Welcome back, y’all! If you’re new here, once you’ve read this blog - be sure to check out my previous blogs on Habit Tracking , Hydration and Sleep .

I like to start things off with a definition or two…

Flexibility (noun) : the ability of joints, muscles, and soft tissues to move through full range of motion without pain .

Mobility (noun) : the quality or state of being mobile or movable. Ability or capacity to move.

When it comes to flexibility and mobility, two things I’ve commonly heard from new members over the last 12+ years are:

“I want to be able to touch my toes.”

“I’d like to be able to get up and down off of the floor without assistance.”

Being able to get in and out of everyday positions easily and comfortably affords us a better quality of life year after year. A 2012 study shows that being able to sit and rise from the floor without assistance is a predictor of how long you’ll live . I don’t know about you, but I don’t take that lightly.

“Annals of Internal Medicine published a study of 8,000 adults that showed an association between prolonged sitting and a risk of early death from any cause. (People who sat for no more than 30 minutes at a time had the lowest risk in that study.) Other research has linked prolonged sitting or other sedentary behavior to diabetes, poor heart health, weight gain, depression, dementia, and multiple cancers.” -Kathy Katela, Yale Medicine

Many of us sit at desks for several hours a day in positions far from ideal. We aren’t meant to sit for long periods of time. Sitting for too long can result in weak leg and glute muscles, since we aren’t depending on our legs to hold us up. We can also experience tight hips from shortened hip flexors as a result of staying seated for too long. Poor posture while seated can cause disc compression in your spine as well as a stiff neck and shoulders. Due to the poor circulation of blood while seated, we can also experience the development of varicose veins, spider veins, or more seriously deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is a blood clot in the legs.

“But I work at a desk all day, Abrie…what do you expect me to do?” you say. We have to find ways to counter the negative impacts of staying seated for extended periods. If you’re able to transition to a standing desk, I’d highly recommend it - but I know not all of us have that sort of flexibility in our work environment. My next suggestion is to start with 15 minutes of intentional mobility every day. Committing to as little as 15 minutes daily can provide significant positive changes over the long term. Personally, I use the Pliability app for a guided practice at home each day. I either perform their daily mobility routine or choose one based on my needs for that day. There are many free options available on YouTube and some of my personal favorites are:

The Ready State with Dr. Kelly Starrett

Yoga with Adriene

If you don't have time for a full 15 minutes yet, you can simply start by setting a timer to stretch, adjust your posture, or take a short walk. These breaks help with creativity and problem solving. Your work and productivity improve when you take care of yourself physically.

Long before I started a strength and conditioning program, I practiced yoga (later obtaining my registered yoga teacher certification in 2012). Committing time to my yoga practice gave me a strong foundation rooted in mobility and allowed me to achieve positions like the squat, lunge, pistol, and handstand with relative ease. I’m here to tell you, if you spend time focusing on mobility, it will pay off. This is precisely why we dedicate time to mobility inside of our Strength & Conditioning Classes - be it in the warm-up, cooldown, or the main event.

While stretching sounds simple enough, it can be one of the most difficult things to actually make ourselves do. It’s simple, yes, but it’s not easy. It can be very challenging. Remember, if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you - so let’s do the work to get a little bit better every single day. If you feel like it's impossible to get into some of these positions or they seem intimidating, please reach out to us for help! Our coaches are very experienced and eager to help you find modifications and a solid starting point, so you can begin making some progress. It's never too late!

Mobility Mantras

Here are some ideas to help you stay focused when it comes to your mobility:

Grab a friend, spouse, kiddo, or maybe even your cat or dog and have them join you.
Put on your favorite playlist or podcast to make the time a little more enjoyable.
Stack this habit. Do it immediately following your workout.
Get it done early - or late. Find the timing that works for you. While I love doing mobility as a wind down right before bed, I’ve noticed that I’m far less likely to actually do it before hitting the hay - so I typically take a midday break with my little ones and we do a routine while watching Bluey.
Track your progress! As I’ve noted in my previous blog on habit tracking, keeping score can help you not only see your progress, but help you stay motivated and disciplined - really reinforcing the habit.

Book Recommendations

If you’re a reader or listen to Audible, Dr. Kelly Starrett has some phenomenal books about movement and mobility along with many, many exercises that you can do at home with minimal equipment to help you achieve and restore mobility. He’s a wealth of knowledge.

Built to Move by Dr. Kelly Starrett & Juliet Starrett

Becoming A Supple Leopard by Dr. Kelly Starrett

Ready to Run by Dr. Kelly Starrett

Stay flexy friends!

