Are You Hydrated??

You’re probably thinking “I know how to hydrate, I don’t need to read a whole blog post about it.” You probably think you’re going to drink a glass of water when you’re thirsty and then bam you’re hydrated. But that’s not really the case and it is more in depth than you would think. Besides the fact that our bodies are made up of over 50% water, water is the solution to most of our problems. Dry skin? Drink more water. Bad acne? Drink more water. Suffering from migraines? Drink more water. Okay so I’m not exactly a doctor but you get what I’m saying. Before you diagnose yourself and turn to medicine you should take a step back and evaluate how much water you are consuming throughout the day. Depending on how active you are you might have to drink more but even if you are sedentary, water is important. I have a friend that drinks probably two cups of water at MOST a day and it hurts my soul every time I think about it. Being hydrated affects your daily life and how you function including exercise, focus, and sleep, not to mention the bad breath that comes from a dry mouth. 

I am sure you have seen those water bottles that have times written on the outside so it’s basically a schedule for drinking water which can be extremely helpful. I’ve seen those on Amazon but I’m sure if you google it there are many other places you can buy them from. If a giant jug of water is a little bit too intimidating for someone who doesn’t drink a lot of water, start out with a small 16 or 24 ounce water bottle and carry that around with you. Focus on drinking one of those often let’s say aim for at least three to four a day. I find it easy to drink water first thing in the morning before any coffee or breakfast. You’ve been asleep without water for seven to eight hours, your body has to be thirsty. After chugging some water in the morning, then focus on drinking water before or throughout your meals to stay hydrated and also not over eat. If you are active, it’s even more important to be drinking an adequate amount of water to replenish all the liquids lost through sweat during a workout. No one wants to run or do a high intensity workout with a stomach full of water so drinking continuously throughout the day can prevent that sudden urge to chug a gallon of water before and during your workout. 

Last thing I want to cover is how to spice up your water because let’s be real, it can be a little Plain Jane after a while. My go to is a little bit of lemon juice or lemon slices to add a little bit of tartness for a more appealing flavor. Other options could be sliced fruit like oranges or strawberries for a hint of sweetness while still allowing your body to hydrate. Just remember that you literally need water to survive so it really should not be a hassle to drink water throughout the day and listen to your body! 

Fit Bar carries so many supplements and add ons you can implement into your daily routine and spruce up your water if that’s what you’re into! OLEO CBD powdered teas, Laird hydrate powdered mixtures, and Organifi immune boosting mixes, are just a few dissolvable products that you can mix straight into your water for a flavor boost and lots of benefits. Check them out on our website fitbarcafe.com along with many more! 

Coach Liv, Pn1

Did Someone Say Fall??

Is it too early to talk about fall? No? Okay great, so let’s jump into all things pumpkin. Just kidding it might be a little too early for that but also Fall really is right around the corner and I am pumped! When I think of Fall I think of the leaves changing color, cooler mornings, warm and comforting food, pumpkin patch, the list goes on but what also comes with fall is less daylight, lack of vitamin D, and less outdoor activity so I think that it is important to prepare for all the changes that not only the outside world experiences but also internally. I know that seasonal depression is a very common thing so if we plan to stay ahead of the changes or at least find ways to adapt, you can avoid some of those negative feelings that you usually experience. 

My least favorite thing about Autumn and Winter is that it gets dark so early which makes it feel like your day is half as long. For me it’s hard to want to leave my house and be productive when it is pitch black outside before 6pm. Things like going to the gym, grocery shopping, and even being at work are more of a challenge so I have been brainstorming ways to prevent that when it creeps up on us in the next few months. As far as workouts go, I’m almost 99% sure that I won’t be taking my daily walks at 7:30pm every night so it will be crucial for me to plan out my workouts and gym time so that I don’t slack. This means packing my workout clothes with me to keep me prepared, packing my meals to avoid having to run home or stopping at a drive thru, and writing out my workouts to avoid talking myself out of a nonexistent workout. Most importantly be proud of yourself on the days that you are productive but also give yourself grace on the days that you aren’t. 

