Make it Happen!

I did a interview for a locale magazine the other day and I was asked, ‘What advice could I give someone that would change their life?’ At first, I was thinking, ‘Umm none, they need to change their own life.” So I guess that was my answer. With a little better thought and explaination, I elaborated on this thought and came up with an answer that I think we all need to remind ourselves of often.

Any goal is obtainable. Life can be anything you want it to be. You can be anything you want to be. You can look any way you want and feel any way you want. You are in charge of your own body, health, and happiness. Don’t limit yourself to leading a less healthy life than you deserve. You are the only thing stopping your goals in life from becoming reality. If you don’t know where to start, reach out to someone who can give you knowledge and/or advice to helping you reach your goals; utilize your resources! Make the time, don’t make excuses, and get it done. Stay committed, if you fall, get back up, and pretty soon your goals will become reality! It’s never easy, but it’s always worth it.

Be the Influence!
Nancy

Chocloate Milk a Recovery Drink? Not so fast…

There has been a lot of hype around the media lately about chocolate milk as a great recovery drink.  Clients have asked me about this and have been hearing people in the gym talking about how “GREAT” it is.  Ok. No. Marketing is a powerful thing, especially in this country, but you guys have to be more responsible for LEARNING and EDUCATING yourself on your own and stop believing what ads say, what commercials tell you, and what products have splashed across their labels. 

Study’s can “show” any point that they want to argue.  From my perspective, as a trainer, there isn’t one specific place that I go to educate myself.  What I do, and recommend doing, is reading a bunch of articles, reading a bunch of studies, and taking away something from each one.  Moderation is always best and I will never say “never” eat this or “never do that” but I will say that generally “this” is bad for you and “that” is good for you.

The chocolate milk hype is one of them.  I’m not saying never indulge in a glass of chocolate milk.  What I will say, is that chocolate milk (regardless of what the milk company campaign claims) is NOT a solid recovery drink and is NOT the best choice to replenish post workout.  What you NEED for recovery is mainly protein and electrolytes. There is protein in milk, but not the best type of protein for recovery and not enough of it. The type of protein you WANT in a recovery drink is called whey protein.  This is the best protein for muscle recovery.  The type of protein in milk is called casein protein.  Casein protein is 50% LESS effective in rebuilding and repairing muscle fibers than whey.  Why? Whey is absorbed much more quickly by the body than casein.  Whey contains more amino acids than casein and is essential for assisting in muscle protein synthesis.  

So although the media has made it tempting, leave the choc milk on the shelf and grab a whey protein shake instead.   If you’re looking to also replenish electrolytes coconut water is a good choice.

Motivation with Maxwell!

Total Weight Lost: 53 Pounds

Ok you guys!  I love all of my clients, but I love this one the most!  Let me explain!  Maxwell is the love of my life.  The most amazing person I have ever met and my bestest friend.  I have Under Armour to thank for bringing Max and I together.  I trained Max in my morning class for over a year before magic happened at our company Christmas Party last year.  The rest has been history.  I have never been happier!  Just another amazing perk that fitness has contributed to my life!

Ok back to business! I am so proud of Max.  He was coming from the WVU football team of heavy weights, sprints, and a totally different mentality of eating and nutrition. My classes are nothing like what he did in college, so this was a huge transition for him.  It took some time, but finally, he gave in to my programs, and gave it a real shot.  Boy, did it pay off!  Here is what he had to say:

“Before I started working out with Nancy I was your stereotypical former college athlete. I participated at a sport in a very high level, therefore I knew everything there was to know about eating right and working out. I thought structure was the only thing I needed to get the same results.  Needless to say I got a little more than I bargained for and the results, knowledge, and inspiration will motivate me for a lifetime.

At the end of 2010 with just six months of the “real world” under my belt, I was an all-time high 258 pounds. All the alcohol, food, and lack of exercise finally caught up to me. Upon seeing a few errant pictures of myself at a party with my shirt off, I knew it was time for a change. I enrolled in Nancy’s boot camp on January 3rd 2011 to see if I could shed a few pounds before our annual spring time mancation.

At first I struggled more mentally than physically with the format. Mentally, I came from an environment where rest and recovery were commonplace and you were measured by the amount of weight you could move not the number of repetitions. If you had an hour and a half workout you were probably only actually working out for 45 min. Nancy’s class was 45 minutes of straight high intensity work. If you asked me to do 10 reps of a weight I could do it, but if you asked me to do reps of the same weight for 45 seconds I would struggle to get 8.

Throughout the Spring and Summer of 2011, I attended her class an average of 3 times a week and tried to stick to a low carb, high protein diet. Once I got my weight down to around 230 I worked out mostly as a means to maintaining my current life style and not an attempt at making any gains. As the Summer ended and the Fall set in I fell off the bandwagon again. I went to around 2 classes and week and started eating poorly again. I decided that Thanksgiving meal was going to be my last hurrah and this time I was going to try to get serious about dieting and working out. Little did I know that a trip to the grocery store would change my life.

