September 2016

6 Tips for Workout Efficiency Our Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute experts help you make the most of your gym time so you can get in, get pumped, and get out!

There’s never enough time in the day, is there? If you’re anything like us, you’re running around, doing a dozen things at once, and hoping to make more time. Well, we’re here to help—at least when it comes to the gym. We caught up with Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute experts Karina Lisenbee and Adam Friedman to get their best tips for being efficient during your workout. Check out the tips below and incorporate them into your next gym session. You can thank us later; you’ll have plenty of time to do so.

IN THIS ISSUE: _________________________

Health & Wellness: 6 Tips for Workout Efficiency Workouts: Are You Fit For Your Phone? Nutrition: 7 Secrets of People Who Bring Their Lunch to Work Every Day Gold’s Gym Live: Who is the Fittest President? Social Media Tip Sheet

1. Dumbbells Are Your Friend What type of weights should you use? Friedman suggests sticking to free weights for a couple of different reasons: “Perform a whole workout with just dumbbells because they are super versatile, and so that you don't waste time finding other equipment to use.” Easy and actionable, just the way we like it. 2. Pick a Plan There's nothing worse than getting ready to work out and not knowing what you're going to do. Save valuable time by determining your workout while you're driving to the gym or changing in the locker room. “Before you set foot in the gym, know exactly which exercises you're going to do,” Lisenbee says. “This way you're not meandering around from machine to machine without any rhyme or reason”.

3. Hit the HIIT This is all about choosing quality over quantity. If you're working on cardio, pick a HIIT cardio workout instead of the long, steady-state cardio session. Or you can choose to do fewer sets with stricter form, and higher intensity. Lisenbee enjoys sprints and/or plyometric, and Friedman suggests entire body exercises like a power clean-and-jerk, or a Versa climber machine.

4. Embrace the Superset A superset is when a set of one move is done directly after another with no rest in between. Once you have finished the consecutive series of sets, take a break to cool down for one and a half to three minutes. The experts agree that super setting opposing muscle groups is one of the most efficient exercises out there. “I do this for chest and back, and biceps and triceps. It really helps to keep my heart rate up and gets me out of the gym much quicker than if I were to do them separately,” Friedman says. 5. Stop Talking to Stay Focused When you're in between sets, keep your conversations short, such as “Hello” and “Have a great workout, I'm getting mine in now.” Try to stay in your zone by listening to upbeat music. You'll be less distracted and keep your heart rate up, while the headphones will also signal to others that you’re in the zone. “You can catch up and chat after you get your workout in” Lisenbee says. 6. It's All About Time Try to pick a workout time that is not during the peak hours of the gym, so you can more easily access the equipment you want to use and avoid distractions from others. To help manage your time, try keeping track of your recovery after each set with an alarm so that you keep the right flow for your training objectives. Keep in mind that different workouts call for varied recovery times, so be sure to research, or ask a trainer at the gym before performing new moves or sets. If gym distractions are an issue, showing up a little later might be the tip for you!

Are You Fit For Your Phone? Smartphones increase efficiency and connectivity, but they should come with a warning sign: Hunching and achiness ahead.

You probably just checked your smartphone. You probably look at it all the time—craning your neck down to read social media posts, emails and texts. According to a 2015 study by Deloitte, 185 million Americans now own smartphones and the average person checks that smartphone 46 times per day. Hard to believe, but the number of texts sent every day tops the number of people on earth. “Smartphones make you feel constantly in touch,” says Belisa Vranich, a clinical psychologist. “They also allow for a much quicker conversation: If you text or email a question, you lower the risk of getting stuck on the phone. We’re impatient; we want things fast.” Being able to connect on the go might add a lot of convenience to your life, but it also means spending a lot of time hunched over as you type on a tiny keyboard. The jokes about “cell-phone elbow” are no longer funny—people are starting to feel the pain of smartphone over usage and starting to look more like Gollum than Goliath. Dr. Eric Plasker, a chiropractor has heard more and more of his fellow practitioners talk about patients who suffer from repetitive stress injuries—like aching fingers, joints and wrists—that are directly related to too much smartphone use. It’s not just chiropractors who are seeing these kinds of injuries. Margot Miller, a physical therapist and American Physical Therapy Association spokeswoman, says her industry is treating these types of injuries more frequently as well. “We’re overusing our thumbs and fingers, which makes it easy to pick up a repetitive-stress injury,” Miller says. “I did it. I was using my smartphone too much. And I should know better.”

