Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Change Your Mind, Change Your Body: Use These Two Simple Mindfulness Tips to Promote Healthy Eating


Do the holidays make it harder for you to eat healthy? What about during the rest of the year -- are their particular times or situations where you know you have a harder time sticking with good nutrition?

Practicing mindfulness around your food choices just might be the "fix" you've been looking for. We have two simple, easy tips to help you get started.

For the past several years, behavioral researchers have been looking at the benefits of mindfulness – and most recently, they've looked at mindfulness techniques as a tool to promote weight loss and healthy eating. The short answer? Mindfulness seems to work.

To take just two examples, this  CBS News piece does a good job at looking at an October 2016 study published in the journal Obesity. During the study, two groups of obese adults were assigned to either a mindfulness-based form of therapy or to standard weight-loss treatment. The mindfulness-therapy group lost an average of thirteen percent of their body weight – the “standard” group lost the usual five-eight percent.

And this article from Harvard Health Publications talks about the benefits to be had from simply eating mindfully.

Given the evidence behind it, we're optimistic that mindfulness techniques, combined with exercise and a sound nutritional plan, can help you achieve your goals – whether you're looking to lose weight (or gain weight, for that matter!), get more nutrition into your diet, or simply avoid gaining any extra weight this holiday season.

At the same time, this is the busiest time of the year! So we're not going to overwhelm you with a lot of things to remember and do on top of everything else you have going on.

Instead here are two, simple tips you can start using today to incorporate mindfulness to help you reach your weight and healthy-eating goals:

1. Slow Down and enjoy your food. We mentioned this as part of our post at the start of the holiday season, but slowing down and taking time with our food goes well beyond lingering over Thanksgiving dinner!

As often as possible, take your time when you're eating. Experience the flavors and textures of your food. Perhaps take a moment to think about the work that went into bringing this meal to your table, or to experience the setting where you're eating.

Eating slowly accomplishes a few things. For one, it takes our stomachs about twenty minutes to get around to telling our brains that we're full and should stop eating. In addition, taking the time to fully appreciate the food in front of us now helps fill us up emotionally as well, which may decrease the urge to snack later. Finally, our digestive tracts consider it a personal favor when we chew our food slowly and thoroughly.

2. Think ahead. This season is filled with food, food, and more food – so try to plan ahead whenever you can to eat as healthfully as possible. For example: if tomorrow is the big Christmas lunch at work, substitute a lighter, protein-centered breakfast and perhaps a salad with protein at dinner tonight for your usual morning and evening meals. Is your family's traditional holiday dinner heavy on the carbs and fats? Offer to bring a vegetable dish – and, during dinner, eat your veggies first.

Finally, relax. You don't have to try to remember these two mindfulness eating tips at every meal, and you don't have to be perfect at them! Instead, tuck them away in the back of your mind and try one or both tips just once a day.

Also, keep in mind that we're offering free Yoga to Better Living Fitness Center members throughout December – and Yoga is an excellent introduction to mindfulness!







Photos courtesy: Tarcio Saraiva and Barb Hoyer via Flickr.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Give the Gift of Better Fitness: Healthy Holiday Gifts for Every Budget

Looking for the perfect Christmas present for the fitness lover (or would-be fitness lover) on your list? We've got you covered! 


Whether you're shopping for fitness enthusiast or for someone who's new to exercise, Better Living Fitness' personal trainers have some great recommendations for you:

Better living for your back: foam rollers. Better Living Fitness Founder Mark Thiesmeyer says that foam rollers make great Christmas presents because they're such a versatile fitness tool: you can use them to relieve stress, relax tight muscles, and work on your posture at the same time.

Another great thing about giving a foam roller is that you can find one to fit just about any budget. Just check this page on Amazon to see rollers that start at just $8.

Pulling, pushing, and lifting: Therabands or dumbbell sets. Trainer Jesse Richards says, “you can do a ton of exercises with Therabands, and a small set of dumbbells are both inexpensive and a great way to get someone started with strength training.”

We found Therabands for under $11 here, and a full set of starter dumbbells for just $24.99 here.

Rockin' and Rollin' with your workout: Wireless headphones. Trainer  Allison Maupin's husband has been complaining that the wires to his headphones are getting in the way when he's working out. Don't tell Allison's husband, but  she's gotten him a solution: wireless headphones are under the Maupin's Christmas tree this year! Allison chose Beats by Dr. Dre, but there are lots of options available. Here's an Amazon link with several options, all under $200.

Keeping Track: Garmin GPS Watch vs. Fitbit Blaze. Monitoring everything from how many steps we take to how long we sleep has been a fitness trend for awhile now, and there are a lot of options to choose from depending on the goals of the person you're shopping for.

