LEARN - Rocky Mtn Athletics

Nutrition Questions Everyone Asks

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:26:34 GMT

Let’s be honest… nutrition gets confusing fast.

One person is telling you carbs are the problem, someone else is blaming fat, and then there’s a guy on the internet eating only steak and butter on a cutting board.

It is so easy to feel stuck and confused.

So instead of overcomplicating it, let’s hit some of the most common questions and give you answers you can hopefully use.

“Do I need to cut carbs to lose weight?”

No.

Carbs aren’t the problem. Overeating is.

You can lose weight on “low carb”, but not because carbs are magic. It’s usually just because you end up eating less overall.

Carbs are actually helpful. They give you energy for workouts, help with recovery, and make your meals a lot more enjoyable.

If anything, most people would be better off keeping carbs in and just being a little more aware of portions.

“Is eating late at night bad?”

Also no.

Your body doesn’t suddenly turn food into fat after 8pm.

What usually happens is people are more likely to snack at night. We eat out of boredom and go overboard without realizing it.

If your total intake for the day is in check, eating later isn’t an issue. It just comes down to how it fits into your overall habits.

“Do I need to track my food?”

Depends.

Tracking can be really helpful if you have no idea how much you’re eating or you’ve been stuck for a while.

It builds awareness fast, but is not required.

A lot of people do just fine focusing on simple habits like eating enough protein, having balanced meals, and being consistent day to day.

Tracking is a tool, but definitely not a requirement.

“How much protein do I actually need?”

More than you think… but not a crazy amount.

Most people trying to get stronger, lean out, or just feel better will do well somewhere around 0.7-1.0 gram per pound of bodyweight.

You don’t need to hit it perfectly every day, but consistently getting enough protein makes a big difference in recovery, hunger, and body composition. Aim to center your meals around a protein source first, and that will cover a lot of bases.

“Are fats bad for you?”

No.

Fats are essential. Hormones, brain function, overall health!

The issue is they’re really easy to overeat because they’re calorie-dense and usually taste crazy good.

So the goal isn’t to avoid fats, it’s just to be mindful of how much you’re adding without realizing it.

“Should I cut out sugar?”

Sugar isn’t evil… but it’s easy to overdo.

Having some here and there isn’t a problem. It becomes an issue when it’s a large part of your daily intake and it pushes out more nutrient-dense foods.

If most of your diet is solid, you don’t need to stress about a little sugar.

“Do I need supplements?”

No… but some can help.

Protein powder is just a convenient way to hit your protein target. Creatine is one of the few that consistently works for strength and performance.

Everything else is usually not necessary for healthy adults.

“Why am I not seeing results?”

It’s usually not one specific food. It’s consistency.

Maybe you’re dialed in Monday through Thursday, and then the weekend undoes most of that. Maybe portions have slowly crept up. Maybe you’re just underestimating how much you’re eating.

It’s rarely a total mystery that can’t be solved. It’s usually just a small gap between what you think you’re doing and what’s actually happening.

Final Thought

Your nutrition doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be consistent. Eat enough protein and build meals around real food.

Do that most of the time, and you’ll get results without having to overthink every single thing you eat.

Hart

Eating Out Without Blowing Your Goals

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:31:43 GMT

Let’s be honest… if getting in shape meant never eating out again, nobody would stick with it.

You’ve got dinners with friends, date nights, work events, family birthdays… life! The goal isn’t to avoid restaurants forever, it’s to know how to navigate them without feeling like you just hit the reset button or lost all your progress every time you go out.

It’s Not a Free-For-All

The big mistake people make is walking into a restaurant with that “nothing counts tonight” mindset. That’s usually how one meal quietly turns into way more than you planned.

Instead, just think of it like you’re eating a normal meal, it just happens to be cooked in a different kitchen by strangers… You don’t need to be perfect, but you also don’t need to go completely off the rails.

Start With Protein

If there’s one thing that will make the biggest difference, it’s starting with protein. Before you even get caught up in all the options on the menu, just ask yourself where your protein is coming from.

Steak, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, etc... That alone goes a long way in keeping you full and not picking at everything on the table for the next hour.

Make Easy Swaps

From there, don’t be afraid to make a couple small adjustments to your order. You don’t need to turn it into a whole production, but simple things like getting sauce on the side or swapping fries for a veggie can clean things up a lot without making the meal feel restrictive.

Watch the Sneaky Stuff

Where most people get tripped up is the stuff that doesn’t feel like it should matter that much. Oils, dressings, sauces, and drinks can add up fast.

You can order something that looks “healthy” and still end up with a pretty calorie-dense meal if it’s loaded with extras. Same goes for drinks. Not saying you can’t have one, just know that they count more than you think.

Don’t Show Up Starving

Another underrated one is showing up absolutely starving. It sounds like a good idea to “save calories” for dinner, but it usually backfires.

That’s when the bread basket disappears in two minutes and you’re halfway through your meal before you even realize it. Eating normally during the day, even just having something small with protein beforehand, makes it way easier to stay in control during your night out.

Slow It Down

Once the food gets there, just slow it down a little bit. Restaurant portions are usually bigger and more calorie-dense than what you’d make at home, so giving yourself a chance to actually feel full makes a big difference.

Chew your food and put the fork down between bites!

Final Thought

One meal isn’t going to make or break your progress. What matters is what you do most of the time.

Eating out a couple times a week is totally fine if everything else is dialed in. The problem is when one meal turns into a whole weekend of “screw it, I already messed up.” That’s what actually slows people down.

At the end of the day, you don’t need to live like a bodybuilder to see results. You just need to be a little more intentional than the average person.

Eat out, have fun, be social… just keep a little bit of awareness while you’re doing it.

Hart

Lifting for Longevity

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:42:22 GMT

Let’s be real. Most people start lifting because they want to look better. Nobody’s flooding into the gym in January thinking, “Time to improve my long-term metabolic health!!”

Looking good is cool, but still being able to move well, feel good, and actually do stuff 20-30 years from now? Way cooler.

That’s the goal!

So here’s how to do it in a way that actually sets you up for the long game.

Slow Down… Your Joints Will Thank You

Ego lifting has gotta go! Every rep should look and feel like you actually meant to do it that way.

Control the way down, a smooth transition at the bottom, then lift strong on the way up! This helps us own the positions and movement instead of trying to get through it however possible.

Pick Movements That Don’t Hate You

Not every lift is made for every person, and it doesn’t matter what some guy on the internet said is the “best exercise for your glutes”

If something consistently beats you up, then it’s probably not the move for you.

If your joints are the limiting factor when doing a specific movement, let’s try a variation that allows you to move better, without pain, and push the effort!

Muscle = Health (Not Just Looks)

Meatheads get clowned sometimes but having more muscle is one of the best things you can do for your body.

It helps with:

Blood sugar control

Metabolism

Bone strength

Injury resilience

Not falling apart as you get older

A lot of the “health benefits” people chase can show up just from having a little more muscle on your body!

You Should Probably Do Some “Boring” Lifting

PRs are fun, and they have their place!

But if you actually want to age well, you need some phases where the goal is to build muscle, move well, and feel the right things working!

That means sets about 2-3 reps shy of failure with a controlled tempo

Not everything needs to feel like a competition Jerry!

Recovery Isn’t Optional

If you’re working out consistently:

Sleep matters… a lot more than you think!

Eat enough protein

Take rest days when needed

Talk to a coach about adjusting a workout if you need a smooth day

You’re gonna get older, I promise! Feeling older doesn’t always have to come as soon as you think! It is a little bit up to you.

Hart

So… You Want To Start Running?

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:47:35 GMT

Running kind of sucks (at first).

You head out, feel decent for about two minutes, then all of a sudden you’re out of breath, your legs feel heavy, and you have no idea how people do this for so long.

Totally normal.

You just have to get over that big first hump.

First Thing… You’re Running Too Fast

I don’t even need to watch you run, I already know. Everyone starts too fast.

The term “Zone 2” gets thrown around a lot as the holy grail for measuring the success of a run, but to quote a runner I know, “most new runners are not going to be able to stay in zone 2 no matter how hard they try.” What you want to aim for is a pace where you could actually talk in full sentences. Don’t worry about your pace on the watch or how far you are planning on going.

Instead of looking at your watch and seeing that your heart rate is already at 175, just slow down enough so you can keep a conversation!

Also… You Can Walk

Some think if they stop and walk, it “doesn’t count.” It 100% counts. Run/walk is honestly one of the best ways to get into running without hating it.

Something like:

Run 2 minutes, walk 1

Or run 3, walk 1

Or even 1:1 if you’re just starting

Just keep moving.

Get Some Decent Shoes

You don’t need anything crazy, but if you’re running in flat, worn-out gym shoes it’s going to feel worse than it should.

Just grab a solid, basic running shoe:

Nike Pegasus

Brooks Ghost

HOKA Clifton

These aren’t automatically going to make running easy, but getting new gear definitely adds a little motivation for your next workout.

You Don’t Need to Run Every Day

And actually… please don’t.

Your lungs will adapt pretty quickly but your legs and joints take a little longer.

1-2 runs per week is plenty when you are first starting. Mix that in with your normal workouts and don’t stress if they are slower or shorter than you planned.

If I Were Starting From Scratch…

Here’s exactly what I’d do:

Example Week 1

Go out for 20–25 minutes

Run 2 min / Walk 1 min → Nice and easy

Example Week 2

Go 25–30 minutes

Maybe run 3 / walk 1 → Still easy

Example Week 3

Short 15-20 min jog → Super chill

Do that for a couple cycles through and just let it get easier before you try to make it harder.

Disclaimer…Stuff is Going to Feel Weird

Calves tight. Shins sore. Knees weak arms heavy moms spaghetti.

