The FitLife Formula Podcast

On Episode 73 of the FitLife Formula Podcast, I'm sitting down (and enjoying a glass of wine with sommelier and new Advantage Community Manager, Amy Erdman.  Amy comes to us from outside the fitness world, so she has some great insight on what makes Advantage great. 

Last episode, we introduced the 30 Hard challenge, which we're currently running at Advantage.  On today's episode, we're diving in to the 6 daily challenges of the 30 Hard. By the end of the show, you'll understand more about why we are trying to check these 6 boxes daily, and how they can help you move the needle on your health and routine.   Check them out, see if you could take on the 30 Hard!...

Right now we're in the middle of our very first 30 Hard challenge at Advantage Personal Training. The challenge includes 6 daily boxes to check, and pushes you to find times in your day make "health promoting activities" a priority.  On today's episode, we'll talk about those 6 items, the roadmap you can expect as you do something hard (from Joe DeSena, founder of Spartan Race), and the most valua...

Today on Episode 70 of the FitLife Formula Podcast, we’re wrapping up our discussion of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Exercisers by bringing you habits 4-7.   Highly Effective Exercisers aren’t the people who have a ton of experience, or know how to put a workout together, or have flawless form on every exercise. They are the ones who always seem to find a way to get it done. They are effective...

Take just a second to answer these 3 questions about your exercise routine.  Do you get to exercise as much as you want to (or as much as you know you should)? When you exercise, do you feel like you get something out of it?  Do you feel like your exercise habits match the goals you have for yourself? If you answered NO to any of the questions above, you’re going to love today’s podcast.    Today...

Today's show features the newest member of the Advantage Personal Training team, Mary Balog. Mary is a registered dietitian, and she's bringing us a refreshingly different take on dieting, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. If you love this conversation (like I did. prolly my favorite episode yet) and you want to get in touch with Mary, you can reach out to her at mary@marybalogrdn.com. To subscrib...

Indoor rowing is quickly becoming one of the most popular fitness trends, but it can't compare to being out on the water in a rowing shell of your own.  Join me as I chat with rowing club (and Advantage) members Paula Goforth and Margaret Hudson about why you should start rowing, what you should expect when you hit the water, and how you can row in the winter, and what you need to do to get starte...

Hockey is a tough sport to get into. You have to know how to skate (or be willing to learn on the fly), buy all the equipment, find the right group to learn with, and pay for the ice.    Fortunately, USA Hockey has recognized this and helps youth organizations across the country introduce young players to hockey for FREE.    The Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association is one of those clubs that offer...

Today I'm joined by Luke Voss, a physical therapist at Med Sport in Ann Arbor. Luke is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and helps his patients move better and get pain free so they can get back in action, whatever that looks like for them.  Luke and I chat about how to know when it's time for some physical therapy, what to expect when you come into the clinic, and the other performance-related service...

Today I'm joined by Erin Pons and Kimberly Vaughn from the Ann Arbor Triathlon Club. The Tri Club exists to introduce people to the sport of triathlon, as well as give competitive athletes a community to train with.  On this episode, we chat about starting from scratch, what a week looks like for a triathlete, how the AATriClub is getting the community involved, and why education is such a big par...

Recovery is one of the most important aspects of a good training program.  Just like your body needs to recover from tough workouts, your brain needs to recover from the stress life throws at you.  That's where Neuro Fitness Wellness Center comes in.  Today I'm joined by Peg Kelley to chat about the importance of making mental recovery a part of your week. Just like you would your exercise. We'll...

Continuing with our guests for the Ann Arbor Family Fitness Festival, Laurel Park joins me to chat about the Ann Arbor Track Club.  This is an organization for beginners and experienced runners alike, and they are the club responsible for the ever popular Dexter Ann Arbor Run that takes place (usually) in June of each year.  Laurel talks about the power of a community when it comes to running (a t...

