Motivation

Chipotle Burger with Avocado Sauce Delicious: Chipotle Burger & Avocado Sauce We all gotta eat. Seems straightforward: hungry? Eat. Except… then there’s nutrition to calculate, and fitness goals to take into account, and then time (which is never enough) and planning and… things can get complicated.  Never fear, here’s a simple, flavorful and (dare we say) nutritious take on your classic burger — by tipping in a heap of spices and a generous shmear of avocado sauce, this burger will check all your boxes! Recipe Pronto, Pls Sometimes you just gotta monch Quick and delicious, packed with protein, these make an awesome after-workout meal. The Goods These healthy chipotle burgers with a creamy avocado sauce are the perfect meal for grilling right after an evening workout. The cost of this meal is around $3.53 per serving. Budget friendly AND delicious? Sign us UP!  Like a little kick? These burgers feature chipotles to offset the grilled juiciness with a smoky, subtly spicy flavor that is cooled down with the creamy avocado sauce. The combination makes for a playful balance of hot and cool. We’ve added some seasonal greens for a delightful crunch!  Depending on your personal preference and nutrition goals, there are a variety of substitutions available. Burgers can be healthy There are several substitutions you can make to align more specifically to your preferred palate and nutrition goals. Try swapping ground beef for turkey. You can also have your burger without a bun or try lettuce for a lower carb option! This meal ranges from approximately 317 calories to 564 calories, depending on your substitutions. If you use ground turkey with no bun the burger is 317 calories. Using ground beef with no bun is about 414 calories. Using turkey instead of beef will save you about 100 calories for those who are trying to achieve a caloric deficit this would be a better option for you! The bun will add approximately 150 additional calories to this meal.  Healthy Fats This meal includes an avocado sauce, which is a good source of fat. Incorporating avocados into your diet is beneficial to your health. Although avocados are high in calories, they have many benefits. Avocados are rich in potassium, fiber, and vitamins B, E and C. Studies have shown that avocados can also improve heart health!  Selecting avocados: We’ve all heard avocados can be temperamental, and to ensure peak flavor and creaminess, it’s best to use avocados that are ripe. Here are some tips to tell if your avocado is ready or not: Typically a darker skin indicates more ripeness A ripe avocado should be soft to the touch and yield when gently pressed Store at room temperature until ripe Once ripe, you can store it in the fridge for a day or two to prevent over-ripening Check out some other tips about avocado selection and storage here. Some tips Here are a few tips when making this meal. First, make sure to chop the onions in the burgers really small, otherwise the patties will fall apart. (If mincing onions isn’t your strong suit, try a food processor, like this one).  Second, make sure to let the burgers rest on the grill for at least 5-7 minutes if you want them to stay juicy. Cutting into them earlier will release all the juices and result in a dry burger. The Recipe Chipotle Burgers With a Creamy Avocado Sauce Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 people Calories: 317 – 564 (see above for difference)  Burger:  1 lb ground beef or turkey 2 chipotles in adobo, minced (remove seeds for less spice) 1 TBSP adobo sauce 2-3 TBSP finely chopped onion 1 garlic clove 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 4 cheese slices 4 hamburger buns Crema:  1 ripe avocado ¼ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt 2 small garlic cloves or 1 large garlic clove ¼ jalapeno ¼ cup cilantro 1 lime (juiced) 2 TBSP olive oil ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper Splash of water  @ventfitness Here’s our take on Chipotle Burgers with Avocado Sauce to get you through the midweek slump! Full of protein, healthy fats, and FLAVOR, it’ll turn your burger craving up a notch without busting your nutrition goals. #foodtok #food #healthyrecipes #fyp ♬ Memories – Lux-Inspira Instructions:  Preheat the grill to about 500 degrees In a bowl combine ground beef, chipotles, onion, garlic, adobo sauce, salt and pepper.  Combine well and form into 4 patties (¼ lb each) Once grill is preheated place them on grill, and grill to the temperature of your liking. When the burger has about 2 minutes left, turn off the grill and put cheese slices on. For the avocado sauce, add the following ingredients to a blender: avocado, greek yogurt, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and water. Combine well.  Top each burger with the sauce and serve!    