When I got back from Thanksgiving at around 240 pounds, I asked Nancy to put me on her diet plan and we decided to meet at the local grocery store. It turns out that I was mostly ill-informed or too stubborn about my old eating habits and that I do not know everything there is to know about eating healthy (imagine that!). The combination of working out in her class and participating in her diet plan has taken my body and mind to shapes and places that I never thought they would go.

I believe dieting and working out are directly correlated. If you are discipline in your diet, you’ll be discipline in working out, and vice versa. I had dieted numerous times in the past for many different reasons, but Nancy’s food plan never once and still hasn’t felt like a diet. I was still eating a lot of the things I normally eat except more often and in smaller portions. I am confident to say that I will never be overweight again and I have developed enough knowledge and discipline through the whole experience to last me the rest of my life.  The best part is, I get to keep the girl too. ” -Max

BE the Influence,

N

Motivational Monday!

Meet Erin!  Erin has been loyal and dedicated to my training for a few years.  She motivates everyone around her, including myself, to push harder, and perform better.  She is one of the strongest, fastest, toughest women I have ever trained.  I feel lucky to have had Erin train with me for so long.  She is beautiful inside and out.  Here is what Erin had to say about her journey:

“I have been working out with Nancy for almost 2 years now and it is hard to explain with words how she has affected my life.

Nancy is my role model. She motivates me, inspires me, encourages me and most importantly makes me want to be a better person.

I have played sports my entire life, including soccer in college. After I graduated I was looking for a routine / regimen I could follow that was completely different than my soccer training. I am so grateful that I found Nancy. I work out with Nancy four times a week in her am boot camp. Nancy mentally and physically challenges me every morning and I absolutely love it. I am not only physically stronger , I am mentally stronger while I work out as well. I now understand the saying “it’s all in your head”. Nancy has taught me to get out of my head not only during workouts but also in my everyday life.

Nancy has a gift. Even after 2 years, she has the ability to make me sore after each workout while making me want more. It is a sick yet awesome thing. Nancy’s workouts are all different and unique which leads to my muscle confusion. Nancy is not only an amazing trainer she is also extremely knowledgeable and educated in nutrition. She has created  a healthy diet that encourages clean eating, makes you feel amazing and most importantly WORKS.

I can’t thank Nancy enough for what she has done for me. She is a game changer and hands down one of the best in the industry. She is the influence.  ” -Erin L.

BE the influence!!

N

Motivational Monday!

Lisa is an amazing person inside and out.  She is constantly a leader in my advanced morning class.  She is one of the people who motivates ME the most when I am working out with this class.  She has completely changed her body composition since beginning my class.  She has also become a great friend of mine.  I am lucky to train such a hard-working, loyal person like Lisa.  Here is what she had to say:

“I began Nancy’s class about two years ago.  Prior to working at Under Armour, I always did workouts on my own, combining exercises I learned while playing basketball in college, and also trying different workout dvd’s such as Insanity and P90X.  I would have never expected to join a class, and even more so, have it impact my life the way it has.

Working out has always played a major role in my life from as far back as I can remember.  However, ever since I played my last basketball game in college, I found it harder and harder to get motivated to not just workout, but to push myself to a level mentally and physically—that not only challenges me but gives me results.  That’s when Nancy and her “bootcamp” came into my world…

Her class provides more than weight loss and a more toned body, it also gives you the escape  needed from all of real life’s worries, problems, and other uncontrollable situations encountered on a daily basis. Nancy’s workouts are challenging and she always keeps us on our toes; finding new ways to motivate us each and every day.  She is by far one of the most inspiring people I have ever came across.  Not only is she hardcore when it comes to demanding her clients to push their bodies to ultimate limits; but she herself lives a life that only one could hope to emulate.  Her hard work and passion for what she does rubs off on each and every person she works with.  It not only makes you go hard for the hour you are working out, but it carries with you throughout the entire day.

With one hour a day/4 times a week and changing my eating habits just a little bit, I can confidently say that I am back down to my college playing weight.  I have lost 15 lbs., feel stronger and healthier than I have in a long time, and mentally feel on top of my game.  I attribute so much of this to Nancy’s class and don’t know what I would do without it.  Like I’ve always said, “Nancy Halterman doesn’t only change bodies, she changes lives.” -Lisa

Be the Influence,

N

Motivation of the Week! Meet Nick

Nick is one of the hardest working people I have ever trained.  He pushes his limits daily.  Nick has always been eager to improve, willing to learn, respectful, and a beliver of my programs.  He quickly developed into one of the leaders of my morning class (Grit-Boot Camp) and sets the bar high for the rest of the class.  He recently became a Father and he is still finding time to fit in his workouts.  Which is easier said than done!  Nick is loyal and dedicated and his results show it.  Check out what Nick had to say:

“I began working out in high school but I focused on chest and biceps and completed ignored other parts of my body. After I graduated college, I stopped playing competitive sports and was less consistent in the gym.  I found myself getting bored and lacking motivation.

