Healthy Living Fall Issue

Brad Thompson Certified Personal Trainer

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Tony Magden

Owner, Certified Personal Trainer

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ony has been involved in athletics and fitness for the majority of his life. He grew up competing in a variety of sports and was an NAIA All American Swimmer during his four years at Linfield College, where he earned a degree in Business and Physical Education. With more than 20 years of experience in athletic training, he has worked with a wide range of individuals with varying fitness abilities. Tony’s background includes providing one-on-one personal training and teaching group classes, training and developing swimmers at all levels as the head coach of Hillsboro Heat Swim Team and the Weight Room/Aquatics Manager of the NIKE World Campus fitness facilities. Tony has an abundance of energy and passion to assist in helping an individual achieve their goals. Tony understands the value and importance of physical fitness to improve one’s overall quality of life. Fitness Together has given him the chance to operate a studio that will help change his clients’ lives for the better.

Jason Ronnow

Kathy Betts

Certified Personal Trainer

Certified Personal Trainer

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ason graduated from Clark College earning his degree in Fitness Training in 2008.

After 10 plus years in Restaurant/Retail management, Jason chose to turn his passion for health and fitness into a career. Before starting with FT in 2010, Jason worked as a rehab aide assisting Physical/Occupational therapists in treating patients in a long term care facility. Jason’s personal philosophy on fitness is that you are never too old to change your life. “Whether you want to train for your first 5K, or you just want a better quality of life, I can help you reach your goals.” Jason enjoys music, nutrition, his nieces and nephews, and a variety of sports.

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rad grew up playing sports including Baseball, Cross Country and Track.

After graduating high school Brad moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting where he began working on many stunt projects.

However, he knew that to be an actor one must have a flexible schedule, as casting calls are last minute; so Brad pursued other ways “to pay the bills.” Brad loved training and he knew he could control his schedule. He attained a personal training certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and quickly knew personal training was the career for him. Brad had no problem saying goodbye to acting. He started in the traditional gym environment and quickly discovered a passion for working with injury prevention and exercise rehabilitation clients.

This passion led him to work for Malibu’s Biggest Loser Resort where he trained 50-60 new clients a week teaching fitness, nutrition, and weight loss lectures. Brad recently moved back to Portland and is probably the first person to leave Malibu because of the weather, “I missed the Rain!”

athy graduated with a degree in Exercise Science from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

She grew up playing a variety of sports (soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, golf and cross country) and went on to play NAIA Division II soccer and softball at the collegiate level. Kathy enjoys staying active by biking, hiking, kayaking, playing tennis and soccer.

“You have to pursue a healthy lifestyle!”

She believes in keeping yourself healthy both physically and mentally. “One of our greatest blessings is our health, and we need to treat our bodies with respect.”

She is certified through ACE and her favorite part of her job is helping clients reach their fitness goals.

“I started looking around and found FT, and haven’t looked back!!”

Check out Joni Pauly’s Q&A on page 9

CALL TODAY 503.928.8008

7417 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. Ste. 500 • Portland, OR 97225

www.fitnesstogether.com/or

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magine two women you know: One is your model of fitness success (she clearly knows how to slim down correctly and has the body to show for it), and the other is what you fear. This friend has her heart in the right place, but no matter how hard she works, she still struggles with the process and doesn’t have the body she wants.

The troubling part is that when you talk to both, they share a common approach: 1. They eat meals that focus on lean protein and vegetables.

2. They exercise at least three times per week, focusing on both weights and cardio.

3. They know which foods are truly healthy and which they need to limitand they do.

And yet one friend-the one who continues to struggle-can’t maintain her focus. She has trouble controlling her hunger, always craves sweets, and, despite her biggest efforts in the gym, she doesn’t seem to achieve the same results as someone else following the same program.

The problem might seem obvious at first. After all, one woman strays from her diet more than the other. And if exercise “isn’t working,” it probably means she just doesn’t really know how to train.

Maybe it’s genetics. Maybe she’s lazy or lacks willpower. Or maybe, diet or exercise isn’t the real problem.

