It’s mid-December and the holiday season is now fully upon us. What does that mean? Probably a little less time in the gym, a few more cookies than usual, and hopefully a lot more time with friends and family. Good things all around in my humble opinion.

If you’re traveling over the next few weeks, you might be feeling a little anxiety about skipping your workouts and training sessions. Here are a few quick and maybe unexpected tips to help keep you on track:

Stop stressing.

Hey you, when’s the last time you actually took a prolonged rest? Did I hear never? Well, look’s like now is your time! And what better occasion could there be to give your body the rest it needs to recover than when spending lots of quality time with your loved ones? You’ll likely be eating a little more than usual, giving your body some extra fuel to use towards recovery. When January 1 comes around, you’ll feel refreshed and super motivated to get back to your normal training routine.

You can still keep your health goals in mind.

Remember that not every meal in the month of December is a holiday meal – most of the time you’re going to be eating the normal, healthy food that fuels you. Right? If not, give that some thought. Holiday food is delicious and should be savored, and it loses its luster when you’re overindulging. Eat grandma’s famous nut roll and enjoy the hell out of, but not every night for a week. You are capable of moderation, and your body will thank you for it.

Use travel as an opportunity to try new fitness things.

One of my favorite things to do when I go home to visit family is to try out different gyms and studios. Never tried yoga? Find a local studio and rent a mat! Climbing gyms abound recently and are a ton of fun, even for casual climbers. Think spinning isn’t for you? You might be surprised.

If you’re looking for a cool place to lift, don’t hesitate to ask the UF staff! We may know a place that suits you (we’re all meatheads after all).

If you’re going to lift, consider simplifying your training.

Union Fitness is a pretty sweet spot and we have a lot of cool equipment you probably won’t find at your basic commercial gym. Be flexible in your training for these few weeks. It’ll be easier on you mentally to head into the gym and just focus on the basics. This doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself! Maybe this is the week you give try a set of 20 reps on your squats?

No access to a gym? Work out at home with Fitness Blender!

I recommend Fitness Blender to friends all the time for travel workouts. They have tons of workouts that can be done with just your bodyweight (or you can include any equipment you have access to). You can choose how long you want to work out for, what body parts, and what type of training.

When in doubt, do burpees.

They’ll destroy you no matter where you are or what you’re doing.

Happy Holidays from the Union Fitness Team!

One of my favorite questions- “what supplements should I take?”

Everyone from mom and dad to Ray Lewis have turned to supplements at some point in their lives. Why? Sometimes out of necessity- doctors orders. Sometimes to gain a perceived edge over their competition. And sometimes out of ignorance.

I don’t want to comment on the morals of the fitness industry- it’s a rabbit hole I’m no interested in going down for the sake of this article. The industry as a whole is “OK.” But I’m going to be critical of the supplement industry, and deservedly so.

Supplements ARE NOT regulated by the FDA. They can be made in someone’s kitchen, branded, marketed, and sold anywhere, even GNC. Of course GNC decides what to carry and what not to carry, but no matter what, NONE of the items on their shelves are FDA approved. Do I think the FDA regulations do a good job of protecting us- the short answer is no. But would ANY oversight in the supplement industry be helpful- yes.

CAVEAT EMPTOR (Buyer Beware)

Fat burners, Testosterone boosters, Weight gainers, Detox pills…the list goes on.

Fat burners raise your heart rate, period.
Test boosters lower your estrogen levels so your testosterone is higher (relative).
*FYI gents, we need estrogen just as much as we need testosterone.
Weight gainers are typically loaded with sugar.
Detox pills…how about let your liver and kidney’s do their job?

So we’re back to the question that almost everyone asks- “What supplements should I take?”

How about this- “Should I consider taking a supplement?”

A supplement is defined as something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.

Answer these questions honestly, and you can very quickly determine what, if anything, you should be taking:

• Are you getting 8+ hours of sleep per night?
• Are you hitting your caloric maintenance number?
  (A surplus will cause you to gain weight, a deficit will cause you to lose weight- obviously goal dependent)
• Have you had blood work done to determine if you may be deficient in any vitamins or minerals?

If you aren’t eating well balanced meals or are getting a lot of processed foods, you’re missing out on essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). If you aren’t getting 8 hours of sleep, your body’s hormones are already out of whack. And if you don’t know what, if anything, you’re deficient in, why supplement? You don’t even know what you’re supplementing.

And supplementing poor habits is a waste of money. Eat healthy. Sleep more. If you can’t take commit to those things, put your wallet back in your pocket and save your money.

Now, I realize most of you will not go through all of this before supplementing. So I’ll give you the basics, as I see them. This is not a recommendation and I am not a doctor.

ZMA
Zinc, Magnesium, B6
One of the greatest supplements ever invented. It will help you sleep and provides two minerals that the majority of the population is deficient in. *the most bang for your buck

Vitamin D3
We don’t get enough sunshine in Pittsburgh, so this is likely another area where you could be deficient. It will take months after starting supplementation to see a significant improvement in levels, but this should all be checked through blood work. Remember, it is fat soluble, so it needs to be taken with food that contains fat.

Magnesium
I prefer glycinate because it is absorbed easily with little GI discomfort. Too much magnesium will having you running to the bathroom, so start with small doses. Again, most people are deficient here. Magnesium is used in over 300 chemical reactions within the body…it’s important. And if you go to the gym regularly, you need more than the average none gym goer to put it technically.

Creatine
This is one of the most studied supplements ever. It helps with athletic performance by facilitating ATP production (ATP, if you remember from high school biology, is cellular energy). If you dose this too high, it will strain your kidneys.

Moral of the story- don’t try any of these without consulting your doctor.
Sleep more.
Eat better.
Then supplement, maybe.

Hydration is important whether you’re highly active or enjoy the slow paced side of life. In general, staying hydrated tends to be overlooked as a method of fueling workouts before they begin. Rather than feeling so thirsty you have to chug water, the goal to keep in mind is to sip on water throughout exercise.

How to fuel up on water before hitting the gym:

• Keep a reusable water bottle on hand wherever you go
• Add a no calorie water flavoring to your drinks –lemon, lime, or mint are great additions!
• Set recurring alarms if you have trouble remembering to drink

When you feel hungry, drink water first. Sometimes hunger is confused with thirst, but true hunger will not be satisfied by drinking water. For exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes, it may be beneficial to have a sports drink on hand. Taking in excessive amounts of water without sodium dilutes the body, creating an electrolyte imbalance. A sports drink can help regulate how much water the cell holds to maintain hydration. Note: the caloric and sugar content of sports drinks tend to be similar to that of drinking a soda and there are fewer benefits of consuming a sports drink during short duration or non- exercise.

Why hydration matters:

• Maintain and control body temperature & calorie intake
• Lubricates & protects joints, eyes, tissues, and spinal cord
• Helps your body remove waste products and toxins
• Aids in digestion
• Keeps skin healthy and vibrant

How much water you should drink depends on height, weight, and activity levels. Thirst isn’t always a good indicator of hydration especially in higher altitudes or dry environments that don’t cause sweating. Pay attention, rather, to the color of your urine. Other foods and drinks can help you stay hydrated, too! Fruits, vegetables, soup, tea, and coffee can all contribute to your daily water intake.

Warning Signs Your Body is Lacking Water:

• Headaches & Lightheadedness
• Joint and Muscle Pain
• Accelerated Heart Rate
• Fatigue and Lethargy
• Constipation or other Digestive Issues
• Dry Mouth or Bad Breath