All normal. Except the last part…

Obviously if something actually hurts and keeps getting worse, then don’t push through it just to prove a point.

As the weather warms up and hopefully the fire smoke stays away, there will be a little more running at the gym. Don’t shy away from those days! Running with a group is a great way to get better at it without having to muster up the courage to get out there by yourself.

Hart

You've Been Training For Hyrox Without Even Knowing!

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:30:38 GMT

Since the news about RMA now being an official Hyrox Training Club, we have gotten a lot of questions about how things will change, and if we are just going to do wall balls and running from now on. The answer is…

No, and no!

What we do at RMA already prepares people for Hyrox incredibly well. Being a Hyrox Training Club does not change what we are currently doing, but rather helps us add on to the services we can provide to our community, while helping others who may want to prepare for the event, or just enjoy a certain style of workouts.

For starters, Hyrox is a threshold style race that challenges endurance through functional movements. Running, wallballs, ski erg, burpees, etc… Basically what we do every week. You need strength, muscle endurance, and aerobic fitness to excel. So train some strength, and do some cardio that is a mix of high, moderate, and low intensity.

Let’s take a look at this week's programming at RMA. For strength, we have squats, lunges, pressing, hinging, and pulling. All things that are needed for having the strength in the positions needed for Hyrox. For conditioning we did workouts lasting 12, 20, 25, and 35 minutes. Those time domains matter because they train your ability to push, pace, or sustain effort over longer periods, which is exactly what you’ll experience in a race that can last an hour or more.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that Hyrox is just cardio, but that’s not really the case. If you’re not strong, every weighted movement feels harder than it should. Strength is what makes those movements more efficient.

At the same time, your engine plays a huge role. Hyrox rewards people who can find a sustainable pace and hold onto it without falling apart halfway through. That’s something we train all the time, whether it’s in longer workouts or intervals. Learning how to manage effort and keep moving when things get uncomfortable is absolutely a skill. If you have been here for our Wednesday workouts, this is exactly what we’ve been doing. Trying to find a repeatable pace, with very little rest between rounds.

So will things change? Not really. You might see a bit more running or some additional sled work, but the foundation of what we do isn’t going anywhere, because it works for everything. We’ve never trained just to be good inside the gym. We train so you can take on challenges, stay strong, build endurance, and actually use your fitness outside of RMA. Hyrox just happens to be another way to do that.

A few things to look out for if you missed our previous email and/or are interested in Hyrox race information.

1. Denver race coming November 12-15, 2026!

2. We have early access to race tickets for our members! (Links will be sent out before sign ups for each race.)

3. Be on the lookout for RMA Hyrox events/simulations

4. And for an RMA run club! (the hardest part of HYROX)

See you out there on the rubber!

Hart

Sweaty?... Be Sure to Get Salty

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 19:52:15 GMT

As we move into spring, things are heating up, and by “things” I mean the climate. Whether you’re hitting a workout, going for a run, hiking, or just existing in Colorado sunshine, staying properly hydrated can be trickier than you think.

Water is Great, But It’s Not Everything

Water…boring!!! Wouldn’t it be cooler if we could drink things that tasted good like H2Flow? (if you understand that reference, I’m impressed.) Yes, drink your water. But if you’re sweating a lot, you’re not just losing water, you’re also losing electrolytes: sodium, potassium and magnesium. Sodium helps regulate fluid levels, potassium helps muscles contract and nerves fire, and magnesium plays a role in muscle relaxation and energy production.

If you only drink water, you’ll end up diluting the concentration of those electrolytes in your body, which can cause all sorts of issues.

If you hit a wall out of nowhere, your legs start cramping mid-workout, or you feel lightheaded after being outside, it could be that you aren’t adequately restocking your body’s electrolyte supply.

When should you actually use electrolytes?

You’re working out 45+ minutes

You’re outside in the heat

You’re a heavy sweater

You’re doing multiple sessions in a day

You wake up feeling dehydrated

Quick Tips

1. Start your day with water - Before coffee. 12–20oz goes a long way.

2. Add electrolyte supplements when it makes sense - On workout days, long hikes, or hot afternoons, a packet like LMNT, Liquid IV, Nuun, Skratch, or similar can be helpful.

3. Sip throughout the day - Don’t chug water at 8pm and try to catch up.

4. Eat real food - Fruits, veggies, and well-balanced meals already give you potassium, and magnesium.

5. Pay attention to your body - Be on the lookout for low energy, headaches, and poor workouts.

Stay salty out there!

Hart

Allow App to Track… Food?

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:23:10 GMT

Counting calories, one of the greatest wonders of the fitness world. Whether you are trying to gain muscle, lose body fat, or somewhere in between, it can feel like a daunting task to track every single gram of food and drink that you consume.

If you want to see any success while tracking macros, we need to start by making it as simple as possible.

Macro tracking is just a way to pay a little more attention to what you’re eating. It’s not a strict diet and it shouldn’t take over your life.

First, the Macros

Macros are just the three main nutrients in food:

Protein - Carbohydrates - Fat

When people track macros, they’re usually logging their meals in an app so they can see roughly how much of each one they’re eating during the day, along with their total calories.

It doesn’t need to be perfect

One reason people get frustrated with macro tracking is because they think it has to be extremely precise. They imagine weighing every ingredient, measuring every gram, and turning dinner into a science project.

For most people, this level of detail isn’t necessary. Tracking can simply mean logging your meals to create an awareness of what you’re actually eating on a daily basis. Even if the numbers aren’t perfect, the process can still be helpful and educational.

If you're curious, start simple

If you ever want to experiment with tracking macros, the easiest place to start is with a food tracking app. Apps like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer are good places to start. You just search for the foods you eat and log them throughout the day.

At first, the goal isn’t to change anything. It’s just to see what your current eating habits actually look like. Sometimes people discover their protein intake is lower than they thought, or realize most of their calories happen late at night. Again, it’s about awareness.

It doesn't have to be forever

Another common misconception is that once you start tracking macros, you’re committing to logging every meal for the rest of your life if you want to continue to see progress.

Nope!

For many people, tracking macros is just a short-term learning tool. It helps you understand portion sizes, how different foods affect your energy, and what a balanced day of eating might look like.

Some people enjoy tracking and keep doing it, while others track for a while, learn a few things, and then move on.

The Next Steps

If this is not for you, and you know it, that's fine! However, if food has always been a big question mark for you, then a great place to start is tracking for a few days. It might open your eyes to a few small tweaks you can make so you can see some progress. Just remember, you do not need to weigh every blueberry.

Reach out for questions about where to start or how to set your macro numbers!

Hart

Fitness Myths, Busted

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The fitness world of Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (not calling it X) have a lot of helpful information we can use and apply to our health and fitness journey. However, it also has a lot of ideas that get repeated so often they start to sound like facts.

Over time these myths can make training feel more complicated than it needs to be. They create unnecessary pressure, confusion, or unrealistic expectations about what progress should look like.

So, without further ado, here are some of those repeated myths that we would love to see disappear once and for all!

BIG ONES!

You have to be sore after every workout

Soreness often gets treated like a scoreboard for how good a workout was.

If you wake up the next day and everything hurts, people assume the workout worked. If you feel mostly fine, it can feel like you didn’t push hard enough. In reality, soreness usually comes from doing something new or increasing volume. Once your body adapts, you can have very productive workouts without feeling sore at all. Progress is much more about consistency than soreness.

You need to work out every day to see results

It’s easy to think more workouts automatically means more progress. For many adults, though, three to five well-paced workouts each week is plenty. The body actually adapts and improves during recovery, not during the workout.

Trying to train hard every single day often leads to fatigue, plateaus, or injury.

Lifting weights will make you bulky

This one has been around for decades and still shows up surprisingly often.

Building large amounts of muscle requires a lot of specific training, high food intake, and years of consistency. Most people lifting weights a few times per week will simply get stronger, move better, and build some muscle over time.

Strength training is one of the best tools for improving body composition and staying healthy long term.

Cardio is the only way to burn fat

Cardio is helpful for conditioning and overall health, but it’s not the only way people improve body composition.

Strength training builds muscle, improves metabolism, and helps maintain strength as people lose body fat. Nutrition habits also play a major role. Most successful long-term approaches include some combination of strength work, conditioning, and sustainable eating habits.

Scaling means you are doing the “easy” workout

Scaling is often misunderstood as a step backward.

In reality, scaling helps match the workout to the person. Adjusting weights, reps, or movement keeps the intended pace and stimulus of the workout intact. Done well, scaling often makes the workout more productive!

You have to feel motivated to train

Motivation gets talked about a lot in fitness, but the people who stay consistent rarely rely on motivation alone. They build routines. Some days workouts feel great, other days they don’t, but the habit of showing up keeps progress moving forward.

Motivation will come and go, but consistency is what actually builds results.

QUICK ONES!

Myth: If you miss a week of workouts you lose all your progress

Reality: It takes several weeks of inactivity to lose meaningful fitness.

Myth: You should never train if you're tired

Reality: There’s a difference between exhausted and just not feeling motivated. Many workouts actually improve energy once you get moving.

Myth: The goal is to PR every workout

Reality: Most training days are practice days. PRs happen occasionally because of consistent work, not because every session should be max effort.

Myth: More sweat means a better workout

Reality: Sweat mostly reflects temperature, hydration, and genetics, not workout quality.

Myth: You have to fix everything before you start training

Reality: People sometimes think they need perfect mobility, perfect movement, or to “get in shape first.” Training itself is often what improves those things.

Myth: You need a perfect program to make progress

Reality: A decent program followed consistently will outperform a perfect program followed occasionally.

