STRONG grows from the INSIDE!!!! 

We are wrapping up our first round of the BIGGEST WINNER CHALLENGE 2016. I have found myself a bit emotional over the past few days and although I cannot pinpoint exactly where it is coming from I believe it is from taking a step back and looking at this incrediblly STRONG community that is surrounding me!!!  When I speak of the idea of STRONG it comes with an empowerment that is like no other! The strong that I am talking about cannot really be measured by  the weight on a squat rack or the time of your  500 meter row. The strong I am talking about grows from the inside. Health and fitness help us find that strong! Our health and fitness help us discover what we are really capable of doing and how good we are capable of feeling!

I recieved a text message and picture this weekend from one of our members who said ” I ran my race! I raced up a moutain and hills this weeekend and made it through in 44 minutes!” That is STRONG
I look at my facebook account and see other members running races, one the EQT 10K and the other the NYC Marathon… STRONG!
I see moms who are having an IMPACT on their families health and setting wonderful examples for their children…STRONG!
I see women who have made a commitment to focus on themselves over the past few weeks and are feeling great in their skinny jeans and have a new level of energy to share with the world
I see dads, husbands and athletes who are becoming UNSTOPPABLE with their minds and bodies!
I see people who have been knocked down and they are determined to get right back in the game…STRONG!!!

My friends THIS is what it is all about and there are NO LIMITS!!!  This STRONG grows from the inside and can turn the outside into anything you desire!
In your deepest, darkest moment NO ONE, NO THING or NO EVENT can take away this STRONG….you own it!!!!

When you plant the seeds and take the actions that you need to help them grow,  you will undoubtedly become STRONGER than you ever imagined!!!!

Keep surrounding yourself with the people that believe in YOU and keep taking action on what will make you STRONG!

Have a great week!!!!

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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 that often gets nelected in fitness, the SERRATUS ANTERIOR. You can see it pictured above.
When the serratus anterior muscles are weak, they can contribute to rotator cuff issues, neck problems, numbness down the arm and poor circulation. Think of this muscle as your shoulders best friend in plank, push ups and life!
Some Benefits to strengthening this muscle are

Proper Shoulder Function
Deeper Breathing
Less Neck Tension
More Range of Motion
Stronger Abdominals
Better Performance

Oh My SERRATUS!!!!

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This Month at FitHouse

11/11 There will be NO Barre Blast

Core & Restore with Lindsay 6-7 AM and 9:15-10:15 AM

NEW CLASS TIMES AND CLASSES ON THE SCHEDULE!!!

Make sure to check the Schedule for additional class times as well as some new classes! We always value your input so feel free to let us know how you like the changes. We are always excited to keep things fresh and provide the best experiences!

Kids Sports Conditioning
Next 5-Week Session STARTS TODAY!!   November 7-18th with one week off for the holiday and pick back up November 28th- December 16th

3:30-4:15 PM High School Ages

4:15-5 PM Ages 9-12

1x a week $60

2x a week $110

Drop in $20

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Halloween Candy Collection – 1st – 8th To be donated to Wash County Food Bank

Save a few of the family favorites and bring the rest to FitHouse. We want to help you keep your house healthy this holiday season!!!

Canned Food Drive – 1st – 20th

We will be collecting Canned Goods for the local Food Bank this Month. Please bring your non perishable items to FitHouse and place them in the bucket by the door!!! Let’s help feed some families this month!

Kids 4 Week Sports Conditioning – Nov 7th- Dec 9th

The LAST Session of the Year Starts on Monday Nov 7th thru Friday Dec 9th with one week off for Thanksgiving Nov. 21st-25th

4th Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Day Gobbler –

November 24th 7-7:45AM and 8-8:45AM
Make room for Turkey, Stuffing and Pumpkin PIe and join in the 4th Annual Turkey Toss!! There is NO better way to start your Thanksgiving Day!!

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FitHouse Community

Do You Have an Idea for our FitHouse Community?!?!?!
Share it with Us!!!

FitHouse Heads to IDEA PT EAST!!!!!

To be your best as a professional, as a leader, in your craft and as an individual, one thing that is extremely important is making the time to learn, to expand your knowledge, both personally and professionally, and to take time and sometimes money to invest in yourself. One thing that I will always remember one of my mentors saying is “You can only take others on a journey as far as you have taken yourself.”  This has always inspied me to face challenges, take chances and strive for growth.

As hard as it can sometimes be to find the time, to have the money, and to push out of your comfort zone I can say that I have made a serious effort in the past 15 years to continue my education and develop myself personally and  professionally through conventions, seminars, mastermind groups, reading, podcasts and more. As an independent fitness professional I have taken this journey alone for a long time. When I have traveled I have always admired the companies who brought their teams or came as a group to better themselves. It has been a dream to surround myself with a team who has the same mission and a similar purpose with who I could take this journey. I am super excited to say that this year that is happening!!!

