This is me. A piece of the puzzle that makes me who I am.

I was so scared! 

I didn’t want to have surgery. Breaking my hip and repositioning it and then wearing a brace for almost a year.   To a 10 year old that sounded awful.  

But what was the alternative? 

Exercises that I had to do two times daily and a 3 mile walk every single day.  😳 Again to an 10 year old, that sounded overwhelming….but it was still a better option to me than the alternative.   

And so it began. 

My parents helped me map out how many times I would have to walk up and down our mountain dirt road to equal 3 miles. And every morning and evening I would lay in bed, completing these tedious and annoying exercises.  

From about 8 on my hip imbalance progressively got worse and manifested itself in being severely pigeon toed. In going to specialists we found there was two options. Surgery or trying physical therapy & an exercise plan to see if we could correct things before they continue to progressively get worse.   

 My parents strongly encouraged me to try the physical therapy route before we consider surgery and I was on board. Surgery and wearing a brace for a year sounded awful.  I wanted nothing to do with it. However, the walks and the exercises every single day that sounded dreadful.

To be honest, I feel like first memorable experience with hardship and adversity is what began to build and teach me resilience, commitment, and dedication. 

Every morning, I would wake up earlier than my brothers. I would complete my boring exercises in my bedroom while it was dark and quite. No one but my dad was awake yet. When I was finished, I would bundle up and head outside to complete my mile and a half walk. All alone while my brothers were fast asleep in bed.   

I’d go to school, walk home from the bus and head out for my 2nd mile and half walk. All the while my brother and neighbor kids were riding bike or canoeing in the irrigation ditch outback. And there I was walking up and down dirt road. Having to intentionally consciously think about every step. Concentrating on how I placed my foot every step, thinking about the position of my hip and hoping that this would work. 

I did this for an entire year. 

Through beautiful spring mornings where the dew glistened on every blade of grass in the hayfield to the gorgeous fall, where frost would slowly melt as the sun would rise.  In the beautiful summer mornings where the wrestling Aspen leaves would fill my ears with song and through the mountain snowstorms that felt like the clouds would never stop dumping the fluffiest white snow all over. As my snow boots took one step in front of the other. I felt proud that I committed to do the work.

I feel like the story is similar to so many of our clients. To get the results we desire without taking the shortcut can be a lonely hard road.  Sometimes while others play, it means dedication when we don’t want to be. It means commitment when we want to let it go.  It means facing adversity head on when we would just like to turn and run.  

A year later revisiting the specialist they couldn’t believe their eyes. My hips and gate had virtually transformed to be close to normal. No surgery was needed, and I was able to stop my rigorous routine of walking and exercises.  However they emphasized the need to continue to focus on every step, ensuring that everything stayed balanced as possible.  

I’m not here to judge you or shame you if you choose to take the easy path.  But if you did, where are you now. Have the results stuck. Are you happy with where you’re at or is there still progress that needs to be made? 

I’m here to remind you that WE ALL need to do the work to get the results. 

I will not say it won’t be hard, because it will be. I’ve been there, it sucks. However, you working for your results and for what you desire will taste so much sweeter than taking any shortcut.  

My team and I are here for you, my friend. 

Every single one of us has experienced adversity, setbacks and challenges, and although we may not handle each of those perfectly, we’ve chosen to be resilient and forward.  

And we can help you do the same.   

Please know we’re here for you to guide you on your journey to elevate your health! 

1. Understand the Metrics

The first step to maximizing the use of your WHOOP data is to understand the metrics it measures. Here are some of the key metrics and what they mean:

• Heart rate: This is the number of times your heart beats per minute. It gives an indication of your cardiovascular fitness level and the intensity of your workouts.
• Heart rate variability (HRV): This measures the variation in time between each heartbeat. A higher HRV indicates better recovery and a lower risk of injury and burnout.
• Sleep: WHOOP tracks the duration and quality of your sleep, including how much time you spend in each stage of sleep.
• Recovery: This metric takes into account your HRV, sleep, and other factors to give you a score indicating how well your body has recovered from previous workouts.
• Strain: This measures the intensity and duration of your workouts and gives you a score indicating how much stress you have put on your body.

By understanding these metrics and how they relate to your body’s performance, you can start to optimize your training and recovery.

1. Use the WHOOP App

The second step to maximizing the use of your WHOOP data is to use the WHOOP app. The app provides a dashboard that shows you all of your metrics and allows you to track your progress over time. You can also set goals and receive personalized insights and recommendations based on your data.

Here are some tips for using the app:

• Check your recovery score each morning: Your recovery score is a key indicator of how well your body has recovered from previous workouts. Use this information to adjust your training intensity and volume for the day.
• Set goals: The WHOOP app allows you to set goals for various metrics, such as sleep and strain. Use these goals to stay motivated and track your progress over time.
• Review your sleep data: WHOOP provides detailed information about your sleep, including how much time you spend in each stage of sleep. Use this information to optimize your sleep habits for better performance.
• Use the strain coach: The strain coach is a feature in the WHOOP app that provides  recommendations for how much strain you should be putting on your body each day. Use this feature to optimize your training volume and intensity for better results.

1. Take Action on the Data

The third and final step to maximizing the use of your WHOOP data is to take action on the data. Simply tracking your metrics is not enough. You need to use this information to make informed decisions about your training and recovery.

