MANAGING YOUR TIME

Time management is literally defined as, “the ability to use one's time effectively or productively.” Does that describe you? Or are you the person out of time, out of energy and out of your mind by the end of the day? If so, keep reading! I have laid out the most basic and easy way to get all your errands done, leaving you feeling energized with a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.

On top of not getting work, home, and family things done, how about that extra time to go to the gym? If you’re thinking “ That’s absurd to think I have enough time to be healthy, fit and active”,  I’m telling you, it's possible and its necessary to live a long, healthy life! In fact, you will find that if you begin a workout regimen and stick with it, you will actually get more things on that “list” of yours done. Here’s how to manage your time effectively, keep all your hair, and get your fit bod all in one blog…..

Step one: Throw away the sticky note lists

If you’re a list person, chances are, you probably have 4-8 sticky notes scattered all over your desk. The problem with that, is that you write them down without scheduling time to actually get them done. All of a sudden, you are drowning in sticky notes and no way to get them all done. If this is you at the end of the work day, you probably go home feeling defeated, like you spend eight hours of your day doing absolutely nothing. This feeling then comes home with you, where you have another list of home or kid things to do, but the day has already beat you, so you continue this cycle of making lists without checking anything off. This is MADDENING. My point here, is get rid of the lists and start getting things done by actually scheduling time to check items off that damn list.

Step two: Make realistic, attainable goals

If your Monday is jammed packed with meeting after meeting with no end in sight, why on earth would you plan to go to the grocery store, take the dog to the vet, do the laundry, clean the house, get the bills done, etc, etc, etc. You already know Monday is going to suck, so give yourself a break. Come home and relax, plan for Tuesday to get some of those things done. If it's not an emergency, it can wait.

Step three: The family schedule

This is my most important step in time management. Get your family on board and stop over committing yourselves.

If you have an Iphone, share your “home” calendar with your spouse and kids.

How to make an iCloud calendar public on your iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Tap on the Calendars button on the bottom navigation.

3. Tap on the Info button to the right of the calendar that you'd like to make public.

4. Scroll down and turn On the option for Public Calendar.

5. Tap on Share Link... to share the calendar with others.

Once you do this, you can schedule events such as  birthday parties, soccer games, school plays, etc. They show up in your shared calendar, once you start doing this your spouse can see what is going on, from there you can plan your weeks accordingly without over committing or double booking. This has been life changing for my family, so start doing this ASAP!

The family schedule is just the beginning of managing your time effectively. Once you figure this out, you can then start using your phone calendar to schedule your “sticky note” items with an actual day and time. The trick here is to allot enough time to get whatever it is done. For example: if you have to go to the vet on Tuesday at 2pm, but you also have to meet with your accountant that day, don’t schedule your second meeting at 2:30pm, you know that the vet will take longer than 30 minutes, not to mention the drive time to get from the vet to your accountants office.

Notice in my example schedules below that I have planned my workouts, also notice the different colors of events ( Green events= clients, Blue events= errands, Red events= shared calendar). Your schedule may look different than mine but the concept is the same, after all, we all have the same amount of hours in the day.

Day Detailed

Week Overlook

Step FOUR: Trim the fat

• Make tasks more efficient by asking for help. If you have a spouse ask them to pitch in, this can only work if you make it a priority to make a monthly, weekly and daily schedule.

• Make a grocery list every week and plan your meals based on your family schedule. If you get overwhelmed going to the store sign up for grocery delivery, another option is to sign up for a weekly meal program. My favorite meal programs are: Feed My Fit, Hello Dinner, Dinner Thyme, and Sunbasket, or my newest favorite, MealLime, this app is free and amazing, it’s a one stop shop for new delicious recipe with a built in grocery list. Below I have created a simple grocery list that I might use for myself. Having a grocery list saves money and time.

• Sign up for carpool rides for the kids to get to and from school or practices.

• Leave work at work. Easy to say, not so easy to do. This one is important for your mental health and your family will appreciate the extra time they get with you at home.

• Turn off digital devices or make time limits for yourself and your kids. The fastest way to be unproductive is to be glued to the TV for five hours.

If you’re tired of never having enough time for YOU, adopt these tips and make them a way of life.

