5 Common Gym Questions and Answers

Whether you’ve had your gym membership for ages, or you’re new  to the fitness community, everyone has questions about going to the gym. What do you bring with you? Where can you find the equipment you need? As always, we’ve got you covered. Below we’ve answered five of the most common gym questions we’ve come across. Anything else you’re curious about? Leave questions in the comments below!

1. What should I bring with me to the gym?

Depends how you like to work out but some common items include:

• Gym bag
• Phone or iPod for music
• Headphones
• Water bottle
• Sweat towel
• Lock

If you plan on showering, you will likely want to include toiletries, a shower towel, flip flops, and a change of clothes.

2. Where do I leave my stuff?

Most gyms will have lockers where you can leave your gym bag or personal items. You may want to call ahead to see if the lockers are located in the general workout area or if they have gender-specific locker rooms. Typically you’ll want to bring a personal lock to keep your items secure while you work out.

 

3. How can I sign up for classes?

All gyms are different. Some will allow you to sign up online while others will require you to sign up in person. Additionally, busier classes may not open up for registration until the week or day of. Be sure to check with your gym to see what they recommend for the classes you’re interested in.

 

4. How long should I spend on the machines when the gym is busy?

If you’re using a cardio machine, it’s courteous to try and limit your usage to 20-30 minutes. With weight machines, try to stick to 2-3 efficient sets. If you want to take longer rests between sets, encourage someone else to use the equipment while you’re taking your break. This allows you to maximize your time on the machine while being considerate of other people’s time.

5. What’s the difference between free weights and machine weights?

A free weight can be classified as any object or device that can be moved freely in three-dimensional space. Some of the more common free-weights in a gym would be:

• Dumbells
• Barbells
• Medicine ball
• Ankle weights
• The human body (the ultimate free-weight of all!)

On the other hand, any exercise machine in a gym such as a pec-dec or a smith machine is a perfect example of what can be considered high-tech training apparatus or machine weights.

Not sure which one to use? Find more information on the differences between the two at BodyBuilding.com.

Spott3r helps people get people paid for their workouts. Click here to learn more about how you can earn cash reimbursements for your gym visits! Ready to sign up for your free eligibility check? You can do that too, here.

Photo cred: Shrinking Guy, Words on Wellness, PopSugar

 

A New Approach to Fitness: Aligning Behavior Change Around Fitness to Your Personal Values

A New Approach to Fitness: Aligning Behavior Change Around Fitness to Your Personal Values

A guest post of Mary Little of Wellness by Little.

Have you ever set a New Years resolution to get in shape or trained for an event like a triathlon or wedding? Did you succeed in accomplishing your goals because you devised a plan and maintained a routine schedule?

In the world of fitness, there is more information at our fingertips then ever. There are fitness experts, Instagram Fitness Guru’s, ample Crossfit gyms, yoga studios and a variety of classes taught at athletic clubs. While all of this seems to make exercising incredibly convenient for us, we still have difficulty reaching and maintaining our goals.

Rather than sharing a list of exercises you should do to get in shape or posting a photo of some abs you someday hope to have, we believe that by aligning your behaviors with your deeper values, true lasting change can occur. This requires a more personal, introspective approach to your health.

1.) List out 3 goals you’re currently working on in order of importance (These can be any health goals. For example: smoking cessation, lose 15lbs, gain 15lbs muscle mass, prepping meals, etc).

Goals/ Concerns(in order of priority)	What you’ve tried	What makes it worse?
1)
2)
3)

 

2.) Visioning. If you could create a vision statement centered around the ideal person you’d like to be someday, what would it be? Vision statements are intended to be long term being statements that start with “I am.” When you’re done writing your vision give yourself a % of completion for today’s date. 0%= not this person today 100%= I am this person!

Sample Vision Statement: I am a person who stewards my body well by eating in moderation and exercising regularly. 45% on 07/30/15

3.) In the next 7 days what are 3 baby steps you can take to work towards your vision/goals? These goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-oriented (or SMART). If I were to take the vision statement from above a goal might be:

I will do in home strength training workouts on M/W/S over the next 7 days.

On Sunday afternoon I will look at 4 recipes that I can make for dinner M-Th this week.

I will go grocery shopping on Sunday evening for M-Th dinners.

4.) Lastly, rate your goals on % confidence and % of importance.

Next Session Goals			% Confidence/% Importance
I will do in home strength training workouts on M/W/S over the next 7 days.On Sunday afternoon I will look at 4 recipes that I can make for dinner M-Th this week. I will go grocery shopping on Sunday evening for M-Th dinners.			85% / 100%  90% / 95%   90%/ 100%

If you’re below a 70% confidence how might you alter that goal to raise your confidence? These goals are designed to be SMART so that you experience small weekly successes that empower you to move closer towards your vision.

