Quarterly Newsletter (Spring)

Quarterly Newsletter

Get to Know: Mari J. Hahn

                                                    Certified Health and Wellness Coach

Board Certified Massage Therapist

Mari Hahn has been working in the health and wellness field for over 20 years as a massage therapist and workshop instructor.  She wrote Gut Guide 101 to provide a moderate approach to healing the gut by adding in gut-friendly foods and supplements. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Valparaiso University and is both a Board Certified Massage Therapist and a Certified Health Coach. Her background in natural health and holistic nutrition has helped her look at the body as an amazing, miraculous organism, capable of bringing itself into balance. She believes that a poorly functioning digestive system is the root cause of many health issues.

A “health foodie”, a home cook and a lover of recipes, weekends will often find her in the kitchen for several hours with a pot of soup simmering on the stove, prepping veggies for the week and watching a fruit crisp in the oven.

Read below for more information on Mari’s upcoming workshop “Three Weeks to Better Digestion and Increased Energy”.

Announcements

Healthy Conscience is taking a 5 week Hiatus to undergo some changes. When it returns we plan on offering it twice a week and Mari our Health and Wellness coach will be teaching the nutrition portion of the class.

Don’t forget to sign up for SMALL GROUP REFORMER CLASS! Get instruction from our certitified Pilates trainers on our reformers and begin to see the gains in core strength, flexibility, lean muscle, concentration and breathing.

We have partnered with Valpo Life to help get the Pumps message out to the masses. Soon we will have a Partner Profile on the Valpo Life website http://www.valpolife.com, where we can upload announcements, promotions, client spotlights and more.

What’s Coming

Starting on June 6th Pumps will be helping the Parks Department keep our community healthy. We are going to be a part of Fit Fridays in Central Park Plaza. Come join us for Pilates in the Park on June 12th from 12:00-1:00 and bring your friends and family.

Join is for the next movie in our Healthy Eating Documentary series “Food Matters” This is a free viewing  open to the public. Our goal is to help educate and inform the community about good food choices that can help support and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Come join us May 18th at 6:30 pm.

Get Your GUT Back on Track Workshop

       Three Weeks to Better Digestion and Increased Energy

       June 6th, 2015: 9:00 – 10:30 am 

Pumps Fitness is pleased to welcome published author Mari J. Hahn to our Studio for a workshop on how to help aid the health of the digestive track.

·      Our collective health is in jeopardy: the foods we eat are making us sick.  Find out why the solution         to the problem lies in the digestive tract.

·      Learn what you are doing that sabotages your digestive system every day.

·      Learn how to listen to your “Inner Doctor”, understand your symptoms and tame your cravings.

·      Learn how making small changes over time – a cup of green tea, a morning smoothie - will help you feel better than you have felt in a long time.

·      The 21-Day Plan in Gut Guide 101 shows you how to add in gut-friendly foods and supplements to get noticeable results – without making drastic changes to your diet.

·      Gut Guide 101 includes over 20 delicious gut-friendly recipes for every meal of the day

Registration Information: $45 per participant:  $35 Early Bird Fee (Register by May 30th)

For those who wish to take advantage of this opportunity, you may register at Pumps Fitness via the following contact points (Participants will receive a copy of Mari’s Book):

Phone: 219-548-3480

Email: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Look for more information about these upcoming events on our blog http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pumps-Fitness/219383474914091?ref=bookmarks

and website http://www.pumpsfitnessinc.com

Save Some Green

Click here to see how you can save, with our May promotions!!

Nutrition, Fitness, and YOU!!