Eva Solomon of Epic Races joins us to talk about a return to in-person events, why race day is so special, and how to find a race that fits you.    Epic Races will be joining us at the Ann Arbor Family Fitness Festival with some great giveaways. To get more info about the festival, visit annarborfamilyfitnessfestival.com

On today’s episode, we chat with Ann Arbor Running Company’s co-owner Nick Stanko about thriving during the pandemic (AARC opened it’s 3rd location over the summer!), why running is better in a community, and how people can get started if they like.    Nick will be joined by On Running, a fast growing shoe company, at the festival. There will be shoes to try on and prizes to win at the AARC table...

Exciting news from Advantage Personal Training! We will host the inaugural Ann Arbor Family Fitness Festival from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 2, outside our facility at 2121 Oak Valley Drive in Ann Arbor. The free event is open to the public and will showcase the best local sports clubs and fitness studios.   Think of it as the Art Fair of Exercise. You'll find local fitness studios,  Drop by to...

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports our organs, regulates bowel and bladder control, and forms the bottom border of our abdominal musculature. Think of it like a hammock that sinks down into the middle of your pelvis.  This may be the most important group of muscles that no one talks about.  Dysfunction in this area can lead to bowel or bladder leakage (especially during strenuous...

Joe Hashey found himself bobbing around in an icy pond at his home.   Not because he fell in.   But because he used an axe to cut a hole in the ice, and willingly slipped in for a 10-minute soak in the frigid water.     On this episode of the FitLife Formula I'm joined by New York native Joe Hashey to talk about his experiences with cold water immersion, and why it's a part of almost every day for...

It's natural to be hard on yourself at times.    You might eat a bunch of crap food or miss a weeks worth of workouts, and your natural tendency is to be hard on yourself about it.    But what if your best friend came to you and shared that THEY had eaten a bunch of crap food or missed workouts all week. Would you respond to them the same way you talk to yourself?    In this episode of the FitLife...

Today I'm joined by Eva Solomon, Founder and CEO of Epic Races in Ann Arbor.    Of course, an Epic Race looks different today than it did 8 months ago. With COVID-19, there is no opportunity to get 3,000 people together for the Ann Arbor marathon, so Eva and her staff have had to be creative.    On this episode we discuss How casual 5k's and 10k's have been transformed into virtual events The valu...

Farmers markets and farm stands are growing in popularity as people start to see the value in fresh, local foods that support good health, good people (the farmers), and good communities.    Today I enjoy a conversation with Tom and Vicki Zilke of Zilke Farm Stand ( zilkevegetablefarm.com ) and Zilke Farm Kitchen ( zilkefarmkitchen.com ), both located in Milan, MI.   I have been a customer there f...

Your feet are the foundation of your entire active life.    If you were a car, your feet would be the tires. Your engine might still want to go, but if the tires aren't in good shape, you may not be going far.   Sometimes we don't think much about them (until there's an issue), but as your base of support and the key to your movement, it's about time we consider a few things.   Like, how much arch...

There are 6 things that humans crave in order to feel their best. This list, made famous by Anthony Robbins, is not so much about the physical needs (food, shelter, water), but more about emotional needs.    The 6 Human Needs are Certainty Uncertainty (variety) Significance Love/Connection Growth Contribution In order to have the best possible experience at the gym, and in your pursuit of health,...

Sometimes you feel like there is nothing you can do to control your emotions.  That makes sense, since they are deep-brain, hardwired chemical responses to the world around us. It would seem that something that is so biologically rooted couldn't possibly be influenced by our conscious efforts.    This would be like telling someone who is clinically depressed to "just feel better."  If it were that...

When things get tough and sticking to healthy routines becomes a challenge, the Buddy System can help you stay on track.   Here's the story of Karen and Athena who, when the gym was closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, kicked the buddy system into high gear to make sure they got to maintain their healthy habits.    We will also discuss why the Buddy System works and how you can add this secret...

Gyms in Michigan are now able to run outdoor classes as we come out of the Coronavirus lockdown.   While some might feel like this isn't REALLY going back to the gym, I'm here to share several reasons why a class outside might be even better than a class inside the gym.    Tune in to find out why outdoor exercise can do even more for you than your usual gym workout!