I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas day filled with family, friends and happiness! There are only a few days left in 2016. It has been a really busy ending to the year, and I am taking time this week to slow down a little bit, reflect on this past year and make a rockin plan for 2017! What were my wins, what were my losses, what have I learned, what worked really well, what do I want to change??? Although there are many more, those are some of the questions that will help set a plan for 2017!!!!

At the end of the day most of us want something similar in life…happiness!!! What creates that ultimate happiness is different for each of us, and discovering what makes you truly happy is often a journey of experiences, successes, failure, perspective and can change depending on where you are in life.

One of the things that I really enjoy doing is listening to audibles–books, podcasts, etc. Choosing positive material and mentors to listen to help keep my mind moving in the right direction and assist me in areas where, and at times when, I feel stuck. I don’t always get to listen as often as I would like, but I try to hit a book each month and a few shorter podcasts every month. The great thing about audibles is that I can listen in the car, while I’m working out, when I’m cleaning up the house etc.  

One of the books that I listened to this past year was The Power of ONE.   There was a key point in this book that served  as a reminder to me throughout the year and from the title it is not too hard to figure out what it is. “What is the ONE thing that I need to do today that will help everything else fall into place and get the ball rolling???”  What ONE thing will make everything else a little easier???? When I am struggling with my task list I go to that question. I have found that when I fill my list and agenda with so many things it is easy to feel like a hamster on a wheel running in circles. Starting with ONE thing can make it a lot more manageable and often lead us to a road of success. The challenging part is sometimes figuring out what that ONE thing is! 

Sometimes I get asked, How do you get so much done??? I struggle with it just like the next person, but most often it is a matter of choices and prioritizing. When I choose to get certain things done there are definitely things that I have to choose not to get done. The busier life is the more important those choices of what to do and what not to do become.

So as I set up 2017 I ask myself what is that one thing that I need to make sure that I have in my day to set everything else in motion?!?! You guessed it, at the top of the list, FITNESS!!  I know what you are thinking!! Of course I would say that, I own a fitness studio!!! But the truth is that ONE thing has been a part of my life long before I owned a fitness studio, coached fitness classes, became a personal trainer or had any involvement in the fitness industry. As a matter of fact my belief in that ONE thing and it’s ability to make a true difference in my own life and others is what led me down the path of fitness. For some, fitness may be a distinct goal in life, but for many fitness can serve as the fuel to feel good in life and live life to the fullest!!! When I start my day with fitness I have Better FOCUS, I’m in a Better MOOD, I have Better ENERGY, I EAT Better, I GET MORE DONE and I FEEL Better!!  There are days when I don’t feel like working out, but it is a no brainer. When I do it I am far more likely to set myself up for a successful day, a day where I feel happy, healthy and focused and less fearful!!! After that I can move on to that next ONE thing that will get the ball rolling or keep it rolling towards the most important things in my day and life.

So as 2016 is coming to an end and you start thinking about 2017 remember the importance of finding that ONE thing that can serve many important areas in your life! Don’t make a list that is too long!!! Remember that fitness can be the first step to adding FUEL FOR LIFE!!! FitHouse can and would love to help help you with that ONE thing!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for lots of excited things that we have planned at FitHouse for 2017 to keep your Mind and Body FUELED, HEALTHY and feeling it’s BEST!!!!

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******WEATHER WATCH********

Winter Weather has arrived!!! Please make sure to check your email or Facebook for any class cancellations due to inclement weather. Your fitness is important to us but so is everybody’s safety!!!!

***FOR YOUR SAFETY***

Please bring a change of shoes with you to prevent slippery floors! We want to keep the studio as clean as possible and prevent any unnecessary falls!

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THIS MONTH at FitHouse!!!

Bring in the New Year with US… 
STRONG, FIERCE, AND FIRED UP!

Join Christine and Lindsay for a SPECIAL New Year’s Eve workout with all of YOUR favorites as requested by YOU! Head over to our Facebook page to comment on the post if you didn’t let us know your favorites!!!!

Let’s end 2016 as STRONG as we started! 

We are one week away from Christmas!!! It was so great to celebrate the holiday season with so many of you this weekend at the FitHouse Party!!! It was a really fun night and wonderful to see everyone outside of the studio, laughing, connecting and having a good time!!!  The past several weeks have felt like a bit of a marathon and this week is the sprint to the finish line!!! It’s easy to let stress build up this time of year!! One thing that I always remind myself is that the important things will get done….they always do year after year!!!!  Decide what is truly important to you this week and focus on those things! Don’t let this week get the best of you!!!!

Santa DID make a special stop at FitHouse for all of our members so make sure to stop by FitHouse for yours and of course some sweat and energy too!!! You never regret it!!!

Let’s have a great week!!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM FITHO– USE!