The Takeaway Healthy does not have to equal boring. There are a ton of healthy recipes and suggestions for adding flavor to your meals — if you have questions about what and when to eat, our Personal Trainers may be able to help! (Drop us a line and we can assist or feel free to reach out via the VENT Fitness mobile app!) With a little bit of time and some prep, you can have a delightfully satisfying healthy meal anytime!  See you in the clubs! PSST… have you heard? We’re on TikTok! Follow us here for fitness tips, fun times, and healthy recipes! Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Home About Contact Work Here Classes Member Services Amenities Get the App Privacy Policy JOIN NOW The post Chipotle Burger with Avocado Sauce appeared first on Vent Fitness. Sometimes you just need a burger. And this one, no lie, might be the perfect one to deliver the flavor without busting your goals. The post Chipotle Burger with Avocado Sauce appeared first on Vent Fitness. 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It’s Probably Time to Take a Hike Go Take a Hike Hiking: not just for naturalists If you’re close enough to read this, you’re probably someplace near a hiking trail. (Don’t believe us? Check out AllTrails.com and see. We’ll wait). It’s one of the neat things about living in New York (and thereabouts)… there’s plenty of nature lurking around in some surprisingly local places. And, as the season changes gears into something cooler, this is the perfect time to go exploring. Really? The Outdoors? Listen, we’re big fans of civilization. We love us some stationary fitness equipment that’s effective, safe, and doesn’t come with a side of black flies or miscellaneous wild animals. However, there comes a time in everyone’s lives when we have to face the facts.  There’s a whole world out there. And we can hike it. Our Favorite Hikes Four legs = ideal off-road capabilities. Why Hiking? “Hiking” is a broad term that, for the purposes of this highly-scientific blog will mean “walking on trails in the outdoors. For some of you, that might mean a stroll through Thacher State Park. For others of you, that might mean lacing up your boots and becoming an Adirondack 46er  (or any of its dozens of cousins, like the Lake George 12ster, the Tupper Lake Triads, and so on). No matter what your trail choice or intensity (groomed or paved, easy or intense), the data suggests that hiking is not only a great form of exercise, it can help improve your mental health and aid in disease prevention. Hiking can be done just about anywhere, on a variety of paths and trails that can be paved, gravel, groomed, or maintained. First, the obvious You can probably decipher that hiking is great physical exercise. From flats to inclines to rock scrambles, hiking presents your body with the need to adapt to movement outside of our typical sub/urban lifestyles. Muscle recruitment increases from the outset — your core and legs, arms and the muscles in your feet are working and adjusting to keep you upright, moving, and balanced. And, as any inclines will show you, your heart and lungs have to increase their pace to keep up — all of these nuances mean improved cardiovascular health, as well as improved strength and even mobility. Heck, even your bone density can improve over time! And as you might surmise, the rockier the terrain, the better the workout: the body must activate seldom-used muscles around the hips, knees and ankles to help maintain your balance and propulsion. The result? Better balance and mobility for everyday life. “I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order.” – John Burroughs Nature Can Improve your Mental Health The effects of nature are something we’ve inherently understood for centuries. Hippocrates said “Nature itself is the best physician,” and American author Henry David Thoreau wrote in his famed book, Walden, or  Life in the Woods, “We need the tonic of wildness…At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”  We as humans benefit from time in nature, and scientists are learning why. Hiking can improve your cognitive function A 2015 Stamford study  discovered that time spent in nature has a positive effect on emotional regulation — two groups of participants were tasked with walking 90 minutes. One group was set in an urban environment, the other in nature, and the results were encouraging: “Neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, a brain region active during rumination – repetitive thought focused on negative emotions – decreased among participants who walked in nature versus those who walked in an urban environment.” Additionally, a prior study found that participants in nature exhibited improved cognitive function and memory, while reducing anxiety and rumination.  Sounds like we should scope out some hiking boots, yeah? Lehpam’s Ledge, Bethel, Maine Trail Ready While hiking is a great mental escape, on the more difficult hikes it can also be a physically intense activity. If you want to make those more physically demanding hikes easier here are some things you can do in the gym to help build strength and cardiovascular endurance.  