PrideFest is right around the corner and the clothes are going to be less and less as it will be heating up! The line up at Pride this year is great with comedy, music, and, well it’s PrideFest…so lots of surprises!

Sweeney’s Gym will be there this year, as we team up with PrideFest to help bring you their first “Heath and Wellness Event”. PrideFest has found some of the best health professionals, encompassing a wide range of the fields to bring not only awareness but also provide free assessments to those who would like to make changes in pursuit of better health. So let’s make sure we do our best to look and feel great in summer of ’08. This can, and will be your year!

Let’s get started:

Think for a second…what is the single biggest mistake people make? They stop eating!! If you want to look like Twiggy, with all skin and bones, where the only date you’re going to get is a hungry, supper less pit bull, go for it. If you want your fit self to look good and feel great, eat small meals throughout the day that are high in protein and low in fats with a moderate amount of carbs….“Yes, carbs!”  

Now with that being said, stay away from all the starches and anything made with white flour, as it will just go to your trouble spots. Oatmeal and granola are good carbs to supplement your diet. Or green veggies, sweet potatoes, or even spinach greens topped with olive oil and vinegar.

Protein is a very important element that should not be overlooked in your overall diet. Good sources of protein: Eggs, fish, chicken, steak, milk & soymilk.

If you’re looking for fast and easy, make a shake. Not a milk shake, but a protein shake with vitamins and amino acids to help build cartilage, support mobility and soothe overworked joints. So, shake things up with a protein shake in the morning for breakfast and again for an afternoon snack. Protein bars are also a great and convenient way to eat on the run or between meetings.

Bottom line: With the help of supplements and its proper use; you can eat 5 to 6 small meals a day on any schedule.   

Here is a simple break down:

Breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, Afternoon snack, Dinner, Late night snack (if needed make it very small). Try cooking all your meals on Sunday and store in the refrigerator, so come Monday morning you can just grab and go and you’re on the way to the new healthier, fitter you.

Who wants a six-pack for summer!?

Ab exercises are good, but don’t leave out the cardio, as this will help melt away the unwanted fat, so you can see that six pack. You can train abs everyday if you want, but never in replacement of the rest of your body. I want everyone to be three dimensional with their training. The overview is to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. Weight train the total body three days a week and do 30 to 40 minutes of cardio 3-5 days a week.

Something New: Sweeney’s Gym Fast Fact!

There are a number of ways to determine whether you're working out at an intensity level that's good for you. You can check your heart rate. You can use the "talking test" (being able to converse while exercising). Or, even easier, you can assess your exercise intensity on a scale of 1 to 10. When you use this method—known as the rate of perceived exertion, or RPE—you evaluate your activity level continuously throughout your workout, using a scale like this one:

1-2: weak exertion

3: moderate

4-6: increasingly strong

7-9: very strong, vigorous

10: maximal; extremely strong

The RPE method can help ensure that you are exercising at a comfortable level. For most people, the recommended RPE range is between 3 and 5.

For more information about Sweeney’s Gym and how we can help you make fitness fun go to our web address at www.sweeneysgym.com. You may also try out Sweeney’s Gym for free to see how we can fit into your fitness lifestyle.