Today’s food log includes:

1. Water
2. Salt
3. Lemon juice
4. Black coffee

And that’s it!

Yes, this is a little untraditional for a “food log,” but I think it’s good to look at some of the stranger things we do in the name of health. I am a big proponent of intermittent fasting, though today’s sparse diet comes for a different reason. I’ve written about dealing with some health issues recently, and Tuesday morning I have another round of testing that requires 24+ hours of a clear liquid diet. So here I am, with my (fourth) coffee, typing away.

Even when I’m not prepping for fun medical procedures, I do enjoy intermittent fasting (or IF for short). What that typically means is picking a cut off time for eating at night and then not taking in anything but the aforementioned water (often with salt) and black coffee until my fasting time is up. That can be anywhere from 12 hours (an easy place to start!) to 20 hours for me. So basically, I try to stop eating at 9pm, then don’t start eating again until 9am on a normal day, or all the way up to 5pm every once in awhile (but know that I eat some epic meals on those 20 hour days).

Why practice fasting? I’m not doing this for weight loss reasons, though many people do! It’s also a useful reminder: sometimes we feel hungry, but skipping a meal every once in awhile (barring special cases like diabetes and hypoglycemia) isn’t going to kill us. It’s okay to be hungry sometimes! But primarily, fasting is a way to give my digestive system a bit of a break from having to process food – something that I have come to relish while I deal with these medical issues. There are of course tons of other benefits (there is a lot of interesting research showing that fasting beyond the 16 hour mark can increase autophagy, your body’s process of recycling old, damaged cell components), but this has been my focus.

So that means most mornings look like this: I start out with about 32oz of water with some himalayan sea salt (full of minerals) and lemon juice, then just black coffee and more water until that fasting period is over. Since I’m trying to maintain or even regain some weight, I generally manage to squeeze 4-6 meals into my eating window. More about that in a future post!

Author: Team UF

Earlier this year (side note: 2019 is really flying by), 33 of our members embarked on a challenge – the 2019 Strength Project. They were tasked with attending 28 classes over the course of 8 weeks (mid January to mid March) – split between our #powerful classes, Cardio Lab classes, and yoga classes. If they completed the challenge, they earned either a massage or some personal training sessions with one of us. To help along the way, we provided some extra assistance in the way of private goal coaching sessions, personalized lifestyle change suggestions, a private Facebook group to vent (a popular add-on), and even some free prepped healthy meals.

We’re finally finished tallying everything up and doing our final check-ins, and it looks like almost every participant completed the challenge! We have a lot of personal training sessions in our future!

The “challenge” really looked different for each participant. Some of our members have no problem attending 3+ barbell classes per week, but yoga was foreign territory. We had quite a few people who took this opportunity to upgrade from Cardio Lab only memberships to having access to our full range of classes, so getting comfortable with the barbell was something new. They each took it in stride (and had the rest of the group to confide in when things got tough).

We asked everyone to reflect on their experience of the Strength Project and answer a few questions. These were their thoughts:

What was the BEST part of the Strength Project?

• “Being able to experience different classes.” – Diane
• “I thought the sense of community the Strength Project fostered was great. It made people get outside of their comfort zones and try some different classes. [T]he expectations were a good balance for life, obtainable but still enough to build consistency.” – Rachael
• “The accountability piece that comes with the Strength Project. I like setting a goal of a set number of classes to attend each week. The Strength Project helped me do that.” – Brittany
• “Developing a weekly routine (that I continue to follow). Working with a variety of trainers with different styles.” – Brian

What was the WORST part of the Strength Project?

• “I hated yoga, but I think I will continue taking Cardio Lab” – Richard
• “Trying to fit so many classes in to satisfy the project requirements.” – Diane
• “Getting used to the 5am class schedule. I still struggle with that even if I go to bed early (at least 7.5 hours of sleep). I love the class – just not waking up for it. I’m getting better at it.” – Brittany
• “I had a slight injury that forced me to scale back training for 2 weeks. I felt a little pressured to get back to classes quickly to accomplish the challenge.” – Brian
• Would you do a challenge like this again?
• “I would. It was a different experience and I met some decent humans along the way. Also, it kept me accountable to achieve my goals.” – Diane
• “I would definitely do it again, even on a smaller month-to-month basis.” – Rachael
• “YES!! Maybe a summer challenge?” – Brittany
• “Absolutely.” – Brian

What as your personal proudest moment during the challenge?