Here at Better Living, two of our trainers in particular – Mallory Ghrist and Joey Smith – have different opinions about which workout monitor works best. Joey likes the Garmin GPS Watch, while Mallory Ghrist says she's “pretty obsessed” with her Fitbit Blaze.   


“My Fitbit Blaze tracks my steps, calories burned, miles traveled, and helps you stay active by reminding you to take at least 250 steps an hour,” Mallory says.

Joey, on the other hand, likes the GPS feature on the Garmin, and says that the Garmin tracks everything from your mileage and stride to how many steps you take per minute.

You can learn more about the Fitbit Blaze here – when we checked, Amazon had them for just a hair under $200, and there's more information about the options Garmin has available (from just under $40 to over $200, depending on the feature you choose) here.

Giving the Gift of Better Living Fitness:
Love working out with your Better Living Fitness trainer or at your favorite Better Living Fitness Center class? Share the love with our discounted gift cards, now through December! You can spend as little as $50.00 to give a full month of Full Body Fit classes, or just $99 to give someone special a full month of unlimited classes at Better Living Fitness Center.

Just click here to see all your options.





Tuesday, November 29, 2016

How to Design the Best Fitness Plan for You Part 1: the Eight Basics for Optimum Fitness

There's a lot of diverse information out there about fitness plans – and that's putting it mildly!

For one thing, exercise science is a rapidly evolving field that's learning new things about our bodies all the time. For another, fitness is a huge business, and it can seem like everyone and their uncle has a different routine that you just have to try.

Given all the competing voices talking about health and fitness, looking to the Internet for information about fitness plans can feel kind of like trying to get a sip of water from Niagara Falls.

With that in mind, I'm creating a series of posts with lots of health and fitness basics to make your life easier. We started a few weeks ago with How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer for You.

Next up, it's time to start talking about how to create a fitness plan that will really work for you. With that in mind, here are the eight basic components to create your optimum health and fitness:

  1. Strength training: Whether you choose to work with resistance machines, free weights, or body weight exercises, strength training is literally an essential building block of optimum health and fitness. The lean muscle mass we build through strength training helps promote a healthy weight because muscle burns more calories than fat. Not only that, but strength training also promotes bone density, and there's even evidence that it helps prevent disease.
  2. Cardio training: Exercise that raises our heart rate for an extended block of time – vigorous walking, running, dancing, and more – strengthens our hearts and lungs. Additionally, cardio exercise can reduce stress, provides temporary relief when we're depressed, promotes brain health, and helps us sleep better.
  3. Nutrition: Just like you wouldn't put Regular gas into a high-performance engine, it's a bad idea to put junk into your body if you want to achieve optimum fitness. On the other hand, you can do wonders for your body just by eating the right foods!
  4. Flexibility: Stretching to increase our flexibility increases blood flow to our muscles – which, in turn, makes our muscles perform better. In addition, increased flexibility through stretching helps prevent injuries – which makes everything from cardio and strength training to everyday activities easier and more enjoyable.
  5. Balance: Good balance isn't something that just happens – just like all the other essentials of a solid fitness plan, our sense of balance needs to be trained and reinforced. In return, balance training prevents falls and other injuries that can have a hugely negative impact on our overall health and fitness.
  6. Stress management: Both positive and negative stress have so many impacts on our overall health and fitness that I could (and probably will) devote an entire article to the importance of stress management alone! For the moment, it's enough to say that stress management techniques are good for our heart rates, blood pressure, and immune systems.
  7. Posture: Proper posture does everything from preventing spinal injuries to supporting our internal organs. At the same time, most people spend the majority of our waking hours engaged in activities that are absolutely horrible for our posture – and that's why exercises to counteract the effects of these activities and improve our posture are a hugely important part of any fitness plan.
  8. Sleep: When we don't get enough sleep, or enough good sleep, we pay for it. Sleep is vitally important for everything from our immune systems to preventing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Looking over the eight basics that are essential to a solid fitness plan, you've probably noticed that they all work together. Proper posture, for example, makes cardio and strength training much easier. Good nutrition, other things, lets our bodies get the most possible benefit from the exercise we do. Meanwhile, exercise is a great part of any plan for stress management – while managing stress well frees up energy that, in return, allows us to enjoy our workouts.

All eight basics, put together correctly, create a fitness plan that will go a long way to keeping you healthy and fit for life. But how do you put them together? That's the topic for our next post in this series.

Looking for help to start creating and working your fitness plan right now? Here are some options:

Check out Better Living Fitness' personal trainers and consider signing up for a FREE initial consultation. Every Better Living Fitness trainer has the training and experience to help you create the right plan to help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

Look into the list of classes at Better Living Fitness Center and consider becoming a member. Some of our fitness classes will help you focus on just one or two of the eight basics outlined in this post, while others – notably, Full Body Fit – combines exercises to improve your strength, cardio fitness, posture, AND flexibility.