Myth: You should wait until you're in better shape to join a gym

Reality: Gyms exist to help people get into shape, not just maintain it.

Myth: If a workout feels hard, you're doing something wrong

Reality: Hard effort is part of adaptation. The goal is controlled difficulty, not avoiding discomfort entirely.

Myth: Progress should happen every week

Reality: Progress is about a general trend over months, but week to week it's rarely linear.

Most fitness myths start with a small piece of truth but get exaggerated over time.

The basics still tend to matter most: consistent training, reasonable intensity, good recovery, and sustainable habits around food and sleep.

Did we miss any big ones?

Hart

Building a Meal in 60 Seconds

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:24:18 GMT

First you take the pizza rolls out of the package and put them in the microwave for 45 seconds. After that, you just need 15 seconds of cooldown time because that cheese is hot as lava so make sure to be patient. Once step 15 seconds is up, you have a fast easy meal in just about 60 seconds.

In all seriousness pizza rolls are great, and in maybe a little more seriousness, eating real food at each meal should not be complicated or crazy time-consuming. Yes, it may be longer than microwaving, but it should still allow for some simplicity and flexibility.

If you can recognize the parts, you can put together a solid meal almost anywhere in about a minute. A helpful guideline is that most meals should include three or four of the following: a protein, a carbohydrate, some kind of produce, and a fat. It does not need to be perfect. You are just trying to make a reasonable decision quickly and consistently.

Now before we get into it, I am not saying that you need to cut out all packaged foods or not indulge every now and then, but on a regular basis, putting together a simple 3-4 ingredient meal will move towards your goals and also save time in your life.

Keep things simple.

The easiest place to start is protein . Before anything else, ask yourself, “Where is the protein?” Protein tends to be the piece most people miss, and it plays a big role in recovery, fullness, and stable energy. Once you pick that first, the rest of the meal usually becomes easier to build around it. This could be something simple like chicken, eggs, beef, yogurt, cottage cheese, deli meat, tofu, or even a protein shake.

Next comes a carbohydrate . Carbs are not cheating and they are not something you have to earn. They are fuel. They help workouts feel better and they prevent the big energy drop that often leads to overeating later in the day. Rice, potatoes, tortillas, oats, fruit, pasta, and bread all work. The goal isn’t to avoid them, it’s to pair them with protein so the meal actually holds you over.

After that, add some color with a fruit or veggie. This is usually the easiest upgrade you can make. A fruit or vegetable improves fullness and overall nutrition without requiring complicated rules. It might be berries in yogurt, an apple with lunch, frozen vegetables with dinner, or peppers on a sandwich. You don’t have to love vegetables. You just need to include something for most meals.

Finally, you can add a fat if it makes the meal more satisfying. Things like avocado, cheese, olive oil, nuts, or peanut butter help meals feel complete and keep you full longer. You don’t need a large amount, just enough that the meal feels like real food and not a diet.

In real life this ends up looking very simple.

Greek yogurt with granola and berries for breakfast.

A turkey sandwich and an apple for lunch.

Chicken, rice, and frozen vegetables with a little olive oil for dinner.

A protein shake and a banana after a workout.

Even eating out becomes easier when you choose a protein first and then add a side and something with color.

This allows us to make a meal that is relatively healthy and moves us towards our goals, but doesn't require any counting macros or tracking of any kind.

Consistency in nutrition usually comes from simplicity. If you can quickly put together a decent meal on busy workdays, travel days, or late nights, your eating becomes sustainable.

A simple system that still works when life isn’t perfectly planned.

Hart

Recovery Tools: Helpful or Just Expensive?

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:00:09 GMT

Scroll social media for a few minutes and you’ll see it: cold plunges, massage guns, compression boots, saunas, special supplements, and about ten different ways to “speed up recovery.”

It can start to feel like if you are even a little sore after a workout, you must be missing a tool. However, most recovery does not come from gadgets you use, but the repeatable habits you have on a daily basis.

I’m not saying that tools are useless. It’s just easy to think that they can be this quick easy fix because some John Stamos looking fitness guru says so.

The things that matter most

If you want the closest thing to a science-backed recovery plan, here you go!

Sleep - Food - Consistent training

Sleep is easily the most powerful recovery method we have. It’s when your body repairs tissue, restores your nervous system, and resets energy levels. Poor sleep consistently shows up as worse strength, worse conditioning, and higher soreness.

Nutrition is next. Training breaks tissue down, and food rebuilds it. A lot of people think they don’t recover well when they’re actually just under-eating.

Consistency matters too. Your body recovers better from regular, predictable training, rather than from occasional all-out workouts.

Those three things beat almost every recovery device combined.

Tools that can help

Some tools don’t necessarily speed adaptation, but they can improve how you feel.

Light movement - An easy bike ride, walk, or light cardio the day after a hard workout increases blood flow and often reduces stiffness more than complete rest.

Massage, foam rolling, and massage guns - These don’t dramatically speed muscle repair, but they can reduce soreness and temporarily improve range of motion. In other words, they help you move more comfortably in the next session.

Sauna - Regular sauna use helps relaxation and circulation and often improves sleep quality.

The “it depends” category

Cold plunges / ice baths - Cold exposure definitely reduces soreness and inflammation. The interesting part is that inflammation is also part of how your body signals muscle growth and adaptation, so the frequent cold plunges immediately after strength training may slightly reduce those long-term progress when it comes to building muscle.

Compression boots - These can make your legs feel better after hard conditioning. Evidence for performance improvement is small, but comfort still has value if it helps you show up again tomorrow.

A quick reality check

I am not saying to go out and buy saunas, or get rid of your state of the art cold plunge!

Everyone’s experience with these tools is a little different. Some people swear by massage guns, compression boots, or cold plunges and genuinely feel better using them. Part of that may be physical, and part of it may simply be that the body relaxes when you believe something is helping, which still counts. Feeling better often leads to moving better and more consistent training.

Just don’t let tools replace the fundamentals. Sleep, food, and regular training will always do more for progress than any device. If you enjoy a recovery tool, great. Just keep expectations realistic, do a little research, and make sure the basics are handled first.

Recovery tools are best thought of as helpers, not solutions. If sleep and nutrition are off, adding more devices is like trying to fix a leaking roof by buying a better bucket. And if you’ve been at the gym for a while, you know what I’m talking about.

Hart

Pacing Ain’t Rocket Science

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:34:03 GMT

We’ve all been there. You finish a workout, lie on the floor for a minute, and one of two thoughts usually shows up:

“I could not have gone any harder.”

“I completely blew up.”

Most people don’t struggle with fitness in conditioning workouts, they struggle with pacing.

The Mistake

When the clock starts, adrenaline starts too. Music is loud and everyone moves at once. You sprint the first round, and for a moment, you feel amazing.

Then your breathing spikes and suddenly a workout that was supposed to feel steady becomes survival when rest breaks get longer and reps get sloppy.

The Goal

Pacing is not about going slow. It is choosing a speed you can repeat for the amount of time needed.

A well paced workout should feel almost too easy for the first few minutes. You should be able to breathe through your nose or speak in short sentences. Ideally you finish the first round and feel like you could immediately do another at the same speed.

Done right, the first 3-5 minutes of a 10:00 workout should look boring from the outside.

The Fix

Your first round should be your slowest round. Period.

If this sounds impossible to do, then it needs to be reeeeheeally slow! Make it feel so lazy that other people think you’re weird.

This allows your heart rate to increase very slowly as you get more and more into the workout. It’s better for your health, and your scores!

Halfway through you’ll notice you still feel the same. Your breathing is elevated but controlled, and your reps look similar to round one. You aren’t staring at the barbell between sets wondering how you got there.

The Why

Starting too fast turns workouts into intervals with long rest, instead of a sustained effort. Finding sustained efforts is what improves endurance, recovery between movements, and long-term performance.

Many people think they’re bad at conditioning when really they just run out of energy early and spend the rest of the workout trying to survive.

Done right, this can improve fitness almost immediately.

The Next Time

Keep track of your round times. Get a whiteboard and a marker so you can write down each round.

Round 1 - 1:45

Round 2 - 1:45

Round 3 - 1:30

Round 4 - 1:15

…etc.

It might take a few workouts to find the sweet spot, but down the line you will be happy you took the time.

See you out there!

Hart

Let's Talk About Scaling...

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Not the scaling you were expecting…?

First off… the scale doesn’t matter. And also, it does. No judgment whether it is for you or not, but it is important to have a better understanding of what we are seeing, and why it is more than just the blinking number on the screen.

Let’s face it, stepping on the scale can stir up all kinds of emotions. It’s totally natural that many of us have experienced frustration, self-judgment, or even avoidance. Today, I want to help you understand the scale for what it truly is… a tool that can offer data.

When to do it, and How Often

We often make the mistake of giving one weigh-in way too much power. If you weigh yourself once a week or once a month, that number might be influenced by factors like hydration, what you ate yesterday, or how much sleep you got the night before. These things play a bigger role in that number than we think, and in turn can cause us to believe we aren’t making progress even when we actually are.

When you weigh yourself every day at the same time, however, you start to see a pattern emerge. Day to day fluctuations are normal and weight naturally shifts due to water retention, hormones, or even muscle glycogen. But over time, you’ll notice if the overall trend is upward, downward, or stable. That trend is what gives you actual information. So if you are thinking about giving the scale a go, remember to be consistent, same time, same scale, same clothes.

Knowing the trend over time allows us to make informed decisions.

Do we like what’s going on?

If yes, keep doing what’s working. If not, you have information to guide adjustments like tweaking nutrition, training, or habits.

Not for You, No Big Deal

Now, let’s be clear. You don’t have to weigh yourself.