Warm and comforting foods for example soup, baked dishes, and hot drinks are what I am most looking forward to as the weather cools down. Right now I’ve been eating a lot of acai bowls (obviously 😉), smoothies loaded with vitamins and superfoods, and salads packed with lean protein, veggies, and healthy fats, because they are easy dishes to include a lot of micronutrients and macronutrients so I am excited to transition over but still make sure my meals are loaded with essentials nutrients. Don’t get me wrong, I will still be drinking my morning smoothie but I plan on adding in some frozen squash, apples, or pumpkin to replace the summer berries. It’s easy to curl up on the couch with some hot chocolate, hot takeout, and freshly baked goods which is totally fine and fun to do occasionally, but keep in mind what you put into your body affects everything from metabolism to mood so make sure you are still incorporating meals that are packed with nutrients. I may be jumping the gun with all of this talk about Fall when we are still in mid August so I’ll save all of my favorite fall recipes for another day!

Fit Bar will be adding our famous Pumpkin Spice smoothie, Fall Spice smoothie, and Pumpkin bowl back on the menu in a few short weeks so keep an eye out for these delicious additions. Our Avocado toast and PP&J toast is on the menu year round but we may have something else up our sleeve come Fall. Gluten free and vegan waffles are coming sooooooon! Refined sugar free, dairy free, and soy free what more could you want in a freshly made superfood waffle? Hidden in our waffles is ground flaxseed which is high in fiber and Omega-3’s to keep your heart healthy, along with almond butter for an extra nutty flavor and healthy fat, and much more! Make sure you are following us on social media and subscribed to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on the release dates of our fall goods!

Coach Liv

Pn1

Home Workouts

To say that I’ve had to get creative over the past couple of months with my workouts would be an understatement. I spend way more time than I’d like to admit on Youtube and Instagram looking for an at home workout, minimal equipment workout, body workout, 10 minute workout, you name it any kind of workout that doesn’t involve a gym. Trust me, I know how un-motivating your living room is when you’re trying to push through a workout, 99% of the time I want to give up so I’d thought I’d share some workouts and tips that I have found to be incredibly useful for these hard times that we’re in. Even now with gyms opening back up, there are regulations and I know a lot of people still aren’t comfortable in that setting so I hope that these work for you! 

Let’s start with your surroundings, the gym environment is often what keeps me motivated during my workouts because of all the mirrors, gym rats, and equipment so it’s hard to mimic that feeling, but set up your workout station somewhere that you enjoy being. That could be your backyard, living room or park, just anywhere that you can accomplish a workout. Be mindful of your neighbors if you live in an apartment because I’m sure jump squats or jumping rope aren’t too pleasant for the tenants in the unit below so modify as needed! 

I like to build a structured workout with reps, circuits, or times so I can just change the actual exercise but keep the amounts of reps or whatever structure I want to use that day. My favorite way of training is in circuits so two or three exercises repeated back to back for a couple rounds, and then move on to the next circuit, and I find combining strength training with bodyweight movements and HIIT gives me the best workout. Down below is a lower body focused workout so plan on walking like a baby deer for the next couple of days after this one! Remember to tailor this workout for example adding or subtracting weight or reps to what you can do. Push yourself!

Repeat exercises back to back three times and then move on to circuit two, then three!

CIRCUIT ONE: 

Jump Squats x15

Sumo Squat with Dumbbell x15

CIRCUIT TWO:

Standing Back Lunges with Dumbbell x24 (12 each side)

Jump Lunges x16 (8 each side)

CIRCUIT THREE:

Squat to shoulder press x15 (keep dumbbells at your side during the squat and then curl them up and then into a shoulder press while you stand up)

High Knees x45 seconds 

TABATA FINISHER:

Choose ONE of the following exercises to perform for 20 seconds ON, 10 seconds OFF for a total of 8 rounds (four minutes). So set that timer and get to work!

Jump Rope

Burpees

Bodyweight Squats

X jumps (jump squat with alternating toe touches on the way down)

This is just a little workout that I put together myself for a quick but effective workout on the days when I want to get a little sweat in so I hope you enjoy it!

Keep in mind that Fit Bar’s social media including Instagram @fitbarcafe, our website fitbarcafe.com, and our app BarCode Collective, has great workouts and programs that are accessible to you…at NO COST! You can view our weekly programs by clicking “weekly program” on our menu tab, scroll through and see what week fits your needs! Each program features a warmup with breath work, a R.A.M.P. UP Movement flow, and a workout-all with videos!

Feel free to ask our coaches for any tips, tricks, and even programs to help you optimize your health and wellness. Email live@fitbarcafe.com 

Coach Liv,

Pn1