Part two of this series will guide you through using the basics to start creating the right fitness plan for your needs and your dreams. Check it out here!


***Image courtesy Jurgen Appelo via Flickr.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

5 Tips for a Healthy and Fit Thanksgiving

You Can Have Your Turkey (and Stuffing) – and Your Fitness, Too!

Welcome to the winter holiday season – the most challenging season of all for those of us who are working on our nutrition and overall fitness!

Between short, colder days and your great aunt's incredible Thanksgiving stuffing, it's really no wonder so many of us struggle with our health and fitness plans this time of the year.


But there is hope, and a lot of it. You don't have to choose between severely limiting your enjoyment of Thanksgiving (not to mention the holiday treats to follow) or giving up your fitness and nutrition plans until January.

There is a better way – a way to have your turkey (and your great aunt's stuffing) and to maintain the progress on your health and fitness that you've worked so hard to achieve up to now.

To kick the holiday season off right for your body and your taste buds, here are five tips to help you have your Thanksgiving dinner and maintain your waistline, too:

  1. Exercise before -- and after: If you're a Better Living Fitness Center member, come on in for Full Body Fit at 5:30 this Wednesday and either the 9:30 am Cardio and Core (if you want to get up early) or our 12:30 pm Full Body Fit class on Friday. But don't stop there! Even a brisk walk before you sit down to that heavy, groaning Thanksgiving table will leave you feeling less full and groaning after you eat. Click here for our fitness class schedule.
  2. Eat breakfast: It might be tempting to “save up” your appetite for Thanksgiving dinner, but hitting the table extra hungry will make it much harder to avoid overeating. Instead, have a good-sized breakfast tomorrow morning to keep your metabolism higher throughout the day – but not just any breakfast. Go with a higher-protein, low carb start to your day: for example, Egg Beaters with onions and peppers (maybe with a bit of low fat cheese), and a side of a low-glycemic fruit like berries.
  3. Use smaller serving spoons: Thanksgiving dinner isn't a normal meal –
    it's more like a buffet, because there are so many wonderful foods to choose from. By using smaller serving spoons you can still have a taste of everything, without taking a full-size portion of each yummy thing you want to try.
  4.  Take your time: On average, Americans spend five hours preparing Thanksgiving dinner – and only thirteen minutes eating it! Eating quickly is a sure way to overeat. On the other hand, taking our time doesn't just allow us to know when we're getting close to having enough – it also gives us space to savor the special Thanksgiving textures and flavors. Besides, doesn't it make sense to bring up the average time we spend eating the meal when our loved ones spend so much time making it for us?
  5. Try on a new family tradition: Thanksgiving may be America's big eating holiday, but that doesn't mean dinner needs to be the only focus of the day! If the people you're celebrating the holiday with are open to the idea, try to
    schedule something fun in addition to your dinner. Take a walk together in a nearby park, play some touch football, or even bring out the board games or a deck of cards for awhile. Physical activities are obviously best from the perspective of your overall health and fitness, but anything fun that distracts people from the constant temptation to eat (and eat, and eat…) will help.

Thanksgiving is just the first holiday of an entire season that encourages us to fill our plates and overfill our bellies. The good news, though, is that you don't have to choose between feeling left out or rooting through your closet for your old pair of “fat pants.” Add a few extra exercise sessions, enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and the season's other tasty foods in moderation, and you'll be in great shape to start reaching for even bigger health and fitness goals come January!

...and remember, the entire staff at Better Living is here for you. Contact us today for whatever support you might want to help you get through the holidays with your health and fitness intact, from nutrition counseling to personal training sessions. We're here to help!

Here's wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and love-filled Thanksgiving day!



Photos courtesy churl, Peter Barker, and Nathan Rupert via Flickr

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

A Passion for Fitness Results: Introducing Better Living Fitness Trainer Jesse Richards

Jesse Richards' career as a personal trainer and fitness expert started with a cadaver.

He admits that this sounds a bit creepy, but as a student at Hope College, Jesse took an anatomy class – a class that included a visit to Hope College's cadaver lab.

And while some people might have found the experience uncomfortable, Jesse says it inspired him to learn everything he could about how our bodies work.

“I decided I wanted a greater understanding of how God created us, and to learn the purpose of each of our muscles, organs, tendons, and joints,” he says.
Jesse with Better Living Fitness Client Joey Mullick

Jesse followed his passion all the way to a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science. Along the way, he was selected for internships as a strength and conditioning trainer for student athletes at Hope College, Oakland University, and the University of Michigan.

Today, Jesse says, he loves working with Better Living Fitness clients because he's thrilled when his clients achieve the results they're looking for.