Goblet Squats Goblet squats target your quads, hamstrings and glutes.  How to do: Use a kettlebell holding with both hands between your sternum. Place your feet about hip width apart and place your weight in your heels. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees do not extend beyond your toes. Once your thighs are properly parallel on the floor, stand straight up until your hips are fully extended. Watch the full video here.  Step-Ups Step-ups target quads and glutes and are great for building muscle for climbing.  How to do: Use a box at the gym approximately 10-16 inches high. Raise one foot on the box and use your muscles to step up fully onto the box. Alternate legs between each rep. As you become more comfortable, opt for taller boxes.  Lunges/Downhill Lunges One common misconception of hiking is that the downhill is actually easier than the uphill, but in reality it is just as challenging as the uphill climb. The descent will shred your thighs. Downhill lunges will target your core and quads and also help strengthen your stabilizer for those challenging downhill descents.  How to do: Find a small downhill gradient and keep your upper body straight, shoulders back. Then, engage your core and step forward with one leg until your front knee is bent 90 degrees. Make sure your knee is directly above your ankle and does not extend beyond your toes. Then step forward so both of your legs are together then alternate to stepping forward with the other leg. Dead Bug Dead bugs are a safe and effective way to strengthen and stabilize your core, spine,

The Best Workout You’re Not Doing “Best Workout” How many times have you read a headline just like this one? Not to date any of us, but let’s be real here… probably a hundred zillion times. If you, like us, heaved a huge sigh (there’s always another gimmick, another workout we haven’t done), we got you. This time, THIS TIME, we have an idea that could make a fantastic difference for your workout schedule, your efforts, your mental health, your sleep, and your tolerance for the smell of chlorine. Swimming. Yes, really. Surprising, isn’t it? While you’re busy staying on track with your scheduled cardio and strength workouts, we have to ask: when was the last time you swam for fitness? Or, swam anytime that didn’t also involve a floating beer cooler? (Just us? Don’t mind us then, we’ll just float on by). If the answer is… NEVER…. allow us to reintroduce water into the chat. Your new favorite workout studio. Swimming might not necessarily the first workout you consider when you’re plotting your fitness efforts each week. But there’s a compelling body of evidence that suggests that adding even just one session per week can have demonstrable positive effects on your fitness and your well-being.  Sure, it’ll make you fitter This one is a no-brainer. Using the resistance of water, swimming (or any of our water-based fitness classes) provides virtually no impact while challenging your whole body. The ensuing uptick in your heart rate, combined with the strengthening component of aqua resistance provides a dynamic and infinitely variable training option. But there are some less obvious benefits to dunking yourself at least once a week. Swimming improves your balance Given how much time we spend upright and moving such, we don’t often train out of that plane. Swimming offers a total body challenge and the bonus of core work — think of trying to float flat out on your stomach or back… feel that? Swimming is the perfect activity to challenge your sense of balance and core awareness, all while building new neuronal connections that allow us to become more proficient at moving on completely different planes and in completely different body positions. Swimming improves your mobility Swimming requires that we move through a large range of motion. The ensuing movements require continuous adjustment and adaptation in order to develop and achieve power and speed (and floatation!) in the water. And while we know maintaining flexibility and mobility as we age is important, it’s also just as important to develop those elements now!  Swimming can improve your lung capacity and lung strength In a comparative study of lung functions in swimmers and runners, it was found that swimming exercise affects lung volume measurements as respiratory muscles including diaphragm of swimmers are required to develop greater pressure as a consequence of immersion in water during respiratory cycle.” In short? Swimmers’ lungs are more powerful and efficient, even as compared to runners. And who doesn’t love better oxygenation? Swimming can alter your muscle fiber makeup A previous study tracked the effect of a normal collegiate swimming program along with an intense 10-day training period. During the study, they examined the peak tension (Po), negative log molar Ca2+ concentration (pCa)-force, and maximal shortening speed (Vmax) of the slow-twitch type I and fast-twitch type II fibers in the swimmers’ deltoid muscles.  