1. Stop writing down lists with no idea of when you will get them done.

2. Make realistic goals and stick to it. If things change last minute go with the flow and prioritize your list of things to do.

3. Get the whole family involved, use a shared calendar and stop over committing.

4. Trim the fat! Ask for help or hire help to make life a little bit easier for you and your family. Hire a house cleaner if cleaning the house is one of those tasks that seems to slip through the cracks.

5. Create YOU time! You are only as good to your co workers and family if you are fit, healthy and full of energy. Make time for the gym, yoga or meditation, anything that will refill your mind, body and soul. Its time to be the best YOU, that you can be.

At the end of the day every person on this earth has the same amount of time in the day, the only difference is how you use that time. Now go be productive, fit, healthy and happy!

Written by: Courtney Coleman

The Hang Clean is a full body, functional movement we like to use to increase strength in both our lower body as well as our upper body and back. There are many variations of this movement but before you get into the big stuff learn how to clean properly with this video.

Key points:

• Feet shoulder width apart with toes facing forward

• Over hand grip, outside of the the shoulders

• Maintain a flat back throughout the movement

• Shrug the shoulders and thrust the bar upward

• Bend the elbows and break the wrists to get under the bar

• Stand up from the squat and repeat

Uploaded by Encore Fitness LLC on 2018-08-16.

The Dumbbell Version

If you’re looking for a great arm exercise that hits every side of the biceps, you have to try this twist on the biceps curl 21.

This version utilizes two dumbbells instead of a bar. This allows both of your arms to work independently of the other, putting less strain on your shoulder and elbow joints while providing a unique variable to the curl. Instead of curling through three different ranges of motion, you will be curling through three different hand grips. This changes the workout from training the bicep in one direction to providing a more well-rounded bicep workout.

Try it out at the end of your next arm routine; it works as a great burn-out exercise to finish with.

How to Do the Biceps Curl 21 with Dumbbells: Assume an athletic stance (Feet hips width apart, knees slightly bent to remove arch out of lower back), holding a medium to light weight dumbbell in each hand. Allow arms to fall comfortably to your side. Roll your shoulders back and down to fix your elbows at the back of your ribs.

1-7 = Hammer Grip Curl

8-14 = Underhand Grip Curl

15-21 = Mixed Grip Curl

*Rest 60 seconds between sets and stretch your forearms during rest period. Repeat the exercise for 3-4 sets each workout.

Tom Ford

Tom Ford is a working actor at the prime age of 56, chronologically speaking. Now in the fitness world, we know of another type of age - your *body age. Tom’s body age is also 56, which is great for someone who uses their physical body so much for their job.

But That was not the case only three months ago when Tom was 16 pounds heavier and consisted of 3% more body fat.

“It’s more of a size goal than a number goal for me.”

---

Tom lost 16 pounds and 3% body fat in only 3 months!

Images left to right: May ‘18, August ‘18

When Tom first came to Encore to begin training, his body age was 64 and he was flirting with Obesity. Today, Tom is lighter than he has been in years, but for him it’s more about the way he looks and feels.

---

Tom is grateful for the newly baggy clothes.

He was inspired to take action on his health and fitness when he realized he didn’t want to look in the mirror and see this stranger looking back at him.

He wanted to get back to the guy he remembered before the weight gain, but he also knew that he was no longer that same guy… physically. Tom has had both hips replaced, which has left him with mental blocks on his physical limitations.

“Sure, I did the [physical therapy] and I knew I should be able to do many of the exercises I am familiar with. But there was just something there nagging me, telling me not to push it.”

We never “push” things beyond their actual limitations in training, but Tom’s trainer Kevin paid close attention to his regimen and knew when it could be appropriate to progress through levels of difficulty. Now Tom does single leg squats, box steps and Bulgarian split squats with the range of motion that someone with two original hips would struggle with.

---

“I’m starting to trust my body again.”

Tom has had two hip replacements

There are other benefits Tom has felt from his training, that he says he did not expect as much.

“I love getting compliments on looking thinner,” he admits bashfully.

He also pointed out that his newfound strength and fine tuned lifting form will aid him well in his fall performance as Ms. Trunchbull in a Vermont production of Matilda.

Now, as Tom looks forward to the next three months of training, maybe he can convince his body he is actually younger than time would have us believe.