“When I was working with student athletes I had a huge passion for athletics and seeing my students get results on and off the field,” he says.

“As a personal trainer, my passion has shifted. Instead of helping a swimming star improve their time by a few seconds, now I get to help people heal injuries that have bothered them for years – and I get to be there when one of my clients, who hasn't been able to lose a pound in ten years, is able to drop twenty pounds.”

While he doesn't currently have any athletes as personal training clients, Jesse says he works with a wide range of people, from folks who are athletic to others who have never exercised before. But whether a new client is a weekend-warrior athlete or a member of Couch Potatoes Anonymous, Jesse says that he particularly loves working with people who are motivated to reach their goals and willing to try new things to help them reach those goals.

In addition to working with clients, Jesse's favorite aspect of working at Better Living Fitness is our team approach to helping clients with their health and fitness.

“Every one of the trainers on the Better Living staff has different areas of expertise, so we can help each other out. If I have a client with an issue I haven't seen before, I can bring that issue up in one of our staff meetings – and someone else will have an answer that I can use to help my client succeed,” he says.

“This team approach is pretty different from any place else I've worked as a personal trainer.”

Work out with Jesse: click here to schedule your first personal training
Jesse with Better Living Fitness client Dawn Weirauch
session!

Take a class with Jesse: Jesse teaches Full Body Fit on Thursdays at 5 pm, and CVT at 8:15 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check out our memberships, which include these fitness classes, here.

Monday, October 31, 2016

How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer for You: 4 Quick Questions

There are a lot of personal trainers, and companies that offer personal trainers, here in Ann Arbor. I did a quick Google search for “personal trainer Ann Arbor,” just to see what would happen, and got over 200,000 results!

Obviously, there's no way our town has over 200,000 personal trainers – not counting home football game days, the entire population of Ann Arbor is only a bit over 100,000. But, after quickly scrolling through my search results, I think it's safe to say that Ann Arbor offers well over 100 individual trainers specializing in helping clients with their health and fitness goals.


With all of those options, just finding the right personal trainer could start feeling like a workout by itself.

To make the process easier and let you start your fitness program faster, here are four questions to help you choose the right personal trainer for you:


1. How much training and education does the trainer have? The State of Michigan doesn't have licensing requirements for personal trainers, but most if not all fitness centers require their employees to have at least one certification. In addition, there are several community college and university degrees (both at the Bachelors and Masters level) that would-be fitness professionals can pursue.

As a general rule, the more education a trainer has, the more able they will be to help you meet your goals while avoiding injuries in the process.

Also, while degrees are wonderful, don't discount experience! For example, two of Better Living's trainers, Mallory and Jodi, collectively have over 30 years' experience as personal trainers in addition to their certifications. 

2. How much ongoing education is the trainer involved in? Exercise science is changing almost daily as research tells us more about our bodies and what they need to be healthy and fit. To get the best results from your fitness plan, it's best to find a trainer who keeps up to date on these developments.

3. What are the trainer's specialty or specialties? If you're a 50 year old woman who just wants to make sure you'll be able to walk and carry your own groceries when you're 80, you don't necessarily want to work with a personal trainer who specializes in getting people ready for triathlons. At the same time, a trainer who is all about functional fitness may not be the best choice to help you train for your first marathon.

4. How willing is the trainer to customize a program so that you'll not only meet your goals but also enjoy the process? As a rule, any solid health and fitness program will include exercises to increase your strength, cardiovascular health, and flexibility – but there's a lot of “wiggle room” within that rule to cater to people who love some specific exercises but who can't stand (or can't do) others.

Deciding to start a health and fitness program is a big decision. So is choosing a fitness professional to help you achieve your goals. But finding the right personal trainer for you doesn't have to be that difficult. First, decide what you want to accomplish. Then, using the four questions above, narrow your search.

With all the personal training options that Ann Arbor offers, it shouldn't be that hard for most people to find the right fit.

Looking for specific help in selecting a personal trainer to help you achieve your goals – or help defining your goals in the first place? Give us a call (734-747-0123)  or send us an email and we'll be happy to help!

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Better Living Members Burn Over 11,000 Calories & Raise Over $3,000 for disabled veterans

Our October 14th Cardio Relay charity event for the Michigan Department of Disabled American Veterans was a huge success:

  • Fifty-six participants got their sweat on by walking or running, rowing, or by working out on one of our elliptical machines – in all, our cardio machines were kept busy during the eleven-hour event!
  • In total – we counted – Cardio Relay participants burned over 11,000 calories!
  • Thanks to the generosity of our Cardio Relay participants, our co-sponsors, and the support of local businesses, we raised over $3,000 for the Michigan Department of Disabled American Veterans to help disabled vets in Michigan plow through the mountain of paperwork standing between them and the health care and other benefits they've earned and deserve.
We owe a huge thank you to our co-sponsors, Tortoise and Hare Running & Fitness Center and Between The Lines. I also want to thank the local companies that made the donations, either in the form of refreshments or items for our silent auction:

A2R3 Therapeutic Massage
Anderson Paint
Campus Barber & Beauty Salon
Nicola's Books
The Lunch Room
The M Den
Washtenaw Dairy
Zingerman's

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Communities: Ongoing Charity Initiatives at Better Living Fitness Center

One of the reasons I opened Better Living Fitness Center was to have a place that can serve the better health of our entire community in addition to helping Better Living members achieve their health and fitness goals.