Plasker worries most about the negative effects on our necks from looking down at our smartphones all the time. “When your neck is continually bent down,

your shoulders begin to hunch over, your muscles start adapting to this position, and your spine can get misaligned,” he says. “And your spine is the lifeline of your whole body.” So how can you counteract the effects of all this phone time? With simple exercises and stretching that will make you fit for the phone. Also, Miller suggests not using smartphones to compose long emails. “If it’s urgent, just write a short, polite response that you’ll reply when you’re back at your desk,” she advises. In addition, you should limit how much time you spend playing games on your smartphone and the number of text messages you send daily. If you think you’ve already picked up a stress injury, check with a chiropractor or another healthcare provider. And if you’re a frequent smartphone user, think about having a healthcare professional examine your spinal alignment.

THE GOLD’S GYM “FIT FOR THE PHONE” WORKOUT Here is the official Gold’s Gym workout to help you avoid the dreaded texting thumbs or cell-phone elbow. Plasker and Miller suggest these exercises that you can sprinkle through the day at your job, at the gym and on the go. Do at Your Desk Tap each finger with the thumb of the same hand. Repeat five times. Alternate tapping the palm of your hand and the back of your hand against your thigh as quickly as you can. Repeat 20 times. Open your hands, and spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Hold for 10 seconds, and repeat eight times. Intertwine your fingers together, and turn your palms away from your body as you extend your arms forward. You should feel only a gentle stretch. Hold for 10 seconds, and repeat eight times. Fold your hands together, turn your palms away from your body, and extend your arms overhead. You should feel the stretch in your upper torso and from your shoulders to your hand. Hold for 10 seconds, and repeat eight times. On the Go Lift your head, eyes looking forward, to interrupt looking down as you use the smartphone or similar handheld device. Shrug your shoulders and perform shoulder rolls to keep your shoulders, neck and upper back muscles relaxed.

At the Gym

LOWER BACK EXTENSIONS (A.K.A. SUPERMAN)

3 sets of 10

Grab a stability ball and balance on it with your stomach on top and your toes on the ground. Let your torso fall over the

ball, and relax your arms by your sides. Starting with your head and upper back, slowly lift your spine until it’s straight. Slowly return to start. This move will strengthen your lower back, helping you to stand up straight.

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT WITH UPRIGHT ROW

3 sets of 10 to 12

Stand upright, your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs as you lower them, keeping your

back straight and your chest out. Then lift up the dumbbells almost to your chin, with your bent arms parallel to the ground. Slowly return to starting position.

This move works your shoulders, as well as your lower back and glutes, to help counteract slouching. Make sure to start with light weights.

On a Mat

CAT COW

3 to 5 reps

Start on all fours, with your wrists below your shoulders and your knees about hip-distance apart. Drop your belly, and lift your head to look up at the ceiling. Then round the spine and drop the neck until you’re looking at your navel.

COBRA

3 to 5 reps

Lie on your stomach. Place your palms flat, directly under your shoulders. Press the tops of your feet into the floor, and lift your upper chest about six inches off the floor. Make sure to keep your neck straight and your eyes on the floor.

UPWARD DOG

3 to 5 reps

Lie on your stomach. Bend your elbows, and spread your palms on the floor beside your waist. Press your hands into

the floor, then straighten your arms and lift your torso up off the floor. Lean your head back until you can see the

ceiling. Keep the thighs firm and turned slightly inward, the arms firm and turned out so the elbow creases face-forward.

Get Fit with Your Phone If you are going to use a smartphone, then make sure you’ve got the Gold’s Gym myPATH app. The Gold’s Gym myPATH app allows members and non-members to create personal workout goals, track workouts, connect your wearable apps and devices, check class schedules and much more!

Download Gold’s Gym myPATH app now!