We were thinking about you And of the habits that make you. Do you eat the same thing for lunch, go through the same exercise routine, and fall into bed at the same time each night? Or maybe you've made a habit out of eating whatever looks good, avoiding the gym, and staying up as late as possible. John Dryden famously said, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." Confucius said, "Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them." And Aristotle noticed that, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." It's pretty clear that the habits you adopt will shape who you are. When it comes to your body, the two habits that define your physique are your eating and exercise habits. In fact, everyone that you know who is in great shape has dialed in these two important habits. If you aren't happy with your body, then simply adjust your eating and exercise habits. Here's how to adopt a habit: Making a Habit Use these seven steps to create a life-improving habit. 1) Decide on the ONE habit that you would like to develop. It's tempting to pick up 3 or 4 healthy habits, but choosing just one new habit is realistic and doable. Here are some healthy habit ideas: Do not eat after 7pm each night. Bring your lunch to work instead of eating fast food. Exercise 4 times a week after work for 45 minutes each time. Only eat fruits and veggies as your afternoon snack. Get up early and exercise for an hour each morning. Work with a personal trainer 3 times a week. 2) Write your new habit down on paper. Also include your 3 main motivators for developing this new habit, the obstacles you'll face, and your strategies for overcoming these obstacles. Here's an example: My new habit is to work with a personal trainer 3 times each week. My 3 main motivators are 1) to feel confident in my bathing suit this summer, 2) to have more energy, and 3) to fit into my skinny jeans. The obstacles I will face are 1) not having the energy to go to my session after work, 2) not having enough money to pay for sessions, and 3) not having my spouse's support. I will overcome these obstacles by 1) doing my workouts before work instead of after work, so I have more energy, 2) cutting down on frivolous spending to ensure that I can afford it, and 3) asking my spouse to join me so we can get in shape together. 3) Commit fully to your new habit, in a public way. This could mean posting it on facebook, or simply announcing it at the dinner table. Put yourself in a position where you'll be embarrassed to give up on your new habit. 4) Keep track of your progress. You could keep a detailed journal or simply make a check mark on each calendar day that you successfully exercise your new habit. 5) Keep yourself publically accountable. This means either status updates on facebook or verbal status updates at the dinner table. Your friends and family are in a position to offer you support, so don't shy away from those close to you. 6) When you fail, figure out what went wrong so that you can plan around it in the future. 7) Reward yourself for your success. Once your new habit becomes second nature, usually in about 30 days, feel free to add a second habit by going through the same 7 steps. I'd love for our fitness program to become your new healthy habit! Call 219-548-3480 or email now to start the habit of fitness today. Laser Focus Focusing on one goal at a time is the most powerful way to achieve it. Taking on more than one goal at a time spreads your time and energy out, making it impossible to accomplish anything. If you have more than one goal on your mind, write them all down and then go after them one and a time until they are all completed. Mediterranean Turkey Kebabs Here’s a great recipe for a busy weekday dinner. Ground turkey breast is mixed with Mediterranean spices to create flavorful, protein-packed kebabs. Serve with salad and vegetables and a side of plain Greek yogurt. Servings: 4 Here’s what you need: 1 1/2 pounds turkey breast, de-boned, trimmed of skin and cut into thin strips 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 eggs 1/4 cup almond meal (more if needed) 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon dash of salt (optional) 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 Tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped In a food processor, blend the turkey strips until ground. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well blended. Pre-heat your grill or grill pan. Lightly grease your hands, then press the meat into the wooden skewers until it covers about 3-4 inches in an elongated meatball shape. If the meat is not sticking then add some more almond meal. Grill for about 8 minutes per side. Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 254 calories, 8g fat, 156mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 47g protein  Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment  Email: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com Phone: (219) 548-3480 Web: pumpsfitnessinc.com

The Importance of Healthy Digestion: Segment 1

What we are eating as a society is making us sick.   The answer to our ailments can be found within the digestive tract.  Let's take first look at the Digestive System.

What is the digestive system?

The digestive system

The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract—also called the digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine—which includes the rectum—and anus. Food enters the mouth and passes to the anus through the hollow organs of the GI tract. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system. The digestive system helps the body digest food.

Bacteria in the GI tract, also called gut flora or microbiome, help with digestion. Parts of the nervous and circulatory systems also play roles in the digestive process. Together, a combination of nerves, hormones, bacteria, blood, and the organs of the digestive system completes the complex task of digesting the foods and liquids a person consumes each day.

*Courtesy of NIH.gov

You can’t blame anyone or anything else.

Question for you...whose fault is it that you’re out of shape?

If you go by what you see in the media then you probably believe that it’s anyone’s fault but yours. The big diet companies think that if they put the blame on you, then you wouldn’t buy their bogus pills. So they put the blame on your cortisol levels, your fast food diet, or your busy schedule instead of where it belongs - which is squarely on your shoulders.

Sure, you have obstacles that get in your way – your schedule, your job, your kids, the weather, your knee injury from college...but ultimately you have the body that you accept.

I’m going to repeat that so it will really sink in.

You have the body that you accept.

Accepting the blame for your current body is not a bad thing – it’s actually quite empowering. Think about it. If it really wasn’t your fault, if it really was due to a long list of variables that you have zero control over, then you’d be stuck. You’d have no way to change.

Lucky for you, it’s your fault :) So you have the power to do something about it.

The Secret Behind ‘Before and After’ Pictures

Allow me to pull back the curtain for you on something that the diet industry doesn’t want you to know. You’ve seen countless before and after pictures documenting weight loss as a result of a diet product. Well, there is more involved than just the diet product, and it’s the same across the board.

Look into the eyes of any person in their before picture and you’ll see that they are disturbed. The body they have is no longer in sync with the body they can accept.

They changed the body that they accept.

Now look into their eyes in the after picture – see the sweet satisfaction? They now own the body that they decided they could accept. And what a great feeling that is.

Your Time To Transform

Whether you realize it or not, you already posses everything you need to transform your body, but it all starts with taking responsibility for the body that you have today. You have your current body because until this moment you’ve been OK with it.