In a nutshell, the effects found during the 10-day intense swimming period were similar to someone who engaged in a sprint training program or an explosive weight training period.  Swimming can improve your stress level Ok we all know stress is a thing, and while working out can help decompress some of that, swimming holds a special place for stress reduction. The process of swimming actually serves to elongate your muscles as you use them, which can provide a relaxing effect, especially when combined with the deep and rhythmic breathing typical of the activity. The result of swimming can be soothing, relaxing, and invigorating — an ideal combination to reduce your stress and improve your mental health. A Reason to Smile: swimming has been shown to improve your mental health and reduce stress levels. But… I don’t know how to swim And according to the Red Cross, you’re not alone. The good news is, now is a great time to learn how to swim! (Not to brag, but we have lessons). And, with a progressive approach geared for adults and some basic equipment (like goggles, an absorbent towel, and a swim cap) it can be a fun and rewarding process.  “There are several options for adults who don’t know how to swim,” explains VENT Fitness Aquatics Manager Andrea Wilcox, certified lifeguard, (and CPR AED, WSI Water Swim Instructor, Aquatic Exercise Association with an Arthritis background, USA Swimming coach, Head Coach for Special Olympics… the list goes on, but you can just read more about her here.) With over 20 years of water instruction experience, she has coached hundreds of beginners — children through adult — through success in the water. “Our approach is progressive, and we’re ready to help even the most inexperienced or hesitant swimmers.” Need some additional incentive? Swimming is fun. Nobody said you have to join the next local triathlon. And while it’s great fitness, it can also be superbly relaxing and… yeah, fun! (Pool noodles, anyone?) Swimming can save your life. This is one aspect of the sport that makes it different from everything else. It’s a life skill that can literally save your life.  You can take water-based classes. This is a great option if the idea of swimming laps doesn’t appeal, or if you want to change up the challenge. We offer a variety of classes that utilize water resistance and foam equipment to give you unlimited options and efficiency while in the water. Kickboxing underwater? Barre in the pool? Hella challenging.  It’s adaptable to almost any range of fitness level and mobility. Have a lingering injury? Maybe some mobility concerns? Water workouts can help reduce the pressure and weight on those affected areas

Will You Just Hydrate Already Yup, we’re talking about hydration. As if you haven’t already got the HydroJuggernautasticYetiFlask to lug around, filled to the brim with some calculation of your bodyweight converted to metric tons of water that’s attached to you from your morning workout to your grocery run to your next meeting. (Does this count as part of your fitness regimen? Because it should. Also did you know they make cupholder expanders to hold our ginormous water barrels? What a time to be alive). Glass? Stainless? BPA-Free Plastic? Does yours have the little reminders or measurements on the side? How about those travel stickers?  This guy gets it. And is it working? It’s ok, it’s not working for us much, either. And, we’re not alone — as early as 1933 scientists looking into the effects of hydration noted that  “Most people need the advice: Drink more water.” And, as the temps rise and we are outside (or inside, sweating it out) this season, we’re burning through even more of our internal water table than before. If the idea of monitoring your fluids replenishment sounds like something out of your 8th grade biology class, you’d be right, but ignoring it can wreak some serious havoc on your workouts… and beyond. We know you’re already multi-tasking like a boss/entrepreneur/millennial/boomer/superhero already (Great Job, Everyone!). But, as with other aspects of your health and wellness, you’re going to have to consciously wedge this watery element into your day. The good news? We’re also going to give you some ideas to make sticking to your new hydration schedule a little easier. Water, water, everywhere. And we need a drop to drink. We’re Mostly Water Everyone’s heard this at least once. And, turns out, it’s actually true. Up to 60% of the human body is water, and, more specifically, according to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, “the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery, coming in at 31%. To spare you the trip back to middle school biology, here’s a quick breakdown of the most obvious roles