Our expansion is progressing

Hello, everyone! We are moving along nicely with the expansion! There are a few details that have yet to be completed such as paper towel dispensers through the gym and things of that nature, but rest assured we are working on it and the details will be completed soon.

We have gotten in much of our anticipated equipment:

Meet our Lateral X machine

And our Zero Runner...

The water rower...

And our squat rack along with new 45 pound plates


















We do have new treadmills on the way and are loving all the bright sunshine in our new gym.

Thank you everyone for your support, excitement and encouragement throughout this transition and growth. 

Men's physique competition results: Snap Fitness Trainers

Randy Fobbs placed in the top 10 at the men's physique competition! He came in 8th place and has informed us that he is planning to take part in another competition in November of this year. I watched him train and he trained hard for this. Watch out world, Randy is at it again!

Snap Fitness is proud of you, Randy! Keep up all of the hard work.


The NPC has two different divisions for each competition. They have a novice division for those who have never competed with them before and they have the actual competition (physique open) that everyone is part of.


Stedman Greggs placed 2nd place in the novice division! He also placed 2nd place in the physique open! Because he placed 2nd in the open, he is now qualified for the Nationals! Stedman is planning to compete in the Charlotte Cup on April 23rd of this year! Let's go Stedman!

Bring in another win for us, Stedman! Snap Fitness is proud of you!

Stedman Greggs: Interview and photos: Snap Fitness Personal Trainer

Stedman Greggs is another one of our amazing personal trainers who will be competing in the Mens Physique Show on Saturday, April 9th!

Speaking with Stedman is always fun, so I enjoyed our interviews as he worked out at our Snap Fitness facility!

How long have you been competing in physique competitions?

"This is my first show!"
How long have you been training for it?
"I have been in training since January, 1st of this year."
Can you tell me what you are doing to train?
"I have been doing compound lifts and extension sets. Compound lifts are exercises using more than one muscle at a time. Extension sets are back to back exercises that work the same body parts. As far as nutrition, I count carbs, proteins and fats. I also do a carb cycle which means that I adjust my carbohydrate intake each day to assure that it matches up with the particular training I do that day."
What is your competition goal?
"To win! (laughs) Really, to make friends, co-workers and family proud and making sure God gets glorification!"


At the end of the interview, I asked Stedman if he had anything he would like to add...
"Thank you to my Snap Fitness family for support, encouragement and prayers. Thank you to Deanna, my myofascial release specialist!"

Interview (and photos) with Randy Fobbs: Personal trainer at Snap Fitness North Raleigh

Randy has been competing physique competitions for three years. This is his second competition and after his first, he placed second out of twenty contestants.

I interviewed Randy to see what motivates him to compete in the physique competitions and here is what I found out:

Why do you take part in physique competitions?

“It is a great way to stay in shape”
How long does it take to train for a competition?
“12 to 16 weeks. More towards 16 weeks.”
What and how do you eat while you are training?
“I eat 6 small meals per day which equals to about 2200 calories a day.”
How do you train?
“I lift using high reps and moderate weight.”
What is your goal when you are training for a competition?
“Low body fat. I started at 16% and now I am down to between 3% and 5% for the show.”
Who will be there to support you and cheer you on at the show?
“My wife, mom and sister.”
Do you have anything you would like to say?
“Just ready for it!”

I conducted this interview as Randy was speed walking on the treadmill. At this point, he is maintaining his weight and muscle mass as he awaits the show.

Spotlight on 2 of our personal trainers: Randy Fobbs and Stedman Greggs

We have the best personal trainers in Raleigh here at Snap Fitness, North Raleigh. Two of our trainers are gearing up to showcase themselves at the NCP (National Physic Competition) mens physic show. 

For Randy Fobbs, this will be the second physique competition that he has trained for and participated in. At his first show, he took second place! 








For Stedman Greggs, this will be his first physique competition.  He is nervous and excited about participating in this event. 







The competition, NC State Show, will take place in Greensboro, NC on Saturday, April 9, 2016. 
Pre-judging is at 8:30am and the show is scheduled to begin at 6pm. 

