April 23rd, 2012 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

From MINT Owner & CEO, Patrick John

Reporting back from a post I made to this blog eight months ago.  At the time I had let the demands of family and the businesses take over all my time, and was off balance without regular exercise. I made a no-excuses commitment to get back into regular training.  My trainer Will Noel knew my challenges and created a very systematized and methodical approach, and I plugged in daily bike rides to and from work and watching total calories.

Just like anything in life, it’s amazing what we can accomplish when we really apply ourselves- since then I’ve lost over 5lbs, but most important feel terrific, sleep great, and am more productive- plus old clothes fit again! 34 jeans- wow!  It’s also amazing what we can accomplish when we acknowledge that we can’t do it alone!  See you on the workout floor.

Patrick

April 20th, 2012 / Health & Wellness

From MINT Director of Sales, Chris Carnecchia

I needed to write something that would make you say “What in the world is this about?!”  It’s about a a simple truth that we, even professionals in the fitness industry, tend to forget from time to time.  Last fall, what had been a routine Doctor’s visit turned into a rushed ambulance ride to the Hospital.  I’d gone in to the Doctor after feeling lethargic for three days, the symptoms worsened and progressed to practically causing hallucinations.  It turned out that a bacteria had spawned severed dehydration.  After being treated at the hospital with two bottles of IV, an extremely thick chalk mixture, and a quite sweet drink that numbed my entire insides I was sent home.  Three days later after drinking one or more gallons a day of water I was felt like superman!  I was embarrassed to have reached the point of such severe dehydration as a result of the bacteria.

However, the entire experience reminded me of the simple truth that water is just like fuel.  It allows your body to work properly, flush out toxin and gives you the energy to do everyday things.

You may not always feel the need to drink water when you should, always remember to hydrate!  Follow these simple steps to fuel your body:

• Drink 8 ounces of water when you feel hungry and before every meal
• Take a gallon of water and write the day and your name on it.  Drink it before the day is over.  (This is always at my desk!)
• Working out  3 – 4x a week will also help flush out toxins  (it takes 20 minutes of activity before you really begin to start burning those calories)

So drink the FUEL it is the most important item to your body, fitness goals, everyday operation, and life in general.  Trust me I know the consequences.

March 6th, 2012 / Health & Wellness

MINT’s Registered Dietitian Sarah Romotsky recently contributed to the Well+Being blog on Washingtonian wit her tips for avoiding devilish choices at DC’s lunch go-to Pret.

The Best and Worst Sandwiches, Soups, and Salads at Pret A Manger

January 24th, 2012 / Health & Wellness

The new year is among us and like most people I ask myself where did this past year go?  Also like most people I look at the new year as new start, a time to challenge myself and to improve upon this past year. Following these simple rules when setting your fitness goals for the new year and tee yourself up for success:

Keep it simple, specific, realistic & set a date or time line

Schedule yourself

If you have never worked out in the morning and you are not a morning person, don’t schedule morning workouts. Look at your schedule for the week/day and schedule your workouts or runs for the time that works best for you.

Your Goals should be measurable

Set performance goals, not outcome goals

You should take care to set goals over which you have as much control as possible.

What are your action goals?

How many days a week are you going to run, workout, what is your plan? If you don’t have a plan make sure your research or ask for help. Feel free to grab a trainer for assistance.

Following these few steps can help this year be the healthiest and happiest year yet!

January 10th, 2012 / Around DC, Health & Wellness

Before you travel down the rabbit hole of setting you eye on an ideal weight or a minimum number of times per week that you expect to get to the gym during 2012 – Stop and think with us…. Why is fitness a means to an end towards a better, more enjoyed life?

Before you set SMART (Specific, Meaningful, Adaptive, Realistic & Time-bound) goals for yourself take a step back with us and let’s build the value in the bigger picture.  Having a crystal clear mission will always give you cause to take action.

