Gavan's Homemade Turkey Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 package leab ground turkey
• 1 pack whole wheat high fiber tortillas (la tortilla factory is an awesome brand)
• shredded cheese of choice
• lettuce
• salsa
• choice of Mrs.Dash seasoning for the ground turkey
• plain greek yogurt (instead of sour cream)
• cilantro

Directions:

1. Cook up the ground turkey thoroughly and season with Mrs.Dash.
2. Heat up tortillas in microwave for 15-20 seconds.
3. Place lettuce in tortilla then top with turkey, cheese, and salsa.
4. Wrap up and top with greek yogurt & cilantro
5. ENJOY!

This is my favorite one to eat and super easy to make. Great protein source and good carbs with high fiber!

Gavan Welty, CPT

Gold's Gyms of Wenatchee Valley

(509) 884-4965

When Are You Too Sick to Work Out?

Getting sick is a part of life. It’s gotten us out of school, ruined plans for that big party, and kept us up in the middle of the night. In fact, most adults average two or three respiratory infections per year.

But the fact remains: Sometimes you've got obligations that can't wait. And if getting healthier in the New Year is one of those, it can feel like a big setback to be sidelined by a cold as soon as you've adopted your new health-focused groove.

In general, if you've got a little cold, it's best to scale back, decreasing both the intensity and duration of the workout, says Lipi Roy, M.D. But there are also instances when you should take time off completely. Here's how to know the difference.

The Need-to-Know

Remember this easy rule: If your symptoms occur around your neck and above, it’s OK to do a light workout. If you’re sick below the neck, stay home.

We’ll provide a few more details: If you have a common cold or mild upper respiratory symptoms—like a runny or stuffed-up nose—it’s generally all right to work out. “In fact, there’s evidence that a light run followed by a lukewarm or hot shower may actually help clear congestion,” says Harry Pino, Ph.D., the senior exercise physiologist at NYU Sports Performance Center.

But the same isn’t true if you’ve got body aches, chest congestion, abdominal pain, or profound weakness, Roy says. In that case, stay home, drink plenty of fluids, and binge watch Jessica Jones on Netflix. (Editor's note: Science has yet to prove a correlation between accelerated flu recovery and Netflix, but proceed.)

There’s also one exception to our ‘above the neck’ rule: a fever. “If you’ve got a fever, avoid working out at all,” Roy says. Since a fever raises your body’s core temperature, and working out can also increase your body temperature, it’s not a good combination, Pino says. Plus, there’s the issue of dehydration. With the flu or a fever, it’s easy to get dehydrated—don’t make it worse by taxing your body with burpees or a spin class.

Even after your fever has broken or you’ve recovered from a bad illness, Roy suggests avoiding workouts for the next 24 to 48 hours. And when you do get back into it, do not start with an intense workout—ramp up slowly, she says.

Aside from being sick and working out, keep in mind that regular, moderate exercise can actually help improve your immune system—and therefore help prevent future illnesses.The key here is to keep it moderate and recreational. When you take it to the next level, things can get a little more complicated.

“Any time that you are performing [athletically] at high levels, you compromise your immune system,” Pino says. Ever heard of the marathon sniffles? You run a marathon, and then you’re sick for the next week. That’s because when performing at high levels, or when you put extra stress on your body, your immune system is temporarily compromised. Think of it as too much of a good thing: Just the right amount of exercise gives you a boost, and an excessive amount of strenuous training can have the reverse effect.

The Takeaway

“If you’re not feeling well, this is Mother Nature saying, ‘Take it easy,’” Roy says. In other words, even if you’ve technically got the OK to hit the treadmill, you might end up recovering faster and simply feeling better if you take a day or two off to focus on drinking lots of fluids, eating healthy meals, and getting some extra sleep.

If you do choose to go to the gym, take care to sanitize the equipment before and after your workout to minimize the spread of germs, Roy says. (Most gyms have sanitizing wipes available throughout the space. If your gym doesn’t, consider bringing hand sanitizer with you.)

“It’s really important to keep your immune system high to reduce your risk [of getting sick],” Roy says. And since stress, smoking, poor sleep, and nutrition can all contribute to a suppressed system, it’s a good idea to focus on building up before you start challenging your body with a new workout routine.

courtesy of [http://greatist.com/fitness/when-am-i-too-sick-work-out]

Why should you have a workout buddy?

