Training the 3 phase!

I’m Chris Brinson, a personal trainer for the Puravida Fitness team. I went to school about two years ago to become a personal trainer. I had always loved to workout and stay in the best shape I could be in. During school, one of the credits was to look for an Internship to gain more skills on the job training.


During this time I worked with Erik Peacock, the head personal trainer and manager on training in the three phases of training. He brought me through these phases starting with the stability phase. The stability phase might seem boring but it has the most benefits out of any phase. Without stability you can’t build that good foundation you need to go through the other phases. A lot of exercises done in this phase are on 1 leg or core stability. These are especially important to reduce the risk of injury, and to progress you at the rate you should be progressed at.

The next phase of training after going through the stability phase, would be strength. Now this is basically where you want to build up muscle before going into the higher strength and power phases. A few exercises would be doing bar squats along with alternating lunges. Some upper body exercises could include free weight squat to curl, and shoulder press. This phase shouldn’t be looked past. It is very important to time the necessary time to complete, and only move on when you feel like your strength isn’t going anywhere. Going through this phase basically sets up the next one.

The last and final phase is the power phase. This phase not everyone needs to go through. Basically it’s a heavy strength exercise followed by an explosive movement. An example, would be a heavy cable chest press followed by a traveling pushup on a bosu ball, which is a pushup that is explosive. Without going through the first two phases this phase would almost be impossible without risk of injury.

After going through these phases, I have never felt so great in my life. I now know that training in all phases helps in more ways than one. I haven’t been injured, and it’s more importantly given me the confidence to try or do anything. I am able to give my clients a little of what they want and need when going through the three phases of training. You might not like all of them, but the benefit is far greater.

Eat healthy and be happy

Hey everyone, 

My name is Megan Dean and I am doing some work this summer with the crew at Puravida Fitness until I head back to school at NDSU (in Fargo) where I study Exercise Science and play soccer. I am so excited people are becoming more aware of how good health behaviors can impact so many different aspects of our lives.  

In my health psychology class this past semester I found it especially interesting how everything about the human body is linked together. Our bodies, minds, and social lives are all interrelated in what is called a "Biopsychosocial Model".  In this model, it explains that if one of those aspects of our lives is off balance it directly affects all of the other parts of our life. For example if a person is diagnosed with a disease, cancer for example, their body is affected physically by the disease slowly weakening and attacking the body. Their psychology is affected by different things like what our attitude toward the disease is, do you give up or fight harder? Psychology is also things like seeing a freckle on your arm and thinking it's a mole and that the cancer spread.  Socially, we are affected by things like friends treating us differently because they don't know what to say or they you think they are only talking to you now out of sympathy.  

It is cool how our body works isn't it?  I was reading an article in my mom's Fitness Journal called "Diet is Linked to Depression". Naturally, this sparked my interest because of what I learned my psychology class.  The article explains that "healthy meals make for happy lives".  It explains, "researchers found that those with the highest intake of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables and fish, had significantly lower incidences of clinical depression than those who ate a diet laden with processed foods....Specifically those who consumed a lot of processed meat, chocolate, sweetened desserts, refined cereals, high-fat dairy and fried foods were more vulnerable to depression over time".  Once again we see how directly related our body and our minds are. So let’s break this down using the biopsychosocial model. Our diet directly affects our body composition and thus changes how we look and feel over time.  This poor health habit makes people feel less confident about themselves and is probably part of the reason people making these choices head down the road to depression. Depression is also strongly correlated with chronic illnesses, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Often times these diseases are a result from an unhealthy diet, which may be another reason researchers are finding unhealthy diets are closely linked with depression.  Once a person hits depression after these food choices their social life may begin to change too.  Their social life will be affected if the depression causes them to pull away from friends or become overly dependent on those around them. 

So, the moral of the story is…?  If you maintain a healthful diet filled with a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and plenty of vitamins and minerals you will not only look better on the outside, but you will feel better physically, mentally, and socially because everything in our lives is interrelated...which, in the end, will allow you to do the things you love more easily, and what a sweet deal that is!

Eat healthy and you WILL be happier. It's proven! :D

Top 7 reasons to exercise

The Top 7 Reasons to Exercise


Summer has arrived and along with it the dreaded bathing suit season.



Whether you can't wait to bare it all on the beach, or if you're still working toward a weight loss goal, exercise is the key to looking and feeling great in summer months.



But why else should you exercise? Here are the top 7 reasons to exercise this summer:



Reason #1: To Melt Fat Away



The most coveted side effect of exercise is, of course, fat burn. The combination of a challenging exercise routine and a balanced meal plan is the best known way to lose fat. Here's what losing fat feels like:



•Your pants become loose

•People around you begin to say that you look great

•A glance at yourself in the mirror makes you smile

•Your energy levels soar

•You feel amazing

Reason #2: To Alleviate Pain



Regular exercise is a great way to alleviate chronic muscle and joint pain. Persistent back pain can be lessened by strengthening your core, and you’ll protect yourself against injury. It amazes people when the chronic pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade after starting a regular exercise program.