Some of the FitHouse Team and myself will be heading to the IDEA Personal Training Convention in Virginia next weekend so we can be better for you!!! We will spend 3 days diving into fitness classes, workshops and lectures with some of the finest  health and fitness pros in the industry. Get ready to experience some extra FitHouse Fire upon our return!!!! We are excited to continue to educate and motivate ourselves so we can continue to bring you the BEST in the industry!!!

Make sure to check some schedule changes below due to the conference this weekend and a mastermind retreat that I will be attending next weekend.  We apologize for the changes but promise that we will be returning with plenty of great stuff to pass along as well as plenty of extra motivation and inspiration for all! 

Schedule Changes for the Week of 2/22

Thursday, Feb 25th – Evening Time Change for Gotta Tabata Express to 6:00-6:45 PM

Friday, Feb 26th, 9:15 AM – Barre Blast Cancelled

Saturday, Feb 27th – No Classes

Schedule Notes for the Week of 2/29

Friday, March 4th 6:00 AM – Yoga with Elisabeth

Friday, March 4th – Core, Butt and More with Lindsay

Thanks for Being Social With US!!!!

Thanks to ALL of you who have connected with us on Facebook and Instagram and are helping to Spread the FitHouse energy through our Social Media pages!!!! There are still a few more weeks to participate in the FitHouse Get Social Contest and win some great prizes!!!!

For everyone that checks in at FitHouse or writes a review on our Facebook page we will be giving away a 5 session package of Ripped Row and Roll plus a FitHouse tank!  Everytime you check in at FitHouse you will get an entry in the drawing. If you write a review on our Facebook page you will receive 5 Entries!!!

Shake of the Month – Choco cherry licious

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
½ cup frozen unsweetened black cherries, pitted
½ cup ice

Preparation:

Place almond milk, Shakeology, cherries, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

For more info on Shakeology, email [email protected] or [email protected]. We have individual packets for sale at FitHouse for $5 each.

Class Changes

It looks like winter may finally be upon us! In the case of bad weather please check your email and the Facebook page for closures as we will announce them there.

Parking Lot Conditions and Access

Your safety and the safety of the FitHouse team will always be taken into account first. The parking lot and front hill are all set to be cleared by 4:30AM, so you should be able to arrive to a snow plowed hill and parking lot when it is safe to travel.

Winter Footwear

Please be respectful with your shoes and bring your workout shoes with you on snowy days. The FitHouse backpack bags are perfect for that! Let us know if you need one. We want to keep your space as clean and safe as possible and we know that you do too!!

I found this post above online a few weeks ago and shared it. About a week later I came across a book with this exact story in it called Mindset! Hmmm, a coincidence??? I don’t think so! So many times in life we hold ourselves prey to other people’s believes about our abilities or we create our own belief about our abilities based on past experiences or our own self doubt. Sometimes we just need that little voice in our heads to tell us to break past the boundaries that are holding us back. “Change your mind and you can change your world”!!!!

Thanks to those of you who were able to make it Kathy Parry’s talk on sugar last Friday. I hope you learned something new. I wanted share this article that I shared on the Facebook page today because I think it is really important. It seems like we all know someone who has battled, is battling or has lost a battle to cancer. I have recently learned of several colleagues who are battling cancer who are models of health and fitness. This topic keeps coming up amognst many that I am surrounded by in the health and fitness industry and I think it is one that we should pay attention to!

Sugar is the culprit of so many issues in our bodies and now they are finding a Link between Sugar and Cancer. Take a few minutes to read….it could help save a life!

We are so excited to see all of you at FitHouse!!  For the safety of the members and the ability to fit you all in to class,

IT IS A MUST TO REGISTER ONLINE FOR CLASS.

Please contact us if you have difficultly!!

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

I am excited to be heading to the “Happiest Place on Earth” this week to enjoy a little extra family time and recharge!  I will miss you all dearly but I know that you are left in the BEST hands ever. Here are a few changes to this weeks schedule.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH

Morning schedule as usual
6:00-6:45 PM – Circuits with Holly
7:00-8:00 PM – Yoga with Elisabeth

CLASS FORMAT CHANGE!

Wednesday’s 9:15 a.m. Challenge will now be CARDIO & STRENGTH.  20 minutes of cardio followed by 20 minutes with a specific focus on strength and muscle building.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21ST

5:45-6:45 AM – Gotta Tabata with Lindsay
9:15-10:15 AM – Gotta Tabata with Lindsay

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22ND

5:45-6:45 AM – Yoga with Elisabeth
9:15- 10:15 AM – Butts, Guts and Restore with Holly
10:15-11:15 AM – Yoga with Brit

We are thrilled to welcome our new FitHouse team member, Lindsay!