Stay tuned as we post specific interviews with each of the guys. They will share with us their motivation and training techniques. 

Is it possible to burn more calories weight lifting than doing cardio?

You'll burn more calories weight training (resistance training).

The physical act of lifting weights burns calories. If you opt for adding in calisthenics or circuit training, you will also get cardio benefits.

Truth be told, strength training can help you to burn more calories even when you're not working out!  

By lifting weights to add muscle mass, you're boosting your metabolism. Boosting metabolism will help your body burn even more calories!

Cardio vs. resistance training

Welcome to our new series: Cardio vs. Resistance training! We have successfully covered eating a healthy diet in the previous series…right down to the recipes we can make. Let’s dive into the benefits of cardio and resistance training…

Both are important for each of us! Fitness can be largely influenced by time (or lack of) and convenience. One of the most common thoughts for those with time constraints is usually: I have 30 minutes to work out today. Let me knock out some cardio. This isn’t a BAD thing, but we can actually get more benefits by doing resistance training if it is done correctly. The purpose of cardio is to sustain an elevated heart rate. We can also elevate our heart rate by performing resistance training, doing calisthenics in between each exercise. Calisthenics are: jumping jacks, running or walking quickly in place, etc. Doing this as opposed to doing an exercise and resting will incorporate out “cardio” into our weight/resistance training routine.

It is important to incorporate cardio and strength/resistance training into our daily workout routines.

Cardio

• Elevates heart rate
• Increases the flow of oxygen, therefore increasing our energy levels
• Burns calories at the time of the workout

Resistance Training

• Elevates heart rate
• Improves joint stability, strength and bone density
• Burns calories throughout the day 

Resolutions vs. goals

Along with a new year, 2016 will bring millions of resolutions. Thousands of them will unfortunately fade away over time.
Creating goals for yourself as opposed to resolutions can help prevent this from happening.

Here is an example:

Resolution: I am going to become healthy in 2016.

Goal: In January 2016 I am going to become a member of a health club and work out on Mondays and Wednesdays after work.

Can you see the difference? The resolution is throwing what you want out there into the atmosphere. The goal actually outlines it exactly.

This concept not only applies to becoming healthy. You can easily outline your goals for all areas of your life.

We at Snap Fitness, hope you have a fantastic 2016!

Holiday hours for Christmas

Merry Christmas! We, here at Snap Fitness wish you the Merriest of Holidays!

Our staffed hours have changed for the Christmas weekend. As of Thursday 12-24-15 at 12pm, we will not have anyone on staff until Monday morning at 11am.

Please continue to use your electronic key card to come in and get your Holiday workout!

Oh, Christmas tree...and a gift from us to you!

Aren't we festive here at Snap Fitness? 

Do you like our Christmas tree? 

We like it! 

Stop in for a workout and check it out. If you are not yet a member, let's get you started! Mention this Christmas tree post and we will get you started with $0 enrollment! Consider it an early Christmas gift from us to you! 

Simple exercise tips

If you are new to exercising or getting started again, here are a few tips that will help you through:

1. Be sure to allow your body days to rest. By doing this you allow your body time to repair muscle damage. So may time people jump into working out with two feet and then get burned out. Just take it slow. If you do not allow your body time to recover between workouts, you will tear it down very quickly.

Here is an example of a workout regimen:
Workout on: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
OR
Workout on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays
Taking two days off on the weekend is not ideal, but if that is what you have to do due to your schedule, so be it.


2.     Be consistent. If you workout on a routine for 6 months and then take 2 months off, don't expect to be able to just jump back into it where you left off. When you start back up, it is like starting over.
If you stay consistent and push through the days, weeks or months when you do not feel like working out, your body will continue to improve and you will soon be able to go further, go longer and do more.

Eating smart when traveling for the Holidays

Prepare, prepare, prepare! This is the best advice I can give you as to how to eat smart when you are traveling this Holiday Season.

Take a cooler and pack your fresh fruits, vegetables and bottled water.

In addition, take along your granola bars, fiber bars and protein bars.