To that end, every month we donate a portion of our proceeds to a local charity that we select during a staff meeting. Our Fitness Center has only been open since January, but it was important to me to start this business off right as a solid corporate citizen here in Ann Arbor.

This month, of course, we're making our donation to Michigan Disabled American Veterans. As time goes on, we plan to support all sorts of organizations that make life better here in Ann Arbor: nonprofits that serve homeless individuals, charities that take care of animals, and more.

Likewise, we aren't able to give a huge amount now as a relatively new fitness center – but as we grow, so too will the amount we're able to give to local nonprofits.


This means that your membership with Better Living Fitness Center isn't only a fantastic investment in your health and fitness goals – in addition, you're also contributing to the health of our wider community! (Check out our fitness classes and memberships today and you can start making your dual investment – in yourself and in our wider community – right away!)

Stay tuned to our blog, website, and/or Facebook page for information the charity we choose each month. I'm looking forward to creating a thriving partnership between Better Living, our clients, other locally-owned Ann Arbor businesses, and the entire Ann Arbor community.

Health Note: $99 month Unlimited Memberships are still available for a limited time. Better Living Fitness Center Unlimited Memberships include all of our classes, allowing you to customize a weekly and monthly workout routine to target all of your health and fitness goals: strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility. In addition, a portion of your membership (or membership upgrade) will benefit a local Ann Arbor charity through Better Living Fitness Center's monthly donation program.

Take a moment to check out and sign up for your Unlimited Membership today.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

We're Running (and walking, and rowing and spinning) -- For Their Lives

Better Living's Cardio Relay event – helping DAV cut through the red tape for our vets


When a disabled American veteran comes home from serving our country, surviving the injuries they sustained during their service is just the first hurdle.

The next is the one that the system has placed between the veterans and receiving the benefits they're entitled to.

On October 14, Better Living Fitness Center is holding a cardio relay event at our Ann Arbor location to help the people who specialize in making this next hurdle a smaller one. 

You can sign up to participate -- and receive $20 off select athletic shoes from Tortoise and Hare Running & Fitness Center (and the chance to win additional fabulous prizes!) -- here.

According to Jim Dempsey, a former state commander for the Michigan Department of Disabled American Veterans, disabled US veterans face an almost literal mountain of paperwork before they can receive the benefits that they have earned – and that our government has promised them.

“A claim can very easily run as much as 200-300 pages of total documentation that the veteran has to complete, have others fill out, then collect, scan into a computer and file electronically,” Jim says.

Not only that, but it's not unusual for a veteran to have to file more than one claim in order to have all of their injuries recognized and qualified for treatment -- and all of the paperwork is so complex even trained specialists can have trouble understanding it.

Worse yet, the government agency that is supposed to serve our veterans – the Department of Veterans' Affairs – prohibits their employees from helping vets wade through all the paperwork.

Fortunately, our vets have DAV on their side.

As we said in our first blog post about our Cardio Relay event, Disabled American Veterans has been around since 1920. They are experts who guide our veterans, step-by-step, through the process and help insure our vets receive the treatment and financial support they're entitled to.

On Friday, October 14, we're going to be running – and walking, rowing, and spinning – to make the lives of Michigan's disabled veterans easier.

We'd like you to join us. In return for your 15 minute or more workout and donation to Disabled American Veterans, we'll make sure you get a great cardio workout, enjoy tasty treats, and receive a 20$ off coupon for select athletic shoes from Tortoise and Hare Running & Fitness Center. 


Here are the Cardio Relay event details again. You can pre-register in person at Better Living Fitness Center, by phone, by email, with this online form, or during your next session with one of our trainers.

It's easy, it's going to be a BLAST, and you're going to leave Better Living knowing you've done something to make yourself healthier -- and to make a disabled veteran's life easier.

Sign up today, and we'll see you on October 14!

Better Living Fitness Center Cardio Charity Relay event details

When: Friday, Oct. 14, 6:30 am – 5:30 pm
Where: Better Living Fitness Center, 834B Phoenix Drive in Ann Arbor
How to Participate: Pre-register to work out for 15 minutes or more on any of Better Living Fitness Center's cardio machines. While at the center, make a donation to the Michigan Department of Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
Cash, checks and credit/debit card donations will be accepted.