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******WEATHER WATCH********

Winter Weather has arrived!!! Please make sure to check your email or Facebook for any class cancellations due to inclement weather. Your fitness is important to us but so is everybody’s safety!!!!

***FOR YOUR SAFETY***

Please bring a change of shoes with you to prevent slippery floors! We want to keep the studio as clean as possible and prevent any unnecessary falls!

Yes, it’s cookie season! Chocolate chip, crumbly oatmeal, brownies, Snicker Doodles, butter cookies, eat-me-don’t-walk-by-my-mom-made-these-you-must-have-one cookies. Sugar and sweets are everywhere during the holidays.

It’s one cookie today, one tomorrow. However, it’s not only calories you are wracking up but it’s also your hormonal health that may suffer. Ever heard about the sugar crash?

What sugar does to the body.

Let me remind you how it all works, glucose comes from carbohydrate foods. It is the main source of energy used by the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body’s cells use the glucose. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and released into the blood when the amount of glucose in the blood rises. When your pancreas detects a rush of sugar, it releases a hormone called insulin to deal with all of that excess sugar. Insulin helps regulate that level of sugar in our blood; the more sugar in the blood stream, the more insulin is released.  Insulin helps store all of this glucose in the liver and muscles as glycogen and in fat cells (aka adipocytes stored as triglycerides).

Here is the problem: Our body often struggles to find the right balance since we are putting in a large amounts of sugar in our system. When too much insulin is released, blood sugar drops below normal levels. There you have it, sugar crash!!!!   What happens next, your body wants to level out the insulin level again so it starts to want more what? SUGAR! You guessed it. That’s why you can’t just have one cookie…

A few little tips to help control the cookie monster!!!!

1. Make sure to have healthy snacks on hand.
2. Eat nutritious, satisfying meals!!!
3. Get Sleep!!! Being tired will make it a lot harder to resist sugar as a matter of fact it makes your body crave it!
4. Don’t skip your workouts! Workouts help to balance your hormones and keep cravings minimal

AND if you do have a cookie make sure it is your favorite!!!!

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******WEATHER WATCH********

Winter Weather has arrived!!! Please make sure to check your email or Facebook for any class cancellations due to inclement weather. Your fitness is important to us but so is everybody’s safety!!!!

Also please help to keep the studio clean by bringing a change of shoes for class on bad weather days. Thank You!!!!! 

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THIS MONTH at FitHouse!!!

Dec10th- Angel Tree Donations Due!
A huge Thank You for your generosity and for spreading some extra cheer and love this holiday season! We were amazed by the willingness and eagerness of everyone to participate. Santa came strong this year!

Monday Dec 12th-Sat Dec 16th – Ugly Sweater Week!!!! Wear Your Ugly Sweater too FitHouse this Week for your chance to win the UGLIEST Sweater Prize!!

Friday, Dec 16th 7PM FitHouse Holiday Party at Girl Friday!!!! This is our way of saying THANK YOU for a wonderful year!!!! We know you all work hard now we want to see you play hard too!! Please let us know if you will be attending. Spouse and significant others are welcome. Attire is dressy casual! No Lululemon!!!

Month of December! – We’re decorating for the Holiday! Bring in your Christmas Cards to hang up on our board to spread some holiday cheer!

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Yuletide Yoga With Brit – Sunday, Dec 18th 

We received awesome feedback from our first restorative yoga session with Brit, so we’re bringing it back! Poses will be held for a length of time to allow release of tension in muscles, fascia, and tissue. Poses will be held for a length of time to allow release of tension in muscles, fascia, and tissue. Attention to breath work and how to incorporate better breathing to maximize the benefit of each pose. Beginners WELCOME! Drop in rate for individuals without group class packages available! Email [email protected] for questions!

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Muscle of the Month

GLUTEUS MEDIUS!!

As many of you know at FitHouse we put a lot of focus on proper muscle activation, form and technique while we are having fun and building stronger bodies!  When you train with us we want your body to get stronger and feel good and hope that you do too. Training with proper form and being aware of how and what muscles are working or not working are a BIG part of that!  Often it’s not a matter of training harder but training smarter. This month we are going to focus on a muscle in the lower body that is often overlooked, the Gluteus Medius.

There’s more to your butt than the cheek. While you may be trying to hit your gluteus maximus, your gluteus medius is usually ignored. And that can wreck your knees.

The glute medius prevents your knees from caving in when you’re squatting and lunging and deadlifting, This can cause ACL injuries and knee pain, as well as affect other parts of your lower body. When your knee caves in, your femur internally rotates, and the inside of your knee gets strained. As a result, your foot arch can wind up collapsing. It’s a cascading effect.