Oh sure, you aren’t thrilled with it, and you even talk about losing weight and getting fit, but you haven’t changed what you’ll accept. Here’s how to transform your body in 3 steps:

Step One: Get Disturbed

You’ve heard it said that emotion creates motion. This is essential when it comes to losing weight. Just like those folks in the before pictures, to transform your body you must first decide that you can’t live another day in the body you currently have.

It’s time to get your emotions stirred up. Make a list of all the reasons that you must lose weight and get fit. Get disturbed!

Step Two: Get Focused

Without clarity it’s very hard to get where you want to go. Now that you’re disturbed with the body you have, it’s time to decide what the body you can accept looks like.

I want you to think in concrete and specific terms. Just like the captions under those before and after pictures - "Suzy lost 25 lbs," "Mike lost 8 inches from his waist," "Jenny went from a size 18 to a size 6."

Get a clear picture in your mind of what you’ll look like in your after picture and visualize what the caption will read.

Step Three: Get Moving

The time spent between your inspiration (now) and your action determines whether you will succeed or fail. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck between inspiration and action - there is always something that you can do right now.

Don’t you agree that you’ll be happier living life in a fit and healthy body, rather than one that is not? Of course you’ll be happier.

I’ve helped clients just like you finally lose their unwanted weight.

I am here to take you from your before picture to your after picture, however, you need to bring something to the table – you need to make up your mind about what you’ll accept of yourself.

What will you accept?

Got Stress?

Exercise is the number one thing that you can do to relieve daily stress. A good workout will get your mind off of your bills, your boss, and your endless responsibilities. It’s been said that if exercise were a drug it would be the most powerful medication on earth!

Tasty Tuna Lettuce Wraps

This is an ultra-healthy meal that’s quick and easy to throw together. It’s high in protein, low in fat and contains lots of healthy fiber. Not to mention it tastes great, so dig right in! Yield: 2 servings 

Here’s what you need...

•              1 can albacore chunk tuna, packed in water

•              2 Tablespoons finely chopped white onion

•              1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

•              1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

•              1/2 apple, finely chopped

•              2 Tablespoons nonfat mayonnaise

•              1 Tablespoon nonfat ranch salad dressing

•              1 teaspoon dried dill

•              4 large lettuce leaves, washed

•              Pepper to taste

1              Combine the tuna, onion, bell pepper, and apple in a medium bowl. In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, ranch dressing and dill.

2              Add the mayonnaise mixture to the tuna and mix until well combined.

3              Arrange the lettuce leaves on two plates, and fill with tuna. Garnish with a dash of pepper.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 124 calories, 1.5g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 2.7g fiber, and 14g protein.

Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment 

Email: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com
Phone: (219) 548-3480

Web: pumpsfitnessinc.com

Nope, it's not true!

Certain fitness myths just won’t die.

These lies are passed from one person to the next, a little piece of misinformation that sets you up for failure.

Maybe you’ve heard one or two…

There’s the one about sit-ups melting off belly fat. (Sorry, folks, spot reduction is a myth. You’ve got to burn the fat from your body as a whole.)

Then there’s the one that says that the faster you perform an exercise the better, even at the expense of form. (Ouch! This is an invitation for injury. Never ever sacrifice form for speed.) Maybe you’ve heard me say “form over force”.

There’s even one about recovery days not being necessary. (It’s actually vitally import to your recovery and fat loss to take rest days.)

But of all the fitness myths out there, the one that makes the least amount of since, is the idea that long, slow cardio sessions are the way to lose fat.

So many people waste their time and effort on this one. Do you?

In reality, short intense workouts that incorporate resistance training with challenging bouts of cardio will burn fat much quicker than a long, steady cardio session.

Who doesn’t love to save time?

If you are still plodding away on the treadmill 60 minutes at a time then you are spending more time to get half of results.

Allow me to introduce you to a little technique called HIIT.

High-Intensity Interval Training is an exercise strategy that improves performance with short training sessions. These sessions involve a warm up period, several short, maximum-intensity efforts that are separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cool down period.

The addition of explosions of speed into your comfortable pace will increase your power, muscle tone, speed, strength, endurance and best of all it allows you to burn more calories.

There you have it—all you need to know to take your workouts to the next level.

Do you have questions about using HIIT to get better results? We would love to hear from you.

Call or email today and we will schedule a time to meet with you one-on-one to strategize the quickest and most effective route to meeting your fitness goals. Let’s do this!

Shop Smart

Here’s a quick tip that will save you many unwanted calories…

Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Eat a small, protein-based snack right before you go.

If you go on an empty stomach, you’ll end up with a cart full of bad decisions and regrets.

Also, avoid the chips and candy isle and stick to the outskirts of the store where fresh food such as produce, dairy and meats are displayed.