Our professional recommendation is to track your progress for 6 weeks. Every week reflect on your previous weeks goals and reset new weekly goals. At the end of week 6, rate your overall % of completion towards your vision statement. Have you made progress? If so, how does that feel? If not, what were the barriers to change?

Creating your own pathway to success has proven to work for many of our clients. It’s often easier to look at a magazine and hear how someone else was successful but we are not all the same people, with the same circumstances, with the same goals. Embrace your uniqueness by doing what you know will lead you to personal success!

Spott3r helps people get people paid for their workouts. Click here to see if you’re eligible for a free gym reimbursement check!

10 Ways to Save Money at the Gym

We hear it all the time: “I can’t afford to go to the gym”. While it is true that gym memberships aren’t free, there is no reason cost should hold you back from a healthy lifestyle. In fact, if you work it right, you may be able to break even or better yet, MAKE money by going to the gym! With all the health incentive programs entering the industry right now, there has never been a better (or cheaper) time to focus on your fitness. Here are 10 creative ways for you to save money at the gym:

1. Research daily deals in your area

Flash sales offer a great way to get a deep discount on a regularly high-ticket classes. Better yet, you can shop around before committing to your favorite. Try Groupon, LivingSocial, or Zozi to find some local deals.

2. Commit at the right time

You can usually get the best deals around the end of the year holidays (Christmas, New Year’s Eve) or during the slower summers. Gyms have financial goals they have to hit and will likely offer the best discounts to prospect members during this time.

3. Walk to the gym

Obviously, this one depends how far you live from your gym, but if it’s manageable, you should always walk! Not only do you save money on gas or parking, you get the benefit of that warm up and cool down time.

4. Bring your own supplies

This includes things that you spend money on at the gym, such as:

• Locks
• Water bottles
• Protein shakes
• Post-workout snacks

These things tend to add up!

5. Refer friends!

Most gyms have referral programs and will give you all kinds of incentives for bringing in prospective members. The perks range from gift cards to membership credits to cold hard cash!

6. Utilize the free personal training session

Before you decide to splurge on a trendy fitness class, remember that many gyms offer a free personal training session with your yearly membership. Take advantage of this free pass, at the very least, and keep an eye out for package deals or group rates with your favorite trainer!

7. Check your insurance

Many health insurance companies offer gym reimbursements to members who workout regularly. For example, UnitedHealthcare gives $20 to every member who goes to the gym 12 times or more a month. That adds up to $240 a year! Find out if you’re eligible for cash reimbursements here, or simply fill your info into the form below:

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Submit

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8. Prepay upfront

You can save a ton of cash by paying for 12 or 24 months upfront. For example, you can buy a 2-year membership certificate for 24 Hour Fitness at Costco for $369.99. That works out to $15 a month!

9. Two words: corporate discounts

Ask your employer if your company offers any corporate discounts. The savings are usually pretty steep (20-30%) and chances are, the gyms in the program are close to your office.

10. Wear your FitBit and cash out

Who knew that you could earn money for using your FitBit? Rewards include things like Walgreen’s Balance Reward points, perks from AchieveMint, or donations to charity. (You can see a full list of awesome incentives here.)

Spott3r helps people get people paid for their workouts. Click here to see if you’re eligible for a free gym reimbursement check!

Photo cred: YMCA Twin Cities, notyourgoodfatty.com, picturecorrect.com, worldfitnesscertification.com

How to Hit your 2015 Fitness Goals

2015 is just around the corner and with a new year comes new opportunities for a healthier life! That said, it’s not always easy knowing where to start or how to set realistic expectations for yourself. We’ve put together a quick guide to ensure you have the tools you need to kickstart this new chapter!

1. Assess where you’re at. Be honest.

Let’s be honest – we may not all be where we hoped to be by the end of the year (especially after the holidays). This is a great time for us to check-in with our bodies and re-evaluate where we’re at.

Ex. Spott3r member, Lindsay Anderson, thinks she’s done a great job at hitting her cardio goals this year, but has been slacking a bit on strength training. She also occasionally puts off her workouts due to a hectic work schedule and cold weather. In order to get past these and hit her 2015 fitness goals, Lindsay needs to figure out how to get past these roadblocks.

Which brings us to our next point!

2. Find out what motivates you vs. what sets you back, and fix that. 

Everyone has an excuse not to work out. Whether its time, money, or simply not knowing where to start, there are a million reasons people put off fitness.

Lindsay, for example, plans to get past her fitness roadblocks by ensuring she gets to bed early enough to fit in early morning workouts (tips on how to get up for these here) and invests in warm weather workout gear!