And if you fix it? You’ll help protect from ACL injury, but also you’ll be able to lift more weight  and if you’re a runner, you’ll run farther without pain.

The top three exercises for the Gluteus Medius are:

1. Hydrants
2. Lateral Band Walks
3. Side Lying Clams

Hmmmm any of those sound familiar?????

December is officially Upon us and it is time for some Fitmas Cheer at FitHouse!!! There is no better time to get our fit on!!! Let’s keep our Mojo up through the holidays and keep health and  fitness a priority this holiday season!!!!  Earn your tickets to win the FitHouse Basket of Cheer filled with all kinds of goodies!!!  Here’s how!!!  FitHouse will be raffling off a FitHouse Basket of cheer filled with FitHouse apparel, a water bottle, a Fithouse protein packed mug, stretching strap, resistance band and MORE!!!

Check below to see all of the ways that you can earn a raffle ticket in December!

1. Check in on Facebook when you come to class!
2. Bring a Donation for the CAS Angel Tree Families or Crib Fund
3. Participate in the 12 Days of Christmas Holiday Challenge
4. Wear an Ugly Sweater to Class
5. Wear Your Jingle Bells, Reindeer Antlers or Santa Hat to Class
6. Sing Karaoke at the FitHouse Holiday Party!!!

Pick up your ticket at FitHouse and place it in the bucket. Winner will be drawn December 30!!!

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AND THE WINNER IS……..

We just wrapped up the Final Month of the Biggest Winner Challenge!!! You will have to wait one more day to find out who the winning team and winning individual was!!!! Everyone kicked butt and it was a close ending!!! Stay tuned for the BIG reveal tomorrow!!!!

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THIS MONTH at FitHouse!!!

Dec10th- Angel Tree Donations Due!
A huge Thank You for your generosity and for spreading some extra cheer and love this holiday season!

Monday Dec 12th-Sat Dec 16th – Ugly Sweater Week!!!! Wear Your Ugly Sweater too FitHouse this Week for your chance to win the UGLIEST Sweater Prize!!

Fri Dec 16th 7PM FitHouse Holiday Party at Girl Friday!!!! This is our way of saying THANK YOU for a wonderful year!!!! We know you all work hard now we want to see you play hard too!! Please let us know if you will be attending. Spouse and significant others are welcome. Attire is dressy casual! No Lululemon!!!

As we continue to grow our team so we can serve you better you will be seeing some new coaching faces around FitHouse! We have some outstanding individuals looking to join our team. They are very excited as are we. Please welcome them and be patient as they get acquainted with the FitHouse Community and operating systems! I have no doubt they will be great additions to our team!!!

Joining Us this Week will be Coach Chris Yutzey
Chris earned his degree in Exercise Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is also certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Chris brings with him a passion to help people achieve their goals and learn how to make their bodies stronger and healthier by coaching proper movement patterns and helping individuals correct weaknesses.
His fun, energetic demeanor combined with his knowledge and passion make him a force to be reckoned with!

Welcome Chris!!!!!!

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Save the Date

~~Yuletide Yoga With Brit~~

Sunday, November 27th & Sunday, December 17th

We received awesome feedback from our first restorative yoga session with Brit, so we’re bringing it back! Poses will be held for a length of time to allow release of tension in muscles, fascia, and tissue. Attention  Poses will be held for a length of time to allow release of tension in muscles, fascia and tissue. Attention to breath work and how to incorporate better breathing to maximize the benefit of each pose. Beginners WELCOME! Drop in rate for individuals without group class packages available! Email [email protected] for questions!

---

Muscle of the Month

GLUTEUS MEDIUS!!

As many of you know at FitHouse we put a lot of focus on proper muscle activation, form and technique while we are having fun and building stronger bodies!  When you train with us we want your body to get stronger and feel good and hope that you do too. Training with proper form and being aware of how and what muscles are working or not working are a BIG part of that!  Often it’s not a matter of training harder but training smarter. This month we are going to focus on a muscle in the lower body that is often overlooked, the Gluteus Medius.

There’s more to your butt than the cheek. While you may be trying to hit your gluteus maximus, your gluteus medius is usually ignored. And that can wreck your knees.

The glute medius prevents your knees from caving in when you’re squatting and lunging and deadlifting, This can cause ACL injuries and knee pain, as well as affect other parts of your lower body. When your knee caves in, your femur internally rotates, and the inside of your knee gets strained. As a result, your foot arch can wind up collapsing. It’s a cascading effect.

And if you fix it? You’ll help protect from ACL injury, but also you’ll be able to lift more weight  and if you’re a runner, you’ll run farther without pain.

The top three exercises for the Gluteus Medius are:

1. Hydrants
2. Lateral Band Walks
3. Side Lying Clams

Hmmmm any of those sound familiar?????