If stepping on the scale causes anxiety, or if you’d rather focus on other markers like strength, energy levels, or performance, that’s completely fair. There are many ways to track progress, and the scale is just one option. If you have a few goals you are trying to reach, it is worth finding one or two ways to track and measure your progress. It allows us to see tangible results and make informed decisions if we need to.

Disclaimer

Whether you weigh daily or choose another path, remember: the scale doesn’t define you. It’s simply a tool you can use or not use to help you make informed decisions. Approach it with curiosity instead of judgment, and know that every bit of data is just one small piece.

Hart

Shoes.

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:00:04 GMT

Let's set the scene… It's 75° and sunny outside, clearly a mid-January day in Colorado, and you're about to go for a run. You threw on some shorts, your favorite running T-shirt, and now you grab your running shoes. The shoes you bought specifically for running.

Why wouldn't you do the same thing for the gym? Instead of throwing on those exact same running shoes, or another set of random shoes to do back squats, deadlifts, and Olympic lifting, you need the right tools for the job. I'm not going to sit here and write about a specific shoe that you should go out and buy, mainly because my Nike deal has not been made public yet, but there are some important considerations when picking shoes so that you can move safely and effectively in the gym.

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Why running shoes aren’t the right choice

Those neon Nikes might increase your running pace a little bit, but they make it harder to find stability when it comes to lifting. Running shoes provide a lot of cushion and protection that you might need over the course of a 30-minute run. However, while lifting, you need to prioritize your connection with the ground.

The soft cushioning of a running shoe reduces our stability under weight. Therefore, when you do something like a back squat, your feet and knees may cave in due to your shoe, instead of your body. This may cause a change in technique, lack of strength, or even increase the risk of injury a little bit.

These shoes can also hinder our balance and ability to feel the floor. The thick foam dulls feedback from the floor, causing our weight to shift easily and reduce the amount of force you can put into the ground.

What to look for in a shoe for fitness

In functional fitness, your feet are the foundation. Every squat, deadlift, clean, lunge, jump, and carry starts with how you interact with the floor. If your shoe collapses or shifts, force leaks out before it ever reaches the barbell or the movement you’re trying to perform. That doesn’t mean minimalist shoes are required or that cushioning is bad. It means your shoe should match the demands of your training and your body.

Let’s keep it really simple. When looking for a new shoe for the gym you want to focus on three things: Firm, flat, and fit. You want firm shoes so you can put force directly into the floor while having solid stability throughout. Flat shoes help keep us balanced from heel to toe, preventing us from being driven forward while lifting. And they need to fit well. Wide enough through the toe box to let your toes spread and your feet do their job. If your toes are crammed together, balance and force transfer suffer before the movement even starts.

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Here is a short list of a few shoe choices to consider:

Nike Metcons

Nike Metcon Free

Reebok Nanos

Flux Adapt Trainers

NoBull Trainers

But, you don’t have to spend hundreds on shoes. Those old, flat Chuck Taylors are a favorite among powerlifters because they tick all the important boxes. Next time you come in for a deadlift day, break out your old Chucks instead of your big squishy Hokas and thank me later!

Hart

I Just Need to Stretch More!… You sure?

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

For a long time, mobility has been treated as something separate from training. Something you do before you workout, after you workout, or on an entirely different day.

Stretch more. Roll more. Do more mobility drills. These tools can absolutely be beneficial but they often distract from a bigger truth.

Mobility is built through how you train. The point is not that extra mobility work is useless. It’s that if your strength training is done well, much of the mobility you are chasing will show up naturally.

First off, mobility and flexibility are not the same thing.

Flexibility is passive. It’s how far a joint can move when there’s no real demand placed on it.

Mobility is active. It’s your ability to move through a full range of motion with strength and stability.

If you can stretch into a position but can’t control it under even a little bit of weight, that range doesn’t belong to you.

This is where strength training becomes a powerful mobility tool. When you squat to full depth with control, press overhead through a complete range of motion, or hinge slowly with tension the whole time, you are learning to load positions that we move through in life. That load teaches your body those positions are safe, and over time your nervous system stops guarding them.

Control matters more than load here. Slow reps, pauses, and tempo work force you to work on difficult positions instead of rushing out of them. Those end ranges are exactly where mobility is built, and turns flexibility into something useful.

This approach also requires leaving the ego at the door. Chasing heavier weights while cutting depth or rushing reps may boost short-term numbers and confidence, but it can stall your mobility in the long run. Focusing on your full range of motion and good positions builds resilient joints and strength that carries over into everything else you do!

The best part is that none of this requires extra sessions or complicated routines. Squats, split squats, hinges, presses, and lunges all become mobility work. You don’t need to “cancel stretching forever,” but you may not need nearly as much of it as you think if your training is doing its job.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to be able to stretch into impressive positions on the floor. The goal is to move well for a long time. When lifting is done with a full range of motion, control, and humility, it becomes your most effective mobility practice.

Hart

Why Your Breakfast Might Be Holding You Back

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:22:07 GMT

Most people don’t think much about breakfast. They skip it, rush it, or grab something that feels “good enough” and move on with their day. Then by mid-morning, energy dips and hunger spikes.

That’s not a coincidence.

How you start your day nutritionally matters more than most people realize. Yes, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” might be a myth, but breakfast sets the tone not just for hunger, but for energy, training performance, and food choices later on.

When breakfast is skipped, very low in protein, or loaded with sugar, you’re quietly making the rest of the day harder.

Skipping breakfast often feels productive. Fewer calories and one less decision to make. But physiologically it’s rarely that simple.

When you don’t eat in the morning, hunger just gets postponed. By late morning or early afternoon, it comes back stronger, and decision making gets sloppier. That’s when portion sizes creep up and certain foods become harder to resist. It’s easy for us to think we will eat less throughout the day if we skip breakfast, but most of the time that’s not the case.

Even when breakfast does happen, protein is usually missing.

Toast, cereal, pastries, smoothies, and coffee with a splash of milk aren’t “bad foods”, but they don’t do much on their own to keep you full or energized. Protein slows digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, and tells your brain you’re satisfied.

Hitting your protein is one of the simplest things you can do to build or maintain muscle. Protein doesn’t just build muscle. It keeps you full, reduces cravings, and smooths out energy levels throughout the day.

Getting a solid dose early in the day gives you a head start before decision fatigue creeps in. It makes it easier to eat well later, not harder. You’re less likely to snack mindlessly, overeat at night, or feel like you’re constantly playing catch up to hit your protein target for the day.

For most active adults, a breakfast with only 10–15 grams of protein is just not enough. Closer to 30–40 grams is where hunger stays controlled and energy stays steady.

Sugar makes things worse.

Even breakfasts that appear reasonable can cause problems when they’re mostly sugar. Cereals, pastries, muffins, flavored yogurts, and sweetened drinks can spike blood sugar quickly. The crash that follows brings fatigue and the urge for more coffee or snacks. That cycle repeats itself all day. The first meal of the day influences far more than just hunger. It affects energy, training output, recovery, and how easy it is to make good decisions later on. A balanced, protein forward breakfast makes the rest of the day easier.

A better breakfast doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. It just needs to prioritize protein and mainly come from whole foods.

It doesn’t need to be perfect, but with a few minor substitutions, you can start to move things in the right direction.

Hart

Beers & Burpees Don’t Mix

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:00:02 GMT

Let’s get this out of the way first… No one is here to cancel happy hour.

But if you’re training consistently, trying to feel better in your body, and wondering why progress sometimes feels slower than it should, alcohol is usually part of that story whether we want it to be or not.

Alcohol isn’t evil. It’s just not on your side when it comes to fitness.

It’s Not Just About Calories

Most people think alcohol only matters because of the calories. That part is true, but it’s actually the smallest piece of the puzzle.

When you drink, your body treats alcohol as a toxin. That means everything else like burning fat, repairing muscle, even regulating blood sugar, gets put on hold while your liver works to clear the alcohol from your system.

Researchers have shown that your ability to burn fat for fuel drops significantly after drinking. In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, fat burning was reduced by up to 73% for several hours after alcohol consumption. Your body literally cannot prioritize fat loss while alcohol is present.

So even if you ate well that day, trained hard, and hit your protein, your body is now forced into storage mode instead of rebuilding mode.

Every workout you do creates small amounts of muscle damage. That’s not a bad thing, that’s the stimulus for growth. Recovery is when your body uses protein to repair that damage and build stronger muscle tissue. Alcohol interferes with that process.

Your Sleep Is Worse Than You Think

Alcohol can make you fall asleep faster, which is why so many people think it helps their sleep. But the quality of that sleep is worse.

Studies from sleep labs have consistently shown that alcohol reduces deep sleep and REM sleep. The two stages that matter most for physical recovery, hormone balance, memory, and mood. It also raises your resting heart rate through the night and increases how often you wake up, even if you don’t remember it.

You might be in bed for eight hours, but your body didn’t get eight hours of recovery.

This matters because poor sleep increases stress, worsens insulin sensitivity, and drives cravings the next day. All things that work directly against fat loss and performance.

So… Do You Have to Quit Drinking?

No. But you should know the trade offs.

One or two drinks occasionally won’t derail anything. But drinking several times per week adds up fast. Not just in calories, but in missed recovery.

If your goal is to get leaner, stronger, have more energy, and feel better in your body, alcohol becomes something you have to manage instead of ignore.

The Real Takeaway

You don’t need to be perfect to make progress, but your habits should point in the same direction as your goals.

If you’re training hard, eating well, and showing up consistently, alcohol often becomes the one thing quietly working against all of it. Cheers!

Hart

A Little Mo Cardio… or not!