(Is money holding you back from getting a gym membership? See if you’re eligible for a fitness reimbursement here.)

3. Set realistic goals

Sure, if we hop on the scale and see a number we’re not happy with, our first instinct is to swear off all sweets and hit the gym twice a day. While that might get you through the first week of the new year, chances are you’ll be burnt out and cranky by week two, and much more likely to give up on your goals.

Start by setting some realistic and feasible goals – and remember to focus on creating a healthy lifestyle, rather than numbers on a scale or pant size.

Some ideas for weekly goals here. We’ll also be launching our 15 goals for 2015 series on Instagram tomorrow – be sure to follow us for all the fitness inspiration you can handle!

4. Measure them

The last part in our quick guide to hit your 2015 fitness goals is measurement. What good is setting goals if you aren’t completing them?

If you’re tracking something quantifiable, such as mileage or cardio minutes, fitness apps such as RunKeeper and Nike Training Club are great.

If you’re tracking something unquantifiable, such as getting more sleep or eating clean, it may help to start a fitness journal and implement a once-weekly reflection.

You should now have all the tools you need to kick off your healthiest 2015! Think we missed anything? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Spott3r helps people get people paid for their workouts. Click here to see if you’re eligible for a free gym reimbursement check!

Photo cred: Gumbo Fitness, Women’s Health Magazine

Spott3r Spotlight: Beachbody Coach, Cecilia Esteban

We are delighted to introduce our newest spott3r friend, Beachbody coach, Cecilia Esteban! A bit of background:

Cecilia is a stay at home, homeschool mom to two awesome children and has been married to her best friend for 16 years. While she has always been active and interested in nutrition, it wasn’t until Cecilia joined a Team Beach Body Challenge Group coupled with nutrition and Shakeology that it all changed for her.

“It was a great experience because I had teammates and a coach that kept me motivated and accountable. I am at my goal weight but I will not stop because being fit is a way of life.”

Cecilia became a Beachbody coach because she realized there was more to it than losing weight; she can actually help change a person’s life.

What motivates this inspiration coach to get to the gym?

“My motivation is to get a six pack and maintain what I’ve worked so hard for. It took me a while to realize that nutrition AND working out are needed to get results. As Dr. Hyman said, “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.’ I have to eat clean, (eat whole foods) 85% of the time and workout to see results.”

Her biggest fitness achievement to date?

“I can do 30 real push ups without stopping!”

Favorite workout:

 T25 by ShaunT and Asylum2 by ShaunT

When Cecilia is crushing her workout, she likes to listen to Pandora Hip Hop Power Workout.

#NowPlaying on her iPod:

“Love on Top” by Beyoncé

“Play Hard” by David Gueta (rehab remix)

“Am I wrong” by Nico & Vinz

Like all of us, Cecilia has her excuses for not making it to the gym.

“My biggest excuse was time. When Beachbody came out with T25, I had no more excuses. The workouts are 25 minutes. I schedule my workouts early in morning so I can get it done before the kids get up. Everyone can find time to workout for 25 minutes.”

She has a good workout when:

“I know I had a good workout when I’m dripping in sweat.”

 

 

 

 Cecilia leaves us with her favorite fitness quote:

“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”

Be sure to check out our Instagram, where Cecilia will be guest posting all week! You can also find her on her Instagram, Facebook, or her Beachbody team page.

Spott3r helps people get people paid for their workouts. Click here to learn more about how you can earn cash reimbursements for your gym visits! Ready to sign up for your free eligibility check? You can do that too, here.

The Ultimate Fitness Inspiration: Julianne Lago

A warm welcome to Julianne Lago, the most recent addition to our spott3r fitfam! Aspiring to be a woman fitness model and need some inspiration? Take one look at this gal’s abs and you’ll be headed straight to the gym.

Julianne’s best fitness achievement to date  is competing at the Bev Francis Atlantic State Championships and placing 6th! (She missed Nationals by 1 place.) She also considers placing a University of FLorida record in the 200 Medley Relay and competing at the Olympic Trials one of her biggest successes.

Her current fitness goal? To make Nationals at an NPC competition.

 

When getting her sweat on, Julianne likes to put on Pandora and get to whatever is playing on the workout mix.

Her favorite fitness activity? “Glutes, glutes, glutes!” Her go-to workout is below:

• Bulgarian lunge (each leg) 6 reps slow (6 sets)
• Hip thrusts 10 reps (upper back on edge of bench and bar on pelvis) (6 sets)
• Ankle cuff kick backs 8 reps each leg (slow up & down) (4 sets)
• Ankle cuff side kicks 8 reps each leg (slow up & down) (4 sets)
• Glute machine (8 reps – heavy) (4 sets)
• Hip abduction 12 reps superset
• Hip abduction 12 reps (4 sets)

What motivates this fitness queen to get to the gym? Knowing that she will be one step closer to her dream goals each day!