---

*Body Age can be calculated three ways, but we determined Tom’s results based off of the body composition method that takes into consideration the hip to waist ratio, BMI and body fat percentage.

Mix up your run with sprinting drills

Autumn is a great time to get outdoors and run. Here In the Mountain-West region of the United States we enjoy four seasons. The cooler/breezy days of Fall just calls for us to strap on those running shoes and hit the leaf ridden streets. If one of the thousands of fun-runs happening this time of year all over the country doesn’t inspire you to pick up your game, then at least try it out for some good old fashioned cardiovascular exercise.

While running at a steady pace for miles on end definitely has its place in a good running regimen, this fun-run season try pushing yourself to improve on a part of your run that you may be neglecting… Your sprint!

You may think, “why would I want to improve my sprint if I’m just going to run at a steady state during my runs?” Aside from providing some beneficial cross training and boosting moral during your regular daily run, here are a few reasons running coaches believe sprinting drills will improve your long and short run.

1. Train Fast = Run Fast - Running requires muscular and cardiovascular endurance, sure. But ultimately running faster (whether it’s long distance or short) is about simultaneously increasing the frequency and length (gate) of your stride. Check out the transition exercise “Plyometric Jumps into a Sprint” in the video below.

2. Improve Foot Strike - Sprinting drills emphasize hip flexion and hamstring extension, which are crucial in maintaining a neutral shin for a mid foot strike rather than striking at the heel. Check out the exercise “Eccentric Hamstring on Swiss Ball.”

3. Narrow in on the Knees - Working in a ladder will force you to create frequency in your step while maintaining a close distance between your knees — optimal for a more aerodynamic and linear movement pattern. Check out the exercise “Agility ladder 1-in to Stair Sprint.”

4. Spring-load Your Legs - The fastest runners are not letting the ground hit them, they are attacking the ground. Check out the exercise “Kneeling Squat Jump” in the video Below.

---

Kevin caught up with a former sprinter for the Belgium National Track team while he was in Antwerp Belgium this summer. Wout Verhoeven is a three time sprinting champion in the 100m sprint with a personal record electronic time of 10.54 Seconds. He also performed markedly well in the 200m and sprinting relays.

Kevin took the opportunity to pick Wout’s brain about what workouts sprinters are doing in the gym that our clients here at Encore might be able to benefit from.

Whether you’re a seasoned runner, or just trying to get back into shape, implement these sprinter exercises and tips for a personal best at your next fun-run.

Why you should eat local, fresh food from your farmers market

Summer is a time when Idahoan's get to enjoy an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables being produced locally every day. We see them in our local Albertsons and Whole Foods. Sometimes they come at a few cents more than the preserved produce coming from out of town, but often that's not the case. If you're willing to stroll through the farmer's market on a Saturday or take a trip down to one of the Boise Coops you will find buying SEASONAL local produce can save you more than just a few cents. There are three major health benefits to choosing local and seasonal foods. Heed these tips now, while your local farms and community gardens are bursting with variety, and thank yourself later for living a healthier life.

No. 1

Plant-based foods taste better and pack more nutrients when it can ripen fully on the plant before being picked. Most of the fruits and vegetables you purchase from out of state or past season are picked well before ripening to allow for longer transportation and shelf life. These foods have a fraction of the nutrients you will get from the farmer in the next town. 

No. 2

Seasonal and local foods are better for the health of your local community. Supporting local farms and community gardens strengthens the local economy by putting your dollars directly back into the pockets of people who will spend those dollars locally.

No. 3

Finally, the third reason local and seasonal produce is the best health choice you can make in 2018 is that it is healthier for our entire planet! The shorter the distance from the farm to the table, the less carbon emissions will be pumped into the air for transporting those goods.

If you would like further details about exactly what foods are available when here in our great state of Idaho, head over to the Idaho Preferred Website here and check out this great graphic they created to tell you exactly that information. You can see a snip of what the actual brochure looks like bellow. You can find these brochures at the farmer's market info stand on Grove Street between 10th and 11th. 