water plays for us: Water is a vital nutrient to the life of every cell, acts first as a building material It regulates our internal body temperature by sweating and respiration The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream It assists in flushing waste, mainly through urination It acts as a shock absorber for brain, spinal cord, and fetus (seems important) It lubricates joints Helps in the formation of saliva, which begins the digestive process Seems pretty clear that hydration isn’t just some annoying thing you have to worry about when you have time, it’s THE ESSENTIAL Annoying Thing you have to worry about and you probably should make time. (This seems like a good time to take a swig, amirite?) Hypohydration: The fancy way of saying you need to drink more While we might casually think to drink when we feel thirsty, there’s a growing body of evidence that we’re probably collectively not drinking enough. Or, perhaps more accurately, we’re drinking the wrong things (sorry, alcohol and caffeine). An earlier study by the CDC found that half of Americans weren’t drinking enough water. At the time of that study, some 43% drank less than four cups of water a day. It also found that water intake varied by demographics, of note people over 55 and in the Northeast (**cough**) were less likely to drink even those four cups a day. (Standby, running to Stewarts for some high quality H2O). Lack of water can mess up a lot of things. Like your heart. While we can make a good case for drinking things other than water, the bottom line is your body needs plain ol’ boring water, specifically, to function. And to operate at less-than-optimal hydration (called euhydration) has far-reaching and long-term negative effects. Take, for instance, the evidence that hypohydration can cause your heart to work harder: without the proper hydration, your blood thickens, so your ticker has to work that much harder to move things around. This extra effort has been linked to obesity, and a predictor of increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, hypohydration has been linked to a dramatic increase in plasma, which can then lead to heightened blood pressure. Given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Americans, it might not be such a bad thing to add a few ounces of the drink to your day. Reduced hydration causes trouble… everywhere This study goes into greater detail, but we’ll keep it short. Inflammation? Reduced cognitive function? Bad moods? That weird dizzy feeling you get standing up “too quickly”? All related to sub-optimal hydration. And, what’s more, the effects to your workouts are sneaky but intense: accentuated increases in vascular resistance and plasma [norepinephrine], suggest greater activation of the sympathetic nervous system during exercise in the hypohydrated state necessary to compensate for reductions in blood volume and pressure to maintain adequate skeletal muscle perfusion.” Or, in plainer language, your body and nervous system have to work harder to accomplish your workout (or react to any stressor requiring cardiovascular involvement) due to the lack of mobility in your bloodstream. Long story short — don’t be running 10w 30 through your veins. You’re gonna need a tune up. But hydration opportunities abound Obviously we’re talking mostly about the presence of actual water in your bloodstream and its effects on your body’s performance. And yeah, it won’t hurt to drink a little more than you usually do. However, you can achieve more optimal hydration through the foods you eat (like fruits and vegetables), which can contribute up to 20% of your daily hydration, and some other surprising drinks that can help rehydrate you and keep your tastebuds from checking out. Coconut water contains high levels of antioxidants and electrolytes. Rehydrating The general

Music + Your Workout Headphones = Workout Gear? If you’re like us, you have a checklist of stuff you need to have in your gym bag (or pockets, or dixie cups or whatever it is you use to tote your gym essentials). Maybe you’re the organized type that has your stuff pulled together the night before. Or, maybe (more like us) you’re tossing things in as you’re on your way to run those three (ten) errands before you get to the gym at prime time. If one of your essential-ist items for your workout is your headphones, it turns out you’re not just an audiophile…. you might actually be logging in a better workout. Ready for ANYTHING. If you’ve ever considered canceling your workout because you didn’t have your headphones, you’re definitely not alone. Over the last decade or so, music and its effects on the brain and physical performance have become hot topics, and a cumulative overview of 62 studies released in 2012 found it can increase physical capacity, improve energy efficiency, and influence mood. And, of those studies, there was clear evidence that music can improve endurance.  