Coach Abrie

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Happy Hydration

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 11:34:32 GMT

it's more than water...

Hydrate (verb):

To supply with ample fluid or moisture.

Let’s talk about why hydration is so important…

Our bodies consist of about 55-60% water. That’s right - if you’re a 200# male, roughly 120 of those pounds are water. If you’re a female weighing about 150#, around 83 of those pounds of water. That’s quite a bit of water.

The water in our bodies is broken down into intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF). ICF is the water within the cells of our body and makes up about ⅔ of the body’s water; whereas, ECF is the other remaining ⅓ which surrounds our cells, making up the plasma portion of our blood volume and lubricating our connective tissues. It sounds like important work because it is!

Water dissolves and transports substances within our bodies, starts chemical reactions, lubricates and cushions tissues, regulates our temperature, and provides minerals. You want to hydrate your body so it can efficiently perform essential tasks all day, every day.

Bone ~ 22% water

Adipose Tissue ~ 25% water

Muscle & brain tissue ~ 75% water

Blood ~ 83% water

Eyes ~ 95% water

Fluid Balance

Water is constantly moving in and out of our bodies. We take in water primarily through the food and beverages we consume every day. Water leaves our bodies through sweat, elimination (yep, urine and feces), tears, saliva, and breathing. Maintaining the right balance is key, so that we don't risk dehydration or hyponatremia (too much water relative to sodium content). If we consume a diet of mostly whole foods (minimally processed meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds), we’ll take in about 4 cups of water through our food consumption.

Symptoms of Dehydration

Headache

Fatigue

Low Blood Pressure

Dizziness/Fainting

Nausea

Flushing

Rapid Heart Rate

Symptoms of Drinking Too Much Water

Hyponatremia

Nausea/Vomiting

Headache

Swollen hands and feet (edema)

Confusion

Restlessness

Electrolytes

While exercising in warm climates (which is what we do most of the year), we can lose anywhere from 3,500-7,000mg of sodium per day. Sweat is more than just water - it’s also sodium. If we don’t replace lost sodium and drink solely plain drinking water, we’re putting ourselves at risk for hyponatremia. Symptoms for hyponatremia include headaches, muscle cramps, and fatigue. This is why we like LMNT and offer it in our gym - because it covers our need for sodium, potassium and magnesium without added sugar or funky ingredients. This isn't a plug for purchase, I promise - my goal is to educate you on electrolyte needs so that you stay properly hydrated and feel good. In fact, to recreate your own version of LMNT at home, see these recipes . Each packet of LMNT contains 1000mg of sodium, 200mg of potassium, and 60mg of magnesium.

"Can't I just drink Gatorade?" you ask. Sure, but understand that a regular 12 oz. Gatorade Thirst Quencher contains 80 calories, 21 grams of added sugar, and only 160mg of sodium - along with artificial sweeteners (dextrose), artificial flavorings and food coloring. Even the Gatorade Zero option, while having 0 calories, still only contains 160mg of sodium and food coloring, of course.

Isn't salt (sodium) bad for you?

Most of us have heard - maybe even from a physician - that too much salt is bad for you and will elevate your blood pressure or cause hypertension. However, after doing lots of research, we believe hypertension is largely a result of a modern diet - high in processed foods (ice cream, cakes, cookies, chips, breads, etc.). A diet too restricted in sodium can be the real danger as well. To learn more, please read this article .

How much water should I drink everyday?

This mostly depends on the person - your size, activity level, alcohol consumption, health, and metabolism are all contributors to how much water you need everyday.

As a general baseline, we say ½ your body weight in fluid ounces of water. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, start with a goal of 75 ounces of water per day. If you exercise or are exposed to heat (you sweat more), increase your intake - and don’t forget electrolytes!

Helpful Hydration Tips

If you know you don’t drink enough water and would like to increase your intake, here are some helpful tools I recommend:

Start early. When you wake up, before you drink your coffee or anything else, go ahead and drink a nice tall glass of water. I take my vitamins with 20 oz. of water first thing in the morning and it starts my day off with a win.
Drink your water through a straw (or not). This doesn’t work for everyone, but I find that I drink more when I use a straw. It’s certainly worth a try!
Keep a dedicated water bottle/jug/container/cup. I alternate between two - an “at home” cup and a “travel” one. I try to always leave the house with a shaker bottle full of water.
Habit stack it. Coupling your water intake with activities like your workout, dining in or out, and taking vitamins can help you hit your water goal and begin to make it feel more automatic.
Slow down to sips before bedtime. You don’t want to be up all night with a full bladder.
Track it! This helps with consistency and accountability.