View fullsize

Source: Idaho Preferred

How to choose which one is right for you

Fad Diets = Bad Diets. First, let’s be clear about what a fad diet is, and what it is not. A ‘Fad’ is defined as a practice or interest followed for a time with exaggerated zeal. Basically, people get excited about something new and hit it hard - only to lose interest or fall out of practice shortly after beginning. The reason Fad and Diet do not go well together is because Diet is the kind of food a person eats habitually. No diet is inherently a fad. That happens when we do two things: we don’t think long term about our eating habits, and we dive head first into a new diet without giving ourselves time to adjust. What we typically call a “Fad Diet” (i.e. Atkins, Keto, Weight Watchers, SouthBeach Diet) are in fact “Trending Diets,” not fads.

In fact Kevin, our Encore Fitness trainer, has experimented with a dozen trending diets with the hopes of gaining a better perspective from which he may guide his clients. “I have found some amazing results as well as some disheartening ones” he says. Something he tries to share with his clients is that every diet fail ultimately shares one major conclusion...your attitude going into it. The key to making any diet work is to fall into it naturally with the intent of making it a lifestyle change, rather than dropping into the next typical fad diet disaster.

---

"Do whatever you do full on and all out. There is no half-assing it." 
-- Kevin Bunch | Encore Fitness Trainer

---

The very definition of fad calls to mind the idea that this sort of diet is a means to an end.  Meaning at one point you've said to your self...“At the end of these 30 days I’ll be fit and can eat what I want! After only 3 months of eating like this, I can just pick and choose how much of it I want to follow and I’ll still reap the benefits"...WRONG. A diet is meant to be how your body interacts with food regularly on a day to day basis. The best diet is one that is not a fad. You can’t be truly on a Keto Diet if you only participate Monday through Friday. I'm guessing at this point you're asking "Why not?" Reason is, it takes weeks for your body to enter ketosis. A fancy term that means, when you deprive your body of a fuel source it begins to convert fat into a "new" fuel source. Similarly, you can’t be gluten free if you have a little gluten once in a while, the gluten will never fully leave your system. With just these two examples you can start to understand that this is where choosing the correct diet for your lifestyle comes into play, and we mean in a BIG way.  If you are someone who likes to eat at fancy restaurants and likes to drink alcohol on the weekends, the Keto diet might not be the right fit for you. However, the Weight Watchers program might in fact lead you down the correct path for your future success.

Speaking of long term success, Courtney, owner/trainer of Encore Fitness, decided long ago that counting calories was a great way for her to become more mindful of what was being put into her body. After years of bodybuilding and learning about her macronutrient values, and understanding the effects that certain foods have on her body, she has naturally fallen into this "lifestyle" of eating. Choosing to live this way has made her a better coach for others that are searching for a way to balance “yummy” food with food that nourishes and fuels the body in a way that junk food just can't. A successful diet is one that you find yourself still doing years down the road, better yet, one that you are still reaping benefits from.

So how do you choose a diet that is right for you?  Below are questions we typically ask our clients when they are researching a new eating style or diet program. If you find yourself answering NO to any of these questions you may want to go back to the drawing board to find something that better suits your lifestyle to ultimately reach your end goal.

• Is this a diet that you see yourself adopting for years to come?

• Does this diet allow you to do your daily activities without too much sacrifice?

• Will this diet fit into your family dynamic?

• Does this diet make sense for your goals and for your body type?

---

"A habit takes time to form. We aren't going to give it a number because some habits die hard, and it takes some people a bit longer to form good habits over others. The point to all this is to learn to use tools to form new healthy HABITS. Something that will last, something that will help shape you into a better version of yourself."

---

Kevin participates in regular and consistent Intermittent Fasting (IF). He came across IF while trying the Ketogenic Diet via the bulletproof diet (talk about a trend chaser). Kevin says that he likes the ease of waking up in the morning and not having to worry about making breakfast before he runs out the door. Similarly, he says he likes the boundaries IF has made for him. “It's not complicated” he says, “you fast and then you eat when the time is right”.

"The neat thing about simply being aware of what you're putting into your body by counting calories," Courtney says, is that she doesn’t need to count anymore. She practiced this style of eating for so long that she now knows what she needs to eat and how much of it is appropriate for her body composition. However, she says, “I'm not perfect. I like to go backpacking, attend social events and yes, I like to eat out and occasionally drink alcohol. I don't expect my clients to be on 100% of the time either. We are all human but it does take a tremendous amount of dedication in the gym and at home to be successful long-term.”