Why does having an active lifestyle matter? Here are four fundamental reasons WHY movement matters:

• Exercise boosts brainpower
• Movement melts away stress
• Exercise gives you energy
• Exercise Helps ward off disease and strengthens your heart

Put the experts at MINT to work for you this year. Recruit us and we’ll make your personal mission a priority. See how the team at MINT is ready to make 2012 YOUR year!

January 6th, 2012 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

Let me start off by saying that I hate to stretch, I have my whole life.  It doesn’t help that I have been very inflexible my entire life, but I also do not like the slowness of it and the lack of immediate results.  You would think then, that all the recent articles saying that stretching does not prevent injuries and may do more harm then good would make me happy, right? Wrong.

There is a tendency in the fitness industry (as well as many others) to try and simplify things down to one-sentence answers and phrases that will sell magazines, books, training sessions and programs. As someone with ten years experience working in the fitness industry and as an elite athlete I have first-hand knowledge of how detrimental this can be.   It is my belief (and studies back this up) that conventional static stretching such as a toe touch is almost always a bad idea before working out, especially if your muscles are cold, but that doesn’t mean that static stretching doesn’t have its place for some people at certain times.  I also believe that the right kind of stretching will have great benefits in injury prevention and performance. A large amount of the negative press is based off a 2008 running study that had different groups do specific stretches before running or not do the stretches.

I was actually asked to be a part of this study but declined, as I didn’t want to change anything in the year running up to the Olympic Trials.  The problem with this study is that they didn’t take into consideration the flexibility issues of each person. Different people and their respective muscle tensions, injury backgrounds, etc, need and will react differently to different stretching regiments.

Most recent articles do make a point of saying that dynamic warm-ups are now believed to do a better job of injury prevention.  This I do agree with, but in my opinion most of these are forms of stretching, there-by negating their eye-catching headline and confusing people.  I am a big fan of Active-Isolated stretching, especially before exercise and specifically for athletes who have had inflexibility and range of motion issues in the past.  The Wharton family is a big proponent of the current Active-Isolated movement.

I started working with the Whartons in 2002 and within weeks of starting their routine had seen dramatic increases in range of motion. I recommend their book (found on that site) to anybody who is interested and Phil Wharton is currently living in the Washington DC area and available for individual or group sessions.  We are working on getting him in for a stretch clinic at Mint.

My point in all this is that stretching is something that should not be avoided; rather certain types of stretches should be avoided at certain times.  One of our great trainers, Pilates or Yoga instructors here at Mint can help you figure out which style stretching is most applicable to you personally and which exercises you should avoid.

Thanks, Sean

December 21st, 2011 / Health & Wellness

Finding time to take a break, or a ‘retreat’ from the hectic pace of life has been something that’s been on my mind for awhile. I’ve started, stopped, started again and stopped many practices I thought might ease the stresses of my schedule.  A couple years ago it got a bit more complicated as I began to shuttle back and forth between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD –where I live. Juggling my role as a husband, a son, a brother, an employee, a manager, and board member can quickly take up much time, so much so, I almost forget about my own needs.

I have committed to playing soccer a couple days a week which has been great. It’s really helped to keep my stress levels down. I realize, however, I need more. I need more moments of mental clearing to not just help keep the stress levels low, but help me find the clarity as I deal and make smart decisions with navigating life’s changes and demands. (I’m taking a breath now…….).

They say the longer the winter the bigger the spring, AND,we can be sure that spring always comes.  How long does my rest need to be in order to have the largest impact on my life? There was an article in the New York Times earlier this month that I found fascinating –  It profiles a couple of individuals who are practicing ‘extreme retreats’, wherethey are removing themselves from everything, even people. They’ve returned from these retreats with awesome clarity and direction in life. Now, granted, retreats are nothing new. But reading the article was another signal to me about what’s possible when one does stop and truly take a rest.

I may not choose to embark on a 30 days silent retreat anytime soon, but my trust in the benefits that lengthy restprovides is surely growing. I’m a beginner at rest and retreats being strategic in my life. I think this will have to change.

