Come one, come all to our free Friends & Family Day tomorrow.  Sure, it's cold, it's dark, it's early. But who doesn't love getting a good booty whoopin' with the ones you love? In fact, studies show that working out with a partner will improve your overall results.  While many of us are able to maintain our good exercise intentions without help, most of us could benefit greatly from having a workout partner. Most importantly, it makes you accountable to show up and exercise, which can be half the battle.  Plus, working out with a partner increases your motivation. Having someone to challenge you to work harder, faster and longer will help you reach your goals quicker. Rather than bonding over a calorie-laden dinner, hit the gym together. Catch up while getting healthy!

It's always tough to stay motivated in the wintertime, especially in Wisconsin.  The winter months can be brutal on workout routines.  The days are dark, cold, and long, and the desire to get up and workout is really hard to find.  Yet without exercise, your mind and body become restless and bothered.  Thankfully, there are several things you can do to stay motivated and stave off the winter (and workout) blues.  Here are a few to get you started...

1. Get A Workout Buddy
   
2. Switch It Up
   
3. Sign Up For A Spring Race
4. Buy New Gear
   
5. Keep A Journal
   
6. Post On Social Media
   

It's wintertime, which means your body is craving comfort food.  Yet eating a green salad every day is one of the healthiest habits you can get into.  The challenge during this cold season is to eat a least one healthy salad a day.  The bigger the better, as long as it's bigger in volume not in calories…which means more veggies and less dressings and fatty add-ons (bacon bits, croutons, cheese, etc.).  Below are some general salad guidelines:

Do's

• Get at least 2 cups of greens (Kale, Romaine, Spinach - NO ICEBURG)
• Eat 4oz or less of a lean meat (chicken, seafood, turkey - NO SALAMI OR HAM)
• Veggies, veggies, and more veggies

Don'ts

• No processed salad dressing (use only vinaigrette’s - homemade or store bought).
• No bacon bits or croutons
• No processed cheese (blue cheese or feta is acceptable, but no more than 2oz.)
• No candied or flavored nuts (only raw nuts, dried fruit (no sugar added) and/or fresh fruit)

Getting and staying fit is never easy.  But then again, nothing in life worth having ever is.  Life is full of challenges - some hard, some not so hard.  The key is take every challenge head on, knowing that you're strong enough to get through to the other side.  There undoubtedly will be days when you don't feel you can take anymore, that's natural.  So when those days hit just take a break, take a breath, and come back with even more determination than ever before to be the strongest, healthiest person you know you can be!

Here's our second challenge of the new year - SQUATS!  Squats are one of the best functional exercises out there.  They promote mobility and balance, helping you complete real-world activities with ease.  This is one exercise that should be a part of virtually everyone's routine, as it's relatively simple to perform, requires no equipment, and can be done just about anywhere.  More importantly they actually offer benefits throughout your entire body, including deep within your core.  So who's up for the challenge!

We love this quote from Arthur Ashe, an inspiring African-American tennis player who had the drive and determination to go after his dreams.  It's all too easy to look at someone who has already achieved their goals and success and think "there's no way I can get to where I want to be from where I am."  But the truth of the matter is that all of these people started from somewhere.  And that "somewhere" is probably not too far off from where you are today.  So just do it!  Walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator.  Eat that apple instead of the bag of chips.  Go to bed when you're tired instead of staying up for the end of the show.  Regardless of what you might think, these baby steps are giant leaps when it comes to your physical, mental, and emotional health.  So go ahead - start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.  You are so worth it!

Want to build some superhero strength? It's easy, just make sure you get a protein shake in within 60 minutes of an intense exercise. Wanna know my favorite? Wait...for...it... Arbonne! Why you ask? Well because it's vegan and gluten-free. Not to mention the fact that it has 20 power-packed grams of protein. Protein power activate! Yum!!!

New year, new you, right?  Well here's our first 30-day fitness challenge of 2014 - PLANK!  The plank is one of the best exercises for a flat, toned stomach because it works all the muscles in your core.  It’s a static exercise where you use your arms to raise yourself off the floor and hold the whole body straight and rigid, like a plank of wood.  You can do it anywhere, you don’t need any equipment and it only takes a minute (literally). What’s more, it is more effective than sit-ups and crunches because these work only the superficial abdominal muscles.  So who's up for the challenge?