• “Getting a solid three plate deadlift [315 lbs] and eating vegetables without puking” – Diane
• “My proudest moment was reaching 3 PRs the last week of the Strength Project. I benched 100lbs (pretty much my bodyweight) which I never thought I could do.” – Brittany
• “Attending any class with the word ‘cardio’ in it. Close second: using proper form for deadlifts and squats.” – Brian
• And some other thoughts:
• “Community is important. I could do it alone but it’s so much more enjoyable & rewarding with others” – Ang

We are so proud of each and every one of you, whether you made it through or not. Everyone made strides toward becoming a better version of themselves, no matter what.

Keep an eye out for our next challenge, coming summer 2019!

Alexa Ferri

Training Log: 4.5.19

My April Training log is a little different from my previous 3 months of training logs. Reason being, there is a new goal in mind for June. I am training for a full power meet. This is new to me. The goal, that is. I’ve had a small seed in my brain that wanted to do a meet, so now I am letting that come to life and blossom. Honestly, this is fun for me. A new experience. A new zone of comfort to hop out of. I’ve mostly trained in a very bodybuilding manner. I am not going to use absolute terms and say that bodybuilding is the end all be all for me however, it lights me up…(in the least meathead-y way possible or not). So, maybe I can inspirit a flame in one person, and that is to add some productive discomfort to their life and see what is possible.

As far as training goes, in the past I would have cycles of heavier compound lifts and I would have cycles of pure volume (very barfy) compound lifts. Both bring me happiness…well depending on my mood. My training for this meet is not too far off from a normal bodybuilding split for me. I have all my assistance work at 6-12 rep ranges, great. As for my main lifts, I am doing heavy work with speed work sprinkled in. Goal is to get faster.

-Squat and assistance

-Bench and assistance

-Deadlift and assistance

-Overhead Press and assistance

I am currently training 5 days per week. 4 days is my usual amount, but with this program there is a short day of some simple barbell movements and I am out. I have been reluctant to train more than 4 days per week for the past year due to hormonal imbalances from excessive training. My body is extremely sensitive to training and life stressors. Sometimes the life stressors I can’t control, but training I can, so let’s see how my body responds!

Here is a typical squat day for me:

Last blog I talked about how dependent I am upon my crockpot ever since having the baby. There’s only so much you can do with a crockpot though and I was bored. Needing constant variety in my life is both a blessing and a curse. And to be honest, I was a little embarrassed after my blog came out that I’ve been so lackadaisical in the kitchen.

So I decided to stop making excuses and break out the ole culinary skills. Making healthy dinners for my family makes me feel goooood and despite what I was telling myself in my head, it really doesn’t take that long to whip up something healthy and tasty. I’ve waited longer for Grubhub delivery than it took me to make this meal.



Sesame seared ahi tuna served with tri-colored roasted potatoes, sugar snap peas and topped with avocado slices.

The best part of this meal was the following conversation I had with Asha and Alina:

Asha: Mom, is this sushi? No is this steak?! It’s my favorite.
Me: Kinda. It’s chicken of the sea.
Asha: Ok so it’s chicken.
Me: No, it’s a fish. It’s ahi tuna.
Alina: ASHI TUNA?!?!

It took about twenty minutes of explaining to them that Ashi (a nickname we have for Asha) Tuna is not a real thing. But considering that they still ask for “Ashi Tuna” every night for dinner, I don’t think it stuck. The lesson learned here for me is that memories are made over food and family dinners together. My kids will have no fond recollections of the takeout meal we had delivered but will surely remember the time they thought they ate Asha for dinner. Cooking a meal is more than just the pieces of food thrown together. Food can be a lot more than just nutritional subsistence and I think I forget that from time to time.

Michael Hutchins, LMT, graduated from Pittsburgh Technical College in October 2018. He is certified in cupping and IASTM and has plans to become certified in body tempering – something we’ve been looking for here at UF! Some of his favorite modalities of massage are deep tissue and vibration therapy with the Hypervolt. In his spare time, he is also pursuing a Personal Training and Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification through NASM.

Growing up, Michael was inactive and didn’t take great care of his physical health. During his freshman year of high school, his friends convinced him to join the track team and he ended up falling in love with it. He put in the work and mileage over the summer to get into shape and eventually became one of the top runners in his school with a personal best 5k time of 16:14 – he’s still on the top 10 all-time board! After high school, Michael enlisted in the Marine Corps and began to pay more attention to what he ate and his personal fitness. In the fall of 2017, Michael enrolled in the massage program at Pittsburgh Technical College so he could learn more about the human body and how he could effectively treat injuries and prevent pain patterns from forming. Michael is really passionate about learning everything there is about massage and translating that into making his clients lives pain free. “I strongly believe massage should be a necessity in every body’s life and not just a luxury.”

I’m slowly making my way back to training regularly, and with powerlifting in mind specifically. I haven’t given up on weightlifting, but it’s taken a backseat while I try to regain some size and general strength.