Sl e e p Co n t ro l s Yo u r Di et The debate about the best way to achieve a healthy weight always revolves around eating and movement. If you want to look better, the most common suggestion is “eat less and move more.” But it’s not that simple, or even accurate. Sometimes you want to eat less and move more, but it seems impossible to do so. And there might be a good reason: Between living your life, working, and exercising, you’re forgetting to sleep enough. Or maybe, more importantly, you don’t realize that sleep is the key to being rewarded

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for your diet and fitness efforts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 35 percent of people are sleep deprived. And when you consider that the statistic for obesity is nearly identical, it’s easy to connect the dots and discover that the connection is not a coincidence.

Not sleeping enough-less than seven hours of sleep per night-can reduce and undo the benefits of dieting, according to research published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine. In the study, dieters were put on different sleep schedules. When their bodies received adequate rest, half of the weight they lost was from fat. However when they cut back on sleep, the amount of fat lost was cut in half-even though they were on the same diet. What’s more, they felt significantly hungrier, were less satisfied after meals, and lacked energy to exercise. Overall, those on a sleep-deprived diet experienced a 55 percent reduction in fat loss compared to their wellrested counterparts.

Po or Sle ep Changes Your Fat Cells Think about the last time you had a bad night of sleep. How did you feel when you woke up? Exhausted. Dazed. Confused. Maybe even a little grumpy? It’s not just your brain and body that feel that way-your fat cells do too. When your body is sleep deprived, it suffers from “metabolic grogginess.” The term was coined by University of Chicago researchers who analyzed what happened after just four days of poor sleep-something that commonly happens during a busy week. One late night at work leads to two late nights at home, and next thing you know, you’re in sleep debt.

But it’s just four nights, so how bad could it be? You might be able to cope just fine. After all, coffee does wonders. But the hormones that control your fat cells don’t feel the same way.

Within just four days of sleep deprivation, your body’s ability to properly use insulin (the master storage hormone) becomes completely disrupted.

In fact, the University of Chicago researchers found that insulin sensitivity dropped by more than 30 percent.

Here’s why that’s bad: When your insulin is functioning well, fat cells remove fatty acids and lipids from your blood stream and prevent storage. When you become more insulin resistant, fats (lipids) circulate in your blood and pump out more insulin. Eventually this excess insulin ends up storing fat in all the wrong places, such as tissues like your liver.

B E N E F ITS O F SLEEP

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And this is exactly how you become fat and suffer from diseases like diabetes.

Lack of Rest Makes You Crave Fo od Many people believe that hunger is related to willpower and learning to control the call of your stomach, but that’s incorrect. Hunger is controlled by two hormones: leptin and ghrelin.

Leptin is a hormone that is produced in your fat cells. The less leptin you produce, the more your stomach feels empty. The more ghrelin you produce, the more you stimulate hunger while also reducing the amount of calories you burn (your metabolism), and increasing the amount of fat you store. In other words, you need to control leptin and ghrelin to successfully lose weight, but sleep deprivation makes that nearly impossible.

Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinoloy and Metabolism found that sleeping less than six hours triggers the area of your brain that increases your need for food while also depressing leptin and stimulating ghrelin.

If that’s not enough, the scientists discovered exactly how sleep loss creates an internal battle that makes it nearly impossible to lose weight. When you don’t sleep enough, your cortisol levels rise. This is the stress hormone that is frequently associated with fat gain. Cortisol also activates reward centers in your brain that make you want food. At the same time, the loss of sleep causes your body to produce more ghrelin. A combination of high ghrelin and cortisol shut down the areas of your brain that leave you feeling satisfied after a meal, meaning you feel hungry all the time-even if you just ate a big meal.

And it gets worse. Lack of sleep also pushes you in the direction of the foods you know you shouldn’t eat. A study published in Nature Communications found that just one night of sleep deprivation was enough to impair activity in your frontal lobe, which

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controls complex decision-making. Ever had a conversation like this? “I really shouldn’t have that extra piece of cake… then again, one slice won’t really hurt, right?”