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Cardio is often thought of as the primary tool for fat loss and it’s easy to understand why. Cardio burns calories, raises heart rate, and feels productive. More sweat often makes us think, more progress.

The problem is that fat loss doesn’t depend on a single variable. It’s the result of how training, nutrition, recovery, and consistency interact over time. When cardio is treated as the main focus, progress often stalls. Not because cardio is ineffective, but because it’s misunderstood.

What Cardio Does Well

Cardio training improves the efficiency of the aerobic system. It strengthens the heart and lungs, improves endurance, supports metabolic health, and is strongly associated with long-term health outcomes such as improved cardiovascular function, mood regulation, and sleep quality.

From a health perspective, cardio is valuable and should be part of most training routines.

From a fat-loss perspective, its role is more supportive than central.

Cardio contributes to calorie expenditure, but it does not create the same adaptations as strength training. It does not increase muscle mass, and it does not significantly improve metabolism on its own.

Why Resistance Training Matters More for Fat Loss

Resistance training plays a critical role in fat loss because it preserves and builds muscle. Muscle influences body composition, strength, insulin sensitivity, and long-term metabolic health.

When muscle mass is maintained or increased, the body is better able to use calories efficiently, physical capacity improves, and weight loss is more likely to come from fat rather than lean muscle.

When resistance training is not prioritized and cardio volume increases, people are more likely to experience strength loss, reduced training intensity, and difficulty managing hunger. Over time, this can lead to muscle loss and a slower metabolic rate.

Fat loss without muscle preservation can result in a smaller body, but not necessarily a healthier or more capable one.

The Energy Trade-Off

Increasing cardio volume often comes at the expense of recovery, lifting performance, or both.

If cardio interferes with strength training quality, the long-term cost can outweigh the short-term calorie burn. This is especially true when calorie intake is reduced at the same time.

Fat loss strategies that reduce training quality rarely produce sustainable results.

Where Cardio Fits Best

Cardio works best when it supports, rather than replaces, resistance training.

A balanced approach typically prioritizes adequate protein intake, resistance training, high daily movement through walking or low-intensity activity, and moderate amounts of cardio.

Cardio can improve work capacity, aid recovery, and increase total movement, all of which can indirectly support fat loss when applied appropriately.

When Cardio Becomes the Focus

Endurance-focused goals change the equation. For athletes training for marathons, triathlons, or ultra-endurance events, cardio becomes the primary driver of adaptation.

Outside of these contexts, treating cardio as the main fat-loss strategy often leads to diminishing returns.

The Takeaway

Cardio is important for health, and resistance training is essential for body composition.

Fat loss is best supported by preserving muscle, maintaining training quality, and building habits that can be sustained long term. Cardio can enhance that process, but it is not a substitute for strength training.

Use cardio intentionally. Lift consistently. Eat enough protein.

That combination remains the most reliable approach.

Hart

Supplements Explained…Finally!

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 01:22:55 GMT

Let’s get this out of the way first:

I’m not a doctor. I don’t know your medical history. Before starting any supplement, especially if you have health conditions or take medications, check with your physician.

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Most supplements are unnecessary. Some are useless. Some are overpriced. Some are just fancy marketing with a cool label and zero payoff.

If supplements actually worked the way the internet claims they do, everyone would be jacked out of their minds by now.

They don’t.

Supplements are exactly what the name implies: they supplement the basics. They don’t replace sleep. They don’t replace training. They don’t replace eating real food. And they definitely don’t fix inconsistencies.

That said… There are a few that actually make sense.

The One Everyone Should Start With: Creatine

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements on the planet, and somehow it still gets treated like a sketchy muscle powder for meatheads only!

In reality, creatine is naturally found in foods like red meat and fish. Supplementing with it simply helps your muscles produce energy more efficiently during short, intense efforts like lifting weights, sprinting, jumping, etc.

What does that mean in real life? You can do a little more work, recover a little faster, and get a little stronger over time. Creatine has been shown to improve strength and power output, support muscle growth, and potentially support cognitive/brain health as well.

How to take it: 3–5 grams per day - Every day at the same time - Take it with water or food, and take it whenever you’ll remember. Consistency matters!

Protein Powder: Convenience, Not Magic

Protein powder isn’t special. It’s just food in powdered form.

If you’re already eating enough protein from whole foods, you don’t need it. If you struggle to hit protein targets consistently, it can be a game changer.

That’s it.

Protein powder does not build muscle on its own and it does not replace meals. It just helps you hit a daily protein number without cooking another chicken breast at 9pm.

Use it when it makes life easier. Ignore it when it doesn’t.

Omega-3s (Fish Oil): Worth Considering

Most people don’t eat enough fatty fish. Omega-3s can help fill that gap.

Potential benefits include joint health support, cardiovascular health, and inflammation management. It is not a performance supplement. It’s more of a long-term health play.

Quality matters here. Cheap fish oil can be underdosed or oxidized, which defeats the purpose.

Vitamin D: Situational, But Commonly Low

If you live somewhere with long winters, work indoors, or avoid sunlight like a vampire, vitamin D levels are often low.

Low vitamin D can impact energy, mood, and immune function!

This one is best handled with blood work, but many people benefit from supplementation, especially in winter months.

What About Pre-Workout? - The short & sweet!

Most pre-workouts are just caffeine, sugar, and artificial colors. If you like them and tolerate them well, fine. But don’t confuse feeling cracked out with actually training better.

A cup of coffee works just as well for most people.

The Big Picture

Supplements don’t change people. Habits do.

Creatine works because it supports training you’re already doing. Protein powder works because it supports eating you’re already trying to improve.

If sleep is terrible, training is inconsistent, and nutrition is chaotic, no supplement will save you.

Start with... Consistent movement. Enough protein. Enough sleep

Then layer supplements on top! Not the other way around.

Hart

Are New Year's Resolutions Dead?

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 02:37:30 GMT

Honestly?... I think so! This might be a little more of an opinionated post than in the past but everyone seems to have a different opinion about the resolutions of the New Year, so strap in!

Some love them and go all in, some hate them and don’t participate, and others choose lofty goals every year only to fall short after 3 days. No matter which one you are now, there’s a decent chance you’ve bounced around from committed, to who cares, in the past.

So…my two cents. I’m not here to tell you that one way is better than another but I think in this world of trying to stay away from crash diets, but also see results, the sweet spot can be tough to find. As the New Year approaches and you start to think about what you want 2026 to look like, try to picture what your perfect day is and what type of person you want to become.

Maybe your perfect day starts with getting out of bed when your alarm goes off instead of hitting snooze three times. Maybe it includes 30 minutes of movement not because you “have to work out,” but because that’s what this version of you does. Maybe it’s two short walks, a prepared meal instead of fast food, and putting your phone down a little earlier than usual.

None of these things are dramatic. None of them will change your life in a day. But doing them most days, will.

Try to be realistic.

Without diving into the “smart” goal realm, try to build your perfect day in a way that feels like a little bit of a challenge, but is absolutely doable 80% of the time.

With that being said…I think sometimes we fall into the trap of: if things are challenging, then it is probably too much. But why? The goals that we may have for the future are going to require some different work than what we do now. That’s hard and that’s okay. Not that we need to choose to run a marathon if we haven’t done one lap around the block, but don’t shy away from the big goals.

Studies say that it takes about 2 months to build a habit. I think that's a crazy assumption to make. It depends on the person, and depends on the habit. A great way to keep this “perfect day” on track, is to actually write it down. Now I know the sticky note on the mirror might seem crazy, but the point is to see it every day. Write it on the fridge or put it on your phone, just try to find a place that you see early and often during the day. This keeps it top of mind and can be a good reminder if you start to slip a little. Get as specific or vague as you want! You can put things at specific times, or just in order from start to finish, but win the day and the goals take care of themselves.

Goals are outcomes. Days are behaviors. You don’t control outcomes. You control what you do today. Stack enough good days together, and the result usually looks a lot like the goal you were chasing anyway.

You don’t need a new year. You don’t need a resolution. You need a clear picture of the type of day you want to repeat, and the discipline to keep showing up for it.

Hart

Slow Lifts, Fast Results

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:00:01 GMT

For a majority of the lifts we do at the gym, we focus on how much weight is on the bar. We think, more is better. However, when the goal is to look better, feel better, and function better in our daily lives… better is actually better. When barbells are flying around at a million miles an hour, our quality of movement and intent can get lost in the weeds. Tempo is one of the most effective tools we can use to build better movement and real, long-term strength and durability.

First, tempo immediately improves movement quality. Slowing a lift down forces you to actually own every position instead of blowing through weak spots. You can’t hide poor mechanics, shifting weight, or a lack of control when the descent takes three seconds. This awareness builds better habits, cleaner reps, and movement patterns that actually carry over outside the gym.

Tempo also increases time under tension, which is a huge driver of muscle growth. Muscles don’t care how impressive the number on the bar looks, they care about how long they’re being challenged. This is called mechanical tension. Controlling the lowering phase and pausing in key positions keeps the muscle working longer each rep, creating more stimulus with less load. It helps us build a little more muscle without putting too much stress on the joints.

Another underrated benefit is joint health. Slower, controlled reps reduce unnecessary joint stress while strengthening the muscles, tendons, and connective tissue that support them. Instead of bouncing out of the bottom of a squat or crashing a barbell into your shoulders, tempo teaches you to absorb and produce force safely. Over time, this builds more resilient knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

Finally, tempo shifts the goal from ego to intent. You’re no longer chasing numbers for the sake of numbers, you’re chasing quality reps, consistent positions, and meaningful effort. That’s how people make progress year after year instead of cycling through aches, plateaus, and setbacks.