Whenever I’m trying to rebuild my fitness, I use two really basic programs that show easy, quick progression: Couch to 5k to get my running fitness back, and 5/3/1 for strength. They are both fantastic and something I recommend to clients all the time (for good reason). Couch to 5k is a straightforward run/walk program – you take around 30 minutes 3x per week and slowly work back up to running for 30 straight minutes, or a 5k. I modify it to run/jog intervals to work my way back to my normal running pace.

As I’m really focusing on rebuilding size and strength right now, I’m taking it easy on cardio (just walking and getting on the elliptical occasionally) and paying more attention to my 5/3/1 progression. The basic idea: week 1 you work each major lift on a separate day with sets of 5, week 2 with sets of 3, week 3 with heavy singles. Add a little weight each cycle, watch the consistent strength gains come in.

The program typically includes a deload after each 3 week cycle, and in the past I always skipped it because I thought I was in good enough shape to not need a deload. INCORRECT. I’m being fanatical about taking that time off now, and even enjoying it. I can feel that my body needs it while I struggle to get enough to eat and sleep.

One of the things I love about 5/3/1 is the total freedom in choosing assistance work. I’m really going ham on the shoulder and glute movements and loving it. Not every day feels great, thats just the nature of training for me while figuring out my health, but today was AWESOME. Here’s what I did, and some video:

Posterior Chain Day	Week 2
Speed Box Squat	135+ 1chn x 2 x 8
Deadlift	255 x 3 275 x 3 300 x 3 x 2
Deficit Deadlift	215 x 6 x 4
GHR	4×12
Back Extension	4×15 @ 25lbs
Slider Curls	4×13
Ab Wheel	4×12
Side Bends	4×12 @ 26
KB Swing Tabata	40lbs

by Alexa Ferri

 
 

Alexa’s Super Interesting Meal

 
 

 
 

Ok, this is not a crazy elaborate meal, but it has been my staple for several weeks. If you walk in during lunch time you will find me guzzling this down at the front desk. Lindsey also loves when I microwave it during her fasting hours…

BUT it is lovely and here are a few reasons why this is my go-to: it is quick and easy to prepare. Check. I eat it for lunch and it fills me up (difficult to accomplish). Check. Potatoes are a great “faster” digesting carbohydrate for my post-training meal. Check. And I love potatoes. Check.

Ingredients:

-4.5oz Chicken Breast

-200 grams Honey Gold Potatoes

-30 grams Spinach

-40-50 grams Bell Peppers

 
 

 
 

The potatoes are actually what makes this. Chicken, spinach, and peppers are great, but the potatoes are delightful. Ok, how to make the potatoes:

 
 

1. Grab a bowl, cut the baby honey gold potatoes in half.
2. Pour in some avocado oil
3. Season with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and that is all.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
5. Broil for 8-10 minutes
6. Done. Simple. How I like to live.

Bring on the sunshine!!!

The sun is fighting through the clouds and cold temperatures. The birds are starting to sing and the trees and flowers are ready to bloom. We’re shaking off the rust by getting classes outdoors as the weather permits. In the meantime, see what our community has been up to all winter…

 
To follow along with our core values, here is a link to our website:

About

UF values- EPIC: Education—Passion—Integrity—Community

Education

Welcome Cayt Neff! She has joined us as a personal trainer, and will be offering massages once she completes her certification at the Pittsburgh School of Massage Therapy. If you haven’t met her yet, she struggles to not hold a smile on her face 24/7. She’ll also be stepping in to help our coaches in both the Strength Lab and Cardio Lab.

I will be attending the EliteFTS Strong(er) Sports Training Success Summit. Better yet- Cayt, CJ, and Keenan are joining me! The presenter list is stacked- Alwyn Cosgrove, JL Holdsworth, Buddy Morris, Dr. Eric Serrano, Dr. Ken Kinaki, and more. There will be plenty to learn in every facet of training- business, health, recovery, rehab, technique. We’ll report back next quarter!

Passion

Lynette Bauer is our April Member of the Month! She has been a member since way back in May of 2017 when she was quietly plugging away, building a strength and fitness base in the Fitness Center.  This January she decided to take a chance and up her fitness game by joining the 2019 Strength Project. In those two months, she’s realized some amazing strength gains, has gotten comfortable in yoga, and really pushes herself in the Cardio Lab. We are super proud of the effort and consistency she’s shown, and excited to see her continue making progress as a UF Unlimited member! Proving how much there is to gain by getting out of your comfort zone (see: routine).