Turns out, sleep deprivation is a little like being drunk. You just don’t have the mental clarity to make good complex decisions, specifically with regards to the foods you eat-or foods you want to avoid. This isn’t helped by the fact that when you’re overtired, you also have increased activity in the amygdala, the reward region of your brain. This is why sleep deprivation destroys all diets; think of the amygdala as mind control-it makes you crave high-calorie foods.

Normally you might be able to fight off this desire, but because your insular cortex (another portion of your brain) is weakened due to sleep deprivation, you have trouble fighting the urge and are more likely to indulge in all the wrong foods.

And if all that wasn’t enough, research published in Psychoneuroendocrinology found that sleep deprivation makes you select greater portion sizes of all foods, further increasing the likelihood of weight gain.

The bottom line: Not enough sleep means you’re always hungry, reaching for bigger portions, and desiring every type of food that is bad for you-and you don’t have the proper brain functioning to tell yourself, “No!”

Sle ep Sabotages Gym Time Unfortunately, the disastrous impact spreads beyond diet and into your workouts. No matter what your fitness goals are, having some muscle on your body is important. Muscle is the enemy of fat-it helps you burn fat and stay young. But sleep (or lack thereof) is the enemy of muscle. Scientists from Brazil found that sleep debt decreases protein synthesis (your body’s ability to make muscle), causes muscle loss, and can lead to a higher incidence of injuries.

Just as important, lack of sleep makes

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I M PR OV ED I M M U N E S YS T E M

it harder for your body to recover from exercise by slowing down the production of growth hormone-your natural source of anti-aging and fat burning that also facilitates recovery. This happens in two different ways: 1. Poor sleep means less slow wave sleep, which is when the most growth hormone is released.

2. As previously mentioned, a poor night of rest increases the stress hormone cortisol, which slows down the production of growth hormone. That means that the already reduced production of growth hormone due to lack of slow wave sleep is further reduced by more cortisol in your system. It’s a vicious cycle.If you’re someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy exercise, not prioritizing sleep is like getting a physical examine with your father-in-law as the investigating physician: It will make something you don’t particularly enjoy almost unbearable.

When you’re suffering from sleep debt, everything you do feels more challenging, specifically your workouts.

The Better Health Secret: Prioritize Sle ep The connection between sleep and weight gain is hard to ignore. Research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who are sleep deprived are a third more likely to gain 33 pounds over the next 16 years than those who receive just seven hours of sleep per night. And with all of the connections to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, and cognitive failure, the need to sleep goes far beyond just looking better and seeing results from your diet and exercise efforts.

While there’s no hard number that applies to all people, a good rule of thumb is to receive between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, and to make sure that one poor night of sleep isn’t followed up with a few more. It might not seem like much, but it could make all the difference and mean more than any other health decision you make.

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COMMON FOOD MISCONCEPTIONS Sorting out fact from fiction

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irst we are told to avoid fat, now we are told to eat fat—just make sure it’s the “good” kind. Eggs are full of cholesterol and cause heart disease, but no, wait, eggs are healthy and don’t cause heart disease…Oh boy, nutrition advice can definitely be confusing! This situation is most likely due to the endless contradictory nutrition messages that bombard the airwaves, all from purported nutrition “experts.” What’s a health conscious person to believe? Here are 5 common food misconceptions and the real truth behind the hype: FOOD MISCONCEPTION #1: ALL FATS ARE OKAY. It’s time for an oil change in this country. Considering that heart disease is the #1 killer of American men and women, it would behoove all of us to eat a heart healthy diet. This means avoiding the arteryclogging fats whenever possible—saturated fat, dietary cholesterol and trans fat (found in butter, cheese, tropical oils and some processed foods). Make extra virgin olive oil your main fat and add in the omega-3 fats from plants (flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts) and fish (salmon, halibut, tuna).

is “moderate” egg consumption—meaning up to one a day. However, make no mistake about it, egg yolks are chock full of dietary cholesterol. (The average egg contains about 220 mg.) The government recommends that for those individuals interested in lowering their LDL or “bad” cholesterol via dietary means, they should restrict cholesterol intake to a max of 200 mg/day. One egg and you are over the top. Why not chuck the yolks and eat all the egg whites you want (at a mere 15 calorie per white and a great source of high quality protein—they make a tasty snack).