I was looking for something new and challenging so I joined a group training class taught by Nancy at the Combine Training Center (CTC) located on the Under Armour complex.  I was a bit apprehensive at first because I had never participated in group training before.  Not only that, but I had never attempted many of the exercises that I had seen her class do.  I was also unfamiliar with some of the equipment I had seen her incorporate into her routines such as TRX bands and Bosu balls.  In the beginning I struggled to keep up with many members of the class but the other members were all supportive of one another and gradually I gained confidence.

Nancy’s class was focused on improving overall fitness levels through active recovery and incorporating many complimentary exercises.  It introduced me to a whole new way to train and I began to see results within the first few weeks.  Over time my stamina and strength increased while my body fat decreased.  I began fitting into clothes I hadn’t worn in years.  I decided to run in my first half marathon after training in Nancy’s class for a few months.  Even though I didn’t specifically train to run long distance, I had such confidence in my fitness level I thought it was worth a shot.  I ran the race with a classmate and we finished in a time of 1:50.    I continued to train with Nancy and the next year I decided to run in the race again, and my time improved to 1:38, a 12 minute improvement.

I attribute my success in that race to training with Nancy and her class.  Her class and training regimen has greatly improved my strength and endurance.  I am also much more balanced as we do complete body work-outs so no muscle groups are ignored.  I really enjoy the group setting as we challenge each other and I have seen improvements in all of my fellow classmates.  Nancy also does a great job mixing up the exercises and routines to keep it challenging and new.  She is a great motivator and pushes everyone to get the most out of her class.   I recommend training with Nancy for anyone looking to improve overall fitness and well-being.  She has made training fun again and I am in better overall shape now than I was when I was in my 20’s.” -Nick C.

Let this be an inspiration in your own wellness journey!

BE the Influence,

N

Back in Action!

Sorry for the hiatus!  I was on vacation, then was a bit under the weather.  I have fallen behind on my posts.  Look for a post later today for your Motivational story of the week from on of my clients.

Here is a picture of what we woke up to every morning on vacation.

Be the Influence,
N

Motivational Monday with Maggie!

Maggie is new to my classes.  She had a rough start, but after the first few weeks she fit right in and is keeping up with the class and improving more every week.  I am excited to get her feeling and looking the best she can by her big day.  Check out what Maggie has to say about her experience so far:

“I have only been in Nancy’s class for just about 2 months. But it is incredible how quickly I have seen a change in my life! From my clothes being to big, to actually being more motivated and productive in my career! Starting out, I wasn’t necessarily looking to lose weight, but rather to get more toned and feel good about myself, especially since my wedding day was (is) coming up.

Starting out wasn’t the easiest. Ha, the first day I pulled my back out. How embarrassing! It was probably the worse but best thing that could have happened to me starting my new journey. First, it helped me see how badly I really did need to strengthen my body, and especially my back. Secondly, it motivated me to become even more dedicated, watch my form, and take care of myself. After being bed ridden for a day and a half, I knew I just had to get back to class. Nancy was so supportive and helpful. Nancy didn’t make me feel bad that I had 5lb weights, while everyone else had 15+ lb weights and she would quietly tell me when I needed to do something different then the rest of the class.

As the weeks have gone on I have built up to 12lb weights, my back does not hurt, and I have seen the physical, mental, and emotional change in myself. I look forward to starting my day working out and on the weekends and days off I crave a good run and activity. My first dress fitting was the other day. It was amazing to me how different I already looked and felt.

This is only the beginning and I can’t wait to continue the journey ahead.” -Maggie

Let Maggie inspire you to start your week off right!

Be the Influence,

N

How much water do you drink daily?

Power in Pink!

I had the privilege of having dinner with 3 amazing breast cancer survivors last night.  What a humbling experience listening to their stories.  I found myself in reverie mid dinner, admiring their positive outlook, while reflecting on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.  As they were going through utter turmoil, which most of us, including myself, can not even begin to understand, they used fitness as their outlet.  I’m not talking a few laps around the block either.  I’m talking bad ass, sweat pouring, heart pounding, kick-your-a$$ workouts.  Cross fit, half marathons, full marathons, you name it.  And that’s apparently just what the doctor ordered.  Their doctors suggested it, they listened, and it paid off.  They are all over 5 years in remission.  WOW.  So powerful.  Through fitness they found themselves feeling stronger (mentally and physically) and more focused on beating the cancer monster than ever.  It was amazing to hear them speak about how powerful exercise (running imparticularly) had been for each of them.  It is so similar to how I think of running (see my blog entry “Running is my Church”).  I have never had any one close to me have cancer, nor have I ever been anything close to as sick as these women were.  Regardless, I still have channelled my own struggles (which we all have had in life) through fitness.   So I can at least relate to how it can provide us with empowerment to get through the dark moments of life.  These women believe that fitness saved their lives and it’s to thank for making it to 5 years in remission.  I don’t doubt it one bit.  Fitness is so much more than looking good.  This really helped me to put in perspective how lucky I am to be healthy.  How lucky I am to see the value in living a healthy lifestyle.  And how much I want to help others do the same.  Together, let’s share the wealth and knowledge of fitness!

BE the Influence,

N