Here are some examples of how to take action on your WHOOP data:

• Adjust your training volume and intensity based on your recovery score and strain coach recommendations.
• Use your sleep data to optimize your sleep habits, such as going to bed earlier or avoiding caffeine in the evening.
• Identify patterns in your data, such as how your HRV changes based on your diet or stress levels.
• Use your WHOOP data to identify areas for improvement in your overall health and wellness, such as increasing your daily activity level or reducing your alcohol consumption.

In conclusion, WHOOP provides a wealth of data about your body’s performance and can help you optimize your training and recovery for better results. By understanding the metrics, using the WHOOP app, and taking action on the data, you can maximize the use of your WHOOP data and achieve your health and fitness goals

Honestly it’s a toss up between Protein and Carbs but don’t forget about hydration. That is key too!

Protein is needed to rebuild and repair the muscle that you are breaking down.

Carbs not only give you the energy you need for an intense workout, they also support recovery and muscle growth.

Try to include both in your pre-workout and post-workout nutrition routine.

Regardless of whether you want to burn fat or build muscle, you’ll need three things to help your muscles recover: good carbs, lean protein and plenty of water.

 

Are you hitting workouts or runs and feeling slow or fatigued and you just don’t know why? 

Do you feel like you’re losing strength but don’t understand why? 

 

“Thank you for teaching me how to listen to my body. I finally understand that what might feel like failure really is success because although I might not perform the best, I understand that my body was not prime to do so!” -LH 

This feedback was from a client who has really had to learn to listen to her body.  She would hit workouts and leave frustrated and sad! Once we helped her to see what the factors were going into that workout and how to scale and adjust things accordingly she realized she wasn’t a failure.  She wasn’t getting slower or weaker, she just needed to listen more.

If you are having these thoughts or feelings reach out. We can help!

Listen up!!! YOUR WRONG!

Typically women have about 10% of the testosterone men do. This means that the likelihood of a woman getting bulky with a focus on strength training is very low! Can it happen?  absolutely, we see it all the time. 

Those ladies that look like that have trained long and hard for that physique and the performance that the physique gives them!

You lifting 3 to 4 times a week is not going to do that! 

Stop being afraid to lift heavy! 

Summit Health has helped over 300 people find a better path to HEALTH, WELLNESS & NUTRITION!  300 people! Wow. And to think we are just getting started! 

We started out with 0 clients and right away 3 people showed trust, faith and confidence in our ability.  And the rest is history.  When we look at clients served it’s not just the 2500+ pounds we have helped people to lose.  Want to know what really matters to us…it’s 

• The confidence our clients have gained.
• The ability to run and play with their kids.
• The clothes that were sitting at the back of their closet that they finally get to wear!
• The photos they aren’t afraid to share of their beach vacation.
• The energy they have to slay the day! Everyday! 
• The quality sound sleep they have always desired but never attained.
• The millions of emails and advertisements that they get to scroll on by because they don’t need the “fat loss secrets” or the “secret supplement” because they have learned what a balanced healthy diet looks like FOR THEM! And they are LIVING IT! 

 

I’m not asking you…..I am ASKING you.

 

So many clients come to us ready for FAT LOSS and wanting to see immediate changes! We get it! We need changes. However … .If your body is not READY for fat loss no matter how hard we try, it will not happen. 

 

So how do we get ready?  

 

Regulate your intake and output.

Start by tracking your food simply to see what you’re eating each day.  Is it close to your daily needs?  Is it a roller coaster each day? One day SUPER HIGH and the next SUPER LOW?

How about output?  Do you hit the gym 5 days one week and none the next?

 

Just start by seeing where things are at and that will give us an accurate idea of where to take things to see progress as fast as possible.

 

Are you trying to follow an exercise plan but you keep “falling off the wagon?”  What is the hang up for you?

 

Do you have a specific exercise plan or template to follow?

Solution: Something like a couch to 5K is great or even if its walking we need a time or a distance target!  We need parameters to follow!

Have you created the time and scheduled the space in your day to make this happen? 

Solution: Sit down and look at your calendar.  Carve out 3-4  times each week that you realistically can make Movement a priority. 

Are you lacking accountability?  You have the plan, you have the time scheduled but you keep skipping out!

Solution: Grab a friend who is in the same spot and create a check in routine weekly.  Hire a coach who can not only create the plan but also sees if you have completed each workout and how it went.

This is something Coach Chad does each and every week.  Not only is he AMAZING at helping people get out of pain because of injuries or restrictions he can help create a simple virtual training plan specific to your needs and then he looks at your results and progress each and every week and adjust the plan the next week.

For some this is exactly what they need. Its affordable and it creates the urgency and the commitment to actually do the work!  

Why training 6-7 days a week may be causing more harm than good!

There is a point in training when more is not always better.  We want to stimulate, not annihilate.  If you are not eating enough food to support the calories needed to train 6-7 days per week you will end up LOSING MUSCLE instead of gaining it!  Your body will start to eat it as fuel because it does not have enough.  The other factor is recovery.  If you do not take enough time to recover those muscles do not have the time to rebuild stronger and healthier than before!  So remember, more is not always better.

“I can’t believe it. I worked a 12 hour day and normally I would have been absolutely tanked by the end but I still had energy to spare! This is unbelievable.” MN

How do you feel after a long day? Are you shot or can you tackle the next day with the same energy and vigor as today?

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