Elko Barbell

07/28/2024

07/28/2024

04/12/2024

Have you ever felt frustrated by what the scale says? Let me tell you a story...

The headline: I recently went on a week-long cruise. When I returned home, my scale said I had gained 9 pounds!

The context: Prior to the cruise, I purposefully dieted down in weight for about 7 weeks. By cruise time, I had lost about 8 pounds. My clothes were fitting looser, but my gym performance strength was remaining mostly intact. This was accomplished mainly from fat and some carbohydrate intake reductions in my eating and indicated mostly body fat weight loss. During the cruise I ate with reckless abandon! I made no attempt at food tracking but clearly had significantly higher fat and carbohydrate intake than before. Leaving the boat, my clothes still fit about the same and I was curious what my home's scale would say. The answer: my body weight had increased by 9 pounds!

After returning home I've returned to more normal eating while still allowing myself to enjoy food I desire, like the 500-calorie rum cakes I purchased during the trip on an almost daily basis. One week later, my scale weight is down again to only 5 pounds over what it was when I started the cruise. My clothes still fit the same and I have a lot of increased energy for fantastic gym workouts again.

The takeaway: Carbohydrates LOVE water. When your food intake fluctuates in carbohydrate intake, so does the water weight held within your body. This is a large factor in dramatic scale weight changes; my pre-cruise weight loss had a significant portion from water level decreases within my muscles and my large cruise weight gain was due to large water weight increases from my high carbohydrate intake.

How to use this information: Don't be afraid of the scale. But also don't rely on it as the only data point driving decisions. Ensure that you consider the context of all information and circumstances. Large fluctuations in scale weight may have nothing to do with large changes in body fat and/or muscle.

If you want more information or help on tackling your nutrition and/or exercise challenges, comment, "Interested" down below. 👇

12/26/2023

It's less than a week until the New Year. With that often comes New Year's Resolutions. If you're thinking about making a New Year's Resolution for yourself, be sure not to set yourself up for failure. Plan for success by making sure you set a SMART goal for yourself! Your goal should include the following characteristics:

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Realistic
T - Timely

Watch the following video to learn more:

It's important to create SMART goals when beginning a nutrition and/or fitness training path.

11/25/2023

Small Business Saturday

Get a jump start on potential upcoming New Year’s Resolutions and navigate the holiday season with a discounted 4-week package of Elko Barbell’s remote exercise and/or nutrition coaching!

4-Week Exercise Package: An initial discussion to determine your goals, abilities, and exercise equipment availability. A weekly exercise plan will then be provided for you to execute and report on your performance. Subsequent week exercise plans will be developed and delivered to you based on your performance and progress in prior weeks. Just $25 for the 4 weeks.

4-Week Nutrition Coaching Package: An initial discussion to determine your goals, abilities, limitations, and challenges. A weekly habit goal will be established to help guide you toward success with your nutrition goals with each week building on the previous weeks. Just $25 for the 4 weeks.

Purchase both Exercise and Nutrition (which will run concurrently) for just $40 for the 4 weeks.

You may choose to continue coaching with Elko Barbell after the 4 weeks at regular prices.

Elko Barbell only has availability for 10 of these special-discounted packages, so sign up now if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity! Packages must be purchased and begin before the end of December 2023. To sign up, please complete and submit the form located here: https://elkobarbell.com/sign-up Be sure to indicate that you’re interested in the Small Business Saturday special pricing and whether you’re interested in Exercise, Nutrition, or both.

Feel free to ask questions below, in a direct message to this page, or via e-mail at [email protected]

Let's work together!

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving, from Elko Barbell!

If you would like to workout and/or follow a specific nutrition plan today - do it!

If you would prefer to rest, enjoy some other foods, etc. for the day - do that instead! An ocassional "off-plan" day is not the end of the world, and in many cases, can help potentiate further and greater progress down the road as you return to planned exercise and nutrition habits the next day.

Some tips to enjoy the day while minimizing the effects of not following a specific plan:
- Try to prioritize lean proteins in your eating
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day
- Moderate alcohol intake and, as much as possible, opt for drinks that don't include a lot of other sugary drinks mixed with the alcohol

Most importantly: DO NOT beat yourself up about doing and/or eating "bad" today. You don't not need to add extra exercise to punish yourself or make up for some extra eating on one day. Nor do you "earn" extra food by doing extra exercise. Relax, enjoy the day in whatever way that means for you, and get back on track with a reasonable exercise and nutrition plan tomorrow!

09/03/2023

Have you watched the Secrets of the Blue Zones series on Netflix?

Drop your thoughts, comments, and questions in the comments below. 👇

08/28/2023

Just one more week until Elko Barbell's Back to Health challenge begins on September 3rd! If you need that extra push to get back into some healthy habits heading into the fall and winter seasons, check out https://elkobarbell.com/bthchallenge for more information and to sign up.

08/07/2023

Perhaps you’re wondering how it’s already August. Soon, the kids will be headed back to school, the adults will be headed back to work and the summer vacation and barbecue days will be behind us. Do these thoughts have you thinking of getting back on track with your health and fitness goals?

Elko Barbell will be running a six-week healthy habits community challenge beginning on September 3, 2023. We’ll work on establishing some basic healthy habits regarding nutrition, weight management, exercise and sleep. This will run through October 14, 2023 leaving you with good healthy habits in your toolbox as we approach the fall and winter holiday season.

If you would like to enter Elko Barbell’s Back to Health challenge, find more sign up information here: https://elkobarbell.com/bthchallenge

04/16/2023

Elko Barbell's Healthy Habits Summer Prep Challenge kicks off today! (There's still time to sign up and join us here: https://elkobarbell.com/hhspchallenge ) One question that often comes up is that of motivation - how do you maintain it?

Unfortunately, you can't. Everyone will loose motivation at some point. Asking how to always be motivated to eat right, exercise, etc. is not the most pertinent question. The better question is, how can I improve my discipline?

Discipline to continually do some work even when you're not motivated to do so is what will get you through those motivation low-points. Consistently do something - however small - towards the goal(s) you're trying to achieve.

If you don't feel like exercising, commit to doing just one set of one exercise in your routine and then allowing yourself to leave. If you still want to leave after the one set, fine. Often, you'll find yourself more motivated to continue the entire plan once you've started!

If you don't feel like continuing your low-calorie diet plan today, be disciplined and realize that this isn't [shouldn't be] a forever restriction. A low-calorie diet should be time-limited; be disciplined and know that you will have fewer eating restrictions in just a few short weeks.

Discipline isn't easy, nor is it quick to develop. But it is worthwhile. Keep putting in the work and you will be pleasantly surprised with the rewards.

04/09/2023

We're less than two months away from the unofficial start to summer. Do you need some extra guidance and/or encouragement for your health and fitness?

Elko Barbell will be running a six-week healthy habits community challenge beginning on April 16, 2023. We’ll work on establishing some basic healthy habits regarding nutrition, weight management, exercise, and sleep. This will run right up to the Memorial Day weekend leaving you with good healthy habits in your toolbox as we kick off the unofficial start to summer!

If you would like to enter this challenge, find more sign up information here: https://elkobarbell.com/hhspchallenge

03/12/2023

Elko Barbell has created a mini e-Book about creating an exercise plan for yourself.

Best of all - it is free!

Go to the link below to request your free copy of Elko Barbell's Exercise Planning Guidebook:
https://elkobarbell.com/free-stuff