I hope this helps give you some perspective and encourages you on your health journey.

It’s hot out there y’all - stay hydrated, with water!

Happy Hydrating!

Coach Abrie

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 19:47:14 GMT

What is Sleep?

Sleep (noun):

“the natural, easily reversible periodic state of many living things that is marked by the absence of wakefulness and by the loss of consciousness of one's surroundings, is accompanied by a typical body posture (such as lying down with the eyes closed), the occurrence of dreaming, and changes in brain activity and physiological functioning, is made up of cycles of non-REM sleep and REM sleep , and is usually considered essential to the restoration and recovery of vital bodily and mental functions.”

It’s difficult to talk about recovery without talking about sleep. When we sleep, our bodies drift into a state of repair - strengthening our organs, cells, muscles and immune system.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) states that over 30% of adults in the US reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day - that means they aren’t getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night. It’s also estimated that 50-70 million Americans have chronic, or ongoing, sleep disorders.

The Hormonal Impact

Sleep is instrumental in your daily recovery. As you sleep, your body produces a hormone called cytokines which helps you fight off infections. Our cells and tissues repair, our hearts rest, and our breathing slows. Our brains work to maintain cognitive function and form memories. Without adequate sleep, we may experience many negative impacts.

Lack of sleep causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin which is also known as the hunger hormone - letting us know when we’re hungry. Disturbances in sleep cause a rise in ghrelin and a decrease in leptin levels (a protein hormone that helps regulate long-term energy balance) which promotes an increase in appetite and insulin resistance - meaning higher blood glucose levels.

Your testosterone levels peak in the midst of your sleep cycle, so if you’re getting too little sleep or wake up frequently, you may experience low testosterone. Your GH (growth hormone) levels rise during nighttime sleep and are critical to muscle growth. When you’re sleep deprived, these GH levels fail to rise. If we’re not getting enough sleep, we can also experience an unwelcome rise in cortisol levels (the stress hormone).

Sleep Deprivation & Your Brain

When we sleep, our brain generates new pathways and forms new memories. If we aren’t getting enough quality shut-eye, we aren’t facilitating this process.

Lack of sleep impairs our ability to make good decisions, promotes risky behavior, and can have a negative impact on our mental health and mood (depression, irritability, stress). It’s tough to stay focused when we’re exhausted. Sleep deprivation increases our risk of injury and likelihood that we’ll experience chronic, nagging pain.

“A Stanford study of men’s basketball players who extended their sleep to 10 hours a night found several positive outcomes. The players ran faster in both half-court and full-court sprints. Their shooting improved by at least 9% for both free throws and three-point shots. The athletes also reported improved physical and mental well-being.”

Tips to Improve Your Sleep Quality & Quantity

Create a bedtime routine. Enjoy a warm bath (or cold plunge, if that’s your thing), practice your skincare routine, read a lowkey book (I wouldn’t suggest anything from the suspense or thriller genre), meditate, pray, do mobility or restorative yoga, or maybe journal about your day or jot down your to-do list for tomorrow.

Set the stage for sleep. Make your bedroom a place that’s conducive to restful sleep. It should be dark, quiet and cool - and ideally blue light-free. Your melatonin production increases when it gets dark.

Kill the electronics . On that blue light note, limit your usage of electronics before bed - TV, computer, cell phones, iPads, etc. Blue light can negatively impact your Circadian rhythm. Decide on a time to drift into “do not disturb” mode and plug your electronics in - maybe even in another room. If you use your phone as an alarm, consider plugging it in on the opposite side of the room, so you have to get up to turn it off (decreasing your odds of excessive snoozing).

Skip the booze and caffeine. Consuming caffeine too late in the day can prevent you from falling asleep and cause sleep disturbances. While alcohol may “help” you fall asleep, it can cause frequent wake-ups and negatively impact Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep - your deepest sleep. On a side note, try to consume most of your daily water intake throughout the day and not right before bed to prevent waking up several times per night to use the restroom.

Get natural sunlight during the day. Sunshine discontinues our production of melatonin - which is great during the day to help boost melatonin production at night - when it’s dark. Again, this helps us find better quality sleep.

Exercise regularly. Elevating your heart rate, reducing your stress, and simply sweating and increasing blood flow has a positive impact on your sleep. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime as it releases endorphins and elevates your body temperature which can make it difficult to fall asleep. If exercising before bedtime is your only option, set up a solid bedtime routine to help wind down your nervous system for sleep.