If you want to move better, build muscle, and stay durable long term, slowing things down might be the fastest way to get there.

Hart

High-Protein Swaps for High Stress People

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:00:03 GMT

Life is busy. Work, kids, dogs, workouts, pretending to stretch… it all adds up. Most people want to eat more protein, but don’t want to add 3 hours of cooking on a Sunday to their list of To-Do’s. Some little changes can make a big difference without turning your life into a meal prep saga.

Here are five easy protein upgrades that take zero extra time.

Swap your regular yogurt for Greek yogurt

This one is basically cheating.

Regular yogurt: 5–6g protein

Greek yogurt: 14–17g protein

Same container, same convenience, triple the protein. Add fruit, granola, or honey and boom goes the dynamite!

Swap cereal for overnight oats with protein

Let’s be real, cereal is old school. Who needs that high sugar, no flavor, dumb toy in the box cereal from the 90’s

Instead, throw these in a jar before bed:

½ cup oats

1 scoop protein powder

Splash of milk

Some berries or nut butter

Holy cow! You wake up to 30–40g of protein that requires zero morning effort.

Swap crackers/chips for cottage cheese + something

Cottage cheese is one of the easiest wins.

A single cup has 25g of protein, and it pairs with everything:

Fruit

Crackers

Veggies

Toast

This turns a snack from “boo” to “booyah!!!”

Swap a latte for a protein shake (or add protein to it)

A standard latte has roughly 6–8g protein, & a protein shake has 20–30g.

You could literally do the same thing you’re already doing, and just get more out of it.

Add a scoop of vanilla whey to your iced latte

Drink a shake with your coffee

Use a ready-to-drink shake as your “creamer”

Take your morning coffee from “dud” to “stud!”

Swap one part of your meal for a protein-forward version

Keep your meal the same but just upgrade one ingredient:

Regular pasta → chickpea or lentil pasta

White rice → high-protein rice blends

Bread → Dave’s KillerBread / high-protein wraps

Ground beef → 90/10 lean beef or turkey

These swaps can add 10–20 extra grams without changing your actual meal. Go from “yawn” to “yahtzee!!”

How Much Protein Should You Aim For?

A simple rule for most active adults:

0.7-1.0 gram per pound of bodyweight

So if you weigh 180 pounds:

126-180 grams/day is a solid range.

If that number feels overwhelming, start with 20-25g per meal and 1-2 protein snacks.

You don’t need a perfect diet, you just need better defaults. Small protein upgrades add up to better recovery, consistent energy, fewer random snacks, stronger workouts, and better body composition.

Hart

Warm Up Your Body… Don’t Just Chat Up Your Neighbor

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Whether you are a chatterbox or not, it is easy for all of us to go through the motions during the warm up portion of class quietly saying to ourselves, “I’m going to save my energy for the main thing!” We think that moving around a little bit will be good for us, but moving around a lot will somehow hinder our performance for the main workout…

False!

Most people skip or half-ass their warm up. A few stretches? Some light reps? A short jog? How much of an impact could that really have?

Way more than you think!

Warm-ups don’t need to be crazy complex, but they need to be treated with intent and effort in order to prepare us for what is to come. This is the simple, unsexy thing that makes everything else better.

A proper warm-up does three big things:

1. It primes your body. Your muscles loosen up. Your joints get lubricated. Blood flow increases. Your nervous system wakes up. Suddenly your squat feels smoother, your run feels lighter, and your body doesn’t panic the moment intensity kicks in.

2. It boosts performance. Think of the warm-up as a highway onramp. If you try to merge at full speed from a dead stop, everything feels jarring. But give yourself a few controlled minutes to accelerate, and things feel better all around.

3. It prevents injuries. Warm muscles and mobile joints handle stress way better than cold ones. Most tweaks happen when someone goes straight from sitting at a desk to moving weight explosively. A good warm-up helps your body switch gears from our static life to our dynamic movement.

Warm-ups are a transition. A moment to shift from work mode, kid mode, stress mode, or whatever chaos you came from… into training mode. They settle your mind and get you into a new rhythm for movement.

You don’t need to love every warm-up every day. You don’t need to feel amazing every second. But take those first few minutes seriously. Show up, pay attention, and try a little harder than you think.

Hart

The Perfect Morning Routine Doesn’t Exist

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:00:01 GMT

4:30am Wake up

4:42am Meditate

5:05am Cold Plunge

5:30am Journal

6:00am Workout

7:00am Breakfast

…Yada yada yada…

This is your classic, run-of-the-mill 15 step morning routine popularized by an instagram influencer with no kids, no job, and an endless budget. Whether you’ve seen the videos or heard the tales of crazy morning routines, the chances you actually know a real person with a routine like this are incredibly slim.

Routines are great, but seeing unrealistic ones all over your social media feeds can make them seem daunting. People think change comes from big, dramatic efforts like the perfect workout plan, the perfect diet, or where you wake up, meditate, meal prep, meditate, journal, meditate, and exercise... while meditating. Real life doesn’t work like that. Most of us are juggling work, kids, commutes, dogs, appointments, and whatever chaos shows up between your zoom meetings each day.

The truth is, the small habits and routines are the most important ones. They aren’t impressive or flashy but what they lack in style, they make up for in repetition. And repetition is where the magic happens.

Small routines create momentum. Doing something small consistently is so much more effective than doing something big rarely. Consistency compounds. Ten minutes of mobility each night doesn’t look like much, but over a month it adds up to hours of taking care of your body. A five minute morning walk doesn’t feel like a workout, but over a year it becomes a powerful habit that boosts mood, lowers stress, and gets your body moving.

Most of us get stuck trying to start too big. We hear that we need 10,000 steps per day or that we should have veggies at each meal, and we make a big, abrupt change. We spend the first 2 days hitting our goal, only to slowly fall off over the next week because it didn’t actually fit with our life. In order to deadlift 500 pounds, whether that’s your goal or not, we first have to deadlift 100 pounds. Next it’s 135, then 200, then 225, and so on… Routines and daily habits work the same way. Start off super small and stick to it. A 5 minute walk after dinner can snowball into a daily routine 6 months from now that you won’t believe.

And maybe the most underrated part is that routines give you stability when life inevitably gets chaotic. You don’t need a perfect plan. You don’t need a 20-step morning ritual or a flawlessly structured life. You just need a handful of anchors in your day. The small habits you fall back on no matter what else is going on. A morning protein breakfast. A daily walk. Three weekly gym visits. A nightly stretch. These aren’t huge commitments, but they keep you moving in the right direction. Start tiny and let the momentum build!

Hart

Hart’s Declassified Holiday Survival Guide

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:33:44 GMT

The holidays are a time of travel, fun, food, family, friends, more travel, drinks, more food, television, more travel, and most likely some more food! These are all great things and we should do our best to not stress about getting off track or losing progress. However, it can still be beneficial to keep some good habits in your back pocket. Especially if you have been making progress lately. The purpose of these tips and tricks is to keep those habits we’ve built, not to take away the fun holiday vibes.

Starting with the easier of the two topics… fitness.

We are going to simplify this best we can and talk about it more as movement. Get daily movement in. It could be a full blown workout yes, but when time or motivation is low try to spend a small amount of time each day moving. This might be a 20-30 minute walk or a bike ride around town with family. Maybe you are going to go on a run until Uncle Greg stops talking about politics… Whatever it is, make it simple and short. Motivation thrives on momentum so if we can keep a little bit of momentum through the holidays, we will come back to our normal Denver lives with more motivation than ever going into the New Year.

1. 10-15 minute walk after each meal

2. Shrink your workouts from 60 minutes to about 20-30

3. Choose 2-3 body weight movements you enjoy for a 10-15 minute AMRAP

4. Explore different fitness classes in your hometown

Now for the hard part… food.

Holidays usually come with so many different foods. Being from the Midwest, I’m really only familiar with multiple different casseroles, but I have heard that people eat other food too. Whatever you and your family are making, there is no reason to cut it out or restrict it like crazy. However, with a few minor tweaks to our habits, we can hopefully stay on track if that is your goal.

1. Don’t show up to a holiday party starving.

2. Pick 2 instead of all 3: Alcohol, Dessert, and Seconds

3. A glass of water between every “non-water” beverage

Remember, fitness is supposed to make your life better, not turn you into the person weighing their mashed potatoes in front of grandma.

Eat the foods you love.

Hang out with people you care about.

Move your body.

And don’t stress!!

- Hart

A Micro Talk About Macros

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:07:37 GMT

A Micro Talk About Macros

Should you track your macros… who knows! This is not going to be about why it’s good to track your food, or why it is bad. You can take that up with your diary. However, it is important to understand what these nutrients are, what they can do for us, and how to balance them on a plate. So…

Protein - Carbohydrates - Fats

Protein helps you recover from workouts, build muscle, and stay full longer. If you’re working out regularly, getting enough protein can make a big difference in how strong you feel in the gym and how well you recover after. Foods like chicken, eggs, yogurt, beef, fish, tofu, or even a protein shake can all get the job done.

Carbohydrates are your energy source. They’re what fuel your workouts, your brain, and basically everything else you do that requires effort. If you’ve ever gone too low-carb and wondered why you suddenly hate burpees, that’s why (assuming you like burpees in the first place). Rice, fruit, potatoes, oats, and bread are great options.

Lastly, Fat. The unsung hero that keeps everything running smoothly. Fats support hormone health, brain function, and recovery. They also make food taste good, which counts for something. The key is choosing good sources like avocado, nuts, or olive oil.