FOOD MISCONCEPTION #3: BETTER TO AVOID EATING FISH BECAUSE OF THE MERCURY. The American Heart Association recommends that all Americans strive to eat at least two fatty fish meals per week for better heart health. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a major health concern as the health risks of not eating fish far outweigh the risk of mercury toxicity. That said, here is what you need to know: • Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish contain the highest levels of mercury—so eat these fish sparingly.

• Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are: shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

FOOD MISCONCEPTION #2: EGGS ARE OKAY TO EAT WITHOUT RESTRICTION. Eggs are a highly nutritious food containing protein, vitamins B12, D, riboflavin, and folate. If you are healthy and not at risk for heart disease, the current recommendation

• Another commonly eaten fish, albacore (“white”) tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your

by Dr. Janet Brill

two meals of fish and shellfish, you should only eat up to 6 ounces of albacore tuna per week.

FOOD MISCONCEPTION #4: CHEESE IS A HEALTHY SOURCE OF PROTEIN. Cheese is the chief source of saturated fat in the American diet (an ounce of full fat cheese contains as much saturated fat as a glass of whole milk). Cheese can also be extremely high in sodium and the yummy full-fat kind is clearly far from a “lean” source of protein.

These negative stats have not stopped us from chowing down on our cheese! In fact, Americans now eat an average of 33 pounds of cheese a year, nearly triple the 1970 rate.

On the plus side, cheese is a great source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Your best strategy is to look for low-fat (such as reduced fat versions of Parmesan, grated Romano and part-skim mozzarella) and lower-sodium versions. If this strategy isn’t in the cards, then stick to your full-fat favorites, but just consume highly flavorful ones in very small amounts or as an accent to your dishes.

FOOD MISCONCEPTION #5: A SALAD IS A HEALTHY LOW CALORIE DIET FOOD. You might think that ordering a salad or dining at the salad bar is your healthiest option but that is not necessarily true. Consider this, a chicken Caesar salad at Chili’s (loaded with salad dressing, croutons, cheese, and chicken) clocks in at an astounding 1,010 calories and 76 grams of fat! So what makes a diet-friendly salad? For

HEALTHY DRINK OPTIONS ALMOND MILK

Choosing the wrong drinks to replenish during the day can reverse the effects of a good workout and cancel out all of your hard work.

Here are some healthy options to help when you’re feeling parched.

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COCONUT WATER

1% MILK

V8

WATER

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Be sure to choose the low sodium option!

Arugula Salad with Salted Sockeye Salmon INGREDIENTS • 1.5lbs wild-caught sockeye salmon • fine sea salt • 5oz organic baby arugula • 1 cup purple cabbage, chopped • fresh curly parsley • olive oil, to taste • coarse ground black pepper, to taste • 1 lemon • 1-2 teaspoons capers

DIRECTIONS 1. Slice salmon. With a heavy hand, season each slice with fine sea salt.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and cook slices for 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked to desired doneness.

3. Add arugula, purple cabbage, fresh parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Squeeze half of the lemon’s juice and drizzle olive oil on top, then toss to mix.

4. Spread salad across two plates and top with grilled salmon.

5. Slice the remaining half of lemon and garnish each plate with a fresh lemon slice, a sprinkling of capers across each plate and additional parsley. Serve. source: http://paleoporn.net/

a healthy salad, think COLOR and plain.

Start with a variety of colorful veggies, fruits, beans, and mixed greens. Opt for dark leafy greens like arugula, spinach, and red leaf lettuce in lieu of iceberg lettuce. (The darker the leaf, the more nutrition it has.) Add a small amount of low-fat cheese or another lean protein like beans or hard-cooked egg whites. Top off your salad with a small amount of avocado or chopped nuts to add some healthy fat.

Don’t drown your salad in dressing—salad dressing can pile on the calories quickly so order your salad dressing on the side, then just dip your fork into the dressing before you dig into each forkful of salad.