How to Register:

Online: Click here

By Phone:  734-747-0123

By email: Click here

In Person at Better Living Fitness Center, 834 B Phoenix Drive in Ann Arbor during business hours, OR

Register with your Better Living trainer either at the center or at the Merri Lou Murray Recreation Center.


*** Photo courtesy Phil Parker via Flickr.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Get Fit, Have Fun, Save $20 on Workout Shoes – and, Veterans Save 10% at Better Living!

Last week we announced our first charity event – a cardio relay for the Michigan Department of Disabled American Veterans, which will take place at the Better Living Fitness Center on October 14.

This week we've got two more exciting announcements:

All Cardio Relay participants will receive a $20 off coupon for athletic shoes from Tortoise and Hare Running & Fitness Center in Ann Arbor.


Tortoise and Hare has joined Better Living Fitness Center and Between The Lines to sponsor our cardio relay. We're thrilled to have them on board as we get our sweat on to raise money for disabled veterans here in Michigan.

...and, while we get ready for the Cardio Relay event, we also have a special offer for ALL Ann Arbor-area veterans:


10% off on all training memberships, now through the October 14th Cardio Relay event!


If you have served our country as a member of the armed forces and you live in or near Ann Arbor, we'd like to serve you with this special offer. From now through October 14, you can join any Better Living Fitness Center membership plan at a 10% discount.

As a member, you'll be able to join our trainer-led Full Body Fit sessions, do high-energy cardio classes, or elongate your muscles with our various Yoga offerings – and join our weekly community walk.

Better Living Fitness Center group workouts are customized on the spot so people of all ages and physical abilities can take part and get fit; this means that, even if you have mobility issues or haven't exercised in a long time, we can still help you achieve your health and fitness goals.


Check out our membership plans to see what we have to offer. When you're ready to join, please contact us at: 734-747-0123 or: office@betterliving.biz to arrange your veterans-only, 10% fitness center discount OR, click here and enter Promo Code: Vets4BetterLive.

Better Living Cardio Relay Event for DAV – Event Details

Friday, Oct. 14 ~ 6:30 am – 5:30 pm
Better Living Fitness Center
834B Phoenix Drive ~ Ann Arbor

  • Enjoy one of our state-of-the-art cardio machines for 15 minutes, ½ hour, or more
  • Make a donation to the Michigan Department of Disabled American Veterans
  • Receive a certificate for 20% off athletic shoes from Tortoise and Hare Running & Fitness Center in Ann Arbor
  • Ask your friends, family, and co-workers to sponsor your workout
  • From now through October 14, all Ann Arbor-area veterans save 10% on Better Living Fitness Center memberships!

Pre-registration required: Call 734-747-0123 or email: office@betterliving.biz

Running shoes photo courtesy Josiah MacKenzie via flickr
Piggy bank photo courtesy Tax Credits via flickr

Monday, September 12, 2016

Better Living for Michigan's Veterans: Join us for our first Cardio Relay charity event!

Enjoy a great cardio workout, help a Michigan Veteran

On Friday, Oct. 14, Better Living Fitness Center will increase heart rates for a great cause during our first charity Cardio Workout Relay event for the Michigan District of Disabled American Veterans.

Our goal is to raise $10,000 to help make sure that disabled veterans in our state receive the benefits that they've earned and deserve.

From 6:30 am to 5:30 pm on Friday, Oct. 14, Better Living's cardio machines will be available for participants who want to do a cardio workout to help disabled veterans living right here in Michigan.

Our goal is to have at least one Cardio Workout Relay participant using at least one of our cardio machines - whether one of our elliptical machines, our exercise bikes, or our Stairmaster stepmill - for the entire day.

If you don't have the time, or you aren't yet ready to do a full half-hour
 of cardio training, no problem! We're scheduling the relay in fifteen-minute segments. Sign up to work out for fifteen minutes if you'd like - or commit to half an hour, forty-five minutes, or even a full hour.






All we ask is that you sign up in advance and make a donation to the Michigan District of Disabled American Veterans.

In return, you'll help fund Michigan Disabled American Veterans' efforts to make sure our vets receive the government assistance that they've earned for their service to our country – and you'll enjoy the benefits of a solid cardio workout on one of our top of the line machines.

Join us for a great day of having fun, getting fit, and supporting Michigan's veterans!

About Disabled American Veterans

I've always intended for Better Living Fitness Center to be a place that makes life better for our wider community. With that in mind, we've started giving a portion of our revenue to a different local charity every month.

And, now that Better Living has become a thriving center with multiple trainers, classes, and a solid client base, it's time for us to do more.