Reason #3: To Increase Lean Tissue



More muscle is good for many reasons. You see, muscle requires many more calories each day than fatty tissue. In fact, one pound of muscle burns 30-50 calories each day at rest - compared to a measly 9 calories per pound of fat.



When you exercise your body composition will change to contain more lean tissue, thus resulting in extra calories burned while you sleep. What could be better than that?



Reason #4: To Stay Young

Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College in London, led a study on the effects of exercise on aging. The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process.



"These data suggest that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process," said Spector.



Here's the study in a nutshell:



•Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter.

•Once a telomere gets too short, that cell can no longer divide.

•Aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die. This results in weakened muscles, skin wrinkles, loss of eyesight and hearing, organ failure and slowed metal functioning.

•The study analyzed the telomeres from the white bloods cells of twins over a 10-year period. Telomere length was used as a marker for the rate of biological aging.

•It was found that the length of telomeres was directly related to that twin's activity level. "There was a gradient," Spector said. "As the amount of exercise increased, the telomere length increased."

•People who did 100 minutes of weekly exercise had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 5-6 years younger than those who did 16 minutes of exercise each week.

•People who did 3 hours of vigorous exercise each week had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 9 years younger.

Reason #5: To Prevent or Control Type 2 Diabetes



Regular exercise helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. This is something that people with type 2 diabetes, or at risk for type 2 diabete, gain substantial benefits from.



Exercise improves the body's use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to get guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program.



Reason #6: To Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels



Exercise has shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels for these two reasons:



•Weak Heart Muscles pump little blood with lots of effort. By exercising you strengthen your heart muscles and train them to pump more blood with less effort. The stronger your heart is the less pressure will be exerted on your arteries.

•Exercise Increases HDL levels in some people - this means a decrease in your risk for heart disease. Other heart disease risk factors such as weight, diabetes and high blood pressure all show improvement with regular exercise.

Reason #7: To Feel Great



The first thing that clients tell me after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel.



Most didn't even realize how bad they felt. It is easy to get used to feeling sluggish, achy and unmotivated.



Exercise boosts your energy levels and makes you feel amazing.



The quickest, easiest way to guarantee that you'll meet your fitness and weight loss goals is to work one-on-one with a qualified fitness professional. You'll be held accountable with your workouts and you'll be instructed properly and shown techniques and strategies that will expedite your results.



Call or email today to get started on a program that will take the guesswork out of fitness and to set your results on fire.



What are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and get moving!



Your Reason

Your number one reason for exercise is unique to you. Maybe you want to fit into a smaller pant size or lower your cholesterol. Or maybe you just love how a good workout makes you feel.



Whatever your reason is, remind yourself of it often. Write it down and place it where you will see it everyday. It may be just the motivation that you needed

Pre/post workout meal tips from Yvonne

Hey everybody!




Yvonne here. This will be my first blog entry and I'm thrilled to contribute to getting people excited about leading healthy lifestyles.

Lately, a lot of my friends have been asking me "What should I eat before and after my workout?"



Does it really matter what you eat before you go to the gym? Does it matter when you eat it?



The answer is: yes, it matters. It affects your performance during training and it affects your results afterward.



Your body needs the energy necessary to perform the exercises in your workout program. No fuel, no energy. Makes sense, right? Now don't go and have a casserole hotdish before you hit the gym. With a large meal like that, your stomach and bowels will be competing for blood flow and energy with your muscles, which can give you an upset stomach and inhibit the results you want to get. If you don't eat anything you might get low blood sugar, lack mental sharpness and might feel faint during exercising. What to do?





Before: According to Jackie Berning, RD, a sports nutritionist at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, "It takes the body four to six hours to digest fat, about three hours to digest protein and about two hours to digest carbohydrates." So you can have a full meal 4-3 hrs before your workout. About 60-30min before, have a snack; if you don't have time to get a good snack and you're short on time (like in an early morning workout), then opt for some Gatorade or an energy bar 15min before you workout. The body's main fuel source is carbohydrate which is stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. Ideally you would want to eat something high in carbohydrates that can be easily absorbed, to have adequate glycogen stores. Avoid high fiber foods and foods with high fat content right before, which take longer to digest and might make you bloated and upset your digestive system.



After: Eating after your workout is important for recovery. Shoot for 15-45 min after you exercise. "If you delay refueling, you slow carb replenishment by 50 percent and protein repair by 80 percent", according to John Ivy, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas and the author of Nutrient Timing.



Protein provides necessary amino acids to repair muscle tissue that is damaged during intense exercise. You are not really going for chicken and eggs here, but something that can be absorbed quickly, which preferrably is a protein shake. Liquid will be used much faster, whereas complete proteins take time to digest. You could also eat a protein bar, because those are easily digested as well.



Carbs are just as important after exercise. You want to restore glycogen - if you don't do this by eating carbs, your body will do this by tapping into your muscles. And that is not what you are looking to do. Stick to simple carbs, because just like the protein, you want fast absorption. So wild rice or other complex carbs are probably not a good option in this case. Here are some examples you could try: Yogurt with fruit, PB&J, Bagel with Cream Cheese, Chocolate Banana Milk Shake. The general guideline is 0.15-0.25 gr of protein/pound of your body weight.