7 Secrets of People Who Bring Their Lunch to Work Every Day Health.com gives us the details.

You probably have at least one coworker who, day after day, whips out a colorful Mason-jar salad or veggie-packed wrap. She’s on to something: 92% of restaurant meals have too many calories, according to a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Plus, researchers at Tufts University found that even “healthier” fast food options still pack too much salt and fat in a 2016 study. “By having more control over portion sizes and what foods are going into each lunch, you not only ensure what you’re eating is healthier than what you might find in the cafeteria or vending area, but also that what you’re eating is satisfying to you personally,” says registered dietitian Regan Jones, RD, founding editor at HealthyAperture.com.

If that’s not enough to sway you to start packing your lunch, then maybe knowing just how much money you’re spending will help. Let’s do some math: If you buy lunch every workday, at 10 bucks a pop, that’s $200 a month—and a whopping $2,400 a year, enough cash to take yourself and a friend on a Caribbean vacation.

Now stock up on the best to-go containers for packing a lunch, and learn how to become the type of person who actually uses them:

They plan the prep

You have three choices: prep and package your midday meals over the weekend so you can just grab-and-go every weekday morning; make your lunch every evening; or get up a little earlier and do it all in the morning. The choice is yours, and entirely depends on your personality, says Washington, D.C. registered dietitian and healthy living blogger Anne Mauney. “Some people find that they’re more successful prepping everything on Sunday, but others will find this overwhelming,” she notes. Experiment to find the approach that’s right for you. One tip: if you're packing the night before, do it while you're making dinner. It'll help solidify the habit—and will save you from double-cleanup.

They treat themselves Pack a small treat with your lunch, Jones recommends, like a few squares of dark chocolate. “Small pieces work well and it will be less tempting to hit up the vending machines for a candy bar or snack later on,” she says.

They love leftovers Eating the same thing for lunch that you had for dinner last night can get really old, really fast. That's why people who bring their lunches to work know how to dress up their leftovers, says Jones. Her suggestions: “Tortilla wraps can turn a casserole into a burrito. Cooked pasta can be the base of a vegetarian pasta salad by adding roasted veggies, beans, and a sauce, like pesto. Most meals can be chopped and thrown on your choice of lettuce with dressing for an instant tossed salad.” Reinventing your leftovers tricks your taste buds into believing you're having a totally new meal, minus all the extra prep.

They're part of a lunch club Divide and conquer workday lunch with a coworker (or a few of them) who brown-bags it. On Monday, bring two servings of lunch to share; then it's their turn on Tuesday. “It’s great because you’re not always eating the same standard things you’d otherwise get bored of—and it’s half the work,” says Mauney. Just make sure your colleague is reliable and motivated—you'll be stuck grabbing takeout if your colleague forgets your food.

They go beyond sandwiches You can probably rattle off a bunch of basic sandwich recipes: turkey and Swiss on multigrain; tuna salad and arugula on rye; chicken breast and mustard on a whole-wheat bun. No-brainer recipes for other types of food will help keep your midday meal from getting repetitive. Mauney’s favorite is to make what she calls a “grand salad bowl.” She tosses together greens, 90-second plain brown rice, canned beans for protein, whatever veggies are lingering in her fridge, and a fat like avocado or cheese to boost satisfaction. She’ll put homemade vinaigrette or salsa in a little container, and toss the salad when it’s lunchtime.

They plan for a freebie day (or two) It’s a mistake to assume you’ll eat a packed lunch 100% of the time. Inevitably, your friend will ask you to meet for sushi, or you'll have to take a client out for food, and that’s okay! Mauney recommends aiming to bring lunch two to four times per week, depending on what your circumstances are at work. Just like everything else in life, your lunch break requires a little flexibility.

They eat away from their desks Perhaps the chance to leave your workspace for a break is part of the reason why you're grabbing takeout for lunch every day. “You need that break during the day to de-stress and give yourself a breather,” says Mauney. Plus, eating while working is a mindless habit that can make you overeat. Take a break in the office kitchenette, or on nice days, bring it outside.

Who is the Fittest President?