The take away message is to rely on information disseminated by nutrition professionals and make sure that the conclusions are from findings from groups of studies rather than a single study. A registered dietitian/nutritionist is the true

expert on food and nutrition topics and should be your primary source of trusted nutrition information. A Fitness Together trainer can help you sort out nutrition facts from fiction by getting your questions answered from a registered dietitian/ nutritionist. He or she will also develop an exercise program designed to meet your specific needs. You’ll receive nutritional counseling through the dietitian-designed Nutrition Together program, which will complement your workouts.

FISH 101

Fish is a good source of protein and, unlike fatty meat products, it’s not high in saturated fat. Fish is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people and those at high risk of — or who have — cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids decrease risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), which can lead to sudden cardiac death. Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease triglyceride levels, slow the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque and lower blood pressure (slightly).

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which have demonstrated benefits at reducing heart disease. Enjoy fish baked or grilled, not fried. Choose low-sodium, low-fat seasonings such as spices, herbs, lemon juice and other flavorings in cooking and at the table.

Health Benefits of Arugula

• With very few calories and tons of flavor it is a great green to help maintain a healthy weight without sacrificing great tasting foods!

• Arugula is a rich source of certain phytochemicals that have been shown to combat cancer-causing elements in the body. Arugula is also a great source of folic acid and Vitamins A, C and K. As one of the best vegetable sources of Vitamin K, arugula provides a boost for bone and brain health.

• Arugula has an array of minerals and high levels of Iron and Copper, making it a good substitute for spinach if you’re paying attention to getting more vegetable-based iron in your diet.

• Its peppery flavor provides a natural cooling effect on the body – a good food for hot weather picnics!

• Like other leafy greens, arugula is also a hydrating food, helping to keep your body hydrated in the heat of summer.

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Quinoa Minestrone Soup

HEALTH BENEFITS OF QUINOA

Quinoa is high in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, which make it potentially beneficial for human health in the prevention and treatment of disease.

Quinoa contains small amounts of the heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and, in comparison to common cereal grasses, has a higher content of monounsaturated fat.

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n a large pot, add the olive oil, garlic, and onion and cook on medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add the yellow squash, zucchini, celery, carrots, tomatoes, oregano, basil, and black pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Add the kidney beans, navy beans, chopped tomatoes, spinach, and broth and continue to cook soup on medium heat. In a small pot, add the quinoa and water. Cook the quinoa until a boil then reduce heat to a simmer until the quinoa absorbs all the water.

Add the quinoa to the soup. Cook soup for another 10 minutes or until ready to serve.

Optional: Sprinkle individual servings with parmesan and Asiago cheese.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: Food weight: 1.5, Calorie: 155 cal, Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Carbohydrate: 28 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Protein: 8 g, Sodium: 385 mg

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Gluten Free & Dairy-Free Vegetarian Soup!

Ingredients

Yield: 12 cups (1 cup= 1 serving) • 1 Tablespoon of olive oil • 4 cloves of garlic, minced • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped • 1 medium yellow squash, chopped • 1 medium zucchini, chopped • 2 stalks of celery, chopped • 20 baby carrots, chopped • 2 cups of yellow corn kernels • 2 cups of tomatoes, diced • 2 Tablespoons of dried oregano • 2 Tablespoons of dried basil • ½ Tablespoon of black pepper • 1-15 oz can of kidney beans • 1-15 oz can of navy beans • 1-28 oz can of chopped tomatoes with no added salt • 2 cups of fresh spinach • 4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth • 1 cup of quinoa, uncooked • 2 cups of water • Optional: shredded parmesan and asiago cheese

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The trainers encourage me to reach my goals and push me in healthy manner.

Q What was keeping you from working out with a Personal Trainer before?

A I was focusing on my family, and forgot to care for my health.

Q What has kept you from accomplishing your fitness and wellness goals in the past?

A I was busy being a wife and mom, and didn’t make time for myself…But, when I could barely bend over to tie my shoes, I knew this was bad, and that I needed to do something. So, I started looking around and found FT, and haven’t looked back!!

Q What is your favorite thing about working with Fitness Together?

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Q&A A The personal training makes me feel like the number one priority.