You will be seeing a new face around FitHouse! We are excited to be growing the FitHouse Team and want to give a warm welcome to Lindsay Kober. When I met Lindsay I was impressed with her positive energy, her friendly professional demeanor and her go gettem attitude!!! I have a great feeling that she will fit right in here at FitHouse and we are excited for you to meet her!

Lindsay began her fitness career here in Pittsburgh in corporate wellness at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Headquarters. Having the opportunity to work with so many different individuals has challenged, motivated, and pushed Lindsay to be the best she can. Her goal is to relate, inspire, and share her passion and creativity with everyone. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Coastal Carolina University and is a certified instructor through AFAA. Her focus is to provide unique, new, and challenging workouts to engage and drive her clients to push through something different and out of their normal routines and comfort zones.

In her spare time you can find Lindsay traveling and competing in races. She has traveled as far as Louisville, KY to participate in a color run and is constantly looking to try new experiences and influence others to do the same. Lindsay hopes to inspire, motivate, and expand the FitHouse Community and is excited to work, learn, and grow with everyone!

COMING IN FEBRUARY!!

SHAKEOLOGY

Good nutrition is one of the biggest and often the most challenging part of health, fitness and weight loss. Shakeology makes it really easy to help “clean up” your eating, curb your appetite and keeps you on track. Yes, it’s all natural…we wouldn’t recommend anything else. Here is a short informative video to help you learn a little more about Shakeology.

www.shakeology.com/suziebode

For more info on Shakeology email us at [email protected] or [email protected]. We have individual packets for sale at FitHouse for $5 each!

We have entered the last month of the year and one of the busiest! Along with overextended schedules, extra social gatherings and holiday events often comes some extra holiday pounds!!! Tis the season to enjoy, celebrate and be merry and bright, so we want to help you stay healthy and fit and light through the season!!  You can check out all that’s going on at FitHouse below!!!

With the hustle and bustle of the season I have already had a few of those moments of wondering how it will all get done this year, but as always it will!  We had a great Yoga event this past Thursday to kick off the holiday season. Brit shared a wonderful hour of yoga and at the end of class she shared a reading with the class. It really hit home for me. In this phase of my life there are so many moments when it feels like there just isn’t enough time. And although the time will remain the same the reminder of what can be done in a very small amount of time, the power of thought, the power of love, the power of words was something that I needed to hear! I have posted it below for those of you who asked and for those of you who didn’t get a chance to hear it. So when you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the next few weeks I hope that you will remember at least one thing from the reading below and that it can make a difference!

In 6 seconds you can kiss someone like you mean it.
In 6 seconds you can hold open a door.
In 6 seconds you can wait for a little straggler to catch up. “I’ll wait for you,” you can even say. 

In 6 seconds you can take a deep breath.
In 6 seconds you can let it go. “It’s not worth it,” you can say.
In 6 seconds you can tuck a note in a lunch box or in a pocket. It takes 2 seconds to draw a heart.

In 6 seconds you can say you’re sorry.
In 6 seconds you can cut yourself some slack.
In 6 seconds you can throw away that picture, that pair of pants, that inner bully that keeps you from loving this day, this you. 

In 6 seconds you can feel the sunshine.
In 6 seconds you decide it’s time to stop looking back.
In 6 seconds you can whisper, “It’s gonna be okay,” to yourself or someone who’s scared. 

In 6 seconds you can drop a dollar in a hat.
In 6 seconds you can pick up that old guitar.
In 6 seconds you can look into someone’s eyes and say, “My life is better because of you.” 

I used to sound like a broken record. “I don’t have time,” I’d always say. But then I realized what could happen in a mere 6 seconds. 

It’s enough to make a bad day good … 
It’s enough to bring life back to your weary bones … 
It’s enough to remember what really matters in the midst of so much that doesn’t … 
It’s enough to change someone’s story and send an unending ripple of goodness out into the world. 

This Week At FitHouse

We need your input!!!!

We need your input!!! We have an opportunity to put a few more yoga classes on the schedule with an awesome new teacher!! We are looking at some early morning hours as well as evening and Sunday hours. We would love to know which hours would meet your needs best so that we can provide you with the times that you need!! Please send me a quick email and let me know what times would interest you for a little more Yin time!!!!

**Holiday Massage SPECIAL!!!***

Buy one get Massage get the secong for $35!!!!!!

Running Monday Dec 7th- Friday Dec. 11th

You can purchase online on the FitHouse website or contact Jessica for further details!

*** Holiday Shakeology Sampler Packs*****

4 for $20

Give the Gift of Shakeology for the Holidays!!!