As the 2016 presidential election season heats up, political bloggers, pundits and reporters will all be asking, “Who is more fit to be President?” Gold’s Gym want to ask you the same question, but much more literally. We step off the campaign trail to look back at president’s past (and one current) to highlight 12 of our nation’s most physically fit leaders.

1ST PRESIDENT (1789–1797)

Activities: Canoeing, horseback riding and dancing

The physical evidence: It takes some guns to be the first man to run a newly formed nation, and President Washington had them. Legend has it that our first commander-in-chief once slung a piece of slate across the width of the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Many other strongmen have since attempted the same and failed.

More backup: As a boy, the Virginia native kept active by canoeing on the Shenandoah River. He was a self-taught woodsman who became a county land surveyor and grew to over six feet tall, a rare height in colonial times. At just 23 he became the commander of the Virginia militia, and he was known for his skills on the battlefield and, on his nights off, the dance floor.

3RD PRESIDENT (1801–1809)

Activities: Horseback riding, fishing, and power walking

The physical evidence: A man of habit and consistency, our third president devoted at least two hours every day to exercise.

More backup: One “self-evident truth” that President Jefferson believed in was that a person should be both physically and mentally fit. “Health is worth more than learning,” he wrote. “A strong body makes the mind strong.” The legendary author of the Declaration of Independence knew then what plenty of doctors tell us now and wrote: “Exercise and application produce order in our affairs, health of body, cheerfulness of mind, and these make us precious to our friends.”

6TH PRESIDENT (1825–1829)

Activities: Fishing, gardening, horseback riding, swimming…naked and walking.

The physical evidence: At 5 a.m. almost every morning, President Adams would take a nude swim in the Potomac River, which was less than a mile from the White House. A reporter once got an interview out of him by sitting on his clothes.

More backup: One of the most intelligent and disciplined men ever to lead the country, President Adams was also no slouch when it came to physical fitness. Besides those Potomac swims, the sixth president kept his body almost as active as his mind, taking a three- to four-mile walk every day before dinner during his tenure and was a fisherman, a gardener and a horseback rider. He lived to be 80 years old, quite an accomplishment for a man at that time.

16TH PRESIDENT (1861–1865)

Activities: Wrestling

The physical evidence: During his younger years, Abraham Lincoln was an accomplished wrestler, and used the sport to relate to the American people while running for office. “For such an awkward fellow, I am pretty sure-footed. It used to take a pretty dexterous man to throw me,” Lincoln proclaimed during the night of his reelection in 1864. Records show that Lincoln only lost once in approximately 300 bouts!

More backup: A champion of his home county in Illinois, Lincoln was said to have once lifted a 600-pound chicken coop, and earned a posthumous “Outstanding American” award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. His most famous match came against Jack Armstrong. It’s reported that when Armstrong attempted to cheat, Lincoln became furious and slammed him to the ground for the victory.

26TH PRESIDENT (1901–1909)

Activities: Boxing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting

The physical evidence: In 1914, the former president decided to join a 1500-mile expedition into the Amazon jungle to explore an unmapped river, nicknamed The River of Doubt. He lost 57 pounds and nearly died from malaria along the way, but returned to the US with a stunning collection of artifacts for the American Museum of Natural History.

More backup: “Teddy” Roosevelt had a sickly childhood that he fought through by taking up a number of physical activities, including boxing, horseback riding and hunting. Now famous for creating the national parks, President Roosevelt loved to be outdoors. In addition to his Amazon trek, he worked as a cowboy in the American west and went on safari in Africa.

26TH PRESIDENT (1901–1909) Activities: Boxing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting

The physical evidence: In 1914, the former president decided to join a 1500-mile expedition into the Amazon jungle to

explore an unmapped river, nicknamed The River of Doubt. He lost 57 pounds and nearly died from malaria along the way, but returned to the US with a stunning collection of artifacts for the American Museum of Natural History.

More backup: “Teddy” Roosevelt had a sickly childhood that he fought through by taking up a number of physical

activities, including boxing, horseback riding and hunting. Now famous for creating the national parks, President

Roosevelt loved to be outdoors. In addition to his Amazon trek, he worked as a cowboy in the American west and went on safari in Africa.