In order to be successful long-term, to form good habits, Kevin and Courtney have compiled a list of eating styles that they believe will help get you there. These are:

1. Weight Watchers- Courtney likes this particular diet because it's basically counting macros (aka calories). Its easy and efficient.

2. Intermittent Fasting (IF)- This is Kevin’s go-to diet for flat abs and big muscles. He has done this type of dieting for 5 years and loves the results he see’s from it.

3. If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)- Another counting technique us trainers like to use for bodybuilding and or weight loss. Flexible dieting at its finest.

4. Whole Foods - This diet is not really a diet, more of a lifestyle. The rules are, no processed foods that have nutrients removed and or foods that have been refortified. Meaning you eat grass fed organic meats, organic Non-GMO fruits and vegetables that are mostly locally and regionally sourced, and eating 100% whole wheat without fillers or artificial flavors.

5. Vegan/ Vegetarian- Another great eating style that allows us to simply change the types of food we eat rather than count calories or completely change the way our body burns its energy (Keto). Bottom line- EAT MORE PLANTS.

Try new things until you find something you really believe you could adopt for life. There are numerous different eating habits that vary as widely as humans themselves, and it really just takes good old trial and error. The key is to do whatever you do full on and all out. There is no half-assing it!

---

Written by: Kevin Bunch & Courtney Coleman

WEIGHTED HIP THRUST

Use a thick mat or pad to protect your hips from the weight of the bar. Place bar on your lap and shoulders on a platform or bench. Thrust at the hips to pull the bar up off of the ground and squeeze the glutes at the top of the bridge.
* Keep core tight
* Pull the feet in towards the glutes
* Keep shoulders on the bench

Use a thick mat or pad to protect your hips from the weight of the bar. Place bar on your lap and shoulders on a platform or bench. Thrust at the hips to pull the bar up off of the ground and squeeze the glutes at the top of the bridge.

The Traveling Professional's Arm Workout

A powerful arm workout that will hit every visible muscle, providing you with that quick pump for when you're on the road and still need to look and feel your most confident.

You've been working hard to maintain a consistent training regimen, and your nutrition has been... good enough. You're happy with the way you feel and look, but know that once business travel season starts back up in the fall you're likely to regress in your goals. Traveling is the best time to stick to a workout regimen, not only to continue progressing toward your goals, but also to stay confident and performing at your best under high stress. And at the end of the day, feeling and looking your best will always help you to perform at your best. 

---

“Confidence isn’t walking into a room with your nose in the air, and thinking you are better than everyone else, It’s walking into a room and not having to compare yourself in the first place. ”

---

I do not travel regularly for work, so when I was backpacking around Europe I took an opportunity to throw together a great arm pump workout that I know many of my clients will benefit from. I hope you can work this routine into your away-from-home-gym workouts this travel season. Everything listed here should be adaptable to any hotel gym, but don't act like there are no accessible gyms in the area you are visiting. If your hotel does not have a suitable gym, take it upon yourself to find a nearby facility that can serve you well during your stay. 

INCLINE DUMBBELL CHEST PRESS

3 Sets of 12 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

SEATED MACHINE LOW ROW

3 Sets of 12 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

STANDING LATERAL SHOULDER RAISE

4 Sets, 20-15-15-12 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

SEATED SHOULDER PRESS

4 Sets, 15-12-12-10 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

WIDE GRIP PULL-UP

50 repetitions in as few sets as possible.

CHEST DIP

4 Sets of 10 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

CLOSE GRIP PULL-UP

10 Sets of 5 Repetitions. Rest 30-60 seconds between reps.

The Workout: Horrizontal Unloading = Do every rep and every set of each exercise before moving onto the next exercise. This is a great way to train for Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth).

1. Incline DB Chest Press (Dumbbells or Barbell) - 3x12

2. Seated Low Row (Machine or Cable) - 3x12

3. Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise (Dumbbells) - 4x(20,15,15,12)

4. Seated Shoulder Press (Dumbbells, Barbell or Bands) - 4x(15,12,12,10)

5. Wide Grip Pull-up - 50x(as many sets as it takes)

6. Chest Dips - 4x10

7. Close Grip Pull-up - 5x10