With all of this being said, it is important to remember that we have not delved into vegetables, micronutrients, fiber, etc… Those three macronutrients are the main building blocks of our food, but micronutrients are just as important. Things like iron, fiber, potassium, vitamins, etc… are crucial to keeping our body running smoothly, so remember to add some fruits and veggies into your diet as well.

Generally speaking, a plate breakdown like this is what we’re looking for!

Protein = palm-sized portion

Carbs = handful portion

Fats = thumb-sized portion

Vegetables = fist-sized portion

The purpose of understanding these roles is not to obsess about it, but to become more aware of what we put on our plate and how it makes us feel. Feeling a little worn down and beat up after workouts? Try adding a little more protein to your plate or in your shake to help you bounce back. Lacking the energy to come to the gym after a long day? Up your carbs at lunchtime to give you a little extra boost for the Echo Bike!

Hart

"Whoop" There it is: A Story About Fitness Wearables

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The Good, The Bad, and The Kinda Sorta Accurate World of Fitness Wearables

We live in a time when your watch knows more about your life than your mom does. It tells you how long you slept, how hard you worked, and even when it’s time to stand up and stretch. From Garmins to Apple Watches, Oura Rings to Whoops, fitness wearables have become the modern athlete’s favorite accessory. But how much should we actually trust them?

The Good

Let’s start with the fun stuff. These gadgets can be awesome tools for awareness and accountability. They’ll buzz at you when you’ve been sitting too long, cheer you on when you hit your steps, and let you track things like heart rate zones, recovery, and sleep.

For many people, wearables help turn vague goals into real habits. Seeing your heart rate climb during a workout or watching your resting heart rate drop over time can be motivating. They’re like having a coach on your wrist!

The Bad

Fitness wearables don’t actually know you. They’re built on algorithms, averages, and assumptions. That means the data isn’t gospel, it’s more like an educated guess.

If you have ever owned something like this, you may be familiar with this exact scenario. You crush a workout and are active all day, only for your watch to say, “That was an easy day, try pushing harder tomorrow”. Or maybe you’ve woken up feeling great while your ring insists you’re “unrecovered”. These tools can cause you to second-guess your body when you are doing just fine.

About Those Calories…

Ah yes, the watch calorie count. The most loved and misunderstood number in the fitness world.

Here’s the truth: most wearables aren’t great at tracking calorie burn. They use general formulas based on heart rate, weight, and age, but they don’t know your muscle mass, metabolism, or how efficiently you move. Studies show many devices can be off by 20-40% , sometimes more.

So, if your watch says you burned 800 calories during a workout… it might’ve actually been 500. Or 1,000. It’s a ballpark, not a fact.

The (Mostly) Accurate

For the most part, heart-rate data and step counts are fairly reliable, especially for steady movement like running or biking. But once you throw in heavy lifting, rowing, or anything that shakes the sensor, accuracy goes out the window.

Sleep tracking is decent at measuring how long you sleep but not so great at knowing how well you slept. Recovery scores and readiness metrics are interesting, but again, they should support your intuition, not replace it.

The Wrap Up

Instead of obsessing over exact numbers, use those metrics to spot trends. Are you moving more than you did last month? Are your workouts getting more consistent? That’s the stuff that really matters and will move the needle in the long run.

Hart

Scaling… the Secret Sauce to Progress

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

When looking at the workout for the day, whether it’s a strength piece or a conditioning piece, the goal is always to preserve three things: Movement Pattern, Range of Motion, and Stimulus. If we can keep these intact, the workout still does its job no matter what modifications we make.

Movement Pattern

The “WHAT” we are doing. Are we squatting, pushing, pulling, or hinging? For example, in a front squat, we want a squatting motion with an upright posture and the quads doing most of the work. Maybe you can’t hold the proper front rack position yet, no biggy, we can use dumbbells, or a goblet position because the goal is still to train the same pattern, not to fight the mobility limitations so much that the movement breaks down. Scaling here isn’t making the movement easier, it’s making sure we’re training the same motion.

Range of Motion (ROM) .

The full length of the movement. Squatting below parallel, locking out a press overhead, standing tall at the top of a deadlift these pieces are what create balanced strength and help prevent injury. If pain, mobility, or fatigue prevents someone from hitting the intended ROM, scaling allows us to maintain that full movement integrity. Better to squat to a box with perfect form and full depth than to do half-reps that reinforce bad habits. Range of Motion is one of the biggest drivers of strength and mobility gains so hey let’s prioritize it.

Stimulus.

The feel of the workout. Should it be heavy and slow? Light and fast? Short bursts with rest, or one long sustained effort? Coaches say things like “aim to do sets of 8-10” or “only rest 10-15 seconds at a time” giving you clues to the intended stimulus. If the weight is too heavy or the movement too advanced and you go from moving with pace to standing around for 45 seconds…we’ve lost the stimulus. At that point, the workout has become something totally different than intended.

This is where scaling becomes a superpower. Scaling is not about doing “less.” It’s about choosing the correct variation that allows you to move well, move fully, and move with the intended effect . The people who progress the fastest are the ones who scale often. They build mechanics, consistency, and confidence. As those things grow, intensity increases over time. Those who never scale often get stuck: plateaus, nagging pain, frustration, or the classic “I’m wrecked for three days and can’t train again.”

In short, scaling is not a back-up option. It’s how we train smarter, stay safe, and make progress week after week.

Hart

Deadlifts are cheaper than physical therapy

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Why do we lift? Is it to get absolutely jacked? Well... Yes, but not for the reasons you might think. Being the person who can help your friend move or carry the backpack on a hike is fun, but lifting weights does far more for us than we realize. Strength training helps prevent injury, boosts your metabolism, and preserves independence for life.

Most injuries don’t come from doing something wild. They come from everyday movements that our bodies just weren’t prepared for. Strength training toughens up bones, joints, and connective tissues so they can handle stress and keep you durable. Think about it: when you go to a physical therapist for an ache or injury, what do they tell you? There’s almost always some form of resistance training in your recovery plan, whether it’s bands, weights, or even bodyweight work. The goal is always to rebuild strength. So why wait until the doctor tells you to start? When we slowly build up our deadlift or squat in the gym, the chance of tweaking our back while shoveling snow, doing yard work, or playing with our kids goes down dramatically. A strong body doesn’t just look better, it functions better in everyday life.

As we get stronger, our body packs on lean muscle, and that muscle doesn’t just change how we look, it changes how our body works. Muscle and metabolism go together like peanut butter and jelly. The more lean muscle we have, the more calories our body burns, even when we’re resting. That’s why lifting weights is one of the most effective long-term tools for fat loss. Cardio has its place, but strength training is what keeps your metabolism going 24/7. Our metabolism doesn’t drop off nearly as early as we think. A massive study out of Duke University found that metabolism remains fairly steady from about ages 25 to 60. So while we might not be able to crush late-night pizza like we did as teenagers, our body’s ability to burn energy is still strong if we keep training it to be. By continuing to build and maintain muscle as we age, we give our metabolism a reason to stay high. In other words, lifting now is your best bet for staying strong, lean, and energetic later in life.

Nobody wants to struggle with basic things like getting up off the floor, carrying groceries, or climbing stairs. Lifting now is about giving your future self freedom, confidence, and the ability to live life on your own terms. That’s why we prioritized full range of motion. Movements like squats and lunges train your body to stay capable in real world positions. Getting out of a low chair, kneeling to play with your kids or grandkids, or hiking a steep trail all require strength in those same movement patterns. The stronger you are in the gym, the more freedom you’ll have outside of it.

In summary…

Lift weights for fun, for function, and forever!

Hart

The Down & Dirty Between the Sheets

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The 10 - 3 - 2 - 1 Method for Better Sleep

These days, everyone is claiming to have the answer on how to get a good night's sleep. Whether it’s certain sleep supplements or that Wonder-Mattress-3000 for sale on Labor Day, most of those come with a price tag. While these types of “solutions” might have small benefits, they aren’t what has the biggest impact on how we sleep and how well we recover. And with all of the attention we pay to maximizing our healthy choices while we’re awake, we can make a few simple, but crucial, choices to get the most out of the time we’re not.

A great place to start is everyone’s favorite drug, caffeine. Because caffeine has a half-life of about 6-8 hours, a morning cup of coffee with about 100mg of caffeine will leave roughly 25mg in your system by the time you go to sleep. A study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that “caffeine consumption even 6 hours before bedtime can have important disruptive effects on both objective and subjective measures of sleep.” Even for those people who claim they can still fall asleep immediately after a late-night coffee, the quality of their sleep will suffer. So the next time you think about drinking that 6 shot venti mocha frappe with extra “basic” on top, make sure it’s at least 10 hours before bed or you might pay for it later.

Moving on to food. We LOVE food, and for good reason, but when we eat it can affect how we sleep. The main thing to think about is digestion. When we eat close to bedtime our body is now tasked with digesting food and sleeping at the same time. This can cause a problem when it comes to sleep. Digestion is an “awake” function of our body. It requires energy and metabolic activity to achieve. So, if you eat late at night, it keeps your digestive system “awake” even when you are trying to rest. A good rule of thumb for this is to cut off your food intake about 3 hours before bedtime. If this seems too daunting, try downsizing your dinner just a little to see how it affects your sleep.

Next, we are going to talk about work and focused activities. With all of us living busy lives, it can be hard to “sign off” sometimes, but research shows that stopping physical or mental stress at least 2 hours before bed can help your body and mind prepare for sleep. Close the laptop and take a hot shower to wind down from the day and prepare your body for sleep.

Last, but certainly not least, screens. With doomscrolling on the rise and hours of sleep rapidly declining, this might be the hardest one of all. Even just a few minutes on Instagram or in front of Love is Blind Denver can change the quality of our sleep tremendously. The blue light emitted by these screens can reduce the production of melatonin, which helps our body regulate our sleep cycles. This can make it very difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next morning. Even shutting off screens 1 hour before bed can raise the quality of your sleep.