December 7th, 2011 / Health & Wellness

“How do I feel today?”  When is the last time you asked yourself this?  When is the last time you stopped and took a “me moment”?

I used to wake up every morning and reach for my blackberry first thing.  Before even getting out of bed, I would already be anxious, trying to reconcile how I would fit as much into the day as I needed to.  I had forgotten about “me”, forgotten to take care of ”me”, forgotten “me” existed.  This posed a problem because I work in one of DC’s top health club and spa facilities and was not practicing what I preached.

Taking the advice of a dear friend, I started waking up earlier and taking a short stroll to clear my thoughts and think about ”me” before facing the world - this was the beginning of my “me moments”.  I now have a daily ”me workout moment” – which includes studio classes and Pilates sessions, which I look forward to ALL OF THE TIME!  What I had somehow lost track of amid my busy schedule was that without taking care of myself, what I have to contribute to my career, friends and family is diminished.  The solution was in front of me the whole time!

I encourage you to take advantage of all the opportunities for ”me moments” that are readily available to you at MINT – your club spa retreat. There are so many aids towards stress relief, recovery, and preventative maintenance provided just for you.  Have a “me strengthing moment” and take a personal training or Pilates session.  Perhaps give yourself a ”me nourishing moment” and speak with a Nutritionist.  Or even a ”me stress relief moment” by taking a yoga class and receiving a spa treatment.  However you may spend your “me moments”, be sure they are just for YOU.

Now…..how do you really feel today?

“Think it…Be it…Live it”    – Maria Smith

November 10th, 2011 / Health & Wellness

November is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month at MINT and it’s so important to bring awareness to this horrible health epidemic. Did you know that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, putting the young generations at risk for serious health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk for certain types of cancer. The answer lies in prevention. The First Lady is doing a lot of work on the national scale to reverse this trend and as a Dietitian I am part of the puzzle as well. We are counting on parents to promote healthy food consumption at home and snacks are often a good place to start.

Move over Iron Chef judges, children are definitely the toughest critics!  Not only do they want something that tastes good, but it has to be interesting looking or interactive in some way to keep their interest. Below is a list of some healthy snack ideas for kids and I encourage parents to involve the children in the preparation/cooking process. Their taste buds and their waste lines will thank you!

15 Healthy Snacks for Kids

1. Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze.

2. Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins. Enjoy your “ants on a log.”

3. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.

4. Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and add sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.

5. Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.

6. Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks.

7. Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for thirty seconds for a delicious smoothie.

8. Sprinkle grated Monterey Jack cheese over a corn tortilla; fold in half and microwave for twenty seconds. Top with salsa.

9. Mix together peanut butter and cornflakes in a bowl. Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.

10. Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt.

11. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on hot popcorn.

12. Sandwich Cut-Outs: Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Cut out your favorite shape using a big cookie cutter. Eat the fun shape and the edges, too!

13. Mini Pizza: Toast an English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.

14. Inside-Out Sandwich: Spread mustard on a slice of deli turkey. Wrap around a sesame breadstick.

15. Parfait: Layer vanilla yogurt and mandarin oranges or blueberries in a tall glass. Sprinkle with granola.

References:

CDC- http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm

ADA- www.eatright.org

November 4th, 2011 / Health & Wellness, Workouts

What are the benefits of doing bodyweight training vs. machine-based training? Here’s an article from Women’s Health that I really liked!  It takes a look at 10 exercises and explains the value for both safety and fitness of taking a bodyweight approach vs. using a fixed motion machine.

Doing bodyweight exercises correctly also helps you establish movement patterns that benefit you in many areas of your life. The movements are natural and make sense.  Enjoy!

Train Better: 10 Exercise Machines to Avoid

By Stephen Perrine with Leah Flickinger and the Editors of Women’s Health

Seated Leg Extension Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train the quadriceps.

What it actually does: It strengthens a motion your legs aren’t actually designed to do, and can put undue strain on the ligaments and tendons surrounding the kneecaps.