I chose the Michigan District of Disabled American Veterans for our first charity Cardio Relay because, since 1920, DAV has established an impressive track record of service on behalf of our veterans. DAV doesn't just lobby to make sure that our vets aren't forgotten. They also provide a helping hand. DAV does everything from filling out mountains of paperwork to appealing denied claims for health care, service related disabilities, and family assistance.

Disabled American Veterans works to make sure that the men and women who have already made huge sacrifices for our country receive the benefits they've earned and deserve.

I can't think of a better charity for our first Cardio Relay event.

Cardio Relay for DAV - Event Details

What: An eleven-hour cardio relay event at Better Living Fitness Center

When: Friday, Oct. 14, 6:30 am - 5:30 pm

Cost: Give what you can toward our goal of $10,000. All proceeds will benefit the Michigan branch of Disabled American Veterans. Want to do more? Ask your friends and loved ones to sponsor your workout with their own donations!

Better Living staff will be available to accept contributions made by cash or checks, and representatives from the Michigan District of Disabled American Veterans will be on hand to take credit card donations.

How to Sign Up: We'll have a sign-up sheet on hand at Better Living Fitness Center starting today. Just drop by at the desk during our business hours or call: 734-747-0123.

Your friends, family, and co-workers are welcome - the more the merrier! (Please be sure to preregister everyone who will be participating with you.)

You don't have to be a Better Living Fitness Center member to participate - come and check us out for charity!

Can't Attend But Want to Help? You can make an online donation to Michigan Disabled American Veterans via PayPal.





Friday, May 20, 2016

The 5 Worst Stretching Mistakes You May be Making


  1. You bounce: Bouncing at the end of your stretch (when done vigorously enough) can cause the muscle and tendon to tear. This "ballistic" stretching can trigger a reaction within the muscle that prevents it from relaxing and ends up defeating the purpose of the stretch. Instead of bouncing, focus on gradually elongating and holding the stretch for 10-15 seconds, release and repeat.
  2. You stretch before warming up: This is one of the most common stretching mistakes that people make. Contrary to popular belief, stretching is not "warming up". You should always warm up before you stretch because stretching cold muscles increases your chance of injury. Take 5-10 minutes to get a sweat worked up through exercise, stretch for 3-4 minutes, then re-engage in exercise.
  3. You are in the wrong position/have incorrect form: If you don't feel the stretch where you are expecting to feel it, you may be doing it wrong. Improper body positioning can cause you to miss the muscle you are aiming to stretch. Use a free hand to feel the muscle you are stretching to ensure that it is being engaged. 
  4. You stretch too hard: Similar to bouncing, pushing a stretch too hard can also cause a tear in the muscle. You should feel a little bit uncomfortable during a stretch but it should never be painful. If you still feel tight, repeat the stretch multiple times, making sure to stay within your range of motion. Additionally, if you do have an injury, stretching can make it worse. If that is the case and the pain doesn't go away in a few days, it would be wise to consult your doctor.
  5. Stretching? What's that?!: Perhaps the second most common stretching mistake: not stretching at all. Let's face it, life is busy and often times we are trying to exercise within a specific time frame. Stretching can easily get overlooked. Although this may not be harmful initially, over time you will notice the negative effects of not stretching your muscles. Flexibility is a key component of overall health and stretching is one critical tool in increasing both flexibility and strength. Remember to take 3-4 minutes after warming up your muscles to stretch and don't forget to do it again after you've exercised. It truly will be to your benefit!

Monday, April 25, 2016

STAFF PICK: Vinyasa Flow Yoga by Chelsea Vespa


There are so many different styles of yoga out there. I always recommend people try out at least a few different types of classes to find the one that resonates/feels best. I've heard people say, "I tried a yoga and it just wasn't for me." But in reality, it was just that style of yoga that may not be for you. Find the one you love! I truly believe there's something for everybody. 

My 300 hour advanced teacher training with Clara Roberts-Oss focused on the many facets of vinyasa. There's so much more to yoga than just the poses, or "asana." And there's always more to learn! For this training I traveled to Thailand for a month of study, it was life-changing! 

Vinyasa is one of my favorite styles of yoga both to practice and to teach. I love the rhythm and freedom of moving fluidly with the breath. I find it’s the fastest way to get out of my head and into my body (and get a sweat on!) The best part about vinyasa is that no two classes are alike. It's different every time so it keeps you on your toes! 

Join us Wednesday mornings at 10, at the Better Living Fitness Center, for our new Vinyasa Flow Yoga class. Or check out the other classes we offer here.


Friday, April 15, 2016

3 Ways to Make Running More Enjoyable



Running. A word that often stirs up two polar opposite emotions: love or hate. Whether you wake up every morning excited for a long run, or would rather do anything but run, we can all agree that there are definite benefits from this particular exercise. So, how can we make it more enjoyable? Here are 3 simple ways.