To sum up…

10 hours before bed: Avoid caffeine
3 hours before bed: Stop eating
2 hours before bed: Finish work or other stimulating activities
1 hour before bed: Turn off screens (e.g., phone, TV, computer)
(Extra credit) 0 times hitting that snooze button in the morning.

These small changes can have a huge impact on how we sleep and how we feel the next day. It is totally understandable that this might feel like a huge task right off the bat, but even changing one of these habits can make a difference. So no need to buy those overpriced supplements or that special pillow you saw on Etsy, just turn off the screens and avoid that late night snack.

Hart

The Case For Not Trying As Hard

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Now let’s be clear, all throughout middle school, my nickname was “Tryhard.” I was the kid on the playground who ran into the fence trying to catch a pass, or dove on the ground to dodge the ball, until I inevitably sat down in math class after recess drenched in sweat and smelling like a dugout. That was young Hart. Now that I have matured (I promise), I’ve learned that there is a time and place for intensity, so long as it doesn’t impact our consistency.

We all know that gymgoer who will smash an Rx workout on Monday morning, and then disappear until Friday because they’re too sore to move for three days. While it may seem like they’re maximizing every second they’re in the gym, the truth is they’re actually minimizing the number of seconds they’re even spending in the gym.

What drives actual, lasting change is building a consistent habit that we keep a part of our lives, no matter what. This means that working out four to five times per week at 70% effort will serve us better in the long run than going one to two times per week at 110% effort. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that “participants who engaged in consistent, moderate-intensity resistance training for six months achieved better results in muscle size and strength than those who trained sporadically at a higher intensity.” In other words, it really is mostly about just showing up.

In the running world, this is a commonly accepted practice. When training for races, most runners follow the 80/20 principle. 80% of their weekly mileage is run at a casual pace, just time spent moving. Only 20% is spent at high intensity, doing longer workouts or intervals on a track. We can take a similar approach to our training at the gym.

One way to do this is to look at the schedule for the week, find the days you’ll be in class, and pick two workouts that you’re excited for. When those days roll around, be ready to push hard and kick some butt. For the rest of the week, whether it be two, three, or even four other sessions, lay off the gas a bit and move smoothly through the workout. You’ll still gain a lot of the benefits of a good gym session, while also giving your body a better chance to recover between those hard days.

This balance of consistency and intensity is an important one, especially when we think about stacking weeks, months, and years together to build and maintain a high level of fitness. We want to make sure that our gym routine is sustainable in the long run, and won’t leave us feeling drained or burnt out. So, next time you’re thinking about smoking a metcon for the third day in a row, maybe don’t - your body will thank you!

Hart

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Workout Food: Before & After

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Whether it’s “I didn’t eat enough today” or “Oh man I ate too much before coming”, it is clear that it can be a hard sweet spot to find when it comes to eating around your workout. We have all had that one workout that sticks out in our head where we ate a little too much food, a little too close to our workout, & we paid for it. Hopefully not being head first in a trash can, but possibly feeling sluggish & heavy. On the other hand, you may have experienced a time when you felt all the energy leave your body instantly, even though there was still another 10 minutes of biking, power cleans, and burpees coming up. No matter which side you are on, if not both, it begs the question what should I eat, and how much of it, around my workouts!

Now, we are all built differently, with different metabolisms and food tolerances, so we do need to do a little trial and error to figure out what works for us personally. But, there are a few simple things that should stay consistent.

Before. Before our workout, the goal is energy! That means CARBS! No they are not the enemy, they are your energizer buddy, your full tank of gas, your line of cocai…you get it. This should be the focus of your “Pre game” meal. Try something like a piece of fruit, oatmeal, or some toast. The serving size can change from person to person, and also depend on how long you have until you go to the gym. With this carb focus, we should also try to add in a little bit of protein in order to help start the recovery process even before we finish training. Keep this serving size a little smaller than your carb source but feel free to pair your favorites together. The main thing to keep in mind, and the reason we sometimes feel sluggish, is to keep fats & fibers low at this time. Foods high in these two things tend to slow digestion and can lead to that slow & heavy feeling mid workout. Stay away from a lot of vegetables, or that huge tub of peanut butter, and keep things a little lighter. That granola bar or banana would be a great choice. Timing for this meal is person specific, but a good thought would be to have something small about an hour before the gym.

After. Now comes recovery time. Let’s make sure we give our body what it needs after all those squats and push ups. After your workout, your muscles are ready for repair and recovery. Now we flip the script and make protein our focus. We want to aim for about 20-30 grams of protein after our workout. A scoop of protein powder or that super yummy chicken and rice would be a great choice. Pairing this with an easily digestible carb source is a great way to help our body bounce back from training so we are ready to go for next time. Don’t worry so much about trying to eat immediately after your workout. A great rule of thumb is to eat something an hour or so after you train. This can vary largely from person to person, so see what fits best for your hunger, your schedule, and your body.

The overall goal with workout nutrition is to keep things simple, and start small.

Not used to eating before a workout? Try half a banana and a small protein bar. Never feel hungry after you train? Try a small scoop of protein powder mixed with some skim milk. The key is to look at food as fuel for all the effort that you plan on putting into that barbell. Here are some good ideas for where to start, and what to try.

Before: Banana + Greek yogurt

Before: Oats with berries + protein powder

Before: Toast with jam + 2 eggs

After: Protein shake + piece of fruit

After: Chicken + rice

After: Eggs + sweet potatoes

Let’s keep in mind that we are suggesting eating these foods for the quick energy or recovery benefits that they provide. We are not diving into nutritional value or macros so please don’t only eat rice crispy treats & protein powder for every meal.

Hart

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Steps...what's the big deal?

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

“Time for my hot girl walk!”

“Gotta get my steps in.”

“I just went for my morning ruck.”

“Just hit my step goal!”

Whether you have heard these things said by your favorite instagram influencer, or just a neighbor out walking their dog, it begs the question of how important are “steps”. The original step goal of 10,000 in a day came from a Japanese pedometer company in the 1960s. They assigned this goal as purely a marketing strategy because of how it looked on the box and website. It had nothing to do with the science of health and wellbeing, but a large population of the walkers out there today use this number as a baseline to reach every day.

So…What can walking help us achieve? How much of it do we need? Why should we care?

We can put walking in the “simple but powerful” category. It is something that we can do anywhere (weather permitting) that can have a major impact on our health in the long haul.

Walking is a great form of recovery, mentally and physically. After a hard lifting session at the gym, or a sprint conditioning piece that leaves us on the floor, we usually end class with a slow walk. This helps us bring the nervous system back into rest and recovery mode so we can get back to our normal lives. A longer walk to start or end the day can be a great way to recover without any expensive gadgets. Walking is low impact, increases blood flow, reduces stiffness, and helps muscles recover after harder training days without adding more stress to the body. So if you are a person who cramps up sitting at the desk all day, or is incredibly sore two days after that front squat and lunge day, walking might be your way out!

Whether your goal is to maintain that hard earned muscle or shed a little extra weight for that Cabo trip next month, consistent walking can also be a great tool when it comes to burning calories and managing weight. The simple act of adding an extra 2000-3000 steps to your day, only about 20-30 minutes of walking, can increase your daily calorie burn by about 100 to 150 calories. If we think about that in the grand scheme of one week, consistently adding a 25 minute walk to the end of our day can cause us to burn an extra 1000 calories per week.

One of the best things about wanting to increase your steps in a day is the fact that you don’t need to do it all at once. Unlike training for a marathon or needing an hour to warm up for the biggest deadlift PR of your life, walking can be done in short strategic bits in order to fit it into your daily routine. Split up your 30 minutes of walking into three 10 minute sections after each meal, or brush your teeth while walking up and down your stairs…carefully, or even pop a headphone in and go for a small walk during that annoying meeting with Janine from HR. However you can accumulate that new goal of time or step count is up to you and your schedule.

Now, where to start?

Just like starting to workout or changing your nutrition, in order to figure out where to go, we first need to know where we are now. Start by finding your baseline. How many steps are you getting on average every day? Using your phone, a watch, or a $12 pedometer from amazon, track your steps for two to three days and see what the average is. Once we have that number, we can slowly start to build it up over time, if necessary. We wouldn’t jump from a 100 pound back squat to a 200 pound back squat, and we shouldn’t jump too quickly here either. Try adding 1500-2000 steps for the first week or so, and remember this might only take about 15-20 minutes depending on your speed and step length. From here, we can build momentum week by week.

Circling back to our original question: How many steps do we actually need? In a study done by the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, they found that the sweet spot for most people fell around 6,000-8,000 steps per day, and that “more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity”. Now this doesn’t mean that 10,000 steps isn’t a great goal, it just means that we don’t need to stress about it. Start small, add little by little, and stay consistent.

Here is a great way to structure the first few weeks of this journey.

Week Daily Step Goal Tips

Week 1 - Baseline + 1000-1500 steps - Measure baseline first, then add modest extra (walk after dinner, take stairs, park further)

Week 2 - Baseline + 2000-3000 steps - More intentional walks; maybe add a walk at lunch or wake up earlier for a short walk

Week 3 - Baseline + 3500-5000 steps - Use this week to get close to your number goal.

Week 4 - Hit your goal every day + add one “challenge” walk (hilly, brisk, longer) - Push a little and see what it feels like to maybe walk a little faster or increase your elevation.

No matter where you are in your health and fitness journey, steps are a great addition to everyday life for multiple reasons. Challenge your friends or your partner at home and get to steppin’.

Hart

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