Workout buddies. Training partners. Exercise friends.

If you've ever been to a gym, you've probably had one of the above at one point in time.But why? Well, we're social beings and working out can be painful (the right pain, that is) so why not share the hurt with a comrade? Also, you're both working towards a common goal and that's motivating. Accountability is another reason. You can always count on a good friend to call you out when you're slacking.

All over the world there has been a plethora of group training classes that have started and people have had incredible results from taking them. But what's the difference from working out alone to working out in a group? Let's take a look at a study that Oxford's Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology did of the university's famed rowing team. The study showed that the rowers were given identical workouts to do alone and in a group. Their endorphin levels (feel good hormones) were twice as high in the group test. That raised their pain threshold making them able to work longer than when they did the workouts alone.

So maybe that extra push and motivation you've been needing is waiting for you in a group class? Find a class. Bring a friend. Bring a co-worker. Bring your mom. Have some fun and go get your sweat on!

Eric Pena, CPT, Gold's Gyms of Wenatchee Valley

Beat The Winter Workout Rut

Winter time is hard for anyone, even the fittest of people. It's cold & wet outside, and most of the time, hanging out on the couch by the fire binge watching Netflix sounds a lot more appealing than working out. But when all the ice & snow melts, we want you to be looking shredded! So we have come up with a few great tips to stay active, healthy, and in shape during this frigid months!

1) Embrace Cold Weather Sports

There are so many fun things to do outside during these chillier months. Everything from snowshoeing, to skiing, to snowboarding, to even just going for a run outside. Don't let the cold weather hold you back from your goals. So grab your gear, or rent some, and get outside!

2) Set A Big Goal

We all know that not many people follow through with New Year's resolutions (actually only 8% of people do), but that does not mean you can't set & reach some big goals! Try and make it a concrete goal, like losing 15 pounds by April or being able to squat 300lbs by June 1st. By making it an exact amount and giving it a timeline, you are more likely to acheive your goal then if you just have some random resolutions. Also, writing them down brings your goals to eye level, so you are more likely to see them every day and be inspired.

3) Revamp Your Diet

Bring on the comfort food! Winter time is known for providing us with lots of big, warm, fatty helpings of comfort food. Along with that comes sugary drinks and dark beers. In moderation these are all fine, but as the saying goes, "you can't outwork a bad diet". Try finding healthier makeover recipes of your favorite comfort foods, go for no sugar added hot cocoa. Or, if you can, swap out the junk and heavy foods all together for whole fruits & veggies and lean proteins! You will feel less sluggish and less puffy!

4) Find A Workout Buddy

One of the best ways to ensure you stay accountable with your fitness goals, is to have a workout buddy. If you know someone is waiting for you, you are much less likely to hit that snooze button or stay on the couch. Also, having a positive workout wingman to push you in the gym is a great way to make sure you don't slack off either. By feeding off each others positive motivational energy, you are sure to get in an even better workout than you would have alone!

5) Mix Things Up

With so many different types of workouts available, winter is a great time to mix it up and try something new. Schedule a boxing session with a personal trainer, sign up for a hot yoga class, join a spin class for the first time, or go try that new circuit group at the gym. Fitness routines can become just that, routine. By trying new things and mixing up your workouts, you are a lot less likely to become bored and a lot more likely to be excited to get to your workout!

6) Television Workouts

We know there are those times where you know you can't, or just won't, go to the gym. But that shouldn't stop you from breaking a sweat and working your muscles! Just about every TV show now has a workout linked to it. Search the internet for your TV show workout. Or if you are just binge watching Netflix, roll out your mat and bust out some push-ups, lunges, crunches, and squats. Staying at home is no reason to be lazy!

7) Last But Not Least...STOP MAKING EXCUSES!

Yes it's cold. Yes it's wet. Yes it can suck. Yes that big fuzzy blanket is much more comfortable. None of these are good reasons to sit around all day and skip your workout. If you have goals you want to reach, then leave the excuses behind. Just get up, and get to it. You will thank yourself later!

Samantha Sinko

Online Marketing Manager

Gold's Gym of Wenatchee Valley

Work: (509) 663-4965

sams@goldsgymwen.com