         1. Take Walk Breaks: Yes, you can still be a runner and take walk breaks! A recent study posted in the New York Times found that regular walking intervals throughout a run can actually help you maintain the same pace as if you ran the entire way, while being gentler on your body. Walk breaks can also provide the mental break you need to help you divide the longer distance into smaller, more conquerable pieces.

        2. Try Intervals: If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “When will this be over?!”, this strategy may be for you! With intervals, you can get the same cardio benefits in less time. If you’re running outside, measure your intervals in telephone poles: Every five or so poles that you pass, pick up the pace from one pole to the next. If you’re running inside, run two minutes at a moderate pace on the treadmill, then turn up the speed for one minute before returning to your previous pace. Repeat. And don’t forget your music! Picking a good playlist to accompany your training certainly helps the time pass more quickly and be more fun.

    3. Exercise with a Friend: If you need extra accountability, pair up with a friend. Before getting started, make sure that you’re on the same page about your goals for a run in order to ensure that it’s beneficial for both of you. Not only will you be kept accountable by your friend, you’ll also have good company, making the time (miles) fly by!

Feeling any better about that word, “running”? Join the Better Living Walk/Run group as we train for the Dexter/Ann Arbor 5K. Find out more information about the Recliner Athlete Program here.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Looking for the PERFECT workout between your Personal Training Sessions?


"You'll get a great workout whether you're just starting out, already an athlete, or even if you're recovering from injury!" 
 ~Dawn, Better Living Fitness Center member

Do you ever find yourself lost in the gym between your personal training sessions? We have the perfect solution to keep you safe, give you a great workout and take the thinking out of your next gym visit. Let a Better Living trainer guide you through a Full-Body FIT routine to help you get to your health and fitness goals faster.

Full-Body FIT is a full-body strength training, cardio and flexibility routine with customization to your fitness level. It's included FREE once or twice weekly, depending on your membership level. Here is what Dawn, a loyal member, has to say about this class:

"I've been attending Full-Body FIT since the classes started in January. Mark is a fantastic trainer who knows how to keep the energy flowing! Best yet, Mark customizes the routine to fit people with different levels of fitness and ability. You'll get a great workout whether you're just starting out, already an athlete, or even if you're recovering from an injury. I'm so happy with my results, I've upgraded my membership!"


If you'd like to try Full-Body FIT for FREE, call 734.747.0123 to schedule your first session or stop by the Better Living Fitness Center for a tour. We are at 834B Phoenix Dr. (access from Varsity on the north side of Ellsworth Rd.). 

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Why you should use our StairMaster

By Penni Jones
Better Living Staff Writer
 

I love a good step mill workout. Here are five reasons you should love it, too:

1.   Strengthening: Because of the climbing motion, step mills strengthen the major muscle groups in the lower body. The calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus are all used.

2.   Low impact: Although running is a wonderful way to get cardio, the high intensity can cause strain on the knees. A StairMaster has significantly less impact on your body than running on a treadmill.

3.   Burns calories: Just because an exercise is low impact doesn’t mean that it doesn’t burn as many calories. A step mill actually burns more calories because you have to lift your entire body weight with every step. This allows for a higher rate of calories burned in less time than other exercises.

4.   Aerobic conditioning: Using the step mill is great for cardiovascular exercise due to its ability to raise your heart rate right away. The level you set dictates the intensity, but even at low levels the heart is getting a workout.

5.   Helps with natural movements: Moving up an incline is a natural action in many fitness routines. Consistently using a StairMaster to work out will help train your core, and allows you to hike and climb more efficiently. It also increases overall stamina and endurance, so daily activities will be easier.

 


Come by Better Living Fitness Center to give our new StairMaster a try, and for a tour of our new facility. Call Penni at (734) 747-0123 for more information.

Visit our website and like us on Facebook.
 

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Hydrate with citrus water at Better Living Fitness Center

 
by Penni Jones
Better Living staff writer
 
Water is the single most critical nutrient for health, growth, and development. Water is critical to the balance of all the body’s systems, including the heart, brain, kidneys, lungs, and muscles.
 
Dehydration can reduce endurance, decrease strength, slow muscular response, and cause cramping. Plus, mild dehydration is one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration.

Drinking fruit infused water after a workout will help you do more than hydrate. Benefits of infused water, other than hydration, include:
 
·         Improved mood
·         Faster recuperation from workouts
·         Improved digestion
·         Reduced muscle fatigue while working out
·         Helps you fight off that afternoon slump
 
Stop by Better Living Fitness Center at 834B Phoenix Drive in Ann Arbor for a grand tour and a cold glass of orange-infused water. Call (734) 747-0123 or visit http://betterlivingfitness.com/ for more information.