Stay on track with your nutrition this busy time of year!!! Shakeology may be just what you need to curb your cravings, give you the nutrition you need for extra energy and serve as a healthy meal replacement in a pinch!!! Come see us at FitHouse to purchase!!!

For more info on Shakeology email me at [email protected] or  [email protected]. We have individual packets for sale at FitHouse for $5 each!

We are entering the Thanksgiving week!! For most hopefully you are looking forward to a week filled with family, friends and gratitude.  This weekend was a reminder to me how grateful I am for the habit of exercise!!! A lot of people believe that exercise always comes easy to those who do it regularly…not true!!!! I remember a time when running 3 miles made my lungs burn and my legs feel like jello. I remember when I first started lifting weights and I was highly intimidated because as a dancer  I used my body as resistance not lifting heavy metal objects. I remember when I felt sad or depressed or tired or bored I would turn to food or partying to fill that void often only leaving me feeling worse.

Truth be told regular exercise was a habit that came into my life when I was looking for MORE!!! I wanted to challenge myself, my mind and my body. To acheive the dreams that I had, I needed energy, I needed strength, I needed motivation!   Physical goals and exercise were hard!! They were something that I had to work for. If I wanted the benefits I had to do the work. Exercise meant discipline both mentally and physically.  I liked how it made me feel. Challenges were more manageable and life was better when I exercised!  If I wanted exercise to feel good and work for me I had to do it regularly and I also couldn’t abuse it. The more it became a habit in my life the more I realized that it made me a better person not just on the outside but even more so on the inside!!!

One of the other wonderful things about exercise is that it connected me to like minded people who also wanted to be stronger, feel better and achieve goals!!!! These people became a family of support, accountability and strength!!!!  It is not always easy to fit in, it is not always convenient and ok I will say it…it not always fun to get started!! But weekends like this past one are a reminder of why I need to make exercise a priority in my life! It was a very busy weekend with 2 days of an all day dance convention with the girls. Knowing that there would be no prep time this weekend for business or home and family my head was spinning a bit with everything going on this week. Saturday morning I couldn’t fit in exercise and man was I feeling it and I could feel myself getting a bit overwhelmed with the week ahead. As good as an extra hour of sleep sounded for Sunday morning I set that 6AM alarm and knew I had to get those endorphins going if I intended to tackle the day and tackle the week!!! Well the quote “you are only one workout away from a good mood” proved to be right once again!!! So many times in life when the going gets tough we fall out of exercise. This is when we need it the most!!!! With the holiday season approaching and the extra stress that the season brings to so many is upon us….remember you have the power right there inside of you….You are only one workout away from a good mood!!!!! Keep those healthy habit going this holiday season or make a promise to yourself to get them started!!!!

Family Fit Challenge Wednesday 10:15AM

Join us for the last week of the Family FitChallenge Class this Wednesday at 10:15AM for an hour of fitness fun for you and your children!!! Rumor has it there may be a little Gobbling going on! It has been really great to see moms and children sharing this time together being healthy and having fun!!! Thank you for sharing your energy with us!!!!

Wednesday Evening Circuits is Cancelled and FitHouse will be closed Friday November 27

Due to the holiday week we will be carving out some time for our team members to spend with their families and to celebrate their holiday traditions. Wednesday night Tabata basics is cancelled this week and FitHouse will be closed on Friday. We hope you can join us for all of the fun we have lined up the rest of the week!!!

3rd Annual Turkey Gobbler-2nd Class Added!!!

We will be collecting non perishable items for The Washington County Food bank and Meals on Wheels at both Classes

The 3rd Annual Turkey Gobbler is days away and this year it’s going to be more fun than ever!!!! Due to demand a second class has been added!! So bring friends and family to start your Turkey Day the best way…with friends, fun and a metabolic blast at FitHouse!!!!  Make sure to sign up online!

The Ugly Sweater Run Comes to the Burgh!!! – Sunday November 29th, 11AM

Join Team FitHouse Fab and Ugly!!!!!!

It’s not too late to start the holiday season with some festive fun!!! Come Join the FitHouse Team at the  Ugly Sweater Run 5K Sunday, November 29th at Heinz Field. To register click on the link and join the team FitHouse Fab and Ugly for a great morning and start to the holiday season!!!!

Ongoing in December:

FitHouse Gift Certificates Available for the Holidays!!!!

Stay tuned for our Black Friday Special!!!

Book Your Holiday Massage with Jessica!

The word around FitHouse from those who have tried her out is that She is AWESOME!!!!!

Holiday Gift Certificates for Massage are Available!

Give your muscles and your mind the recovery that it needs and deserves!!! Treat yourself to a massage with one of the best therapists around! You can book through the FitHouse calendar but must give 24 hours advance notice. Jessica is available Mondays 3:45pm-6pm and Thursdays 1:15pm-6:30pm. She may also be available additional hours by appointment.