We are entering into the busy holiday season! Although this can be a magical time of the year it can also be one a very stressful time of the year for many! Along with the hustle and bustle of the holidays often comes poor eating, little sleep, extra indulgences and extra stress!!! All of the above can put a lot of extra stress on your immune system leading to anxiety, sickness, and a case of the blahhhs!

The good news is that YOU can make a decision to stay healthy and happy this holiday season by following a few rules! Check out my top 5 tips below to stay healthy this holiday season.

1. Eat Well..Choose Wisely!

There will be plenty of opportunities to indulge during the holiday season! The holidays are about celebrating and gathering with friends and enjoying life! Make sure that you indulge in the things that you really enjoy but not on a daily basis! You are what you eat…don’t be cheap or fake!!!

2. Make a plan to exercise

With the busy season make sure to keep exercise on your calendar by scheduling it weekly!  Sticking with an exercise routine will keep you  feeling good mentally, it will give your immunity a boost, keep you energized and help keep off those extra holiday pounds!

3. Don’t forget the water!

One of the most overlooked ways to improve our health is to make sure that we are properly hydrated!  Water is responsible for helping to regulate EVERYTHING in our bodies. It helps eliminate waste and toxins from our bodies. It also helps with  joint lubrication, oxygenation and digestion! With all of the extra holiday goodies we need to make sure we are keeping our systems well watered!!

4. Don’t Over Commit!

There are a lot of fun things going on throughout the holidays! Why does it sometimes seem like we need to squeeze a years worth of  gatherings, social events and activities into 30 days!  Remember  there are 11 other months of the year!  Make time to keep your sanity throughout the holiday season and take a night off to hang out in your PJ’s if you need to!

5. Take care of yourself.

YOU are important to a lot of people so make sure that you take care of yourself so that you can be at your best for everyone else this holiday!

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SOME SCHEDULE CHANGES AND SOME NEW FACES THIS WEEK!!!

As we continue to grow our team so we can serve you better you will be seeing some new coaching faces around FitHouse! We have some outstanding individuals looking to join our team. They are very excited as are we. Please welcome them and be patient as they get acquainted with the FitHouse Community and operating systems! I have no doubt they will be great additions to our team!!!

Joining Us this Week will be Coach Chris Yutzey

Chris earned his degree in Exercise Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is also certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association

Chris brings with him a passion to help people achieve their goals and learn how to make their bodies stronger and healthier by coaching proper movement patterns and helping individuals correct weaknesses.

His fun, energetic demeanor combined with his knowledge and passion make him a force to be reckoned with! 

Welcome Chris!!!!!!

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Please take note of a few schedule changes this week!

Note the time changes for Monday night classes. Both classes will be 45 Minutes

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**New**
FitHouse Online Store
December 18th Order Deadline!

Check out our NEW online store HERE with all the new FitHouse Apparel you could ask for! Samples of some materials are in FitHouse for you to try!

Order BEFORE December 18th and your orders will be processed and delivered January 6th. Get your items before the store closes!

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Muscle of the Month

As many of you know at FitHouse we put a lot of focus on proper muscle activation, form and technique while we are having fun and building stronger bodies!  When you train with us we want your body to get stronger and feel good and hope that you do too. Training with proper form and being aware of how and what muscles are working or not working are a BIG part of that!  Often it’s not a matter of traiing harder but training smarter. This month we are going to focus on a muscle in the lower body that is often overlooked, the Gluteus Medius.

There’s more to your butt than the cheek. While you may be trying to hit your gluteus maximus, your gluteus medius is usually ignored. And that can wreck your knees.

The glute medius prevents your knees from caving in when you’re squatting and lunging and deadlifting, This can cause ACL injuries and knee pain, as well as affect other parts of your lower body. When your knee caves in, your femur internally rotates, and the inside of your knee gets strained. As a result, your foot arch can wind up collapsing. It’s a cascading effect.

And if you fix it? You’ll help protect from ACL injury, but also you’ll be able to lift more weight  and if you’re a runner, you’ll run farther without pain.

The top three exercises for the Gluteus Medius are:

1. Hydrants
2. Lateral Band Walks
3. Side Lying Clams

Hmmmm any of those sound familiar?????

---

This Month at FitHouse – Save the Date

~~Yuletide Yoga With Brit~~

Sunday, November 27th & Sunday, December 17th

We received awesome feedback from our first restorative yoga session with Brit, so we’re bringing it back! Poses will be held for a length of time to allow release of tension in muscles, fascia, and tissue. Attention  Poses will be held for a length of time to allow release of tension in muscles, fascia and tissue. Attention to breath work and how to incorporate better breathing to maximize the benefit of each pose. Beginners WELCOME! Drop in rate for individuals without group class packages available! Email [email protected] for questions!