Integrity (the state of being whole, undivided)

The 2019 Strength Project included 33 members of Union Fitness. Their goals ranged from losing weight, gaining weight, gaining strength, learning new techniques, maintaining accountability, etc. They all gained ground on some if not all of their goals. The result- 31 of them will continue their strength journey with Strength Lab and Cardio Lab classes. The integrity piece comes in because both morning and evening groups found new friends, new training partners, and new inspiration. I’m proud of our staff for the leadership, motivation, and creativity that they provided over the eight week project. We’re looking forward to creating new and different challenges like the Strength Project, so keep throwing ideas our way and we’ll work on this together!

Community

Sometimes life throws unwelcome hardships in our direction and, unfortunately, we have a few members that have had a rough winter. Please stay tuned for classes and other events that we’ll be hosting in an attempt to support those within our community that could use a hand.

On a lighter note, we have a big surprise to announce coming in the fall. More details coming soon!

Thank you all. I look forward to enjoying the summer at Union Fitness!

-Casey

Training Log: March

I love to joke during my training sessions that I can’t (code for: too lazy) do something because I just had a baby. It’s been 10 long months but in the grand scheme of body healing and altering body composition it’s really not that long. I tell all my clients, friends and anyone else that will listen that a woman gets a WHOLE year after giving birth to say, “I just had a baby”. In truth, it takes that long (sometimes even longer) to begin to feel like “yourself” again. Let’s be honest though, you’ll never really feel like the same person you were before you had a(nother) baby. If you asked me 10 months ago if that was a good or bad thing I would assuredly say it’s a terrible thing—there’s more skin sagging, stretch marks and a little (ok a LOT) of extra jiggling in places that previously never jiggled. But with a little training and a little hindsight, I’ve come to realize that I’ve only become stronger and more badass with each pregnancy and child.

Nearly 10 months postpartum means Archie is now nearly 10 months old—which for those without kids or those who blocked those sleepless nights from your memory banks that means he’s becoming ever increasingly crazy & adorably wild. There’s couch cruising, attempted dive bombs off the bed and the stuffing of every edible and inedible item in his mouth. It also means I’m only 2-ish months away from my goal of pumping breast milk for a year. Hormonally my body is still in milk-making drive not get strong AF drive. Yet despite that, I’ve still managed somehow to mentally feel strong AF even if my muscles haven’t quite caught up yet.

I wrote a blog back in September about some of my postpartum training frustrations, so I thought this would be as good a time as any for a little check in. These were my major setbacks/frustrations and what/how I’m currently doing in these departments:

Grossly under eating
I’m reeeeally trying to work on this knowing that my numbers are consistently coming in low. I’ve been concentrating on eating nutrient dense foods and beginning to relearn to appreciate the art of cooking.
 
Thinking I’m never doing enough
My TP (Training Partner) has played a huge role in helping me see things for how they really are. I was and am doing a-plenty. The last couple of months have been spent learning how to appreciate quality movements over quantity.
 
Expecting progress overnight
Hindsight is a beautiful thing, people. It’s given me the opportunity to see this postpartum period in a larger sense. I have made a ton of progress. I will continue to get better, stronger, faster, leaner. I am.
 
Weighing myself too often (and obsessing about the number) 
Now that I’m officially back at my pre-pregnancy weight it seems so silly to me that I fixated on my scale for so long even though I knew better. Hormones, stress and lack of sleep really do a number on your mental clarity sometimes.

Not sleeping enough
Unfortunately, not too much has changed in this department. Still chronically sleep deprived over here. SEND HELP.

Dogging (or plain avoiding) my cardio workouts
Well some things never change, I guess.
 

By Ryan McUmber:

The food that I eat is nothing exciting. I primarily use the old rule of 80 percent of my calories are healthy foods such as lean meats, quality plant based carbohydrates, and green cruciferous vegetables. The other 20 percent of my calories are foods that I enjoy. This can be some chips or these s’more cookies that I might be officially addicted to. Since I am trying to gain some weight I will let the numbers slide just a little bit to about 70% healthy foods and 30% not so healthy foods especially if I have those cookies.

But I don’t want to do this all the time. Mostly for the goal to keep my gut healthy. I know that eating a poor diet is not the best for physical appearance but more importantly it can affect my overall gut health.

With that being said, I have two favorite meals that I cycle through. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for my next food blog to find out what the other one is.

The first one is sweet potato and steak. I know this is one of the more boring healthy meals but it does offer a lot of extremely valuable nutrition. The steak offers Iron, which most people are not getting enough of, especially women, as well B-12 vitamins. The sweet potato offers a fair amount of vitamin A to keep my immune system healthy. I also consume the skin of the potato which some people find disgusting but it offers extra fiber to aid in healthy digestion.

You might find this meal ‘boring,’ but eating it knowing that you’re fueling your body and aiding in recovery, digestion, and long term health can make the basics much more appealing.