The bottom line is: there are certain things that are better than others right before and after your workout. You will find out by trial and error which ones works for you, give you the most energy and the best performance.



Signing off for today. Now go hit the gym!

Are you really living?

Hi Everyone, My name is Chris G and I’ve been working with Erik on and off for a few years. The On and Off part is due to my involvement in the military. I’ve been over seas and gone for different training events that have taken a bit of my time to say the least. Looking back on all that time, I’ve been awakened to the fact that we only have one life and that one life should be spent doing what we were put on this earth to do. Everybody has a different path and everybody finds a different way of getting there. I’m a true believer of “everything happens for a reason.” A few near death experiences will convince anyone of that, believe me. Just last week I came across an article and it got me thinking again. Live your life to fullest and never waste time. People like to say that they are killing time. "Oh, I'm at the mall, you know… Just killing time." It doesn't work that way. Time kills you. There are 28,251 days in the average human lifespan. What you do with them is up to you, but when the clock strikes midnight on that final day you no longer have any input. All you can do is look back on what you've done and the story you've written with your actions. Was it what you wanted? If no, why not? Now look back on what you've been doing with your days. How many hours of television did you watch last week? Or how many hours did you spend in front of a computer screen? Ever think about counting it? Kind of an uncomfortable thought, huh? What about that time you spend each day commuting to work; sitting in that same seat, driving the same route, cursing at the same intersections? All that time you spend preoccupied while you’re with your kids, friends or maybe that one person that you’ve chosen to love. Does that time spent with them really matter when all you’re really focused on is worrying about your mortgage, or bills or an issue plaguing you? Consider the path you’re on and total up the days again. How many of them were really lived well? Get up and do something. Achieve that thing that scares you, or at least fail while daring greatly. Love someone completely, take that trip that you’ve been putting off and actually say what you think for once. At the end of the day, when you step in the shower and watch the mud, blood and sweat wash down the drain, you’ll know that you can go to sleep with another day in the victory column. Seriously don’t waste it, because we’ve all experienced or heard about a story of someone dieing completely out of the blue. Sickness, Cancer, Car Accident, you name it, we’ve all heard it. It could be you, but could you say, you’ve lived a great life? Could You? Then prove it everyday!

My ephinany turkey hunting this last weekend

This past weekend I went wild turkey hunting with my dad in South Dakota. I know a lot of people think that it should be easy to get a wild turkey since they are all over the place. Well, it isn't. Those things have super sharp sight senses and seem to know how to avoid danger plus you can only shoot 1 adult male turkey it is illegal to shoot a hen or more than one. So you really have to not only find the turkey but also the perfect shot. Anyway, back to the story. The first day we went out it poured on us and we tried calling the turkeys in but they didn't gobble back but instead they would sneak up on us and see that we were waiting for them and then they would run and disappear like ghosts into the woods. We chased them all over that day and it was pouring rain. I even fell partway into a creek. By the end of the day I was soaked, tired, and turkeyless. Day two I started out sitting in a turkey blind braving the howling wind which really sucked. My hands were numb and I was freezing by 6am(we got up at 4am to get to the blind). No luck so we set out on foot into the hills to find the turkeys. We did find the turkeys and after an hour of crawling, spying and postioning to get the perfect shot I ended up missing a shot and the turkeys once again got away. Our hunting party regrouped and decided to cover another area of the ranch. I was starting to doubt if I would bag my turkey and thought I'm going to be out here until dark and have nothing to show for it. I was getting negative in my mind. So I set out with our guide down a ridge. We passed over two hill and came to a ridge and I looked over the ridge to see a huge Tom turkey strutting around. I quickly ducked down and came up with a plan to sneak up on the turkey. So I creeped along the upper edge of the hill staying out of sight. I was able to get behind a tree and slowly peeked over the ridge. And there it was... A perfect shot and this time I did not miss. I nailed a trophy sized turkey. I was so pumped and it immediately erased the other stuff that happened prior to getting the turkey like getting wet, being super hungry, freezing my butt off. As I was cleaning my turkey it came to me why I like hunting so much. It is not about killing things. It's about a goal and the hunt is the exciting journey to get there. It is much like many things we come up against in life. We have a goal in mind such as losing weight and the goal is like the turkeys tricky to get and many times so difficult that we feel like quitting. However we only fail if we decide to quit! We might have setbacks and challenges but those things are what shape us and give us character. Believe me when I was chasing turkeys in the howling wind and rain a part of me wanted to say screw it and go warm up in the truck. I'm glad I didn't. I accomplished my goal and it reminded me that the best things in life come from working hard and persevering. We are your guides in life's "turkey hunt" when it comes to fitness and weight loss. Don't give up! Good things will happen as long as you make the conscience decision not to quit. Here's my challenge to you. If you are someone who is struggling with your fitness program or weight loss right now , we will offer you an opportunity to come in and do some goal setting and strategic planning free of charge from now until May 15th. So here's your chance to get some free help and leave with a solid plan of action that makes sense for you!

Highlights from the rock wall challenge last weekend

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