A better exercise: One-Legged Body-Weight Squats

Lift one leg up and bend the opposite knee, dipping as far as you can, with control, while flexing at the hip, knee, and ankle. Use a rail for support until you develop requisite leg strength and balance. Aim for five to 10 reps on each leg. (If you are susceptible to knee pain, do the Bulgarian split squat instead, resting the top of one foot on a bench positioned two to three feet behind you. Descend until your thigh is parallel to the ground and then stand back up. Do five to 10 reps per leg.)

Seated Shoulder Press Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train shoulders and triceps.

What it actually does: Overhead pressing can put shoulder joints in vulnerable biomechanical positions. It puts undue stress on the shoulders, and the movement doesn’t let you use your hips to assist your shoulders, which is the natural way to push something overhead.

A better exercise: Medicine-Ball Throws

Stand three feet from a concrete wall; bounce a rubber medicine ball off a spot on the wall four feet above your head, squatting to catch the ball and rising to throw it upward in one continuous motion. Aim for 15 to 20 reps. Alternative: Standing alternate dumbbell presses. As you push the right dumbbell overhead, shift the right hip forward. Switch to the left side.

Seated Behind-the-Neck Lat Pull-Down Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train lats, upper back, and biceps.

What it actually does: Unless you have very flexible shoulders, it’s difficult to do correctly, so it can cause pinching in the shoulder joint and damage the rotator cuff.

A better exercise: Incline Pull-ups

Keeping your torso stiff, pull your chest to the bar 10 to 15 times. To make it harder, lower the bar; to make it easier, raise the bar.

Seated Chest Fly Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train chest and shoulders.

What it actually does: It can put the shoulder in an unstable position and place excessive stress on the shoulder joint and its connective tissue.

A better exercise: Incline Push-Ups

Aim for 15 to 20 reps. If this is too easy, progress to regular push-ups, and aim for five to eight reps.

Seated Hip Abductor Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train outer thighs.

What it actually does: Because you are seated, it trains a movement that has no functional use. If done with excessive weight and jerky technique, it can put undue pressure on the spine.

A better exercise: Lateral Band Walks

Place a heavy, short, looped resistance band around your legs (at your ankles); sidestep out 20 paces and back with control. This is much harder than it sounds.

Seated Rotation Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train abdominals and obliques.

What it actually does: Because the pelvis doesn’t move with the chest, this exercise can put excessive twisting forces on the spine.

A better exercise: Cable Wood Chop

Let your heels turn freely with your torso. Aim for 10 to 12 reps.

Seated Leg Press Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.

What it actually does: It often forces the spine to flex without engaging any of the necessary stabilization muscles of the hips, glutes, shoulders, and lower back.

A better exercise: Body-Weight Squats Bischoff, Beth

Focus on descending with control as far as you can without rounding your lower back. Aim for 15 to 20 for a set and increase sets as you develop strength.

Smith Machine Squats
What it’s supposed to do: Train chest, biceps, and legs.

What it actually does: The alignment of the machine—the bar is attached to a vertical sliding track—makes for linear, not natural, arched movements. This puts stress on the knees, shoulders, and lower back.

A better exercise: Body-Weight Squats

Focus on descending with control as far as you can without rounding your lower back. Aim for 15 to 20 for a set and increase sets as you develop strength.

Roman Chair Back Extension Machine
What it’s supposed to do: Train spinal erectors.

What it actually does: Repeatedly flexing the back while it’s supporting weight places pressure on the spine and increases the risk of damaging your disks.

A better exercise: The Bird-Dog

Crouch on all fours, extend your right arm forward, and extend left leg backward. Do 10 seven-second reps, and then switch to the opposite side.

Roman Chair Sit-up
What it’s supposed to do: Train abdominals and hip flexors.

What it actually does: The crunching motion can put undue stress on the lower back when it is in a vulnerable rounded position.

A better exercise: The Plank

Lie facedown on the floor. Prop up on your forearms, palms down. Rise up on your toes. Keep your back flat and contract your glutes, abdominals, and lats to keep your butt from sticking up. Hold this pose for 20 to 60 seconds.