Last but not least, I am excited to introduce Madelyn as our third September Reset story! Madelyn is already a regular exerciser and told me that she is looking to make a few changes to take her fitness and nutrition to the next level. I love that her top priority is overall wellness. While she communicated some specifics (hey, we all want our butt to look good!), overall her goals tell me that she wants to feel good, not only now, but set herself up for ongoing wellness in the future.
As a fitness studio owner and a health coach, Madelyn’s realistic approach to her health makes her a dream client! We agreed upon some small changes in both her fitness routine and nutrition that are sustainable and are designed to fit in with her busy work and family schedule. Let’s dive in to the details:
Madelyn is already a die-hard spinner and rides three to four times per week. So we are looking to round out her fitness routine by adding some strength training to help her build and maintain muscle, and tone up her “vanity areas,” i.e. butt and thighs. Additionally, as a woman, strength training is crucial to help prevent osteoporosis and general muscle loss. Did you know that starting at age 30, you begin to lose three to five percent of muscle mass per decade? Strength training will help combat that! Finally, I recommended foam rolling for injury prevention as well as to help manage the day to day lower back tightness that we all get from all the hours sitting at our computers, in our cars, and from working out.
We offer a few different formats at Ascend Underground, including both strength building classes and interval-based classes. For Madelyn, our strength-based classes are the best fit since she is looking to increase muscle mass and feel toned.
Foam rolling is only effective when done regularly, so Madelyn needs something easy to follow and that won’t take too much time. She will use this video to do this at home every day, or at minimum, every other day.
An added bonus as a third strength workout per week when she has time or needs to get up from her computer for a mental break. At home workouts, such as this one, can be done within 20 mins and are still very effective!
Our approach with Madelyn is to boost the nutritional content of all her meals while leaving room for favorite snacks/treats to be had in moderation (she told us she loves chips, chocolate, and wine! Don’t we all!?). She has a family history of colon cancer and had some polyps removed last year, so we want to ensure we have a focus on gut health. With her busy schedule, she also falls off track with her meals, so we want to give her options for healthy mini-meals/snacks that keep her eating throughout the day. Finally, just like planning the editorial calendar for Stylebook, Madelyn will try to make a plan for her meals each day to help her stay on track with eating more whole and healthful foods, and less snacking!
I bet we can all relate to this one! It’s so easy when we are passionate about our work and are committed to our families and friends that we let our own nutrition take the back seat. But, in order to be the best we can be for our jobs and our personal relationships, we need to prioritize our own nutrition. So, Madelyn’s top goal is to take an hour or two on the weekend to prepare for the week – ensure the pantry and fridge are stocked, and even prepare a meal or two in advance. I’ve given her several ideas below about how she can take her current nutrition and amp it up with the addition of super-foods, plus a few suggestions for quick and easy meals when she’s strapped for time.
Did you know that “good fats” also help to reduce inflammation and are crucial to brain function and proper hormonal balances? All important things for Madelyn.
Madelyn is going to test out these drinks in the morning when she first gets up in the morning. She’ll let us know which was her favorite.
With her hectic schedule, Madelyn needs quick, easy, and portable options for when she needs to eat on the go, or when she doesn’t have time to sit down for a meal. One of her main goals is to stop snacking. I say, keep snacking, but let’s do more smoothies and less chips. With the addition of strength training to her fitness, we want to make sure she is fueling her body post-exercise, so that she can build muscle, adequately recover from workouts, and keep up her metabolism.
I am thrilled to work with Madelyn this month and can’t wait to see her progress!
Climb higher, sprint faster, Ascend.
Our classes are crafted with one goal in mind: to help you reach peak performance: We help you unleash your inner power with intentional rides, you leave the studio a stronger version of yourself. Our instructors know how to push you beyond perceived limitations, empowering you build physical and mental stamina. It comes full circle for us when you bring that newfound confidence into every aspect of your life.
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Alexandria, Virginia 22301
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