I don’t even have to count my reps! I feel that the trainers truly care about health and wellness.

Q What were your biggest fears before getting started?

A I was not healthy and didn’t know if I could do it. I always had this thought in the back of my mind; “Someday, I want to do a Tri-Athlon.” I also started thinking of how important it is to be around and HEALTHY for the next phase of my family.

Q What is it about Fitness Together that makes it a great fit for you?

A The trainers encourage me to reach my goals and push me in a healthy manner. I just completed my first Tri-Athlon and know the training I received at FT helped achieve this amazing goal!! Thank you, FT!!

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6 Types of Mushrooms and Their Health Benefits

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here are many types of mushrooms that offer a long list of health benefits. Mushrooms are an odd looking group that goes by the name of fungi, pronounced fun gee or fun guy. Essentially it is neither a plant nor an animal; it is a fungus, hence the group name. Although mushrooms may not be a number one menu favorite, you may think twice about pushing them aside during your next encounter.

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(1) White Mushroom for Weight Loss and Prostate Cancer Prevention. The white mushroom has a special carbohydrate that stokes the metabolic fire and maintains blood sugar levels. (2) Shitake Can Fight Tumors– These flavorful, meaty mushrooms contain lentinan which is a natural anti-tumor compound.

(3) Porcini for Anti-Inflammation– This meaty mushroom has been used as a successful anti-inflammatory. It contains the compound ergosterol which is capable of cytotoxicity, the process of attacking enemy cells. (4) Chantrelle The Other Anti ‘Shroom – This mushroom has been associated with antimicrobial, bacterial and fungal properties. They are also high in vitamin C, D and potassium. (5) Oyster for HIV – Oyster mushrooms are being studied as a possible defense against HIV. Due to its high anti-oxidant compounds, these mushrooms can be a life saving ingredient. (6) Maitake for Breast Cancer – A half of a cup per day of maitake mushrooms is said to be able to sweep the system, find abnormal cells and cause them to self-destruct.

Don’t Bust Your Gut: Avoiding the Holiday Waistline Bulge

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EATBREAKFASTLIGHTENUPPOLICEYOURPORTIONSGETACTIVE Thanksgiving does not have to sabotage your weight, experts say. With a little know-how, you can satisfy your desire for traditional favorites and still enjoy a guilt-free Thanksgiving feast. After all, being stuffed is a good idea only if you are a turkey! Source: www.webmd.com

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pt for a Trot Rather Than a Plop. Instead of sitting in the kitchen snacking as the holiday meal bakes in the oven or sitting in front of the television all day watching football, spend quality time with your family by getting outside and being active together.

Thanksgiving day fitness events like turkey trots and boot camps are becoming popular traditions in communities all around the country so families can enjoy being active before sitting down for their holiday dinner.

And, this time of year offers many fun, family-friendly winter outdoor activities such as local run/walks, skiing and hiking.

Spend your holiday weekends being active outside as much as possible to burn more calories and build fun family traditions. “The holidays provide a great opportunity to spend time with your family.”

Simple, Delicious &

Spinach, Apple and Walnut Salad Healthy Option!

This nutritious salad makes it simple to get some nutrient-packed spinach, apples and nuts into your day!

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 servings

Dressing: • ¼ cup red wine vinegar • ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar • Juice from 1 lemon • Dash pepper • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • ¼ cup 100 percent pure maple syrup • ¼ cup canola oil

Directions: For the salad: Preheat a toaster oven to 350ºF. Spread walnuts on an aluminum foil covered baking pan. Toast walnuts in a toaster oven for approximately three minutes, shaking pan occasionally to prevent scorching. Place spinach, apple slices and walnuts in a salad bowl and toss. Serve salad in salad bowls and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon gorgonzola cheese and 1 tablespoon dressing and serve.

For the dressing: In a food processor, process all ingredients except oil until blended. Slowly pour oil into food processor, pulsing until well blended. Chill until serving salad.

Salad: • 6 cups organic baby spinach leaves • 1 green apple, cored and thinly sliced • 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced • ½ cup chopped walnuts • 4 teaspoons gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

What is Suspension Training?