33RD PRESIDENT (1945–1953)

Activities: Power walking and swimming

The Physical Evidence: President Truman was such a speedy walker that reporters and his Secret Service detail had a hard time keeping up with him every morning when he circled the White House grounds.

More backup: While serving as president, Truman took regular walks and swam frequently. He was also responsible for establishing the first horseshoe pit on White House grounds and for installing two bowling lanes in the West Wing.

34TH PRESIDENT (1953–1961)

Activities: Football, Fencing, Gymnastics

The physical evidence: During his time in office, he formed the President’s Council on Physical Youth Fitness after being shocked by studies indicating that American children were falling behind their European counterparts when it came to being in shape. The council has survived and is now called President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.

More backup: As a student at West Point, President Eisenhower played on the varsity football team as a running back and linebacker. After injuring his leg, he turned to fencing and gymnastics, but never let exercise slip out of his daily life.

38TH PRESIDENT (1974–1977)

Activities: Football, Golf, Swimming

The physical evidence: A gifted football player, he started at center in high school and won a football scholarship to the University of Michigan. The NFL came calling after his graduation, but President Ford turned down contracts with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears to pursue a career in law and politics.

More backup: The longest-living president, Gerald Ford, who died at 93 in 2006, may have owed some of his longevity to his sporty lifestyle. He maintained his athleticism by playing golf, swimming and other exercises.

39TH PRESIDENT (1977–1981)

Activities: Fishing, hunting, mountain climbing, skiing, Trikke-ing.

The physical evidence: Now in his eighties, President Carter still finds innovative ways to get in a workout. In a spot on 60 Minutes in 2010, he and wife Rosalynn Carter showed off their skills at riding Trikkes, which are large over-sized tricycle-like machines that you move by shifting your body weight from side to side.

More back-up: A fly-fishing expert, this former president was—and still is—an insatiable outdoorsman. Since boyhood, President Carter has enjoyed physical activities that range from hunting and fishing to mountain climbing and skiing. In his book “An Outdoor Journal,” he wrote, “the urge within me to be in the woods and fields or along a stream is such a strong and pleasant desire that I have no inclination to withstand it.”

43RD PRESIDENT (2001–2009)

Activities: Biking, running

The physical evidence: He was the second Bush to hold office, but he was the first president to have run a marathon. In 1993, he ran the Houston Marathon in under 4 hours.

More backup: Known as a reformed bad boy, President Bush cleaned up his act and his body in the 1980s. The former President is an avid cyclist, takes a daily multivitamin, steers clear of alcohol, and has been known to tackle outdoor chores on his ranch in Crawford, Texas. He promoted physical fitness throughout his presidency and told Runner’s World, “Statistic after statistic is beginning to sink into the consciousness of the American people that exercise is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle.”

44TH PRESIDENT (2009–PRESENT)

Activities: Basketball, running, weight lifting

The physical evidence: A basketball lover, President Obama once joked on the campaign trail that he’d replace the White House bowling alley with a basketball court. He never had to follow through on that crack since it turned out that the tennis court could be easily converted into a half-court.

More backup: While plenty is known about our First Lady’s dedication to fitness and healthy living, the President’s workout regimen and biceps have had less coverage but are still impressive for a busy world leader. In an interview in Men’s Health, President Obama said he works out regularly for 45 minutes, six days a week. In addition, the basketball fanatic hits the court whenever he has time—and always on election days.

Social Media Tip Sheet:

Streamline your workout with these six tips for workout efficiency from our experts. http://goo.gl/ibEjBV

Make your workout more efficient with these six tips. http://goo.gl/ibEjBV

Constantly checking your phone can lead to hunching and aches – Follow these simple exercises to limit the effects. http://goo.gl/0aVsYw

The negative health effects of constantly checking your smartphone. http://goo.gl/0aVsYw

With the election right around the corner, we want you to vote for the “Fittest President” of all time http://goo.gl/WZS8aY

In celebration of election season, here are the fittest Presidents of all time. http://goo.gl/WZS8aY

Save your money! Here’s 7 secrets of people who bring their lunch to work every day. http://goo.gl/hMsZsw

7 secrets of people who bring their lunch to work every day. http://goo.gl/hMsZsw