Easy Apricot Chicken

This delicious recipe for Easy Apricot Chicken is a quick and simple dinner that’s filled with fiber and protein. Dinners like this will get you well on your way to transforming your body. Pack the leftovers for a wholesome, fat burning lunch. Servings: 4

Here’s what you need:

•              1/2 cup fruit-only apricot preserves

•              1/4 cup coconut aminos

•              1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

•              2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

•              1 garlic clove, minced

•              1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

•              Veggie chicken cutlets or 1 lb organic chicken tenders

1              In a medium skillet combine the apricot preserves, coconut aminos, vinegar, ginger, garlic and sweet paprika. Place over low heat and mix often for 4 minutes. For veggie chicken, prepare chicken and pour the apricot mixture over the chicken. For chicken tenders; rinse the chicken tenders and place in a baking sheet. Pour the apricot mixture over the chicken  and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

2              For chicken tenders, turn on the high broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack in the center of the sheet and arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer. Place in the oven on the top rack. After 5 minutes, use tongs to flip the chicken. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Allow the chicken to blacken slightly.

Nutritional Analysis: 215 calories, 1g fat, 91mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 27g protein

Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment 

Email: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com
Phone: (219) 548-3480

Web: pumpsfitnessinc.com

Don't confuse "Active" with Fit

When it comes to excuses for not exercising, we’ve heard them all. 

Sometimes the excuse is self-inflicted: I don’t have the time.

Other times the excuse is pure procrastination: I’m going to start as soon as tax season ends.And then there are excuses that are downright funny: I don’t like to sweat.

As delicately as possible, we point out to these well meaning excuse-makers that, even though they don’t want to do it, exercise is an important part of cultivating a strong, balanced and healthy body.

I tell them that if they would just exercise 2 to 4 times each week they would feel a dramatic improvement in their daily life, starting with renewed energy and strength.

Then we bring up the health benefits and explain how many of their health problems would improve or even disappear. We talk about how great they will feel, and look, dropping those extra pounds and rediscovering a slender figure.Even with all this experience in excuse squashing, there used to be an excuse that would leave us stumped.The sneaky excuse of ‘I’m active’: Oh, I don’t need to exercise with a personal trainer—I’m very active. I play golf and tennis and Wii.

Well, that is a good excuse, right? Golf, tennis and Wii are all active sports that burn calories. Maybe you can be fit without doing any other exercise… And then we started noticing a trend. The ‘golf’ people couldn’t touch their toes in a simple flexibility test. The ‘tennis players’ couldn’t jump rope for 60 seconds. The ‘Wii players’ needed a week to recover from a one mile jog. The so-called ‘active’ people encountered injury after injury.

And then it hit us.

You can’t become fit simply by being active.Only by being fit can you become more active.To be lean and to maintain a level of fitness there is no substitute for a consistent, challenging exercise program. It’s the only way, folks. To truly be fit is when your body is able to do whatever you ask of it. This comes from a combination of flexibility, strength and endurance.

So, do you exercise?Or are you fooling yourself with the idea of ‘being active’? How do you feel about your current level of fitness? Are you able to do each and everything you want? Or do you end up opting out of activities that you know would be too challenging?

If you’ve used the excuse of ‘being active’ in the past, take a minute to reconsider your position. Don’t bank on your ‘active’ lifestyle with the hope of true results. Call or email us today to get started on an exercise program that will make you truly fit. And if you’re furthest from active but simply want to lose those extra inches and pounds, make the decision to contact us today.

As they say…there’s no trial run in the game of life.

5 Great Reasons to Exercise

Here you go, 5 more motivating reasons to start a challenging exercise program today:

1              Exercise makes you feel better about yourself.

2              Exercise improves your mood.

3              Exercise reduces the risk of chronic disease.

4              Exercise eliminates unwanted pounds.

5              Exercise improves longevity.

One Pot Chicken Dinner with Fresh Dill

Cooking a healthy dinner at home does not have to be complicated or take lots of time. This simple recipe for chicken, shallots and fresh dill will only take you about 45 minutes from start to finish. Meals that are rich in protein and fiber and low in carbs, like this one, will help you build muscle and stay lean. Servings: 8

Here's what you need:

•              1/3 cup coconut flour

•              3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or Veggie Chicken

•              sea salt and black pepper

•              2 Tablespoons olive oil

•              20 shallots, peeled and halved

•              4 garlic cloves, minced

•              1 cup sparkling, white wine

•              3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

•              1 cup organic chicken broth or Veggie broth

•              3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

•              1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

1              Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Dredge through the coconut flour.

2              In a heavy Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

3              Add the shallots and garlic, cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, mustard and chicken broth. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

4              Add the tomatoes and fresh dill. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Cook over high for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Analysis: 283 calories, 11g fat, 242mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 2.5g fiber, and 35g protein

Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment 

Email: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com
Phone: (219) 548-3480

Web: pumpsfitnessinc.com