New and improved technology makes music more portable than ever before. “[Music is] a type of legal, performance-enhancing drug.” — Costas Karageorghis Brunel University in London The relationship of music and its effects on the brain and body is not a new concept — music has played a vital role in motivating and guiding everything from your niece’s dance recitals to your favorite sports team, and as far back as humans have been waging battles. In fact, there were nearly 54,000 military musicians during the Civil War, whose efforts helped provide organization and timing — like wake up and lights out — as well as morale-boosting during marches and even heading into battle. The fact that you have a favorite workout playlist or hype music that pushes you to those extra reps is not accidental. “Research on the interplay of music and exercise dates to at least 1911, when American investigator Leonard Ayres found that cyclists pedaled faster while a band was playing than when it was silent,” writes Ferris Jabr for Scientific American. And, upon reviewing the dozens of studies on the subject, a few clear concepts emerge.  Music Alters Your Performance It’s one thing to be annoyed by the lack of music during your workout (technology fails, amirite?), but it’s not just a #firstworldproblem. Science has revealed that the body responds differently when your movement is accompanied by music.  Music Improves Output In this study conducted with young medical students, it was found that music had a stimulative effect, and that music enhanced work output. And, not only that, music also effected the exercisers’ rate of perceived exertion (RPE), or how hard they thought they were working. This lead to an increased duration of the workout. The bonus? Participants reported a greater sense of satisfaction or enjoyment throughout. Music can be both motivating and distracting. Music Can be a Useful Distraction Music can provide a welcome diversion from the intensity of your workout, which can benefit you in two ways. First, by distracting your brain from the exertion at hand, you may not be as aware (read: worn down by) of the effort you’re putting in. And given the multifaceted impact of music — through lyrics, arrangement, or tempo — this can allow you to work harder than you would without music, and for a longer duration.  Music Can Improve Your Effort Who doesn’t have a go-to pre-workout playlist (let’s just say this study relied heavily on the theme from “Rocky.”) It turns out that “pre-task music” (aka hype music) can be used to heighten exercisers’ activation for an impending bout of exercise. In addition, as it pertains to pre-game jitters, music was found to have anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties. Music Can Increase Your Efficiency As any group fitness afcianado can attest, moving “synchronously” is not always just a matter of preference — it can actually help improve your body’s efficiency. It was found that moving in time to a beat required 7% less oxygen than participants that did not move synchronously. “Music, it seems,” explains Jabr. “Can function as a metronome, helping someone maintain a steady pace, reducing false steps and decreasing energy expenditure.”  Music Can Improve Your Recovery By successfully creating a distraction, and adding in elements of motivation — through compelling lyrics, or tempo, or any of the myriad reasons music moves us — music can power us through challenges, and make us feel better about them when we’re done. Music during your cool down has been shown to have an ergogenic effect, and can help reduce feelings of exhaustion and speed your recovery time. Music can push you through those extra reps. The Takeaway Music isn’t just a preference for your workout, it can actually create an improved workout experience. We love having music in our clubs, and strive to provide excellent ambient motivation through our whole-club sound system, and individual studio systems. We are proud to partner with Towne TV to help deliver an unmatched audio experience. Did You Know? You can queue up songs in-club during your visit by using Rockbot, our in-club entertainment app. You can set up your favorite tunes to get you hyped for whatever workout you have ahead. Forgot your headphones? We have a selection of headphones available for sale at the SHOP.  Haven’t Tried Working Out Synchronously? Give a group fitness class a try — your first session is free. See you in the clubs! Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Home About Contact Work Here Classes Member Services Amenities Get the App Privacy Policy JOIN NOW The post Music + Your Workout appeared first on Vent Fitness. If you’re looking for something to get your workout on track, or back on track (or off the couch, at least?)… there’s a surprisingly effective aid that is perfectly legal that will influence how productive your workout is. And who can’t use a