The field of suspension training is a form of resistance training that includes bodyweight exercises in which a variety of multi-planar, compound exercise movements can be performed. These are done with the aim of developing strength, balance, flexibility, and joint stability simultaneously.

Suspension training develops physical strength while using functional movements and dynamic positions.

At Fitness Together, we incorporate suspension training. Please give us a call if you have any questions.

5 Benefits:

Sumo Squat

(1) Core Stability (2) Balance and Coordination (3) Body Weight Training (4) Great For Most Levels (5) Helps Rehab an injury

Squat Jump

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Kelly Donahue’s

Weight Loss Success Story

“I knew in my heart Fitness Together was the answer.“

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t was the fall of 2011 and I had just found out that my brother was getting married. What’s the first thing that came to my mind? Oh wow I really need to lose weight! This was a pretty normal reaction for me. Ever since I can remember my weight had been the driving force in the decisions I would make.

Unfortunately, those decisions held me back from trying new things, meeting new people and ultimately enjoying life.

Once the wedding date was set I decided it was time to get serious about getting in shape. Over the past ten or so years I had tried everything to lose weight. My plan would always work great for the first few weeks, but I would eventually lose my motivation and revert back to my old eating habits and inactive ways.

I knew if I went that same route I would fail again, so I decided to go a different route: Personal Training.

Tualatin Valley Edition July 2012

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How did I find Fitness Together?

Honestly, I just Google searched “Personal Trainers in Portland Oregon” and Fitness Together was on the top

of the result list. Their website was inviting, so I decided to give them a call. Going in for my first selfassessment I was nervous, but very excited. I knew in my heart this was the answer.

Even to this day, a year later, I am still amazed at how great my experience has been and how great the trainers are. It has all been such an amazing experience.

I put all my trust in the trainers and they have yet to fail me. I could go on and on about how great they are, but ultimately what really proves it is the results I have achieved. I never in my life thought I would feel this good about my appearance and have the confidence that I have.

It has been a life changing experience.

BEFORE

Eating Organic: Tony Magden, Owner

& Certified Personal Trainer

Where should I start strength training if I’m intimidated by weights?

A:

If you are intimidated by weights, you should start training with a personal trainer who you feel comfortable with. They will teach you proper form, which is most important, as well as exercises for all your muscle groups. Before long you will feel comfortable. And if I did my job right, I will have taught you enough to do the workouts on your own.

What are some good exercises to help get me ready for ski season?

A:

Skiing requires a great deal of balance and coordination.

Muscle fibers are firing off at a rapid rate, and if you don’t prepare the central nervous system it can’t catch up to the speed of the movements. So, when preparing to ski, think S-B-P-T: Stability, Balance, Power, and Transverse movements.

For stability and balance, you want to perform movements such as the Ice Skater and Front Lunge to strengthen balance in your legs.

Progress to tranverse-rotation movements with your front lunge to improve mobility of your hip. For power, perform TRX Jump Squats and TRX Crossing Balance Lunge.

Does It Really Matter?

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rganic labels are populating every aisle of the grocery store these days, making options to eat chemically free a lot more available than they used to be. But with so many organic options out there, it’s important to consider what eating organic actually means and when it’s more advisable to pick organic foods over traditional options.

To help streamline your grocery shopping trips, the following guidelines can point you in the right direction to start making healthier organic choices for you and your family.

Eating organic is a better choice because nourishment for the body comes from foods grown the way nature intended.

When too many pesticides are in our bodies, it can contribute to the cause of cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity or hormone disruption.

We recommend that you purchase the following organic products: Apples, Strawberries, Grapes, Celery, Peaches, Spinach, Sweet Bell Peppers, Nectarines, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, & Hot Peppers

What’s a good fitness themed holiday gift?

A: There’s no better gift than the gift of health and fitness. A gift

certificate for personal training can be a very meaningful gift to give a close friend, significant other, or even a business partner who has talked about starting a fitness program but has never taken the step forward to commit. Giving the gift of personal training is priceless and can change someone’s life forever! | © 2014

| HealthY LIVING |

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