Despite her perseverance, Julianne is only human, and occasionally finds herself tired or wanting to sleep in. To remedy this, she thinks about losing her physique and reminding herself that:

“The reward is well worth the sacrifice”

Julianne leaves us with her best fitness advice:

“Results come with hard work and dedication. Most people use the ‘not enough time’ excuse, but the reality is that everyone can find the time to reach their fitness goals. What pulls those of us who find the time away from those of us who cannot find the time is the mind frame. The mind takes control of everything. Just get your mind to know that it is all worth it in the end.”

Julianne was excited to learn about spott3r and supports the concept of earning cash for one’s workouts:

“Spott3r is a great help and motivation for people wanting to get in shape and make a lifestyle change!”

 

Spott3r helps people get people paid for their workouts. Click here to learn more about how you can earn cash reimbursements for your gym visits! Ready to sign up for your free eligibility check? You can do that too, here.

Spott3r Spotlight: Lindsy May

Our most recent spott3r member is a healthy mom who has earned her title. Lindsy May explains that she has always been bigger, but athletic. Once she got to college, she tried working out but had no control over her eating. Getting married, working and having two kids didn’t help. Every once in a while she would get the spark to be healthier but it never stuck. It wasn’t until after her second c-section that she realized her weight was a big contributor behind her emergency c-sections.

“This January (6 months after the birth of my second son) I decided enough was enough.”

Lindsy started with a Zumba class at BYU (her almamater), took before pictures, and went from there. We’re so impressed with how far she’s come in just a few short months!

What is Lindsy’s favorite workout?

“I really feel the burn doing stadiums at my local high school and I love doing barbell squats. It really surprises people when I stack the weight on!”

Her best fitness achievement to date?

“I’ve never been a runner and I worked my way up to 5 miles back in April! I’ll be working on running again for my first half marathon in October”

When it comes to working out, Lindsy is a Pandora girl all the way. Her favorite stations include Imagine Dragons and Michael Bublé.

What’s playing on her iPod right now:

“Demons” – Imagine Dragons

“Girls Chase Boys” – Ingrid Michaelson

“Ten Feet Tall” – Afrojack

What is Lindsy’s current fitness goal?

“I’m working my way to be comfortable in a Medium shirt, and size 10 pants. After that, it will be hitting 50 pounds lost!”

What motivates Lindsy to get to the gym when she’s struggling?

“With two kids, gym/fitness has become my ME time to de-stress and unload. I have never been a morning person, but now I can’t wait to get up at 6am and get my time in! And of course, the changes in my body are awesome too!”

What’s Lindsy’s biggest excuse for not working out?

“Not getting a full night sleep. If my babies wake up during the night and keep me up it’s easy to decide I’ll do a workout later, but working out at home is so much harder and not me ME time, just working out.”

Speaking of her ME time, Lindsy knows she had a great workout when:

“I’m dripping sweat and I can keep my calorie count averages about 10 per minute.”

 

If Lindsy could give one piece of fitness advice to a newbie, what would it be?

“Always believe. Everyone thinks that they can change for the worse, so why can’t you change for the better?”

Keep up with Lindsy’s fitness journey on our Instagram where she’ll be posting all next week!

Spott3r works to get people paid for their workouts. Learn more on how you can earn cash reimbursements for your gym visits here! Ready to sign up for your free eligibility check? You can do that too, here.

6 Tips for Morning Workouts

We know it’s not easy getting out the door for your am gym sesh. We’ve pulled together a little tool kit to help you out! Below are our 6 tips for your morning workouts.

1. Have your gym clothes and daytime outfit picked out the night in advance.

Need a boost where your gym clothes are concerned? Check out our “Workout Gym Clothes/Gear” board on Pinterest for inspiration!

2. Set your alarm 15 minutes before you actually need to wake up.

This allows time for your body to adjust.

Pro Tip: Try to wake up at the same time every day. This will make it much easier to get out of bed, we promise!

3. Before you start thinking about the tasks ahead, breath deeply and appreciate the silence.

Be thankful for waking up another day and vow to use it to its fullest potential!

4. Put on an uplifting song.

Our “Upbeat Workout Playlist” has everything you need for a happy morning.

Need a few more ideas? Here are some of our favorite workout playlists.

5. Eat a small, healthy breakfast.

This will activate your metabolism and help you get out the door. Some ideas include: toast and peanut butter, a smoothie, or a Cliff bar if you’re on the go.

6. Remind yourself that could be getting paid for it!

See if you are eligible for cash reimbursements here.

Image via: Intent Blog