Get to bed a little sooner. If you’ve been going to bed late for years and years, this might seem like a tough one - so start small. Maybe this week try to hit the hay 5-10 minutes earlier. If you were successful, try 15-20 minutes earlier next week and continue until you’re getting to bed and regularly getting 7+ hours of sleep per night. Don’t give up on it!

Get some rest, y'all!

Coach Abrie

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.

Can Habit Tracking Help Me Reach My Goals?

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:12:14 GMT

What is a Habit?

Habit (noun): hab-it

A settled tendency or usual manner of behavior
An acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary

We often hear Peter Drucker’s “what gets measured gets managed” and Tony Robbins’ “where focus goes, energy flows.” I tend to think of these two quotes when I consider building and eliminating habits. I’m focusing on bettering myself in certain areas and tracking progress, not perfection.

At RCBC, we recommend tracking the following habits:

Recovery
Nutrition
Training
Flexibility
Hydration

We’ll dive into each of these habits in their own individual, upcoming posts, so stay tuned.

What’s the point of tracking your habits?

For starters, tracking anything can give you feedback and allow you to see patterns.

Am I training consistently or am I missing several days or weeks at a time?
“I eat pretty “clean” most of the time” might actually be “I’m very strict during the week, but tend to binge Friday - Sunday.”
I haven’t PR’d in months. Are you recovering properly? Fueling your body with enough quality foods? Getting enough sleep?

The data can be motivating and nudge you to stay the course and it can reveal whatever barriers are holding you back. Even if you simply track your behaviors as they currently are, this can ignite the fire to make positive changes.

Do I have to track my habits forever?

No. You should, however, track it until it’s easy. Habits tend to get easier with practice. This gives us increased self-awareness and encourages self-improvement.

There might be something you’re already a pro at - take sleep for example. You might have zero problems getting to bed at a reasonable hour and acquire 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Beautiful.

But let’s say you feel an aching in your hip or shoulder - or have nagging back pain. Let’s commit to 15 minutes of area-specific mobility every day and see what happens. Track the progress. After a month, is your pain better, worse or the same? After two months? Have you been consistent? Have you increased your range of motion? The answers to these questions determine how you should proceed next.

If this all seems incredibly overwhelming, take a deep breath...

Choose 2 habits. Maybe it’s nutrition and sleep. Don’t change anything yet. Simply log your food either in an app or on a piece of paper each day. Write down what time you went to sleep and what time you woke up. This practice alone can give you an honest look at your current habits. From here, we can start to make positive changes.

In 2009, a study on habit creation showed that habits develop anywhere from 18-254 days with an average of roughly 66 days. The biggest factor that influenced whether or not the behavior would become part of their daily routine? Consistent daily repetition.

A 2008 study of 1700 participants revealed that those who kept a food journal doubled the weight loss of those who didn’t record their food.

How should I go about tracking my habits?

Keep it simple with any one of the following:

Excel spreadsheet
HabitShare app and any other habit tracking app like Streaks for iOS users, HabitNow for Android users, Habitify , Way of Life , Habitica , and so on…there's something for everyone!
Pen & paper or journal

Some final thoughts before you begin tracking…

Be specific with your habits.

Here are some examples:

Go to bed at 9:30pm vs. go to bed earlier.
Do mobility for 15 minutes before 5:30pm class on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday vs. do mobility and train 4x per week.
Log tomorrow’s food the night before rather than "winging it as you go."
Drink 20 oz. water immediately after I wake up.

Having a plan is key. Like Benjamin Franklin said "if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Being specific helps you generate your plan for success and when you make these habits a priority, you're more likely to follow through.

What happens if I miss?

What happens when you trip and fall? You get back up again.

Don’t overcomplicate it by feeling guilt and shame or making excuses. Get back to your routine - and remember - your consistency is the thing that’s going to bring you closer to achieving your goals.

“A lack of self-awareness is poison. Reflection and review is the antidote.” – James Clear

If you’re interested in learning more about building habits, here are some books that I’ve read and recommend:

Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

And a couple of podcasts you can listen to on your morning commute:

Habit Masters : #126 Why You Need a Scorecard: The Power of Tracking Habits
Optimal Living Daily : Habit Change is Like Chess by Steve Pavlina on Self-Discipline, Preparation & Tactical Adjustments

Stay tuned for more on why we believe recovery, nutrition, training, flexibility, and hydration are so important.

S tay strong friends,

Coach Abrie

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.