Peanut butter travels well, even without a cooler. Peanut butter is high in protein, so bring along your peanut butter, healthy bread and crackers. This will provide you with lunch or a snack.

Unopened Gatorade is also easy to travel with because you do not need a cooler for that either. (Although water is the best option for quenching your thirst...water does not contain sodium as the sport drinks do.

Always pack nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, etc. These are great for protein and snacking.

Along with the water in your cooler, pack nitrate free sliced lunch meats and cheese for sandwiches.

Don't forget the vitamins!

Is running good for you?

If you enjoy walking and running, here are a few good reasons to keep it up! 
If you do not walk or run, these are great reasons to start:

• You may be less likely to have cholesterol issues.
• You may be less likely to have blood pressure issues.
• It will strengthen your bones.
• It may help you be more productive throughout your day.
• It can help you have a better nights sleep and/or fall asleep faster.
• It may boost your immune system.
• If you suffer from asthma, it can help keep it under control.
• It can help you live a longer life.
• 
  
  

Join Snap Fitness: North Raleigh today to get started! 

Information given by: Runner's World on Active.com

Do parents neglect their health?

According to Yahoo! Health and Self magazine, parents do neglect their health. Here are the ways they can:

We:
Rarely or never exercise
Do not make eating healthy top priority
Do not take enough "me" time

Here are some ideas on how to improve in these areas:
Choose activities you enjoy and do them with your friends. This will help get in regular exercise.
Join a local gym close to home and set aside days each week to workout.
Download myfitnesspal to your smart phone and use it!
Choose healthy snacks, pack your lunch.
Sit down for dinner, eat breakfast and stop eating when you are full.
Schedule time to snuggle with your significant other.


Time savers to allow more time for "you":

Pay bills online to save time.
Change air filters in the house to cut down on dusting.
Use online shopping to order groceries, pick them up on your way home from work, school, etc.
Make chore lists for the children to help keep things around the house clean and organized.

Easy weight loss tips that can help everyone...

Aren't we all looking for easy things we can do to help us lose weight? Whether it be a few pounds or a substantial amount, we can all apply weight loss tips into our daily routines.

Here are several easy things you can do to help you lose weight:

Walk while you talk

Sip green tea before exercise

Sprinkle flax seed on your cereal or add to your smoothies

Drink more water

Order fish when out to eat

Buy smaller packages of food

While out for a walk, break into jogging

Before eating that sweet treat, do 10 sit-ups

Go for chunky soup instead of pureed soup

Having pizza? Blot off the oil with a napkin before digging in

Get up and exercise!

I enjoy lying around just as much as the next person, really I do! But, these reasons as to why we should get off of the couch and move really get me going and hopefully they will get you moving too!

Exercising will:

• Reduce stress
• Increase energy
• Prevent weight gain
• Boost moods: Working out increases serotonin and that can help lift up our mood. Getting the blood flowing by exercising also helps lift up our mood.

Bonus! 
When working out regularly, we can treat ourselves to a special treat such as a cookie or piece of pie every once in a while and not feel guilty about it.

What do I wear when I workout? Read on...

Spending time outside in the cool, crisp autumn air is something most of us will enjoy this season.

If you are going to be walking, running or exercising outdoors, here are some tips about what types of clothing will be best for you to wear.

Unfortunately, autumn will also bring its share of rainy days to us as well and it is up to us to make the best of it! It is the perfect time to stop into Snap Fitness on Falls River Ave. to get yourself and your family set up with a gym membership.

These workout clothing tips apply to outdoor as well as indoor exercising.

Shirts:
Fabric that helps wick sweat away from the body (not cotton).

Jackets:
Fabric that repels water with a front zipper for easy removal and vents to help body from getting overheated.

Pants:
Fabric to help wick sweat away from the body, vents to help keep the body cool. Capri pants for warmer weather and long pants for cooler weather with zippers around the ankles for easy removal.

Shorts:
You can wear long or short shorts. Keep in mind, the longer they are, the more they will restrict your movement.

Socks:
Synthetic blends are best. No cotton socks! They keep the feet moist. Wool socks are good for cold weather. You can double up to help protect your feet from blisters if running.